The Goan Sala - A Line in Time

 

The Goan Sala  - The Goan Grand Room - 1950's

An example of one of the beautiful living rooms in our village of Cumbiem Morod in Guirim, Bardez, Goa. This elegant house was full of love, life, laughter and light, with windows on 3 sides

complimented by a large clock with Roman numerals and hourly chimes, furnished with a round center table with a flower vase, the chimney lamp that hung suspended from the ceiling, a rocking chair, ‘volter’, easy chairs and an array of cane upright wooden chairs all around.

This is where all the action happened when I was a young lad - from parties, get-togethers, litanies, singing sessions, board games like ludo, draughts and carrom, card games of all sorts to wedding preparations, celebrations, sit-down dinners. and much more. But the beauty does not end there. There was a play ground next to the house where we played everything from soccer and 'fouio' to hopscotch and 'lobio'.

The house itself was flanked by gardens on both sides of the ‘balcão’, and with the benevolent blessings of the typical white-washed Cross, the house has stood the test of time up to this very day.

Some highlights of the village included having showers near the wells during the summer months and jumping into the well nearby on the day of the feast of São João.