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*Inside Outside
June 2000
[Blank] has had a keen interest in Goan architecture for several
years. As a child he often visited Goa, thanks to his father's postings there
as a naval officer. He had always wanted to buy and restore a property in Goa,
with the aim of living in it in the future. A few years ago he began the search
m earnest. He says, 'Whenever we came to Goa on holiday, my wife would go to
the beach while. I "would roam the countryside looking for old houses! I
enjoyed these searches thoroughly, as I got to know some of the most charming
and interesting places in the area.' He chanced upon Siolim House while driving
by one day.
It had been built during the 17th century in the double-storeyed Casa de
Sobrado style, around a central courtyard, very much like houses of the
Portuguese nobility.
Siolim House was situated on the border of Bardez county, near lands that were
subject to frequent attacks by the armies of Adil Shah, the Sultan of Bijapur,
who sacked the territories of Bardez and Bijapur in 1654 and 1659, the Maratha
troops of Sambhaji who attacked the county, and raids by the Ranes, a military
aristocracy who dominated the lands beyond the borders. Rich landowners were
frequently the victims of such raids, and Siolim House was not spared. In the
18th and 19th centuries, there was relative stability and the family prospered.
They built a chapel outside the house as a testimony to their power and
importance.
Even though [Blank] had no idea whom the house belonged to, he decided that it
was going to be his! ""Finding the owners was like finding a needle in a
haystack, he says. Only a son, now aged 75 and a daughter in her 90s, remained.
They had sold the house, a few years ago, to a Swiss-American doctor living in
USA. It took [Blank] all of six months to find him and he says, 'Without any
references except the city he had lived in five years ago, and his name, I was
able to trace and find him in California!' Siolim House had weathered several
of Goa's merciless, lashing monsoon rains and was now in a terrible state of
disrepair. There were huge holes in the roof and the walls and timber were
badly damaged. The rear portion had suffered structural damage and a large part
of the roof had fallen in.
Once [Blank] had acquired the house, he immediately undertook emergency
repairs. With the help of a local architect who carried out the civil work, the
restoration began. 'The brief was simple as there was very little scope for
creativity. The house was to be brought back to its original splendour, while
allowing for modern living,' says [Blank] . He has taken great care with the
restoration and insisted on using traditional materials and craftsmanship, like
oyster shell window panes and pure shell and lime wall plaster. lost people
could not understand this, as cement, which has the advantage of being readily
available, was at least four times cheaper. I however knew the resilience and
anti-bacterial properties of lime plaster made of crushed shells and no amount
of persuasion could change my mind.'
Since the restoration was carried out with a view to making Siolim House his
home, [Blank] has been extremely generous with the space. Originally a 24-room
house, it now has only seven bedrooms, named after major sea ports in the world
- Macao, Cambay, Bahia, Malacca, Surat, Malabar and Damao. The other rooms have
been converted into bathrooms, service areas and public areas. No walls were
broken except for the one around the courtyard to open it up. The open corridor
around it is now paved with terracotta tiles and set with wrought-iron
furniture. This is where guests have their meals alfresco. The gardens are
immaculate yet 'casually' laid out, with frangipani ([Blank] 's favourite)
growing harmoniously near pepper plants! In an arbour, sheltered by lush
passion fruit creepers, is a spot that is perfect for quiet reflection and
reverie and soaking in the atmosphere. A jewel-like lap pool in the centre, is
the only obviously modern luxury.
Says [Blank] , 'Converting Sioiim House into a 'hotel de charme' was an
afterthought when we realised that welcoming guests would help us keep Sioiim
House in perfect shape, and give to it the character that comes from being
lived in. We still have difficulty using the word hotel, and would have done
away with it entirely if it were not a key search word on the internet!' Siolim
House is marketed only via the internet.
[Blank] has, in the process of fulfilling his dream, created with 'love and
traditional materials', a retreat with soul! .
Inside Out article
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