The Golden Chronicles

The first stop was at Mario Fernandes’ workstation. An undertaker by profession,his workstation had wooden coffins,an old iron,a defunct table fan and a chest of huge drawers. Fernandes spoke about the community he has grown around. “More than three generations have lived here. Each tried to create a culture similar to that in Goa. A lot of the Goans here did really well and sold their property and settled in flats in other parts of the city. However,this place is still very ‘Goan’ and very close-knit,” he said.

In the last fifty years,Goans shifted base to other parts of the globe in search of better avenues for work. Pune was an obvious choice due to its proximity to the beach state. It became ‘home’ for many. One such home is the white cottage at Quarter Gate which stands with a board outside – ‘Ishaprem Niwas’ – a home for the less privileged. Sister Maria Helena,fondly called Aruna Tai,has been managing it for the last 30 years. She smiles,recalling the Goan way of life. “A lot of old houses are unoccupied now. Most of the children have shifted to bigger cities,to look for opportunities there. A small number now resides here,” she says.

Several brightly painted houses line the lane next to the Nirmala Niwas. One such yellow cottage is that of Rose Seymour,nurse superintendent,Ruby Hall Clinic.“Ours is the sixth generation living here,” she says. A wooden staircase leads one to this 100-year-old ancestral house. Seymour’s family has not made many changes to the place except the addition of grills and metal wires. Her great grandfather and grandfather both worked as doctors with the British army in India. Just outside this preserved house,several crumbling structures stand. One passes by the houses of D’souzas,D’Mellos and Fernandes. Balloons,stars,loud chatter and gaiety surround the locality. The Goan free spiritedness has remained alive here for the last 50 years.