The rustic village of Benaulim, in South Goa, has hidden a marvellous Indo-Portuguese house around 350-years-old. Architecturally significant to the rich cultural heritage of Goa, this house was at risk of being sold and row villas being built on the land.
On learning of the magnificent house’s dire future, Sherwin Antao, with the support of his father, Sane, decided to take on the Herculean task of restoring it to its former glory.
The house, Silva Heritage, features a typical balcao, a rosangon (an indoor courtyard) and rooms for guests. The house also retains remnants of its past, including clay utensils and altars, providing a tangible connection to its history.
“We tried to keep as much of the original structure untouched, and the new construction was done in a fashion that would gently merge with the old,” explains Smita Diniz Costa e Antao, who painstakingly redid the entire house guided by the foresight of her husband, Sherwin.
For the interiors, we have tried to incorporate as much of a Goan character as possible into everything, from the four poster beds, oyster shell windows, IPS for the bathrooms and the art objects for different spaces,” continues Smita.
The Indo-Portuguese house has a great story too.
“A daughter of the Antao house (the house I have married into) was married to a Silva two generations ago. That is our family connection with one branch of the family that previously owned the house,” says Smita.
"The other half of the house was not inhabited for 70 years after an only daughter, Dona Thelma, was married in Panjim. She would visit the house once a year and would take care of the maintenance of the house till she could,” she adds.
EXPLORING TRUE GOA
Here is how Smita and Sherwin let their guests experience the real Goa. From making traditional sweets, like shirvolyo, to using a rogdo (traditional masala grinder), guests can get a taste of the Goa of the past as part of their stay.
“These experiences are different every day. We do things like grinding masala on a rogdo, making shirvolyo, cooking mackerel on hay, making cocktails with our local brew, feni, etc,” says Smita.
This allows them to experience our culture. For bigger groups, we organise lunch, handicraft activities, dance performances and much more, depending on their requirement,” she adds.
From making traditional sweets, like shirvolyo, to using a rogdo (traditional masala grinder), guests can get a taste of the Goa of the past as part of their stay.
She adds that they are soon going to set up a feni distillery, showing the entire process of making the local alcoholic beverage along with an old style tavern for a little cop (Goan slang for a shot of alcohol).
LIVE MUSIC GALORE
Besides this, they have a live music event every Saturday. Vinesh Iyer, of The Live Music Project, organises Indian classical music with performances followed by interactive sessions.
“We also keep trying different workshops involving theatre, art, etc. We also did an evening of stargazing, a workshop for kids, etc. We are always open to ideas and think out of the box,” says Smita, who does an incredible job, both at work and raising her two daughters.
“I get a lot of help from my family which gives me time to devote to work. However, it’s still a rush to get everything done. So invariably, I have to prioritise, and on some days, the kids get more of my attention and on other days, work does,” she says with a smile on her face.
TAKE HOME A LITTLE BIT OF GOA
Silva Heritage’s new menu is a mix of Goan and Continental fare with influences from various colonies of the Portuguese. It was conceptualised by Sherwin Antao, and with the help of Chef Macustoy Almeida, curated and brought to life.
“We have classics like Pork Vindalho and Rissois de Camarão as well dishes like Prawn Balchão, quesadillas and Sardine Degustação, which we are sure the guests would love to try in a setting that is classy yet relaxed, all served at Mesa Dulcina,” says Smita.
Silva Heritage currently offers wedding packages with rooms which are named after Goan surnames. Soon, they plan to have an in-house team for décor as well, making Silva Heritage a one-stop shop for everything.
CELEBRATE WEDDED BLISS AT SILVA HERITAGE
Weddings were a lucky accident at Silva Heritage. When the Covid pandemic hit, and all international flights stopped, all business came to a standstill.
At that time, there was a captain of the Indian Navy who wished to get his daughter married and was hunting for a venue, and thought Silva Heritage fit their idea perfectly for the crowd size they had in mind.
“We will always be grateful that they saw the potential of the place even when it was in ruins. The house wore the look of a new bride on the wedding day. It was a proud moment for us all,” says Smita.
Silva Heritage currently offers wedding packages with rooms which are named after Goan surnames. Soon, they plan to have an in-house team for décor as well, making Silva Heritage a one-stop shop for everything.
She adds, “The guests we get are very particular about every aspect. After the booking is done, we do a food and beverage tasting for the guests, where we understand details as different ethnicities have their own set of requirements in terms of palate.”
“Thereafter, any liaising with the decorator and other vendors is constantly done by our team. On the big day, the operations team ensures that guests are well treated right from check-in to post wedding functions to ensure that guests leave with happy memories,” Smita concludes.