Palacio Do Deao

Palacio Do Deao  is a beautiful mansion/villa situated on the river of Kushavati, at Quepem, Goa.

Built in the classic Indo-Portuguese style, in 1787,  the architecture of the house is as unique as its history.

the river Kushavati

Jose Paulo, a Portuguese noble man ,who was also the Dean of the church and the founder of Quepem town built this palatial home way back in the 18th century.

Read more about this here.

way to the Palacio:

The sunny yellow-white structure is a classic blend of Indian-Portuguese styled houses commonly seen in this part of the country.

white garden seats against the lush greens

Adjoining the villa there are pockets of tropical landscaped gardens.Yes gardens!One little garden leads to the other and you slowly get an idea of how vast this property is spread on to.

Little stone fruit baskets dot the stairway!

Balconets or false balconies

Interesting stone sculptures

And the stairway leads to a Chapel right at the entrance of the villa where Mr. Reuben warmly ushers you in and takes you through the rich heritage of the house.

A lovely swing with a colourful patchwork seat.

Sunlight pouring onto the earthy Terra cotta floor.

We visited the place during the last week of December and there was this little Christmas tree snugly placed in one of the corners.

The door way from where one could see a series of other door ways leading to Halls,Reading rooms, Recreational rooms, etc.

The soft white muslin like curtains lends a very dreamy appeal to the room!!

Most of the furniture and accessories in the house has been restored so as to maintain the unique charm of the house.

The house is filled with memorabilia at least 2 centuries old!

A  rare hat-making wooden mould and  some antique silver-ware.

Old wooden measures or Maap of different sizes -used in the olden days to measure grains 

The Palkhi (wooden palanquins) used by the royals to move about in the town.

The Belvedere  is an open-sided gallery generally used for entertainment or relaxation.

a  sunny terrace like extension of the house where the guests are entertained over luncheons and high teas.

Simple table decoration 

Floral embroidery work on the table cloth...not to miss the rooster/turkey with the Portugal sign under it.

A delectable spread of Portuguese as well as Goan vegetarian/non vegetarian starters and main course. 

The local Goan influence on the food is evident through this Karanji (fried flour dumplings with sweet coconut fillings) like shaped potato-cheese dumplings.

our table!!! :)

One of its many bedrooms...

 A  classic four poster  and a dresser add to the old world charm of the room

an old Portuguese robe.

Seasoned wood and Mother of pearl for the windows...

This, apparently, not only diffuses the sunlight but also keeps the room cool.

intricate patterns woven by the afternoon sun

Beautiful carved Pelmets adorn the doorway

a closer look .

One of the many entrances to the lush gardens that surround the villa.

 

Just the right place to curl up... for some afternoon siesta!!

a wrought iron lounge chair set in the garden.

Outdoor seating like these can be seen across the garden.

Bougainvilleas of every hue add so much cheer..

It felt like I had travelled through time into some bygone era.

I hope you enjoyed this tour as much as I enjoyed sharing it with you all ... but I insist that the next time you travel to Goa do stop by for a scrumptious luncheon or some high tea at the Palacio Do Deao.

You can visit them here or write in to Mr. Reuben on this ID .

ALL IMAGES FROM MY PERSONAL COLLECTION. 

warm wishes,

AFHS.