The Portuguese Blues
If you walk down the picturesque, colourful lane of Fontainhas in Goa, you will come across colours of the colonial past, in structures, architecture and hues. But most importantly, you will come across painted tiles , mostly blue and white, being used as nameplates, to depict the scenes of Goa, in galleries and normal houses alike. These tiles, known as the Azulejos tiles, are the impactful artistic gifts that the Portuguese introduced to this country and its people. While the presence of this art form had vanished from India with the departure of the Portuguese from Goa, it was recently brought back and rejuvenated by artists and these tiles are painted and prepared in bulk all around Goa at present. This art form has been deeply ingrained in the cultural folding of Goa and reflects its past and present alike. The origin of the word Azulejo traces its root back to three languages: Spanish, Portuguese and Arabian. There are several accounts of history depicting the birth of this ...