Rants De Goa 01 : The One with the Made Up History

No.1

Rants De Goa The One One with with The with Made-up Made-up with History History THE GOA COLLECTIVE

Most of the millions of visitors to Stonehenge, on the Salisbury plains believe they are looking at the untouched 5020 year-old remains of this stunning Prehistoric site.

But virtually every stone was re-erected, straightened, or embedded in concrete between 1901 and 1964. ( Lol )

Disneyland is as authentic as it gets.

Frankenstein-ed from a wide palette of Castles across Europe, and most conspicuously referencing the great Neuschwanstein Castle in Bavaria, it completely fantasises History.

It is Brutally honest about it’s Fakery.

The Real Neuschwanstein Castle has a more convoluted Story.

It’s history is constructed differently by the Weimar Republic, the Nazis, East and West Germany and the contemporary German Republic.

The Archaeological and Monument services of all countries create elaborate historical fantasies.

These are then aligned with whatever prevailing political discourse the gullible public is required to hear.

The Adil Shah gate is one of the 3,684 Nationally protected sites in India.

Let’s look at how a totally fake Goan monument that never actually existed in History becomes a National Monument.

There is even official Historical Signage of this Monument for the curious visitor.

The Archaeological Survey of India uncritically absorbed this list of monuments from the former Portuguese regime, and declared this garden folly a “National Monument”.

Confused? Irritated? Lol. Now let noted Indo-Portuguese academic Dr. Sidh Mendiratta break it down for you.

“This is a typical ‘false ruin’ and is made up of stones of at least three provinces : Two pre-portuguese structures and one, in the lintel, of Portuguese commission. It also includes cement.

I believe this structure was built between ca. 1900 and 1930, as it was classified as a national monument by the Portuguese government in 1932, based on the recommendation of the Comissão Portuguesa de Arqueologia.”

Be Honest now.

How many times have you used the words “Ancient”, “Historical”, “Traditional” or “Vernacular” to convince someone about the authenticity of a lifestyle, belief, recipe or even crappy architectural design at a Jury?

Since we can’t travel to Disneyland during the Pandemic, maybe a picnic at this Garden folly to celebrate it’s 100 years of construction would be a nice way to exchange Historical fantasies…