As Goa unlocks its wardrobe

Neha Kirpal

A lot has been said and written about the textile museums of India. Now, it is time to turn the spotlight on the country’s first museum solely dedicated to costumes. Moda Goa Museum and Research Centre, the brainchild of designer Wendell Rodricks, is set to open at the designer’s ancestral home.

Aimed at documenting the centuries-old history of Goan costume, the museum, Casa Dona Maria, houses 800 artefacts comprising statues, objects, furniture, photographs, costumes, jewellery and accessories from 7th century AD till date. The objects have all been selected based on their rare and unique characteristics, and the stories they tell. The museum would be a meeting place for art and craft aficionados and would host social and cultural activities too.

It all started when the museum’s founding member and managing trustee, Wendell Rodricks’ artist friend, the late Mario Miranda, requested him to research and write about a garment called the pano bhaju, worn by Goan women. At the start of his research, Wendell had no idea about the garment, but by the end of it, he decided to go deeper into the history of Goan costume, a topic hitherto unexplored. The next 10 years were spent skimming through history. It all culminated in his first book, Moda Goa: History and Style, published by Harper Collins in 2012.

After the book and two internships — at the Museum at FIT in New York and the National Museum of Costume in Lisbon — Rodricks realised he could open a museum with the objects he had collected during his research. “So, we moved out of my ancestral home in the village of Colvale two years ago. We thought it was the perfect heritage space for the Moda Goa Museum and Research Centre,” says Rodricks. The 450-year-old building had been the designer’s home for 20 years.

The museum will have 15 galleries in the restored heritage property that has a floor area of 750 square metres. A research centre will provide learning spaces with a scholars’ residence and a library.

The library will have a collection of books that Rodricks has gathered over three decades. “Every conceivable book on Goa and fashion is in the library. Each week, we add to the collection. In our visual gallery space, we will display every Indian textile, weave, sari, print, dye and clothing technique related to Goa and India. We will have a scholar’s residence on the premises as we want scholars and researchers from India and the overseas to add to the museum archive with new dimensions based on their research and expertise,” says Rodricks. There now is also a temporary exhibition space that will change every three months.

At the moment, Rodricks is awaiting approval from the International Committee of Museums. Once it attains that, the museum will be able to loan objects from international museums and vice-versa. Rodricks says the Moda Goa Museum and Research Centre will be a huge learning curve on Goa, India, Goan costumes, history, Indian textiles, weaves and embroideries. It showcases some interesting facts and trivia about the history of Goan costumes. For instance, one of the galleries explores the influence of the freedom movement on the Konkan coast and is replete with anecdotes related to the Ranes, the Bhonsles, the Cuncolim Revolution, the Pinto Revolution and the Tunica of Barino Monteiro.

Talking about the many challenges along the way, Rodricks says that when he got museum consultant Deepthi Sasidharan from Eka on board for this project, he realised that to create a world-class museum, it would have to be in line with international standards in all areas, including display, storage, conservation and research. He says they have not left any stone unturned to ensure it matches global standards.

Rodricks says the support has been positive so far. Several people, including corporates, trusts and foundations have donated to the galleries. He is also seeking the help and approval of the Ministry of Culture and the Ministry of Textiles for the Moda Goa Museum and Research Centre.

“Both the ministries have been very encouraging in their response. We are looking at government support because this is a pioneering museum for the country and their support will mean a lot to the trustees and the professionals involved,” he adds.

A soft launch of the museum will happen as part of the Serendipity Arts Festival in mid-December and would open to the public in March next.