Historical Adil Shah's palace, Goa - a remnant of lost history

Adil Shah's palace Old secretariat of Goa). goantourism.com

The palace of the Muslim ruler of Bijapur Yusuf Adil Shah(1450–1511), is the oldest surviving building, the seat  of Goan  Secretariat (built around 1500). Commonly referred to as Hidalcão by the Portuguese,  Yusuf was the founder of the Adil Shahi dynasty that ruled the Sultanate of Bijapur (now in the state of Karnataka) for nearly two centuries Typically  colonial in design and architecture,  the building once served as  Adil Shah´s summer palace cum fortress. As  the Indian ruler  was surrounded  by enemies, the palace  was well fortified as part of his  defense with a formidable  arsenal of 55 canons and a  moat. It is now more known as secretariat than as the palace of Adil Shah. 

 Yusuf Adil Shah of Bijapur. www.merabijapur.com

 

Afonso de Albuquerque, Duke of Goa  en.wikipedia.org

Above image:  Afonso de Albuquerque, first Duke 
of Goa (1453 -1515).Governor and Captain-General
 of the Seas of India. Viceroy of India.  Hedied in India.........................


Portuguese during their formative years had a tough military force to deal with the local Indian rulers  who were not united and  under the military command of  Governor Alfonso de Albuquerque (1453 -1515), they  defeated the forces of  Adil Shah in 1510. Subsequently Yusu Adil Shah died leaving behind a small kingdom.

Adil Shah palace (Goa secretariat). www.misual.com

The palace was used by Portuguese Viceroys for a brief  stay, rest and relaxation during their travel  to and from Portugal. Further, it was  a tradition for the new Viceroy  to stay here while awaiting the receipt of the ceremonial keys to the city of Old Goa at the Viceroy´s Arch. Likewise, the outgoing Viceroy had to wait here, for a ship bound for Portugal, after delegating his authority in Old Goa.

Adil Shah palace, Goa . www.gettyimages.in

The palace was known as the Idalcaon  (Portuguese corruption of the name Adil Shah) Palace,  around 1759, when Old Goa  ceased to be  the capital and obviously the palace became the official residence of the Viceroy. The old place building underwent major- renovation and demolition that resulted in the change of overall appearance of the building. Until 1918, it was the viceregal residence when  the Viceroy moved into a new residence near
near Dona Paula. It is pathetic that so much history of an historical palace got erased by the colonists and the only remaining part is the entrance gate.

After Goa became part of the Indian Union, the building served as the  seat of the Goan State Legislature or Assembly and was referred to as the Secretariat.

Though a new Assembly building in Porvorim across the Mandovi river came up, the Secretariat  housed the Administrative offices of the Government.  Age-old Adil Shah's historical Palace on the banks of river Mandovi, which  housed State Secretariat and State Legislative assembly, later was converted into  an Art and Culture Museum. 

surviving gate way to the old Adil Shah's palace, Goa www.tripadvisor.in

The stone Gateway made of basaltic rocks (rocks of volcanic origin, common in the Deccan region) is the only surviving remnant of the palatial  Palace that existed before it was demolished  and converted as the residence of the Governor of Goa after defeating Adil Shah. This is located at the approach road to St. Cajetan church.

 http://www.thehindu.com/multimedia/dynamic/00776/07mn_goa_secretaria_776013e.jpg

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