New Trend in Heritage Wall Painting Comes to Panaji Smart City
PANAJI: Goa’s capital city, Panaji, is embracing a fresh wave of heritage wall painting, marking a departure from the traditional brick-red hues. As 2024 came to an end and 2025 began, the old Public Works Department (PWD) building near the historic Patto bridge, once on the verge of collapse, received a much-needed facelift. The initiative was spearheaded by Panaji MLA Atanasio Monserrate, popularly known as Babush.
This heritage structure, located on the banks of the Mandovi River, has been completely renovated while preserving its architectural charm. However, what truly stands out is its striking new color scheme—a unique combination of blue, yellow, and white. This multi-colored makeover has caught the attention of both tourists and locals, adding a fresh vibrancy to Panaji’s cityscape.
For decades, heritage buildings in Goa were predominantly painted in brick-red, a shade often referred to as “rosy red.” This was a defining feature of Goa’s Portuguese-era architectural heritage. Other traditional color schemes included white-yellow, blue-white, and variations of brick-red.
A shift in this tradition was first seen when Sanjit Rodrigues, as Commissioner of the Corporation of the City of Panaji (CCP), introduced new colors to heritage structures. The iconic Comunidade building, housing Singbal’s Book House and the India Tourism office, was repainted in a white-yellowish hue, breaking away from the conventional brick-red. A similar experiment took place in Margao, where the Municipal Council building, once painted in a yellowish-white shade, was restored to its original Portuguese-era brick-red under the leadership of then-chairperson Damodar Naik.
This ongoing debate over heritage colors is not unique to Goa. A decade ago, during the All India Conference of Journalists in Jaipur, Rajasthan, local scribes raised concerns about the fading “Pink City” identity. The Rajasthan Tourism Minister at the time assured them that efforts would be made to restore the traditional brick-red color of Jaipur’s historic buildings.
Similarly, in Goa, areas like St. Tome Street and Fontainhas continue to be major attractions for their well-preserved Portuguese-style architecture and vibrant color palette. These heritage neighborhoods are widely recognized for their artistic and architectural value, drawing both foreign and domestic tourists.
The newly renovated PWD building in Panaji is now a significant addition to this evolving narrative of heritage preservation, blending tradition with a modern touch. With more heritage buildings undergoing similar transformations, the debate over maintaining traditional colors versus adopting contemporary palettes is likely to continue, shaping the visual identity of Goa’s historic urban landscape.
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