On my recent visit to Goa, India, I visited the Menezes Braganza Pereira house that is located at the Chandor village in south Goa.

It is known to be more than 350 years old and is situated near the church square in Chandor. This mansion is the most exquisite heritage house in the countryside, the biggest in Goa and also has a Portuguese style facade. It is a museum of chandeliers, painting, porcelain, crystal, period furniture and other antique items.

According to family history, in the 17th century A.F.S. Braganza Pereira was representing Goa under the Portuguese government as a vice consul general in Spain. He was gifted the land by the king of Portugal, Don Luiz on which the mansion is now located. Later after a few generations, the house was divided into two equal halves as it was inherited by two sisters in the family. It was named after their husbands - Menezes Branganza (west wing) and Braganza Pereira (East wing) and is still inhabited by descendants of the two families.

The Portuguese style outer facade that gives entry to both wings of the mansion with 24 windows is the longest in Goa. The house made up of laterite has a garden with mosaic seats, tables and fountains. A nail of St. Francis Xavier is held by the Petite Chapel that is still used in the Braganza Periera House. Two chairs bearing the coat of arms gifted by the Portuguese king are there in the huge ballroom.

This mansion, with precious artefacts from all over the world was built in three stages. The sheer size of the house is to be seen to be believed. Having 28 balconies, it is 110 metres in length and flanks the full length of one side of the village square. Braganza house also has the biggest private library in Goa. A variety of material has been used from room to room: the visitors' salon has Portuguese tiles Flemish wood has been used in the library, while the ballroom is made of Italian marble. There are crystal chandeliers from Venice and Belgium. Some windows are made of coloured glass from Venice, while others are decorated with scraped and laminated oyster.