Goa Archives

[Debra Nicholson]

Can anyone please inform me the recent location and access availability of the Goa Archives? Their website indicates they’ve moved to Ribander but did they move their records as well as their library? Their phone numbers are switched off so I’m unable to get info from them directly (and they never answer emails). Any info would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

Debra K. Nicholson, MFA, MA
www.debranicholson.com
alternate email: dkn...@bgsu.edu

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[carolina costa]

Hello Debra,
I was in Goa last year in May and the Archives were still in the old location in Panjim. I believe they have different locations for the different types of documents available which there are many in Portuguese.
Have you tried to contact Frederick Noronha? He is quite knowledgeable and very helpful.
Telephone and emails are not a good option. From my experience, nobody replies.
All the best.
Regards,
Carolina

Sent from my iPhone

> On 11 Nov 2025, at 13:53, Debra Nicholson <debra.k....@gmail.com> wrote:
>
> Can anyone please inform me the recent location and access availability of the Goa Archives? Their website indicates they’ve moved to Ribander but did they move their records as well as their library? Their phone numbers are switched off so I’m unable to get info from them directly (and they never answer emails). Any info would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

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[Debra Nicholson]

Thanks, Carolina, yes, Frederick had a good idea how to move forward! Cheers, Debra

Debra K. Nicholson, MFA, MA
www.debranicholson.com
alternate email: dkn...@bgsu.edu

Sent from my iPhone

> On Nov 13, 2025, at 3:01 PM, 'carolina costa' via Goa-Research-Net <goa-rese...@googlegroups.com> wrote:
>
> Hello Debra,

> To view this discussion, visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/goa-research-net/DCEA3DA6-2D37-45DF-84F4-7124BBF57DB4%40yahoo.com.

[Glenis Mendonca]

Dear Debra

 

The Goa Archives have shifted their base to Ribander. I have recently gone there and I was told that their library too is shifted there. They do not allow any usage of mobiles, nor photographs while inside the building. The place is in the Alcon building, above the Merc showroom on the main road going to Old Goa. 

Best wishes

Glenis Mendonca

To view this discussion, visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/goa-research-net/DCEA3DA6-2D37-45DF-84F4-7124BBF57DB4%40yahoo.com.

[Debra Nicholson]

Thank you, Glenis!

Debra K. Nicholson, MFA, MA

www.debranicholson.com

alternate email: dkn...@bgsu.edu

Sent from my iPhone

On Nov 15, 2025, at 12:29 PM, Glenis Mendonca <glenis....@gmail.com> wrote:



To view this discussion, visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/goa-research-net/CA%2BZJi_bfjOG1MkzAzRbo_c96wBY9hHOuJ7bK14sYvOJ8mw9qWg%40mail.gmail.com.

[Debra Nicholson]

Dear all, I wanted to give an update on my research experience at the Goa Archives. 

The archives have indeed moved to the Chimbel/ Ribander area in a big building in the middle of nowhere (on the highway to Old Goa, I was told) called the Alcon House. The archive research room is on the 5th floor on the right-hand side of the building and the library is on the left side of the building using a separate elevator to the 3rd floor. 

I found the conditions in the scholar research room to be very difficult. There was a big picture window (with a beautiful view) but no open windows, only fans. The temperature increased dramatically as the day wore on as the sun shone directly through the window. Some people didn’t mind the heat, but I found it unbearable.  

I eventually was able to move into the main room which was cooler but much noisier. But since I don’t understand Konkani, it didn’t really bother me. 

The archive closes from 1:00 - 2:15 for lunch; scholars can work until 4:45 or 5:00. 

I was looking at Monsoon Books and Cartas e Ordens from around 1798 to 1816. I am sorry to say many of the documents were mostly in a very degraded and disintegrating condition which made me very sad that they had not been conserved, or digitized, and I was grieved at the history being lost. 

The staff, however, was amazing. I was able to get all requested materials in a timely manner and the scanning guy heroically scanned all my requests before I planned to leave Goa. The scans cost foreigners Rs. 40 each (not cheap if having a lot scanned…)

Then, I went over to the library. I of course filled out a registration form where I listed my topic, and the librarian pulled out some resources for me. One of those turned out to be an old journal (Purabhilekh Puratatva) which had some of the Monsoon letters transcribed in Portuguese with an English summary below! I was ecstatic!

The librarian said it was a government publication so she checked with the bookshop to see if there were any copies. There were—one of which they gave to me, complimentary!

Then, I had the idea that other journal volumes might have more transcriptions—so she pulled out all of them plus an index. Turns out four more volumes had transcriptions and two of them were available, complimentary, from the bookshop, and the library’s scanning guy stayed a bit later than he planned to, to scan the items from the other two. This was on New Year’s Eve, mind you. 

I don’t know all the people or gods who greased the wheels for me but I had an overall excellent experience at the Goa Archives. I hope you will as well. (Frederick was one; another who would probably like to remain anonymous.) I thank them all, known and unknown.

Happy New Year! Happy researching! 

Cheers, Debra 

Debra K. Nicholson, MFA, MA

www.debranicholson.com

alternate email: dkn...@bgsu.edu

Sent from my iPhone

On Nov 15, 2025, at 12:29 PM, Glenis Mendonca <glenis....@gmail.com> wrote:



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[Carvalho]

The entire gambit of archival material in Goa is priceless but hopelessly in need of preservation, digitisation and upgrade in facilities and trained staff to bring it in line with worldclass standards. I am sad too that in a decade or so the material will be completely degraded. One of main constituents of preservation is temperature control, which simply doesn't exist in Goa.

All best,

Selma

To view this discussion, visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/goa-research-net/3F3FF78C-BBCE-41D7-B965-81AC5FB052CD%40gmail.com.

[Joao Paulo Cota]

Dear Debra,

You must be a very lucky research scholar with powerful gods on your side.

I had been to Goa in December and managed to get the final batch of documents for my second book. I was over the moon and had even celebrated when over 1000 pdf's were saved into my USB drive.

It took me 10 years of pain and toil to get all the remaining documents I needed, as the same were for some reason being denied or I was given excuses for them not to be released. My few trips to Goa during that decade were 1 or 2 weeks, hence once cannot do much in that small period of time, due to work leave constraints and family affairs. 

It was one single person who was creating problems and basically wanted bribes to give out the documents I needed. I had refused to pay any bribe and instead used alternative ways to get the documents needed. Great that he has now retired and left, so, I have managed to get the rest of the batch since his departure.

He also used a method where he had denied documents to foreign scholars and then after the later left the country, he had managed to 'miraculously' find the documents. He did that to a couple of foreign scholars I knew. So the only option was to get the services of an 'archivist' (aka somebody who can read Portuguese) to get the documents scanned and that would had cost a fortune to the scholar. They have tried that with me too, and again, I had flatly refused.

I have managed to finally get them via a fellow scholar who is based in India, and he knew how badly I needed these. I am so grateful to have such great people around me.

Through chats, I came to know that they are going to be based at Alcon House for about 5 years, as their new building is going to be built at Patto area. They will then moved there permanently and possibly bring the other satellite store rooms into that building. That would be great news, if true...

I thought it is important to mention that not everybody is lucky at the Archives.

The staff is better now, hope it stays that way.

Many scholars are part-time and have a main unrelated job, but they do research work for the love of the land and its history, and not for monetary gains.

Thanks,

Joao Paulo Cota

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From: goa-rese...@googlegroups.com <goa-rese...@googlegroups.com> on behalf of Debra Nicholson <debra.k....@gmail.com>
Sent: 07 January 2026 14:15
To: goa-rese...@googlegroups.com <goa-rese...@googlegroups.com>
Subject: Re: [GRN] Goa Archives

 

To view this discussion, visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/goa-research-net/3F3FF78C-BBCE-41D7-B965-81AC5FB052CD%40gmail.com.

[carolina costa]

Thank you for the update. Debra.

Glad you got what you needed.

All the best with your research.

Regards,

Carolina 

Sent from my iPhone

On 7 Jan 2026, at 15:11, Debra Nicholson <debra.k....@gmail.com> wrote:

Dear all, I wanted to give an update on my research experience at the Goa Archives. 

To view this discussion, visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/goa-research-net/3F3FF78C-BBCE-41D7-B965-81AC5FB052CD%40gmail.com.

[sandra lobo]

Hi,

I agree with Selma's worries and share with João Paulo similar experiences, having an incommensurable debt to Indian scholars' solidarity. Fortunately, found a totally different attitude at the Central Library, otherwise it would have been impossible to complete may PhD in the terms I aimed for. The idea that foreign researchers have their pockets full is simply outrageous and gives a poor image of Indian institutions. How would Indian scholars do if made to face equal treatment in foreign institutions?

best wishes,

Sandra

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De: goa-rese...@googlegroups.com <goa-rese...@googlegroups.com> em nome de Joao Paulo Cota <joao...@hotmail.com>
Enviado: 7 de janeiro de 2026 17:45
Para: goa-rese...@googlegroups.com <goa-rese...@googlegroups.com>
Assunto: Re: [GRN] Goa Archives

 

To view this discussion, visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/goa-research-net/FR8P195MB330796C0565CDB8F0C1370AE8284A%40FR8P195MB3307.EURP195.PROD.OUTLOOK.COM.

[Joao Paulo Cota]

Hi Sandra,

You have touched a very good point.

When I was in Lisbon and had visited the Museu da Marinha, Museu Militar, MNE and MCL for information gathering, I was given a VIP treatment.

The staff had first asked me why I wanted the information for, and having established my needs, they went out of their way to help me on my work, due to limited time available. They even gave me their own official contacts like email and direct line, requesting me to contact back in case I needed anything further.

No bribes needed, no favours requested. Just free, genuine help.

Where on earth do you get this kind of treatment?

Really glad that the Goa Archives have now improved in the way they treat scholars from overseas, thanks for the troublemaker(s) having now left the department.

Best wishes.

Joao Paulo Cota

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From: goa-rese...@googlegroups.com <goa-rese...@googlegroups.com> on behalf of sandra lobo <sandr...@netcabo.pt>
Sent: 07 January 2026 19:58
To: goa-rese...@googlegroups.com <goa-rese...@googlegroups.com>
Subject: RE: [GRN] Goa Archives

 

To view this discussion, visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/goa-research-net/DB8PR10MB3766D71B036054A1587D533FA584A%40DB8PR10MB3766.EURPRD10.PROD.OUTLOOK.COM.