Daijiworld Media Network - Panaji

Panaji, Jun 21: After nearly a decade of inaction, the Goa government has officially launched the long-pending project to build the State’s first-ever Tribal Museum, dedicated to tribal freedom fighters and showcasing the rich cultural heritage of Goa’s indigenous communities.

The Tourism Department has appointed Fourth Dimension Architect Pvt Ltd as the official consultant for the museum, which will be constructed at Bandora-Ponda on government-owned land measuring 29,000 sq metres. The estimated cost of the project stands at Rs 19.3 crore.

Originally overseen by the Department of Tribal Welfare, the project was transferred to the Tourism Department due to land ownership issues. A senior Tribal Welfare official confirmed that the foundation stone will be laid soon, with a project completion timeline of 18–20 months from the start of construction.

The upcoming museum will include a Tribal Life Gallery, featuring life-sized models of tribal homes, traditional kitchens, dwellings, and various artefacts that depict the customs, daily life, and ancestral knowledge of Goa’s tribal communities. The Department of Tribal Welfare will provide the content, artefacts, and historical materials for the display.

Last year, the department engaged Disha Foundation to collect the necessary tribal data, but the initiative failed to deliver the expected results. As a result, officials turned directly to tribal communities for input, urging them to share knowledge and artefacts to shape the project authentically.

“We’ve received encouraging support from the tribal communities. While we don’t have everything yet, we expect to be fully prepared by the time construction is complete,” the official added.

The museum aligns with a national initiative announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his 2016 Independence Day address, in which he declared the establishment of museums to honour unsung tribal freedom fighters. Goa is among ten states selected for this project by the Ministry of Tribal Affairs, which has sanctioned Rs 15 crore for Goa’s museum.

As part of the Union government's vision, these museums will be equipped with modern technologies such as virtual reality, augmented reality, 3D and 7D holographic projections to create immersive and engaging experiences for visitors.

Once completed, the museum will stand as a landmark tribute to Goa’s tribal heritage and a vital step toward preserving and celebrating the community’s historical contributions to India’s freedom movement.