Heritage Day: e-Walk opens at St Augustine tower

Panaji: On World Heritage Day on Friday, no fee was charged for visiting Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) monuments across the country. In Goa, fort Aguada was exempted from ticketing for the day and the ASI Goa circle inaugurated a digital heritage walk at the St Augustine tower at Old Goa.
World Heritage Day is observed globally on April 18 every year to raise awareness about the importance of preserving cultural heritage. In all, 3,698 monuments and sites are under ASI protection.
“Anyone who visits a monument finds little to no information on the architectural style and its excavation,” Abhijit Ambekar, superintending archaeologist holding additional charge in Goa, told TOI. He added, “Now, visitors can scan the QR code placed on a standee near the St Augustine tower and listen to the audio in Hindi or English or watch visuals on their smartphones.”
This is being done on a pilot basis at the St Augustine tower, and plans are afoot to replicate this system at other monuments in Goa.
With this year’s World Heritage Day coinciding with Good Friday, sacred spaces in Goa filled with the sounds of hymns and heartfelt prayers. These include the Church and Convent of St Francis of Assisi, Velha Goa, which has six chapels and two altars, and the Chapel of Lady of Rosary, which has a main altar.