Backstory

His full name is Mário João Carlos do Rosário de Brito Miranda. But he is known to the public only as ‘Mario.’

His drawings stem from how he sees life in Bombay (now Mumbai), Goa and other parts of the world he was invited to.

Mario de Miranda was a self-taught artist. He started his career as a Cartoonist for the Times of India Group in 1953. Later, he moved into illustration and fine art. After working in Mumbai, he moved back to Goa. He passed away on 11th December, 2011 in his ancestral house in Loutolim, Goa.

Fun facts:

• Mario traveled to 22 countries, where he was invited to visit and sketch.
• Miranda’s murals are sprinkled across buildings in Goa and other parts of India. In 2004, he was invited to paint a mural on the walls of the new municipal market of Panjim by then Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar.
• The Mario Gallery and Museum has published Miranda’s 1949 diaries, which depict his student life as a 22-year-old in the city of Mumbai.
• His work is viewed as a social commentary rather than political.
• The murals in South Mumbai’s iconic Cafe Mondegar are Mario’s handiwork.

His work is infused with humor. From scenes of people dozing during mass to processions and a vibrant Goan band, his art speaks to locals. His signature style shone through characters like Miss Fonseca and black and white polka cloth patterns.

The Mario Miranda Museum, Goa.

I visited the museum located in Porvorim in November. The first thing I noticed was the quiet. Although vehicles pass through, what I believe are more interior roads, silence triumphs. It is safe to say that the museum is still hidden gem.

Apart from ample parking space, there is much to see and soak in. I spent close to 2 hours which was split between the House of Goa Museum and the Mario Miranda Gallery.

When I arrived, I noticed three colorful houses. In the center, sits a cafe-slash-museum. It has three floors, with short, narrow steps. It feels like walking inside a tree house. The entry ticket costs 150 for adults and a lower charge for kids. The ticket includes a 50 rupees discount voucher that can be claimed in the cafe or souvenir shop. Although the museum doesn’t have lunch hours, the cafe does and was closed after 1 pm. Carry socks if you don’t like walking barefoot. The museum doesn’t allow you to wear your shoes inside.

What surprised me was that the museum is more about houses of Goa in the past, and not Mario’s work. There are traces of his drawings and a reference or two. That’s not to say the museum isn’t interesting on its own. I discovered small wooden palms were drilled into the wall to support leaning mirrors! How cool is that?

The second floor has a tiny balcony with a life-size figurine burning in the sun. The floor was scathing hot, but anything for the gram right?

The third floor is cooler. Its walls are plastered with Mario’s illustrations explained. You can also sit a while and catch your breathe here.

Behind the cafe/museum, you will see a row of ginormous figurines that make for good photo ops.

On the other side, just a minute down the road, there’s a blue house which is the Mario Miranda Gallery. It holds souvenirs that will bleed you dry. My mom and I felt like kids in a candy store. We had been looking forward to coming here after mom heard about the gallery in the newspaper years ago.

Looking for magnets, tote bags, bookmarks, shot glasses, puzzles, figurines, postcards, lampshades, art work, bottle openers, playing cards, crop tops, t-shirts..? They’ve got them all!

It took me an hour and a half to finally decide what I wanted. From my experience and seeing the goodies up close, here are a few suggestions:

1. Once you choose the product, the store manager will give you a new piece from inside. Check it! My purchases had small blemishes.
2. Don’t go for the 50% off products in the back room. They are at half price due to defects (it’s mentioned) like spelling and design errors.
3. Products on the website cost twice the price. The discounts are available only in-store and not the website.
4. The tote bags didn’t look like great quality to me. The zipper on one display piece looked faded.
5. New pieces also differ from one another. The print is darker than the other on some pieces. Pick wisely!

Take a look at the pricing sheet at the counter before making final gifting decisions. You’ll spot some good discounts.

While this gem is not a tourist spot yet, I recommend paying a visit. It’s worth your time even if you’re not a fan of the illustrator/cartoonist.