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If there is
one thing that makes Goa different from other parts of
India than it is its East-West symbiosis giving it a
special historical and social niche. The history of Goa
tells a sweet and sour story of colonial heritage,
oppressive rulers, a glorious culture, and uneventful
immediate past.
As a land with the identity of
its own, Goa was brought into focus when it was
liberated of Portugal from its oppressive rule of around
450 hundred years in 1961. Goa was captured and annexed
to the Portuguese in 1510 following the urges of trade
and demand of spices and also cottons and indigo. But,
Goa has a history that starts much before Portugal even
thought of Goa being where it
is.
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Goa was coveted and ruled by a great number of
Indian kingdoms and dynasties from the 4th century
onwards. The first kingdom to rule Goa and Konkan were
Bhojas, who were the feudatories of Ashoka in 4th and
5th centuries AD. The city of Chandrapur (present
Chandor) was founded by Prince Chandraditya, son of
Chalukya King Pulakesin from 566 to 597 A.D. after this,
Goa was ruled consecutively by Silahara Dynasty, Kadamba
Danasty, and finally Hoysalas from 1022 to 1342 A.D.
From the 14th century onwards, Goa became a
great trading center on the west coast, especially in
the vast trade of horses imported from the Middle East.
This was the time for bigger empires to move in and
Vijayanagar Empire conquered it in 1344. But there
empire was not going to last too long and in 1347,
Bahmani Sultans defeated Vijayanagara forces in 1347 and
controlled Goa. Afterwards, it was a time of great
prosperity and peace for Gpa, especially during the
rules of Yusuf Adil Shah and Ismail Adil Shah. They
created beautiful houses, fortified Goa, and encouraged
local craftsmen. Their liberal and progressive rule was
not going to last too long and situation changed in 1510
A.D.
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Goa for all purposes was not on the Portuguese
Radar even after a long time of their presence in India.
When the Portuguese nobleman Alfonso de Albuquerque and
his cousin Francisco de Albuquerque were sent with a
powerful fleet in 1503 on the orders of King Dom Manuel
I, the purpose was to defend the cargoes of spices,
mostly pepper, against Arab Muslim raiders.
The center
of spice trade was Calicut at that time and Portuguese
had built forts in Cochin and Cannanore. |
It was
in 1506-08 that an opportunistic pirate, Timoja,
persuaded Albuquerque to attack Goa and acquire a better
land base. This made Goa, Portugal's first real
territorial acquisition in Asia. After a brief period of
recapturing by the Muslims, Goa Albuquerque finally
captured Goa in 1510.
The inquisition of Goa in
1540 reversed the previous liberal policy of Albuquerque
and imposed strict censorship of literature and new laws
to forbade non-Christians from professions. Forced
conversions took place continuously, censorship was
established on literature, the temples were destroyed,
and non-Christian priests, holy men, and teachers were
evicted. This led to continuous fleeing of Hindus from
Goa to other parts of India.
It is not that the
relationship with Portugal brought only destruction for
the Goans. Portuguese also built great churches like the
church of St. Cajetan and Bom Jesus basilica in Old Goa,
which is a pilgrimage site for the Christians from
around the world. But it is also true that pre-1961, Goa
was a highly impoverished region very backward and
primitive. It is after the liberation that Goa of today
has emerged and it has surprised even the locals many of
whom had left their homeland before its liberation.
Portugal and India are today friends and Goa continues
to be a fascinating blend of Latin and Oriental.
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Palolem
