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The Portuguese colonial
legacy in Goa, India
by Ebey Soman
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this Article • About
the Author • Bibliography/Sources
India has a history of being
colonized and conquered by various nomadic tribes and cultural
influences. Earliest of Europeans to arrive in India were
the Greeks and the Macedonians under the command of Alexander
the Great. Soon enough after the age of exploration began
in Europe, India’s fame for spices and natural resources drove
the European powers to trade with India and eventually colonize
India. The most famous colonial power in India was the British
but the earliest major European power to colonize India was
Portugal.
Read more: http://socyberty.com/history/portugal-in-colonial-india/#ixzz1L3fFCdtm
A map of the colonial divisions of the Indian subcontinent
(CLICK TO ENLARGE)
The first explorers from
Portugal arrived in Calicut, Kerala in India in 1498 led by
the explorer Vasco da Gama in search for new trade routes
and the famed Indian spices. The Indian Ocean trade was the
major trade network in the world at this time dominated by
Arab traders and Europeans, specifically the Portuguese, was
keen on gaining direct access to the riches India offered.
Thus Portuguese began to build forts and settlements along
the South Indian coastal areas with major trading ports such
as in Calicut and eventually establishing more settlements
into the northern areas such as Goa and Mumbai. In 1510, the
Bijapurs who controlled Goa were defeated and forced to integrate
into the Portuguese settlement established there by the Portuguese
admiral Afonso de Albuquerque. This settlement became a major
Portuguese outpost when Portuguese fort in Calicut was captured
by the Dutch and their Indian allies, resulting in the removal
of Portuguese forts and settlements in Kerala.
Read more: http://socyberty.com/history/portugal-in-colonial-india/#ixzz1L3fOPNWO
By mid 1500s, Goa became
the central focus of Portuguese influence in India, serving
as the base for their conquest of Malacca in 1511 and Hormuz
in 1515. When the Portuguese were kicked out of Kerala and
part of South India, the terms of surrender allowed Portugal
to move its citizens and its colonial settlers to Goa. In
Portugal, political maneuvering granted Goa the status of
“Vice Kingdom” thus the settlers in the colonial holding of
Goa had the same rights as the Portuguese in Europe such as
citizenship rights and other civic rights. Portuguese colony
increasing grew especially with the strong missionary activity
of the Portuguese Catholic church and many European settlers
began to mix with the local people resulting in a heterozygous
settlement population.
Read more: http://socyberty.com/history/portugal-in-colonial-india/#ixzz1L3fz1mWB
Goa reached a new height
of prominence in late 1500s exemplified by the Portuguese
proverb “He who has seen Goa need not see Lisbon.” Just as
India was the Jewel of the British Crown, Goa became the Jewel
of the Portuguese empire. Outside of Goa, the Portuguese still
had small colonial holdings throughout India however none
matched the fame and growth Goa encountered. Wares from Arab
traders and from all over the Portuguese empire made its way
to Goa. Moreover, when the Inquisition began in Europe, it
also made its way to India marked by the strong persecution
of indigenous population and the tremendous growth of the
Catholic Church along India’s western coastal areas and Southern
states like Goa, Karnataka and Kerala and ended only by mid
1800s when British arrived in various Indian settlements.
After the British arrival
in India, the colonial holdings of most major European powers
were taken over the new colonial masters and consolidated
under the office of Governor General or the British Viceroy
of India. Goa was never wrested from the Portuguese by the
British so it remained fairly rooted in its colonial history
and Portuguese culture. The establishment of the world’s largest
network of railroads by the British in India resulted in a
more interconnected colonial India so Portuguese hold on Goa
began to erode as people traveled out of Goa in search for
economic opportunities. After India gained its independence
in 1942 from the British, Goa still remained the colony of
Portugal. Portuguese government refused to cede the colony
to India and popular sentiment against Portugal grew in Goa.
In 1961, Indian army moved into Goa and claimed the territory
as part of India however Portugal did not accept the declaration
until the 1970s when the regime was overthrown in the Carnation
Revolution in Portugal (Revolução dos Cravos). Soon after
the takeover of India, Goa was allowed to join India as a
full state but strong influences of Portuguese culture, history
and language is still felt today.
Read more: http://socyberty.com/history/portugal-in-colonial-india/#ixzz1L3g4PWd7
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ABOUT
THE AUTHOR:
Ebey P. Soman is a student
at Saint John's University and is deeply interested in writing
about current events, philosophical, religious and social
topics of interest. He is currently a published author in
Triond, Helium and various other websites. Ebey is also an
active member of organizations such as Peniel Revival Ministries
Inc, Amnesty International, ONE Campaign and Save Darfur.
A simple Google search can bring further information about
this author and his many eclectic articles. See his personal
page for his background and a list of his articles.
BIBLIOGRAPHY/SOURCES
USED:
(see the article for source
information)
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