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History of Goan Catholics refers to the History of the Goan Catholics from the Indian state of Goa.

History

According to some Hindu legends, Parashurama flung his axe into the sea and commanded the Sea God to recede up to the point where his axe landed. The new piece of land thus recovered came to be known as Konkan meaning "piece of earth" or "corner of earth" (Kona(corner) + kana(piece)). The Southern Konkan was called Govarashtra.

According to the legends of the Gaud Saraswat Brahmin community, they were settled along the banks of the Saraswati river. When the river suddenly went dry, Parshurama created the new land on the coast and ordered them to migrate there. The Saraswat Brahmins settled in three islands in the estuary of the Zuari and Mandovi rivers. The Sarswats settled in three different groups which lent the name to the land based on the number of families settled there:Twelve(Barah) families in Bardesh(modern Bardez); Thirty(Tees) families in Tiswadi; and sixty six(Sashasta) families in Sashti(modern Salcette). These three islands formed the ancient Gomantak.

Pre-Portuguese era

Goa's known history stretches back to the 3rd century BC, when it formed part of the Mauryan Empire. It was later ruled by the Satavahanas of Kolhapur, around 2000 years ago it was passed on to the Chalukya Dynasty, who controlled it between 580 to 750. Over the next few centuries Goa was successively ruled by the Silharas, the Kadambas and the Chalukyas of Kalyani, rulers of Deccan India. The Kadambas, a local Hindu dynasty based at Chandrapura, (present day Chandor - Salcette), laid an indelible mark on the course of Goa's pre-colonial history and culture.

In 1312, Goa came under the governance of the Delhi Sultanate. However, the kingdom's grip on the region was weak, and by 1370 they were forced to surrender it to Harihara I of the Vijayanagara empire. The Vijayanagara monarchs held on to the territory until 1469, when it was appropriated by the Bahmani sultans of Gulbarga. After that dynasty crumbled, the area fell to the hands of the Adil Shahis of Bijapur who made Velha Goa their auxiliary capital.

Goa was ruled by the Muslims for about 60 years before they were removed by Harihara I, of Vijayanagar Empire. For about 100 years, Goa's ports were important for ships carrying Arabian horses for the Vijayanagar Cavalry. Around 1510, the Portuguese arrived.

Portuguese era

Vasco da Gama lands at Calicut, May 20, 1498.

In 1498 Vasco da Gama, the first European to set foot in India, arrived in what is today called Old Goa via Kerala. A few years later in 1510, the Portuguese under Afonso de Albuquerque,with the help of Timaya, a Hindu privateer, who claimed he was born in Goa but fled because of the ruling Muslims, defeated the ruling Adil Shahi. In revenge for an earlier failed attempt in to capture Goa, de Albuquerque ordered the massacre of all Muslims in the conquered area. The Portuguese initially came to India to expand their spice trade but on conquering Adil Shahi sultanate and by order of the King of Portugal they established a settlement in Goa that was to last 450 years.

The first areas to be conquered by the Portuguese were the districts or talukas of Ilhas, Bardez and Salcete. These areas grouped together were known as Velhas Conquistas or Old Conquests and each taluka consisted of a number of villages communities. It was in these districts that the Portuguese undertook their most zealous efforts to convert the local pagans to Christianity and where the majority of Goa’s Catholic community is to be found. Hindu temples were destroyed and replaced by Catholic churches. Some years later Portugal expanded their conquests in Goa to include ten more talukas and these grouped together were known as Novas Conquitas or New Conquests. However, at the time of the conquest of the Novas Conquitas the fervor of the Inquisition in Goa had waned and the Portuguese, although they continued their missionary work, their attempts at conversion had subsided. Many Hindu Goans that fled earlier returned to their villages and reestablished their temples making the Novas Conquitas the area with the greatest concentration of Hindus.

In 1543 the colonizers initiated what became known as The Goa Inquisition whereby a great many of the local population were converted to Catholicism. The Inquisition lasted from approximately 1543 to 1812, reshaping the socio-cultural landscape of the new colony. To escape the Inquisition and harassment, thousands fled the state, settling down in the neighbouring regions of Mangalore, Karwar in Karnataka and Sawantwadi in Maharashtra, which were outside of Portuguese control. Portuguese rule of Goa was not entirely uninterrupted. The Dutch attacked Goa twice, in 1603 and 1640. In 1664, Shivaji, the founder of the Maratha empire, attacked Kudal, a town north of Goa, and began his campaign for Goa. In 1668, he captured five towns in North Goa and ordered renovation of Saptkotishwar temple at the present site during one of his campaigns to oust the Portuguese. But even after repetitive attempts, he was not able to win Goa from the Portuguese. After Shivaji's death on 3 April, 1680, his son Sambhaji ascended to the throne. In 1685, Chatrapti Sambhaji captured capital Panaji and penetrated his Maratha army peacefully in entire Central and North Goa but could not retain Goa and again moved to the Deccan plateau to handle the situation arisen due to sudden attack of Mughal.

See also

• Goa
• Goan Catholics
• Roman Catholicism in Goa

References

• Gupta, Anirudha (1991). Minorities on India's West Coast: History & Society. Kalinga Publications. ISBN 8185163227. {{cite book}}: |access-date= requires |url= (help)
• Paul Harding (2003). Lonely Planet: Goa (3rd edition ed.). Lonely Planet Publications. ISBN 1740591399. Retrieved 2008-09-17. {{cite book}}: |edition= has extra text (help); Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)
• Sen, Surendra Nath (1993). Studies in Indian History:Historical Records at Goa. Asian Educational Services. ISBN 8120607732. Retrieved 2008-08-24.
• Hunter, William Wilson (2005). The Indian Empire: Its People, History, and Products. Asian Educational Services. ISBN 8120615816. Retrieved 2008-08-29.