When the Portuguese arrived in the island
of Goa in 1510, it was a rich commercial city, where people
from different parts of Asia converged. Goa was a natural
port. All the Muslims embarked here for Jeddah on their way
to Mecca. The city was adorned with many buildings such as
the beautiful mosque, the majestic palace of Adil Shah, the
Adil Shah's castle, etc.
With the advent of the Portuguese, the development of Goa
attained its apogee; it was called Goa Dourada (Golden Goa),
Rainha do Oriente (Queen of the East), Roma do Oriente (Rome
of the East). Goa gave origin to the Portuguese proverb Quem
viu Goa, excusa de ver Lisboa (He who has seen Goa need not
see Lisbon). Besides being a commercial city, Goa was also
an educational centre with many Colleges and a University;
it was here that the first printing press in India was established
in 1556. As we shall see later, Goa was also a centre of art.
Here are some impressions of famous travelers who single it
out, from the innumerous places they had visited during their
adventurous voyages:
Pyrard de Laval: "Whoever has been in Goa may say that he
has seen the choicest rarities of India, for it is the most
famous and celebrated city, on account of its commercial intercourse
with people of all nationalities of the East, who bring there
the products of merchandise and other commodities in abundance
because every year more than 1000 ships touch there, laden
with cargo".
Talboys Wheeler: "Every morning the sun rose at Goa upon scenes
which may be easily realized the sailors coolies loading or
unloading in the river; the busy shopkeepers displaying their
wares, the slaves bringing in the supplies of water and provisions
for the day,meantime above the noise of offices and bazaars,
the bells were ever ringing from the numerous Churches and
monasteries, and filling the whole city with an ecclesiastical
clangors".
There were many famous streets such as Rua Direita, Rua dos
leiloes, (Auction Road), Rua dos ourives (Goldsmiths' Road),
Rua dos Judeus (Jews' Road), and the bazaars such as Bazar
graride, Bazar de S. Caetano, Bazar de Peixe; Baratilha (similar
to the Bombay 'Chor Bazar') etc. There were also many colleges:
St. Paul's College, College of Populo (People's College),
St. Bonaventure's College etc. Many wayside crosses, chapels,
hospitals and Government houses adorned the city.
The best description of Old Goa has been given by Francesco
Placido Ramponi who was the artist sent by the Grand-Duke
of Tuscany, Cosimo III to erect the mausoleum of St. Francis
Xavier. Ramponi writes: "That which filled me with admiration
was the sight, every eight or ten days, of the arrival of
fleets of 20 to 30 boats; one with a load of linen, another
with raw or spun cotton, a third with pepper, a fourth with
large quantities of drugs; these goods were being loaded and
unloaded and dispersed some, to one part of India, some, to
another. And the city shops! Full of merchandise. And among
the streets that of "Baniani", which is very long, where on
both sides one could see ships, all full of great chests,
piled high with linen, turbans and coloured cloth, and cloth
for Brazil, for the ships which return to Lisbon from Goa,
touch at Brazil. The chests which come from Cochin are made
of six planks and are about two arms high, that is to say
the smaller chests are of this height; the length is from
3 to 5 arms, and the top edge of the plank is reinforced with
bonds of iron. In these chests Indian cloth is kept on land,
as well on the sea".
"Another thing which I saw with wonder, three days before
the fleet left for Europe, was the arrival of those merchants
called "Guseratti', who carry little sacks full of a collection
of precious stones, of all sizes; bags of diamonds, rubies,
emeralds, topaz, diacinti, cat's eyes and others; and for
this sight alone, I would wish to return. The way in which
the Canerini mould the real earth of red clay into jars and
jugs which they call 'Gurgulettas' and other jars, for holding
water, worked like fine porcelain, is curious. They give them
the colour of carmine with the juice of grasses. The workmen
are real artists and their method of work is quite different
from ours. They spoil much ivory and ebony whilst cutting
it."
"Many of the graceful things which come from China are so
elegant that they grace the European cities. First and foremost
there are the trinkets of porcelain of every kind, every quality,
colour and size, draperies and brocades with gold leaves and
other fine materials, 'contadores' that is cabinets, varnished,
in different colours and scented and with locks picked out
in different colours; screens about three arms high, made
of strips of finest silk, and various other gallantries and
merchandise. But, what is even more admirable, each year they
vary their inventions in all types of work from porcelain
vases to 'contadori', from the quality of draperies to linen.
These Chinese come to Goa to sell their merchandise at their
own price, and if they do not get it they do not sell. Their
clothes are all of one piece and look odd when they move..."
But Old Goa lost its splendour when it was abandoned and the
capital city was transferred to Panjim. There were many factors
which accelerated the ruin of Old Goa. People were forced
to abandon the city on account of its climate and an epidemic
that broke out there, so that by the second quarter of the
17th century, the streets and houses were lying vacant. Besides,
due to the change in naval technique the ships required deeper
waters than those available at Old Goa.
The churches and other buildings collapsed giving place to
palm trees. However, the picture is little different today
with the advent of priests and nuns for whom some study courses
are conducted in this city and the pilgrims and tourists who
break the stillness of the atmosphere now and again. |