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| Goa and Goans |
Goa is a state of mind. And to most Goans, this is best
expressed in the lines of the Konkani poem penned by the
eminent Goan poet B. B. (Bakibab) Borkar:
"If I am to be born again and allowed to choose my
birthplace...
I shall choose Goa... because its scenic beauty
has a supernatural quality of refining the human mind
and turning it inward into the depths of creativity and
spirituality."
Goa's isolation from the rest of India for more than four
centuries under the Portuguese rule, its geographical borders
in the form of the Sahyadri ranges and the tidal rivers
have managed to give the people of Goa a unique and separate
identity.
The people of Goa prefer to call themselves Goans and not
Goanese as mentioned in guidebooks and brochures. Goans
are very much aware of this unique identity; they are proud
of it and guard it fiercely.
In contrast to other parts of India, Goans have developed
a remarkable degree of tolerance towards each other's religious
beliefs, and hence religious fundamentalism is completely
unknown in the state.
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| The population of Goa is
composed of a Hindu majority of around 65% and a Christian
minority of around 30%. Muslims and other religions make up
the rest. The interesting part in all these percentages is
that, as is the case with most statistical figures, they conceal
more than they can ever reveal.
The Hindu community is dominant in the talukas
(districts) of Ponda, Bicholim, Pernem, Satari, Sanguem, Quepem
and Canacona. These areas actually form part of the Novas
Conquistas, or the New Conquests, made by the Portuguese in
the last stage of the expansion of their Goan empire in the
eighteenth century.
By this time, the Portuguese military might
was on the wane and the religious ardour for forced conversions
was at its lowest ebb. Hence the population in these newly
conquered areas were pretty much left to practise their religion
in peace.
The Old Conquests on the other hand, consisting
of Salcete, Mormugao, Tiswadi and Bardez bore the brunt of
the Portuguese army and the religious zealots. Together, the
two arms of the Portuguese empire, managed to destroy temples
and converted hundreds of non-Christians in these areas, which
are predominantly Christian today.
Fortunately, these bitter memories of the
past have done nothing to change the warm, friendly and loving
nature of the Goan people. By and large, the Goan considers
himself a Goan first and a Hindu, Christian or Muslim afterwards.
The bonds of language and the Goan identity are strong enough
to allow for different religious persuasions. |
| The best evidence of this
is seen in quite a few places of worship in Goa, where both
Hindus and Christians go together. The Damodar temple at Sanguem,
the Church of Our Lady of Miracles in Mapusa, the Shantadurga
temple at Fatorpa are excellent examples of this unique religious
harmony that exists in Goa. Besides these, a number of other
festivals in Goa are celebrated by members of both communities
with equal fervour.
In proportion to their numbers, a very high
percentage of Goans live abroad than the members of most other
regional communities of India. But no matter where they might
be on the surface of the planet, Goans love to express the
adoration of their homeland in some form or the other. |
| The population of Goa is
composed of a Hindu majority of around 65% and a Christian
minority of around 30%. Muslims and other religions make up
the rest. The interesting part in all these percentages is
that, as is the case with most statistical figures, they conceal
more than they can ever reveal.
The Hindu community is dominant in the talukas (districts)
of Ponda, Bicholim, Pernem, Satari, Sanguem, Quepem and Canacona.
These areas actually form part of the Novas Conquistas, or
the New Conquests, made by the Portuguese in the last stage
of the expansion of their Goan empire in the eighteenth century.
|
| By this time, the Portuguese military might was
on the wane and the religious ardour for forced conversions
was at its lowest ebb. Hence the population in these newly conquered
areas were pretty much left to practise their religion in peace.
The Old Conquests on the other hand, consisting
of Salcete, Mormugao, Tiswadi and Bardez bore the brunt of
the Portuguese army and the religious zealots. Together, the
two arms of the Portuguese empire, managed to destroy temples
and converted hundreds of non-Christians in these areas, which
are predominantly Christian today.
Fortunately, these bitter memories of the past have done nothing
to change the warm, friendly and loving nature of the Goan
people. By and large, the Goan considers himself a Goan first
and a Hindu, Christian or Muslim afterwards. The bonds of
language and the Goan identity are strong enough to allow
for different religious persuasions.
Personalities of Goa
Simi Garewal
Woman In White
Smita Patil
One of the most talented actresses in Indian Cinema, Smita
Patil
Pandit Bhimsen Joshi
Musical legend and devoted family man
Lata Mangeshkar: The diva of Indian classical and semiclassical
music, Lata, is from Mangesh, a small town in Goa. More...
Johnnie the Baptist: Born in a small village called Shirod
in the year 1919, Johnnie the Baptist,at the young age of
just eight, learnt his first notes of music
Kishori Amonkar, 'The Genius from Goa', as she is often referred
to, is truly a genius in music.
Remo Fernandez does not need an introduction. The man who
hit the news with the title song for the movie "Pyar
Tho Hona Hi Tha", along with Jaspinder Narula, is a true
Goan at heart.
Wendell Rodriques is a world-renowned fashion designer from
Colvale, Goa. Wendell's clothes have made him the first Indian
designer to be show-pieced at the world's largest ready-to-wear
fair at Germany's IGEDO.
Milind Mhadgugt, Vice President of MES Higher Secondary School,
Zuarinagar and a well-known Konkani-Marathi writer from Goa
bagged the prestigious national award for his playwright in
Konkani for the year 2000.
Tristao de Braganza Cunha: A nationalist in the true sense
of the word, Tristao de Braganza Cunha, was born on April
2nd, 1891. He fought for just one cause - the freedom of Goa.
St Francis Xavier of Assissi: This missionary par excellence
laid the foundation to many activities which were later developed
and perfected by the Church, particularly the Jesuits.
http://www.goanet.org/
http://www.vivagoa.com/ |
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