Most Indians believe that Goa was settled by Portuguese. This is whatthe history text books have taught them. But the facts are quitedifferent. Goa (Gomantak) was a bustling place, settled by Indianscontinuously from at least 1200 B.C. It was a famous pilgrimage, oftenknown as Kashi of West.Till the Portuguese missionaries came. They launched an aggressiveprogram of converting native Hindus and Muslims to Christianity.Hundreds of Hindu temples were destroyed, and Brahmins were chasedout.Many converted as a result of this. The new converts were ordered togive up their 'heathen' practices. However, when friendly methodsfailed to keep the newly converted within the flock, inquisition wascalled in. The Goan inquisition has often been called the worst in thehistory of Christianity. It continued for about 250 years from 1570'still 1812, when the British mercifully put an end to it.Incidentally, the Goans did not take this lying down. According to theWorld Book encyclopedia, Goa witnessed 400 revolts in the 400 years ofPortuguese occupation.The book gives a scholarly, dry narrative of the excesses ofinquistion. Properly speaking there is no narrative as such, rathersections, such as in a thesis. It is really more of a documentationeffort, as stated in the title. There are lots of references ofsources and footnotes, which add authority to the book.It also reproduces some accounts of the inquisition written by aFrenchman named Dhillon, who managed to escape it with his life. Somephotographs, sketches, and maps are included. he location of the 'bighouse' (called 'orlem ghor' in Goanese), where thousands were interredis also shown in a map. There are sketches showing auto da fe (wherevictims were burnt alive) and some of the more popular tortures.However, the maps are quite old, and it is difficult to locate theruins in Old Goa, where even the museum staff are ignorant about thesite or history of inquisition.
"Hindu temples of Goa?"
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