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A Brief history of Goa
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goa540.html
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Early Goa – Mauryas, Satavahanas, Chalukyas and Kadamabas
Goa dates back to the 3rd century BC, when it formed part of the Mauryan Empire.
It was later ruled by the Satavahanas of Kolhapur, around two thousand years ago
and passed on to the Chalukyas of Badami who controlled it between the periods 580
to 750 A.D. 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, left an indelible mark on Goa’s precolonial history
and culture.
The Vijayanagar empires and the Bahamani Dynasty
In 1312, Goa came under the influence of Muslim rulers. However by 1370 they
were forced to surrender it to Harihara I of the Vijayanagar Empire. The Vijayanagar
monarchs held on to the territory until 1469. They used the harbours as important
landing places for ships carrying Arabian horses to Hampi, to reinforce their cavalry.
Later, Goa was taken over by the Bahmani Sultans of Gulbarga. After the fall of
Bahmani kingdom, the area fell in to the hands of the Adil Shahis of Bijapur who
made Velha Goa their auxiliary capital.
Portugal take over Goa
The Portuguese arrived in 1510 with the intention of setting up a
colony and seizing control of the spice trade from the east as
Ottoman Turks were controlling the spice routes in the west.
Arrival of Christianity
Jesuit Missionary, St. Francis Xavier arrived in Goa in 1542. Then the Portuguese
rule was limited to old Goa. Later they extended into Bandez and Salcete. With the
imposition of the Inquisition (1560–1812), many of the local residents were forcibly
converted to Christianity by missionaries, threatened by
punishment or confiscation of land, titles or property. Many
converts however retained parts of their Hindu heritage. To
escape the Inquisition and harassment, thousands fled the
state, settling down in the neighbouring towns of Mangalore
and Karwar in Karnataka, and Savantwadi in Maharashtra.
Portugal’s most important possession
With the arrival of the other European powers in India in the
16th century, most Portuguese areas were surrounded by the
British and the Dutch. Goa soon became Portugal's most
important possession in India, and was granted the same civic privileges as Lisbon.
In 1843 the capital was moved to Panjim from Velha Goa.
By mid 18th century the area under occupation had expanded to most of Goa's
present day state limits after series of annexations. In 1763, provinces of Ponda,
Sanguem, Quepem and Canacona were added. In 1788, Pednem, Bicholim and
Satari were annexed.
Goa fought over by India and made into a state
The 60s and the 70s – Influence of the Hippie crowds
New Age travelers started arriving since the late 1960s. Anjuna Beach became a
rocking venue for party demons & hippies. For many, Goa still conjures up images of
allnight parties and tripping hippies loitering along sunsoaked beaches. But there is
more to this tiny western state than sea and sand, hippies.
Modern Goa
A rich amalgam of Portuguese and Indian influence has ensured continuance of its
cultural heritage in India. Many Goans are Catholic and you'll meet lot of
Portuguesespeaking locals (whose family names are similar to those in Portugal)
whose ancestors were converted to Christianity, often by force. Dotted among the
palm groves and rice fields are graceful villas bearing European coats of arms and
imposing mansions with wroughtiron gates built not only for European welltodo
but also for the Brahmins who earned the right to own land.
Over the past several years, Goa has traversed far from the hippie culture. Now,
wellheeled Indians frequent the new rush of upscale internationalstyle restaurants
and designconscious furniture and lifestyle outlets. Joining them are the foreign
nationals who come to indulge in the rather commercialized trance culture, and
Indian youngsters who cruise from beach to beach, legs wrapped around flashy
motorbikes with their cargo pants loaded with money power.
Disclaimer: This article may not be entirely accurate. Some content have been
adapted and published with permission from www.wikipedia.org
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