There are many legends about the creation of “Gomanta”, “Govapuri”, or present-day Goa. Despite the lack of historical evidence, Hindu mythology claims that Parashurama, an incarnation of god Vishnu, carved out this region after pushing out the sea with his arrows.
Around this time, Goa was part of the Mauryan Empire under emperor Ashoka. He tried to convert the local people to Buddhism but after his death in 232 BC, much of these efforts fell flat as Goa was subesequently ruled by various Hindu dynasties for the next seven centuries. The Kadambas rose to power in AD 420, ushering in the first phase of the Golden Age of Goa.
Years of tolerance and prosperity came to an end in 1352 as the Muslim Bahmanis took over. This was followed by a period of religious and cultural persecution and all symbols of the Hindu Kadamba legacy were destroyed, except the temple in Tambdi Surla.
Captained by Vasco da Gama, the Portuguese became the first Europeans to control trade routes to India. In 1543, after years of resistance, the sultan ceded large areas of Goa to them.
By the end of the 16th century, the Portuguese Golden Age began. Their initial focus on trade was replaced by the arrival of the Santo Officio (Holy Office), better known as the Inquisition. One of the most brutal examples of cultural bigotry, it was conceived to target the “new Christians”. Over the next 200 years, the Inquisition executed thousands of “heretics” of all faiths.
In 1664, the Portuguese temporarily lost a major part of their Goan territory to the Marathas, while the British continued to contest for the same. In 1739, in exchange for the Marathas withdrawal from Goa, the Portuguese were forced to sign a treaty and ceded large areas of their colony near Bombay.
Inspired by the propaganda used in the French Revolution, three priests from the Pinto clan conspired to overthrow the Portuguese. The plot was discovered, and the conspirators were tortured and executed, or sent away to Portugal.
New Goa (present-day Panaji) became the new official capital, leaving Old Goa deserted.
Goa remained under Portuguese control even after India became independent in 1947. The Nehru government maintained that Goa, along with other Portuguese-occupied territories should be handed over to India. In 1961, after several requisitions to the Salazar regime failed, Indian troops marched in and were able to “liberate” Goa.
Since it was declared the 25th state of India in 1987, the tourism industry has flourished, making Goa a sought-after destination. In April 2019, Pramod Sawant was sworn-in as Chief Minister after the death of Manohar Parrikar while in office.
Awarded the Sangeet Natak Akademi award, she went on to become one of the most celebrated khayal (a kind of Indian classical vocal music) singers.
This Hindustani classical vocalist was also a famous Marathi theatre actor.
This famous cartoonist shot to fame after his work got published in The Illustrated Weekly of India.
A former test cricketer, he is regarded as India’s best batsman against spin.
The Sahitya Akademi award winner shot to fame with his novel Acchev (The Upheaval, 1977), the first Konkani novel to be translated into English.
A popular singer-composer, he was a big part of the Indi-pop music revolution of the 1990s.
Aiming to make art more accessible for the masses, this eminent artist founded the Museum of Goa.
A fashion designer, environmental activist and a writer, he has restored his 450-year-old house and converted it to the Moda Goa Museum.
Winner of the Sahitya Akademi award, this writer and translator is committed to the preservation of Konkani folklore.
A former Indian football captain, he has received the Arjuna Award for outstanding achievement in the field.
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