Vasco da Gama Goa and Mirch Masala

by Parag Ranjan Dutta

To the present generation, the liberation of Goa from the Portugues could be a myth. A 1969 movie, Saat Hindustani by Khwaja Ahmed Abbas on Goa liberation, depicted the struggle of Maria and five others picked up from different locations and backgrounds to liberate Goa from the Portuguese. This was the debut film for the great Bollywood actor Amitabh Bachchan where he portrayed the character of the poet Anwar Ali. The real incident that cost the Portuguese very dearly was a firing incident at a fishing boat near the coastal area by the Portuguese army that killed an Indian fisherman. On December 19, 1961, Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru sent armed forces to this coastal state. A joint operation by the navy, air and land forces for thirty-six hours forced General Manual Antonio e Silva to sign a surrender treaty. Long before this incident Goa Liberation Army, founded by an Indian Army officer, Shivajirao Desai in 1950 made attempts to end colonial rule by revolutionary tactics and direct action.

On July 8, 1497, Vasco da Gama sailed from Lisbon on a mission to India through the Cape route and Indian Ocean to reach the spice World and India. He sailed with a fleet of four ships and reached Calicut, present Kozhikode on the Malabar Coast, on May 20, 1498 on board the flagship Sao Gabrial. After a long voyage Vasco da Gama reached the port of Mombasa in East Africa. It is highly interesting that da Gama met a Gujarati sailor Kanji Malam at Mombasa and sought his help to explore the sea route to India.

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During that period spice trade was very lucrative that earned handsome profits. When the Ottoman Empire of Turkey was at the zenith of its power they took control of sea routes to the spice islands of South East Asia. But that did not discourage the Europeans. Instead in the quest of finding new fortunes, they sailed the mighty oceans to find the black pepper pods called the “Black Gold”. Seven years before Vasco da Gama launched his fleet to reach India, Christopher Columbus too set sail to reach India. But destiny drove him elsewhere to the Caribbean nation island of Haiti and then to America. While on his way to find the East Indies he dropped anchor offshore from South America and found chili instead of black pepper. Chili is a native of South America which used to grow in the wild and later domesticated by the natives.
It is believed that Vasco da Gama brought along with him a number of crop plants that included bell pepper, commonly known as capsicum and was later planted in Goa for the first time. From there it gradually spread to Bombay where locals called it Gova mirch. Chilli, known as mirch in India is a South American fruit was introduced by the Portuguese. Chili spread rapidly throughout the world. Before chili was introduced in India Indians were using black pepper growing wild in the Western Ghats of Kerala and Karnataka. Red chilli, an important ingredient of the Indian cuisine did not originate in India. A native of Mexico it was brought to India by the Portuguese traders. Two of the most important ingredients to make Indian cuisine special, red chili and tomato are actually not native to India. of the most important ingredients to make Indian. Prior to the coming of the Portugues, the Indians used to consume a number of grains like rice, wheat, bajra and maize. A number of crop plants belonging to the Solanaceae or the nightshades that include tomato, potato, pepper etc. were introduced in India by the Portuguese, mainly from Latin America, or the New World. Two of the most important ingredients to make Indian cuisine special tomato and red chili are not native to India. Prior to the coming of the Portuguese, not too many fruits found their way into Indian homes. A number of fruit trees like pineapple, papaya, cashew nuts etc. were brought by the Portuguese and extended the cultivation in the new environment. Some 8000 years ago potato was domesticated in the Andes of South America from where it was brought to Europe. Potato was introduced in the early 17th century by the Portuguese sailors and later spread to the northern part of the country, courtesy the British.

Indians in the olden days also consumed a lot of animals which were found in abundance in tropical forests. Archaeological evidence found in the Harappan civilization amply proves this food habit of the Indians.

It was Vasco da Gama, the Portuguese explorer who discovered Goa in 1524 when King John III of Portugal nominated him as the Portuguese Viceroy in India. It was the Portugues General, Admiral Afonso de Albuquerque captured Goa from Adil Shah, the Sultan of Bijapur Sultanate. In 1492 Goa was annexed to Adil Shah’s Bijapur Sultanate. Though da Gama discovered Goa it was Albuquerque who laid the foundation of Portuguese power in India. The entire purpose of conquering Goa was to find a strategic location for Portugal’s naval base and to control maritime business in the Indian Ocean. To the Portuguese Panjim, a small village located at the mouth of the Mandovi river had a very strategic location. After the liberation of Goa Panjim was renamed Panaji. The Portuguese rule lasted 450 years.Goa finds a mention in Mahabharat where Goa has been mentioned as Gomantak. Portuguese is the language spoken by most Goans till it was liberated from Portugal in 1961. But today Marathi is widely spoken and the Goans recognise Marathi as their mother tongue. But the legacy of the Portuguese is still found with the earlier generation.

Without hesitation it can be well said that without the Portuguese coming to India we would have been poorer so far as our food habits are concerned.

The author is the former Head Department of Geography, St. Edmund’s College

AIM against gambling in melas

The Awakening Indian Movement (AIM) has sought the intervention of the deputy commissioner of East Khasi Hills district to ensure a blanket ban on gambling at melas being organized by different agencies.

Speaking to media persons, chairman of AIM Bansharai Marbaniang said that many people from other part of the country come to Meghalaya to host various kinds of melas, however these melas have games that encourage gambling with money which is detrimental and have a negative impact on the welfare of the people.

Marbaniang alleged that melas throughout the country are being held in order to provide entertainment to all citizens where they can experience happiness especially for children, students, and youth but at present melas in Meghalaya are being held with gambling which have detrimental and a negative impact on the welfare of the people.

“During our visit to the mela held at the Parking Lot outside Polo Ground in Shillong, the mela hosted various gambling activities with money and young people and students in uniform participated in various gambling games” said Marbaniang.

Marbaniang said that AIM is not against organizing melas in the state, however it stands against the act of gambling that is being held at the venues hence the AIM sought the intervention into this matter.

Court denies Dorphang’s plea for leniency

Dismissing the appeal for leniency filed by former Independent legislator and rape convict, Julius Dorphang, the Meghalaya High Court said the “society at large owes a huge apology to the brave young survivor for having failed one of its most precious and tender.”

Dorphang, a former militant leader of the outlawed Hynñiewtrep National Liberation Council, was convicted and sentenced to 25 years of rigorous imprisonment and a fine of Rs.15 lakh by a trial court for raping a minor.

The convict appealed for leniency on various technical grounds.

“The term of imprisonment of 25 years as awarded by the trial court by indicating cogent reasons therefore, does not call for any interference,” a division bench comprising Chief Justice Sanjib Banerjee and Justice Wanlura Diengdoh said.

“At the time of the commission of the repeated acts of rape on the same woman in Umiam, the appellant was about 52 years old. By imposing a sentence of 25 years of imprisonment, the trial court has ensured that by the time the appellant is let loose again in society, his libido would have been sufficiently lessened by age and adequately chastened by the punishment. He (Dorphang) will then no longer be able to unleash his lust or indulge in any further virile bravado,” the bench noted.

The court further ordered that the convict would have to pay a fine of Rs. 15 lakhs failing which he would have to undergo an additional five years of rigorous imprisonment.

“If the appellant does not pay the fine and serves a further five years of rigorous imprisonment, the state will make over the equivalent amount of Rs.15 lakh to the survivor,” the Court said.

The state government would also pay an additional sum of Rs. 5 lakhs to the survivor by way of compensation and ensure the continued well-being of the survivor, at least till she reaches the age of 25.

“The fine, if paid, and a total amount compensation not less than Rs.20 lakh, should be provided by the state to the survivor by way of investments that would mature on a periodic basis for her to receive the same,” the Court said, adding the total amount of Rs.20 lakh must be invested in the name of the survivor within three months.

“The state government would also be responsible for taking care of all the medical needs of the survivor free of cost and befitting a Grade-II officer of the state for at least the next 20 years,” it said.

Additionally, if there is any special programme or working opportunity for the survivor or if there is any late education programme for women where the survivor may be accommodated, the state should provide all assistance to the survivor to lead a remaining normal and healthy life.

Dorphang appealed for leniency by arguing through his attorney that the victim’s age cannot be conclusively proven to be that of a minor.

However, based on several accounts, including the victim’s father, the school headmistress and also scientific evidence produced by a dental surgeon and an ossification test conducted by the radiologist, the victim’s age was proven to be around 15-16 years when she was violated, the bench said.

“There does not appear to be any glaring infirmity in the judgment of conviction or the consequent sentence pronounced against the appellant, the trial court dealt with the material before it at great length and justly arrived at the right conclusion,” the bench ruled.