Hindu-Catholic Encounters in Goa: Religion, Colonialism, and Modernity

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Can you imagine describing a Van Gogh painting as being "yellow, blue, green, and white"? How about Beethoven's Ninth as being "made up of eight notes in various octaves with a few sharps and flats tossed in"? No, right? So, then how can we describe Goa, an Indian region, a very small state OK, as being composed of Catholics, Hindus, and Muslims with a few castes or tribes tossed in? You definitely need a sharper, deeper mode of description. People have been trying to do this for some decades. Alexander Henn's new book tries to describe Goan reality in a new way and I would say it is brilliantly successful. If it veers more to "religious studies" modes of description then probably that is what it takes. He covers several topics including the fascinating question of why the Portuguese seemed to have mistaken Hindu religious sites and practice for Christian when they first arrived in 1498. While this might seem tangential to a discussion of modern Goa, it underlines the long, complicated nature of the Christian-Hindu encounter over 500 years. Then there is a wide-ranging and thoughtful analysis of the relationship of the two religious traditions in Goa as seen by Henn himself over many years of research. He looks at the Hindu-style Christian "puranas" written long ago and he goes deeply into the inseparable ties of land, people, and gods in Goan villages. These ties may have changed religion in many cases, but they remained as close as ever. Religious festivals in which people of both religions participate have long been noted in Goa. Henn discusses some in detail, especially the Jagar of Siolim village of which he has made films also. And finally, he turns to the whole question of "syncretism". Whether this word (which others have used as well) should be applied to Goa is a question. Is it actually helpful in description? After all, what culture is not a product of syncretistic patterns? It is only a question of whether they were observed by our contemporaries or not. Certainly a Goan culture exists, even if all Goans belong to one or other of the great religious tradition and no one to both. Others have written about Goan culture, but I think, with this book, the exploration has been taken to a much higher level. If this volume is not exactly "bedside reading" for most people, it is not less valuable a contribution. I think in future, people seriously interested in Goa and its fascinating history and culture must read HINDU-CATHOLIC ENCOUNTERS IN GOA.

Well ,this is what the Christian zealot Francis Xavier commented "The Hindus are an unholy race. They are liars and cheats to hu the very backbone. Their idols are black—as black as black can be— ugly and horrible to look at , smeared with oil and smell in a evil manner..."People call him saint. What can be expected from bigots like him , inquisition.During Portuguese colonisation, blasphemy laws were passed and our language konkan was banned. Methods used by colonist were so gruesome for converting people to Christianity. Goa Inquisition - WikipediaSince British were the Christians , so you can never find mention of atrocity committed by the Church , in mainstream academy or literature or anything. Not a single book on goa inquisition on Amazon?! Amazing isn't it!!

A unique study.