Old Goa

It is hard to believe that back in the 1500's Old Goa's population exceeded that of Lisbon and London. Today, all that is left is a half dozen imposing churches and cathedrals and a practically abandoned city. We went there on a day trip from Panjim, 10 miles away, and we had more than enough time to see the Church of St Francis Assisi, the archaeological museum, Se Cathedral, Basilica Bom Jesus, Church of St Cajetan and the ruins of the Convent of St Augustine.

I thought there were many Indian tourists there for a week day, another sign that the missionary work the Portuguese started in 1542, led by St Francis Xavier, yielded many faithful. But the main motivation for Portugal to send seafaring nationals during 1510, was to control the spice route from the East. Religious imperialism followed. In those days, church and state were one, and together they assured control of the colonies, through repression of religion, culture, and the use of arms. Like in Europe, Inquisition was prevalent in Goa for 200 years, starting in 1560, marking a period of religious suppression in the Portuguese controlled areas. The hold of the catholic church on Goa's residents is very obvious, even today, through crosses, churches and daily masses.

I must say I was a little disappointed with Old Goa. Maybe because I grew up going to one of the richest cities under Portuguese control in the 1700's. Ouro Preto, eighty miles from my home town, has dozens of baroque churches displaying beautiful carved work by a famous artist of the time – Aleijadinho – and tons of gold are on display in art, walls and furniture. Not to mention, Ouro Preto is a “living city”, home of a famous mining engineering university. Students and residents walk and drive on cobblestone streets and live in red roofed houses, some with overhanging balconies. In Goa, there is a lot less art, very little gold, and very few houses and residents.