Goa: Dark History of the Inquisition

I was doing some research and discovered the existence of a group claiming to be descendants of those who were killed during the Portuguese Inquisition in Goa more than 400 years ago! They also insist - sans proof - that Jesuit cofounder, St.  Francis Xavier, of “the Apostle to the Indies and Far East” fame, was responsible for many deaths during the un-Holy Inquisition!  

Not to condone the brutality of the Inquisition, but these were the darkest of Dark Ages, one in which an over-zealous Church (influenced by and often in league with corrupt power-grabbing Southern European monarchies) ruthlessly stamped out non-believers. 

The Inquisition (Spanish, Italian, and Portuguese) was all about power - not religion, although many abuses were committed in its name. In Goa, it meant (among other things) that converts had to drop every trace of local customs and clothing.
    

Dissident Group

In 2014 - while the exposition of Xavier’s remains at the Basilica of Bom Jesu in Velha Goa (old Goa) was taking place - the same group of concerned citizens from Mangalore (Catholics, I believe), started a movement to ban exposition of the body. 

They claimed (disingenuously) to have proof of 2,000 or more deaths in the 16th century that they said had a connection to Xavier. They asked that his remains "not be venerated"; that he no longer be called a saint; that the body be removed immediately from public display; and - finally - demanded it be sent back to France! 

Navarrese Basque, not Spanish!

Why France?  Because, like his friend and co-founder of the Society of Jesus (Jesuit Order) - Ignatius of Loyola - Xavier was also from the Basque region (straddling northern Spain and southwest France), now part of Spain. Loyola was born in Castille and Xavier in the Kingdom of Navarre, making him Navarrese Basque, not Spanish, an important distinction.  (Until 2011, the region had its own violent separatist homeland movement, Basque-ETA, for more than 50 years).  

Both Loyola and Xavier were noblemen; both purpose-driven, focused on a vision to travel the world carrying the message of the Gospel. After missionary work in India, Borneo, Malaya, and Japan, Xavier died on Shangchuan Island before he could reach China.  He was canonized (declared a saint) nearly 500 years ago by Pope Paul V in 1622.  

Proof After 400 Years?

No doubt, the dissident group went public as a matter of principle and to raise awareness for their cause. Whatever iota of truth they may or may not have had on their side, this is too risky an action for these fraught times!

Almost all historical records were destroyed by the Portuguese when the Goa Inquisition was abolished in 1820. We do not know the exact number of those put on trial and the punishments they received. The few records that have survived suggest that at least 57 people were executed for religious crimes but no link to Xavier was ever found. 

It is true, however, that the Goa Inquisition was proposed by Xavier and perhaps that is the link they seek. 

Not a Joke!

In my not unbiased view, it’s only a matter of time before the “chaddiwala” fanatics targeting minorities in the north get hold of this explosive story and descend on Goa demanding that all Christians be reconverted to Hinduism, la seule foi vraie et sainte!  (That French phrase translates to “the one true and holy faith!” I used to say that about Catholicism - just kidding - not any more!)

Can you imagine what would happen if we let these crazies do reconversions, as they've threatened and tried in other parts of the country? It would destroy everything special and delightful and awesome about Goa: the unique vibe, the diversity, the peace, the sanity!

Mangalore  

A word about Mangalore and Mangaloreans. Like Goa, Mangalore in southern Karnataka, has been Christian for nearly 500 years with brief periods of Portuguese control although Christianity may have predated the Portuguese. Some of the earliest Christians fled to Mangalore from Goa to escape the Portuguese Inquisition and then later from the rulers of Bijapur and the Marathas. 

Being a rich and prosperous port for several centuries, with a flourishing trade (pepper, sandalwood, turmeric, ginger, cassia, cinnamon, coir), Mangalore became a bone of contention between British India and Mysore rulers, Hyder Ali and Tipu Sultan, during the 18th century Anglo-Mysore Wars. 

Compared to Goa - with which it has a long-standing friendly rivalry and shares a religion and language (Konkani), Mangalore's culture is less Westernized! 

Relics 

As a footnote, I want to add that a lot of people (myself, most certainly) are turned off (grossed out, even!) at the idea of “relics” (desiccated human body parts) being considered holy!  I remember going to the Vatican many years ago and seeing many such Papal relics (finger nails, hair, skulls) preserved in the crypt!  

The Catholics used to be big on this sort of thing a century (and more) ago; so were Muslims - not Protestants or Hindus. I was surprised to learn that Buddhist stupas also held relics (the tooth, for instance) of the Buddha or other saints - surprising since Buddhism is an offshoot of Hinduism. 

But, dare I say, Catholicism is moving away from these passé medieval practices into more enlightened times!

“Iam olim serva scriptor!”

I don’t get this insane need to air old imaginary grievances!  Let’s keep the past buried in the past!  (“Iam olim serva scriptor!”).*  Let’s not destroy each other in the present for might have happened - or not happened - more than 400 years ago! 

Ludi Joseph

Washington, D.C.

Dec. 16, 2017

P.S. *I have to check with my padre uncle, the Monsignor, whether the Latin grammar is correct! 

Has Goa Lost It’s Soul?

My first couple of days I really thought Goa had lost its soul!  There were no native Goans to be found, no Konkani (local language) to be heard, not even the plaintive nostalgia-laden lilt of a mando (folk song)!  I was hard-pressed, distraught even, to find that Goa’s unique “culture” had somehow become subsumed in the larger ethos of the subcontinent!

It was so unlike my all-time favorite beach resorts, Hawaii and the Bahamas where the local culture is so immersive! In Hawaii, lei garlands, hula dances, aloha greetings and Hawaiian music (even the ‘wedding song’) are everywhere!  In the Bahamas it’s all about flame swallowers and fire walkers and Goombay music and Calypso! 

Not so in Goa! I had to travel all the way to the village of Aldona (near Mapusa) - my Mum’s ancestral home - to find real true-blooded Goans!  Thirty years ago, at statehood, Goan residents out-numbered visitors (domestic and foreign) by more than ten to one. Today, by my unscientific count, tourists seemed to far outnumber residents and native Goans!

Where Did the Natives Go?

Everybody in Goa is an “outsider” now - the entire tourist industry is filled with non-Goans. Where did all the natives go? Well to America, for one thing, and Australia and Canada and the Arabian Gulf and of course to Portugal and its former colonies of Brazil, Angola and Mozambique. 

Like other desis, Goans were hardworking and excelled at language skills, mechanics and accounting. They got jobs as government workers and bankers and educators - or as operators in the refrigeration and oil industries of Bahreïn and Das Island and Saudi Arabia - or that fave standby for every Goan, it’s become cliché : as bandsmen or crooners or chefs!  

The Best Musicians in the World!

The Bombay music industry, especially the orchestras, used to be crowded with Goans!  Like the Filipinos, they are the best musicians, singers and dancers in Asia! There are relatively few Goans who can’t sing or dance. I think it may be the most “civilized” thing about them: this ability to outsing and outdance most which also distinguishes them from the larger desi melting pot and what separates Goans from those who just can’t get Western music: either the accent is wrong or the feel is off (Usha Uthup being the rare exception)!  In general, Goans shine in this sphere!

We went to Martin’s, a famous restaurant in South Goa and were blown away by Kenny at the keyboard doing English and Hindi. After a bit of persuasion, he even did a mando medley for us (“Mogan Ason Borem,” “Undra Mujea Mama,” and “Ya, Ya, Maya Ya” of Remo Fernandes fame), although he claimed not to know the most well-known mando ever “Aum Saiba Poltodi Vetam!”  A version of that mando was made famous in the Hindi film “Bobby!” Hey, what’s that about - are young Goans forgetting their language and culture?   Shame on them! 

Goa Vibe

I’m happy to report that the fabulous sunsets, the moonrise over the Arabian Sea, and the golden sands are still as beautiful as I remembered them - despite the rampant and ubiquitous commercialization and the karaoke beach shacks full of rowdy male visitors jumping about, minus any musical or dance talent!  Yes, despite the vendors selling pineapples, cheap beads, hair braiding and footrubs, Goa still retains a certain “je ne sais quoi” ambience!  It is a laid back vibe that doesn’t exist anywhere else in India. It is hard to explain! Let’s just call it a mix of India and Portugal with young visitors shedding their conservatism and inhibitions in favor of freedom, mobikes, and western attire!  

The Portuguese colonized Goa for more than 450 years. How they withstood the Bahmani and Bijapur rulers, the Vijayanagar Empire and the Marathas - with only a small navy and military force - is a matter of conjecture, even today!  Fort Aguada - a well-preserved 17th century fortress and lighthouse near Candolim, overlooking the Arabian Sea, stands like a lonely but imposing sentinel. For more than 250 years a freshwater spring within the fort supplied water to passing ships, which is how the fort got its name ("aguada" means water).  

St. Francis Xavier

One of the most famous proselytizers and saints of 16th century Europe spent a significant amount of time in Goa. He was St. Francis Xavier, a Spanish Jesuit from the Basque region, whose religious missions took him as far away as India, China, and Japan. He died off the coast of China in 1552 and his remains were brought to Goa on its way back to Spain. After a series of incidents (deemed to be miracles), it was decided by the locals that the saint "wished" to make Goa his last resting place. The body (which is perfectly preserved, though shrunk), is kept in the Bom Jesu Cathedral in Old Goa and displayed for public viewing every ten years or so.

Portuguese Inquisition

Goa and Kerala are probably two of the only states where the highest castes were converted to Christianity. Most Indians are taken aback to hear that the Portuguese Inquisition (in its most tyrannical form) existed in Goa in the 16th and 17th centuries and lasted for more than 250 years or that the caste system is so prevalent with Christians (who are proud of being Brahmin, forget JC and brotherhood and equality!) Even now, you can find the instruments of the Inquisition in the museum in Panjim. The Jesuits were clever enough to realize that if they got the landowning educated Brahmins to convert, the rest would follow. 

In 1961, when Nehru’s threat of sending in the Indian army resulted in almost overnight independence from the Portuguese, the ratio in Goa of Christians to Hindus was perhaps 40-60. That number has reduced dramatically to less than 25 percent of the population with many Christians opting to go overseas. One can hardly blame them. 

Like my Tamil-speaking Dad (a non-Goan, writer and avid student of history) was fond of saying, "the Portuguese did nothing for Goa." There was no infrastructure of any kind: schools, hospitals, roads, bridges, electricity, running water. All Goa had were churches and bars! The Goans had no option but to emigrate in large numbers. My Mum's entire family went to British India to attend high school; the girls went to Loreto Convent in Calcutta and the boys went to Don Bosco's in Bombay.

The 21st Century Hits Goa!

Even though Christians were always fewer than Hindus, they wielded a lot of political and economic clout that belied their numbers. The Goans who chose to remain behind were teachers and educators. I wonder what the deceased members of the Soares family (Mum’s family) would make of all the changes in Goa. The ancestral home is very dilapidated and ramshackle and that for sure would have broken my grandmother’s heart!  The land and house and grounds, including the cashew plantations, have now been donated to the local school - but that’s not the only thing that’s changed. 

Indoor plumbing and electricity and roads and schools have come to the more remote areas of Goa and (to my astonishment) people actually speak Hindi!  That’s huge!  I was also glad to see that many old-timey desserts can still be found: bebinca, and dodol and, of course, Goa's most famous (alcoholic) product, cashew feni is alive and well, still relatively inexpensive and still consumed in large quantities by native and visitor alike! 

Most importantly, however, Goa is a haven of peace and Goans continue to live with each other in perfect harmony - whether they are celebrating Carnival or Christmas or Dassehra or Eid! One can hardly minimise the importance of this after the talk of "love jihad" or fictional Queen Padmavati or a slew of imbecile controversies plaguing other parts of the country! 

Ludi Joseph
Dec. 8, 2017

November in Delhi: not what it used to be!

WiFi Sucks!

Connectivity is so poor in Delhi, worse than last year! I’m looking at my swanky new 4G iPhone and it has one bar and says Airtel; one second later there are three bars and it’s says Vodaphone; another second later it says “No Service” which persists for half an hour!  It’s the same with my iPad and other iPhone. And this is at the Hilton!  I couldn’t use What’s App at the airport. I had to resort to the most expensive international calling feature to alert my friends outside. My devices are physically inches apart and “airdrop” takes forever to work. I could go on, but I’ll stop!  Like I’m so fond of grumbling, WiFi sucks here, oh-so bad!  

Such an irony when you think that the entire world is filled with smart Injuns creating IT companies or sitting on boards of top ones in Silicon Valley - never mind all those wallahs toiling away in the Chennai back offices of Visa, AMEX, Master Card, the World Bank - keeping the entire planet’s IT systems buzzing so beautifully!  It is rare at the IFC to ever have a communications failure, so - if they can get the entire world to function - why can’t they get their blooming act together in this country?  My friend Girish A. says “it’s all politics” - of course it is!  He’s gone back to using his landline! How pathetic is that?

Traffic is a Nightmare!

Nobody uses GPS, the traffic is horrendous, the pollution is actually visible, but more on that later!  It took us an average of two plus hours to get to anywhere!  Most of it was bad driving but traffic is truly a nightmare!  No one stays in their lane, I was trying to stop myself gasping out loud whenever I saw another vehicle get within a hair’s breadth!  How we survived I don’t know!  I guess it wasn’t my time!  I’m not sure what is more stressful: the traffic, the way folks drive or just the general dirt and grime and dust that gets in one’s eyes and hair and clothes!  It’s as if one gets washed with a film of filth every time one goes outdoors! 

Statistics compiled by the Research Wing of the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways in its report titled ‘Road Accidents in India 2016,’ showed that Delhi had the highest number of deaths — 1,591 — due to road accidents which peaked at 8,623 in 2014 before coming down to 8,085 in 2015 and 7,375 in 2016 (The Hindu, Sept. 7, 2017). The decrease in deaths is due to an increase in vehicle population, say experts. The number of vehicles is more than 10 million (over 94 percent privately owned). This is shocking when you realize there is no proportional increase in road space in a city that houses nearly 20 million residents!  Lax enforcement and speed are considered the main killers, say road and design experts. 

World’s Most Polluted Capital!

According to Bloomberg News, air pollution is estimated to kill more than half a million Indians and Pakistanis every year, while the World Bank has said environmental degradation costs India $80 billion annually. We have all heard of illegal crop burning, coal-fired power plants, vehicle pollution, and the PM2.5 particulates in the air at their most hazardous level of 400 - 40 times the safe levels recommended by the WHO!

A recent report in the Lancet medical journal said pollution had claimed as many as 2.5 million lives in India in 2015, the highest in the world. For some years now, Delhi (not Beijing) is “the world's most polluted capital” according to the WHO, with pollution levels that regularly exceed Beijing’s. 

I experienced the foul acrid smog within a few minutes of standing outside the airport waiting for my ride. It was a disgustingly toxic combination of vehicle emissions from diesel mixed with smoke and dust. I was outdoors less than half an hour but my lungs were filled and I was choking with the putrid fumes!  

I felt this again and again whenever I went outside. It is gross, it is relentless, it is everywhere - and it is inescapable!  Masks don’t help, really!  Indians are literally killing themselves - and future generations - without any evidence that things will ever get better! 

Conclusion 

I do a blog every time I come to India and, sadly, things only seem to get worse!  I am disheartened not just by the lack of any kind of visible progress from last year or the year before or the year before that! The current culture wars (beef eating, women in movies) and the all-too-present specter of mob rule - versus the struggle with the more liberal secular forces of the kind of India I grew up in - are coming to a head like never before.  How will it end?  Hard to say. 

Final thoughts: for me, what is worse is to see educated citizens (including friends and school mates) in complete denial of what’s going on! They even make excuses for the lynchings!  It’s hard to have an honest discussion!  Instead of acknowledging problems they’re talking about what’s wrong with America!  Like the media spent weeks dissing the U.S. over the silly sari controversy!  But I’m optimistic. Maybe next time I’m here, things will be better!

India in November!

FAPS Reunion

We had a wonderful school reunion lunch at the 5th Maratha Light Infantry Officers’ Mess. Our former headgirl Anupama Miglani and her husband Jogi (Gen. JJ Singh, previously Indian Army Chief, Governor of Arunachal and Ambassador to Algeria) really went to town with the arrangements. 

I’d forgotten how well the Indian army far outdoes the Brits and other former colonies with pomp, pageantry and splendid displays of ceremony!  We were elaborately salaamed and saluted everywhere we went!  They even bring the leg up in a salute! (If we weren’t in  a car then, I might’ve tried to emulate and fallen on my face!). The fife and drum band were particularly masterful. The General, a prolific and successful writer, spoke about his second book and his areas of focus for the future: Indo-Pak relations, for one. 

Formed in 1922 by the British, the Maratha Light Infantry fought with distinction in World War II and saw action in North Africa, Eritrea, Mesopotamia and Imphal. Two soldiers were awarded the Victoria Cross. The General and I were speaking about WWI and WWII battles and how often the sacrifice of Indian soldiers is forgotten!  For example, when I visited Gallipoli in Turkey (WWI) I had to remind the tour guide that Indians had also lost their lives along with Kiwis, Aussies, French and British soldiers. The General had been recently to Monte Cassino in Italy to pay his respects to fallen Indian soldiers. The Commonwealth War Graves Cemetery outside Cassino is a burial place of British, New Zealand, Canadian, Indian, Gurkha, Australian and South African casualties. 

Deepak’s Party

Former FAPS headboy Deepak Kochhar and his wife Anita celebrated their wedding anniversary with an afternoon party at their beautiful home. There was an excellent Goan DJ, Edwin Fernandes and his partner doing English and Hindi songs and guests joining in. The food was so good: makki ki roti, sarson ka saag, moong dal halva! Deepak’s glamorous film actor-cricket anchor son, Samir Kochhar, was present. Wonderful to meet him and daughter Diya. 

There were tall trees (maybe mango, jamun, neem) and birds chirping away so loudly they almost drowned out the singing at one point! I could actually see a flock of parrots! One wonders how they survive with all the pollution - I guess they make do!  The weather was great: a balmy winter afternoon with sun, dappled shade, a light breeze, an almost clear sky!

Yes, think twittering birds, temps in the 70s, a soft haze, Delhi like it used to be a long long time ago!  One could almost forget the nightmarish traffic only a few feet away beyond the shamiana at the gate and the loony Sangh Parivaar Rajputs ready to cut off noses and heads to defend the honor of fictitious princess Padmavati! Yup! That’s Inja for you: absurd and contradictory and heartbreakingly far away from its Independence Day 1947 ideal!  

Ludi Joseph
Nov. 26, 2017

FAPS Reunion

Deepak's Party

Iconic Brit Rock Band Queen Performs with Adam Lambert 

It was a sight to behold: a vast sea of Queen fans, ranging in age from teenaged goths in glam attire to boomer moms with Queen tiaras, long-haired granddads sporting 70s Queen tees (bought on eBay!) and little kids milling around wearing Queen badges and other memorabilia. 

They were gathered for the Queen+Adam Lambert Concert at Las Vegas' T-Mobile Arena (capacity 20,000). "It's a once in a lifetime show," said Charlie (last name unknown), a long-haired aging rocker standing in line behind me, perspiration pouring off his face in 112 degrees heat!  We were waiting for the arena to open. After melting outdoors for half an hour, we were allowed inside only to be blasted with such cold temps, you needed a blanket to prevent body and brain freeze - good thing I came prepared!

Living up to the Legendary Freddie!

I had my doubts about the show. The notion of yesteryear bands carrying on after their larger-than-life frontmen have passed is usually a bad idea. Freddie Mercury (who died of AIDS in 1991) was easily one of the greatest lead singers in musical history; anyone taking his place would be a pale imitation!  

But Adam Lambert (of American Idol fame) lived up to the challenge! He has the looks, the voice, the charisma, and the stage presence, mixed in with a dash of humility. During the show, Lambert sashayed to the front of the walkway and said that nobody could replace a talent as big as Mercury's; he felt like a fan who had the honor and privilege to sing with one of his favorite bands. It was a smart way to break the ice and build instant rapport with the audience. 

"Love of My Life"

Halfway through the show, guitarist Brian May also had a touching moment when he paid tribute to Freddie. Playing a solo acoustic rendition of "Love Of My Life," a video clip of Mercury singing the song appeared on an overhead screen. With May on the left of the stage and Freddie's image singing on the right, it looked like they were performing together again; you could see May brushing away a tear. 

Drummer Roger Taylor and the rest of the players onstage also paid their respects to Freddie throughout the night. Every song inspired a singalong, and the crowd hooted, hollered and applauded Lambert and May whenever they sauntered down the raised long walkway that cut through the middle of the arena floor. 

Cherry-Headed Lambert!

With his hair dyed bright red, wearing full-on makeup, huge shades, multiple earrings, fingerless gloves, high-heeled platform boots, and an American flag vest, Lambert went through a dozen or more costume changes, including skintight magenta leather pants! Each wardrobe change was equally striking. Freddie of course used to take off his shirt and often performed in white trousers or white shorts. Adam may be better looking but lacked some of Freddie's grit and flamboyance! 

The enthusiasm of the band was evident. They played each song with precision. Lambert's voice, May's guitar, and Taylor's drumming were crystal clear. What was lacking perhaps were the backing vocals which were too soft. In earlier recordings, the band's robust harmonies were one of their most distinctive qualities. 

Giant Robot

A dynamic video show added visual flair and extreme noise intensity - to the extent, I had to put on ear plugs! A 3D projection using a giant red-eyed robot from the band's "News of the World" record cover appeared throughout like a mascot: gesturing and waving a massive metal hand over the stage.  Every song had a different eye-catching projection on overhead screens. The robot's head rose from the floor at one point to reveal Lambert perched on it, singing "Killer Queen."

Lambert has the vocal chops and the falsetto and hit all the high notes. On "Bohemian Rhapsody," he began the song; then, half-way through, the band's 70s visuals and vocals took over; it was another moment, and you could see many in the audience tearing up. Lambert came back to finish strongly. 

"Bohemian Rhapsody"

Considered one of the best songs ever written, "Bohemian Rhapsody" is unusually complex and encompasses rock, ballad and operetta. Freddie took five years to finish it. You need a stadium of 20,000 voices singing his words to appreciate his genius:

"I see a little silhouetto of a man,

Scaramouche, Scaramouche, will you do the Fandango?

Thunderbolt and lightning, very, very fright'ning. 

(Galileo.) Galileo. (Galileo.) Galileo. Galileo Figaro Magnifico.

I'm just a poor boy, nobody loves me,

He's just a poor boy from a poor family.

Spare him his life from this monstrosity.

Easy come, easy go, will you let me go?

Bismillah! No, we will not let you go

(Let him go!) Bismillah! We will not let you go."

Queen’s current tour coincides with the 40th anniversary of the band’s “News of the World,” an album that was released before Lambert was born; "I was “negative 5," he wryly noted!  Since 2012, Adam has been performing with the group to sold out shows worldwide including an extensive U.S. tour in 2014. At 35, he is about half the age of May (69) and Taylor (68)!

25-Song Set Singalong

The acoustics in the stadium were excellent. Every word and note carried. I wondered why an aging 70s British band would be so popular but it's the quality of the songs that make the band great. It was fun for the crowd to sing along to the 25-song set, including classics like "Somebody To Love," "Don't Stop Me Now," Crazy Little Thing Called Love," "I Want it All," "Radio Ga Ga," and the two anthems, "We Will Rock You" and "We Are the Champions."  

Queen+Adam Lambert played all the songs that people wanted to hear, and played them with verve and energy; they crushed it!  When you have a song catalog as incredible as Queen's, why retire?  

###

Queen Trivia:

Queen is the only group where every original member wrote at least one tune that was a chart-topper.  All four band mates have been inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame including singer Mercury, guitarist May, drummer Taylor and bassist John Deacon.

Ten years ago, former Bad Company singer Paul Rodgers (one of the top rock voices of his era) fronted for the band but that collaboration was nowhere as successful as Lambert's. 

Queen's "We Will Rock You," one of London's longest running musical shows, has won the Olivier Audience Award for best musical, the only award voted for entirely by the public. The show is worth a visit!

Many people are unaware of Freddie Mercury's Parsi (Zoroastrian) origins. He was born in Zanzibar (off the coast of Tanzania) and studied at Panchgani in India before going to England. His real name was Farrokh Balsara (which translates to mercury)!

Freddie had buck teeth! The four extra teeth in the back of his mouth pushed those at the front forward. He was afraid that his unique and sonorous voice would be negatively impacted if he had his teeth fixed! 

Ludi Joseph

Las Vegas, June 24, 2017

See Photos from the Concert, for Video Clips, check out my Facebook page: