07 Dec 2021  |   05:19am IST

MIGRATION IS A TREND THAT HAS OCCURRED SINCE THE DAWN OF HUMANITY

MIGRATION IS A TREND THAT HAS OCCURRED SINCE THE DAWN OF HUMANITY

Srinivas Kamat

I cannot help but write this piece as a rejoinder to Visitacao B Monteiro's article - Migrations of Goans to South India - Due To Conversion and Inquisition Decrees? (Herald, December 5). This is in a long line of articles by Goan writers to justify some things that have happened historically that cannot be justified. Thus in this article the author attempts to justify the premise that all migrations of people of other faiths from Goa were not all related to the Inquisition.

There were also migrations of people from Goa of the Christian faith during the times of the Inquisition which the author misses as a possible justification that only other faiths were harassed. The article while trying to justify this premise ends up legitimising the Inquisitions.

There is also no data given that supports the fact that people left Goa in large numbers prior to the mid-16th century since just claiming this fact based on stories or the existence of a Goan street in Kochi or some people from Calangute origin involved in the copper trade in Calicut, is not enough.

While writing such articles or doing study on these subjects, one has to be broad minded and realise that migration is a trend that has occurred since the dawn of humanity. People move for many reasons and we see it happen across the world so to see it happening in Goa is not unique. The more we harp on the Inquisition the more we deepen the wounds while the intention may be to try to heal or apply balm on the scars that were left behind. So we should just look at this as an event in history and move on.

Again, none of us who are presently living were responsible for the Inquisition and its consequent effects. So we should let the matter rest. Another thing that we need to recognise is that the younger the religion, there is an attempt by its promoters to make it grow either by persuasion or by force which has been the fact behind the growth of the two principal religions, the Muslim and the Christian, that we see today. These efforts continue to this day and that is why we see sporadic reports of conversion and/or violence against those trying to convert. This will continue. No amount of denial by those involved in such actions will change this fact.

But one would have seen that older religions like Buddhism, Jainism and Hindu are not greatly affected by these happenings since they all have a broader base and losing a few does not impact their existence.

More importantly these religions have a larger heart and possess their strength of conviction and have compassion to all humanity. That is why you will notice that there is no rigour or compulsion in their practice. 


IDhar UDHAR

Idhar Udhar