June 10 every year is celebrated in Portugal as ‘Portugal Day’ or Dia de Camões (the Day of Camões) in commemoration of the death anniversary of Portugal’s 15th century great poet Luís Vaz de Camões.
Believed to be born in Lisboa in 1524 in a highly noble family, Camões who penned the Portuguese literary masterpiece in the form of epic poem ‘Os Lusíadas’ eulogising the great discovery of sea route to India by Vasco da Gama, wading the most fearful, risky and unknown sea journey, a feat no other navigator in the world could achieve until that time, was not only a great poet but also a great patriot of his country, a valiant soldier having participated in various battles. In one of the battles, in Ceuta (Africa) he lost his eye while defending his country.
Besides his monumental literary work ‘Os Lusíadas’, Camões wrote considerable amount of lyrical poetry, bucolic verses, sonnets, comedies, drama, etc. The language in ‘Os Lusíadas’ is so profound that the Portuguese language is also called the ‘Língua de Camões’, (language of Camões).
Camões loved his country with dedication without limits, singing and praising her in his various poems, more significantly in ‘Os Lusíadas’. He describes Portugal as “Um jardim da Europa à beira mar plantada, Ali, a terra acaba e o mar começa, Ali, o sol repousa no oceano’’ (Portugal is a garden of Europe planted on the sea side, where the land ends and the sea starts, where the sun takes repose in the ocean).
For Camões, who lived during the period of great maritime discoveries and the Portuguese renaissance, his country Portugal was above everything and throughout his life, praised and extolled the great virtues of her people and her heroes besides defending her against adversaries in times of need.
As a youth and as an adult, Camões lead an inconsistent life full of uncertainties having been banished and sent to various countries, including Goa (India), for his acts of commissions and omissions. From love affairs to street brawl to shipwreck, etc. But this did not deter him from being loyal to his country and opted to serve in the military in lieu of the punishments. Inspite of all odds, misfortunes and unimaginable troubles the brave, brilliant and talented Camões besides leaving a host of poetry, has gifted Portugal and the world with the most priceless literary monument-‘Os Lusíadas’.
He was sent to Goa in September, 1553 upon request for absolution, and participated in various expeditions. One of his close friends in Goa was the eminent Goan scientist Dr Garcia da Horta. A few years later he was sent to Macau as Administrator of the effects of deceased persons. He was again sent to Goa to defend a false case of misappropriation filed against him and ultimately awarded a job in the administration.
It was on his journey from Macau to Goa at Mecon on the coast of Cambdoja that he was shipwrecked. Brave that he was, he saved himself and the manuscript of the Lusíadas. It is understood that a major part of the ‘Os Lusiadas’ was written during his tenure in Goa and also in Macau. Camoes died on June 19, 1580 in Lisboa.
