Bardeskars : The reasons for their exodus from Goa

The Navhind Times, Panjim, Goa,  December 3, 1982

Their way of reaching Him

By Camil Parkhe

Panjim, Dec. 3 – Among the thousands who flocked the Bom Jesu Basilica at Old Goa was a ‘strange’ group of a few pilgrims coming to touch the feet of St. Francis Xavier at Old Goa, today shattered many people’s conceptions, beliefs about Christianity which they had preserved for many years.

The group of 27 pilgrims, coming from Ajara (Kolhapur district) was led by a Jesuit priest. Fr. Prabhudhar, and Santaji, a young man. A majority of them were college students, some even of only 17 years of age. Crossing everyday 35 kms. On an average they covered the distance of 140 kms. On foot in four days. The strange thing people found in them was that these pilgrims, though hardcore Catholics, were singing Marathi, Konkani Bhajans and that also along with the tune of cymbals (tal) around their necks!

These Warkaris, chanting Nam-japa or even Abhangas of Sant Tukaram a prominent saint from Maharashtra, attracted attention. At two places, Narve and Diwar, they were even asked to stop this ‘non-sense’. However, undaunted, the pilgrims reached Old Goa on Dec. 2 night, singing joyfully in the premises of Bom Jesus Basilica, they were joined by others coming from western Maharashtra. The first leg of the pilgrimage was concluded with a thanks giving mass, celebrated at 11 p.m. in an open place in the premises of Holy Family of Nazareth Convent. Tomorrow, the pilgrims will return to their place in the same manner.

Last year, too, a group of ten, led by Fr. Prabhudhar, had come walking from Ajara to Old Goa. The tall, hefty priest (46), carrying a walking stick but without any signs of exhaustion, told me that the main motive behind the pilgrimage is to sacrifice and to seek God’s help for an all-round development of people. “We find it spiritually fulfilling for the whole year and we’ll do it again”, he said.

It is interesting to know the history of these people presently settled in different areas of Kolhapur, Belgaum, Swantwadi etc. During 1761-85 many groups of Catholics from Bardez taluaka migrated to these areas. There are dispute among the historians about the cause of their migration. Without any priest for almost 70 years, these people proudly still calling themselves ‘Bardeskars’ were able to keep up their faith due to their heritage of Konkani language and absence of inter-religious marriage.

Now almost 90% of them have their own property in those places and have preserved their ties with Goa by regularly attending the feast of St. Francis Xavier. The mingling with other religious communities has also helped them to adopt many customs in their own rituals.

LETTERS

1. Goan Exodus

Sir, - In your news digest of 4-12-82 (Their way of reaching Him) you have mentioned the strange pilgrims at Old Goa who shattered beliefs about Christianity. According to Camil Parkhe, these people, presently settled in different areas of Kolhapur, Belgaum and Sawantwadi migrated to these areas from Goa between 1761-85 and there are disputes among historians about the cause of their migration.

By 1761, upper class Goans played in active part in the Constitutional Revolution in Portugal itself whilst the lower classes held together under the common nomenclature of Bardeskars which enabled them to trace their ancestry to the days of Abraham and the twelve tribes. In the late 17th century, under the leadership of Sambhaji, these Goans had learnt to assert themselves against the feudal Bhonsles of the north and the feudal Ranes of the east.

But in 1761, exactly a hundred years before Francisco Luis Gomes of Goa required the British to quit India and 100 years before the annexation of Goa into the Indian Union the British planed to conquer Goa from the Portuguese with the help of the Ranes of Satari operating from Sanquelim and Bicholim.

The Portuguese retaliated by capturing all armed men and exhibiting their cut up dead bodies. This struck terror in the minds of the populace and led to a mass exodus among the lower classes who sought refuge in areas like Kolhapur, Belgaum and Sawantwadi.

Seeing that the Portuguese were determined to keep their hold on Goa, the Bhonsles then transferred to them the district of Pernem in return for cannot to fight against the Raja of Kolhapur.

Later the British again planned to annex Goa by taking advantage of the Napoleonic wars but Napolean ordered a great fleet to sail from Brest to keep the British out of Goa, which never reached its destination. On the pretext of keeping out the French British troops occupied Goa but the Portuguese Governor would not surrender his right to complete control of the civil administration.

After the Peace of Amiens the British forces reluctantly withdrew from Goa and some of the Goans who had migrated to Kolhapur, Belgaum and Sawantwadi returned but many continued in their new abodes. Their survival as hardcore Catholics shatters theories of Indo- Portuguese historians about the conversions in the 16th and 17th centuries.

Vicente Correia Afonso (Panjim)