50 Years of Liberation of Goa , Daman & Diu

MUMBAI – MAHARASHTRA – INDIA           DECEMBER 22 , 2011           01.00 A.M.

On December 19 , 2011 Goa celebrated the 50th anniversary of  its liberation day . It was forgotten that initially Goa was a Union Territory and Daman & Diu were also part of the Union Territory and it was known as Goa , Daman & Diu . So it is more appropriate to say that on December 19 , 2011 Goa , Daman & Diu celebrated 50 years of liberation from 450 years of Portuguese rule .

Map of India Showing Location of Goa

Union Territory of Daman & Diu

The first literary reference to Goa is mentioned in the Bhishma Parva of Mahabharata as Gomanta , which means the region of cows.  Hindu scriptures mention Parashurama, as creator of Goa . According to Skanda Purana : Sahyadrikhanda , he is said to have settled ten sages in this land and performed fire sacrifices. Another legend has that after performing the penance, the seven sages or the Saptarshis were blessed by lord Shiva therefore known as Saptakoteshwar. Further Lord Shiva is believed to have taken up temporary residence after having tiff with his consort Parvati. According to Hari Vansha Purana , Lord Krishna defeated Jarasandha , the king of Magadha , on Gomanchal mountain in Goa.

In Suta Samhita Govapuri or Goa is associated with spiritually cleansing touch: The very sight of Govapuri destroys any sin committed in former existence , just as sunrise dispels darkness… Certainly there is no other kshetra equal to Govapuri ^.

[ Lord Parshuram with Saraswat brahmin settlers commanding Lord Varuna to make the seas recede to make the Konkan . ]

A similar hymn praising Govapuri city is found in Sahyadrikhanda of Skanda Purana .

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गोकर्णादुत्तरे भागे सप्तयोजनविस्तृतं तत्र गोवापुरी नाम नगरी पापनाशिनी

According to the Parshurama legend, Parashurama, the sixth reincarnation of lord Vishnu faces with an order of banishment from the lands that he had once conquered, sets seven arrows fly from the Sahyadris to push back the sea and create a stretch of land which he could claim for himself. The sea-god is believed to have acceded to his wish and created a region Shurparaka ( winnowing fan ) . This region is also known as Parashurama Kshetra. According to the Sahayadri Khand of  Shree Skanda Purana , after creating  Goa , Parashurama brought Brahmins from the North and settled them in this land.

If we go through the modern history , Goa was part of Mauryan Empire of Ashoka . Afterwards , it was ruled by Satavahanas of Kolhapur . Then , successively , it was ruled by  Kalachuris , Chalukyas of Badami and Rashtrakutas of Malkhed .

There after Goa briefly became part of Delhi Sultanate  . Afterwards Harihar of Vijayanagara Empire conquered and thus Goa became part of mighty Vijayanagara Empire .

Bahamani Sultans of Gulbarga came next and Goa became part of their Sultanate . Later on Goa was annexed by Adilshahi Sultans of Bijapur .

Then came Portuguese in 1510 . They defeated Sultan of Bijapur and made their first permanent settlement in Old Goa  [ Velha Goa ] . Their Indian Empire was called Estado da India Portuguesa . They ruled for 450 years and that too with iron fist .

When India became free in 1947 , Portugal refused to liberate Goa and continued their tyrannical rule . On December 19 , 1961 , Indian forces launched OPERATION VIJAY and forces entered into Goa . Portuguese governor of Goa  , who was threatening of a fierce battle , fled and thus after 450 years of oppressive and totalitarian Portuguese rule , Goa was finally liberated .

Initially a microscopic minority of Goa wanted to merge it with Maharashtra . In 1967 , during Indira Gandhi’s tenure , an Opinion Poll was held and people with overwhelming  majority voted to retain their separate identity as a Union Territory and against merger with Maharashtra .

On May 30 , 1987 Goa became 25th state of India and Daman & Diu remained as Union Territory . On the same day Konkani also got the status of the official language of the new state of  Goa .

Thus Goa got a new identity of its own and on December 19 , 2011 , celebrated its 50th liberation day with fanfare . On this day I salute the freedom fighters of Goa , who fought fierce struggle and valiantly kept the flame of independence burning and eventually succeeded in defeating the nefarious , imperial designs of the portuguese .

I am also ashamed of the fact and peeved that Jawahar Lal Nehru government took 14 long years to initiate the liberation process . The Congress government of centre kept on enjoying the fruits of freedom shamelessly , while patriots were fighting for the freedom of Goa and were being tortured and killed brutally.

But they succeeded finally and after 450 long years , Goa came into existence as a part of India .

[ Some portions of this blog is taken from Wikipedia . I am indebted and express my gratitude . ]

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