IMPACT OF PORTUGUESE IN INDIA

INTRODUCTION• IN 1415 ,THE PORTUGESE ATTACKED AND OCCUPIED

IN THE NORTH AFRICAN CITY OF CEUTA

• THIS INITIATED A MORE THAN 500 YEAR HISTORY OF COLONIAL EXPANSION IN AFRICA,ASIA AND AMERICA

• PORTUGAL LATER INITIATED EXPLORATIONS ALONG THE AFRICAN COAST IN SEARCH OF TRADE AND ALLIES AGAINST THE MUSLIMS OF NORTH AFRICA.

AT THE END OF 15 TH CENTURY THE PORTUGESE REACHED INDIA AND SO THE POSSIBILITY OF GAINING CONTROL OF SPICE TRADE HISTORICALLY DOMINATED BY VENICE .

IN INDIA

THEY HAD ENTRENCHED THEMSELVES IN 1570 AT GOA AND THEIR SPHERE OF ACTIVITIES WAS FIRST CONFINED TO WESTERN INDIA ALONG THE COAST , MAINLY TO TRADE IN SPICES, AND TO SPREAD THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION

THEIR PROSPIRITY WAS PROJECTED THROUGH THEIR CHURCHES EMBELLISHED WITH PAINTING AND CARVINGS,GILT ON GOLD AND GOA CAME TO BE KNOWN AS “GOLDEN GOA” AND “ROME OF THE EAST”

PORTUGESE COLONIAL ARCHITECTURE –PANAJI ,GOA

THEY FOLLOWED RELIGIOUS ARCHITECTURE AT HOME,THOUGH LATER THEY TURNED TO RENAISSANCE FOR INSPIRATION WHICH WAS SUPERIMPOSED BY ELEMENTS AND MOTIVES PICKED UP IN THEIR VOYAGES AND COLONIES( MANUELINE STYLE).

IN INDIA IT WAS A MIXTURE OF VARIOUS ELEMENTS THAT DEVELOPMENT OF A PORTUGESE BAROQUE STYLE IN 16,17TH CENTURY.

ART DECO FAÇADE,PANAJI

BUILDING MATERIALS BUILDINGS WERE CONSTRUCTED WITH

LOCAL LATERITE STONES SET IN LIME MORTAR WALLS WERE PLASTERED WITH SAME

MORTAR. ROOFS WERE TILED, MADE TO REST ON

WOODEN TRUSSES.

IN INDIA PORTUGESE FOUNDED A NO OF IMPORTANT CITIES ON BOTH COASTS ,THESE WERE FORTRESSES,ADMINISTRATIVE AND COMMERCIAL CENTRES FOR TRADE IN ASIAN SPICES.

PORTUGESE SETTLEMENTS FELL INTO THREE MAIN CATEGORIES- THE FACTORY , THE FORT AND THE CITY.

THEY WERE NOT TIGHTLY FIXED RATHER THEY TENDED TO EVOLVE FROM THE OTHER.

FACTORIES WERE TRADING STATIONS THAT SOMETIMES CONSISTED OF LITTLE MORE THAN A HOUSE SURROUNDED BY PALISADE.THEY WERE LOCATED IN PREVILIAGED TRAINING PLACES OFTEN AT THE MOUTH OF A RIVER MAKING COMMUNICATION WITH THE HINDERLAND POSSIBILE.

FORTS WERE OFTEN FORTIFIED TRADING STATIONS THAT GREW TO ACCOMMODATE A NO OF SETTLERS HOUSES ALTERNATIVELY ,FORTS WERE BUILT IN LOCATIONS WHERE NO COMMERCIAL ACTIVITY WAS JUSTIFIED BUT WERE STRATEGIC PLANING CALLED FOR A SUPPLY OF FOOD AND WATER OR A PORT OF CALL FOR SHIPS IN DISTRESS

PORTUGESE OVERSEAS CITIES HAD THE SAME MODELS OF REFERENCE PREDOMINANTLY DRAWN FROM LIBSON.

PORTUGESE FORT AT OLD KOCHI

THESE MODELS IN EVERY PLACE WERE FREELY ADAPTED TO LOCAL CONDITIONS.

DESPITE THESE LOCAL VARIATIONS THEY HAD REMARKABLE STRUCTURAL IDENTITY BETWEEN PORTUGESE SETTLEMENTS.

PORTUGESE COLONIAL SETTLEMENTS EITHER TRADING STATIONS ,FORTS OR CITIES WERE LOCATED IN KEY COASTAL LOCATIONS EITHER TO SERVICE AND SECURE THE SEA LANES OR TO TAP IMPORTANT SOURCES OF COMMERCE.WHEN EVER POSSIBLE THEY WERE BUILT ON HILLY LAND THUS MAINTAING THE CASTRENSIAN TRADITION OF DEFENCE ON HIGH GROUNG THAT DATED TO PRE ROMAN TIMES.

WITHIN THE FORTIFIED CITY,THE BEST PLACES ,USUALLY THE TOP OF THE HILLS WERE RESERVED FOR PUBLIC BUILDINGS- THE GOVERNERS PALACE,THE TOWN HALL ,HOSPITALAND MAJOR CHURCHES AND CONVENTS.

RELIGIOUS BUILDINGS THE CHURCH OF ST FRANCIS OF ASSISI HAS ITS

FAÇADE IN MANUALINE STYLE,THE EXTERIOR IN TUSKAN ORDER AND THE ALTER IN BAROQUE WITH CORINTHIAN ORDER.

THE MOST CELEBRATED CHURCH IN GOA “BASILICA OF BOMJESUS” HAS THE FAÇADE WITH THE LOWER PORTION LENDING A CLASSICAL IMPRESSION AND BAROQUE IN THE UPPER REGION .