The expert committee appointed by the State government to scrutinise and recommend the sites and shrines destroyed during the erstwhile colonial Portuguese rule for restoration has listed over 1000-plus structures in its interim report. The figure may go up since the final report is yet to be prepared.
The panel is stated to have undertaken physical verification on the applications received, and on the basis of vestiges found at various sites of temples, the government is contemplating the construction of a memorial that could keep the history of these temples alive.
Given the ground reality that many of these structures are no longer standing or have crumbled, making restoration or reconstruction virtually impossible, the construction of a memorial appears to be a thoughtful idea to keep alive the sentiment and religious history of these temples. At a time when several structures have been buried in the sands of time, and some others are mired in land controversy, the government's move to plan a memorial is welcome.
The question, however, is, why not undertake a similar exercise for the Catholic faith, which also faced the brunt of the Portuguese rule? A Goa-based researcher on the Carmelite religious congregation, in one of his articles, mentions that while many temples destroyed by the Portuguese were relocated, churches of Augustinians, Dominicans, Carmelites and a few others were confiscated and ruined by the Portuguese and were never replaced. The Chimbel Carmelites, founded by a group of Goan Catholic priests between 1447 and 1750, which were seen as a pride on the Goan soil, went extinct. Sadly, even the Congregation of St Joseph Vaz, the patron saint of the Archdiocese of Goa, does not exist today.
The scars of Portuguese oppression were visible across religious structures ” temples, churches and even mosques. The extent of damage inflicted on these religions could be another topic of discussion, but structures across religions were targeted. In view of this, the government remaining silent on other communities and singling out only the majority community for a memorial is unfair, especially in a State that boasts about its communal harmony and peace.
Goan churches and congregations that have disappeared from the face of the State, too, have a rich and diverse history that not only resonates in Goa but across the world. These, too, were part and parcel of the State's heritage that has been lost. Why not revive it the way it is done for temples?
Digging into the past to unearth religious history is indeed an outlandish task, given the land disputes and the changes to the Goan landscape. Hence, a similar concept of a memorial could be a fitting tribute to the Catholic faith, whose treasured memories have been wiped away by the colonial regime. And this could be a shining example for other states that are torn apart by communal intolerance and strife.
There is an immediate need to stop using religion as a tool for political outreach. Political leaders across the spectrum, especially those in power, must strive to foster peace between communities instead of playing the divide-and-rule strategy to leverage vote-banks. The people, irrespective of religion, caste and creed, are united by one State -- Goa.
