A Goan Poll: Were We Forced To Become Christians?

A Goan Poll:
Were We Forced To Become Christians?
©Prakash J. Mascarenhas. 13^th September 2003.
This page is copyright. It may be copied and reproduced at any place and location on the Internet only if the url of the original page, and my authorship, is provided.

Friends,

This is a circular letter addressed to all Goan Christians and Goans of Christian origin.

Hindu fascists make the allegation that our ancestors were forcibly converted to Christianity from Hinduism, and now this is being repeated by some persons of Christian origins, too. This slander gets my goat.

I think it is time to take the bull by the horn; to expose this lie for what it is, and for that I need your help.

In order to rest this allegation once and for all, I have hit on the idea of polling all of you, Goan Christians and Goans of Christian origin, if you have any family tradition that your ancestors had been forcibly converted.

This should not be something difficult: A family that had been forcibly converted would jealously guard and pass on the tradition. The Portuguese could only command our bodies, not our souls, into which no man can see.

Please circulate this email and add your names and the statement whether you do have, or do not have, any such family tradition.

Your names and your affirmation or negation of such a family tradition will be put up on this webpage as the central place for this poll.

As for myself, I already know that I have no such traditions, whether from my paternal side or my maternal side. We have traditions that we were Brahmins; my paternal side tradition is that we were the priests of the local temple, which was demolished to build the chapel of Nossa Senhora da Livramento; that our original surname was Shenoy.

I have asked some acquaintances and friends: John Menezes of Uccassaim has a tradition that they were Brahmins surnamed Kamat, but nothing about forcible conversion.

My prim (first cousin) tells me that we were converted by St. Francis Xavier, who proselytized us.

Yours sincerely,

Prakash John Mascarenhas,
Joneiro, Communidade of Sangolda, Consuelho of Bardez.
Poll on Goan Family Traditions:
Do you have a family tradition that your ancestors had been forced to become Christian?

# Name Yes or No

1 Prakash John Mascarenhas No!