Hi Goans everywhere, There have been quite a number of messages exchanged on Goan-net and The Goan Forum about what or who is a Goan.
I think this paper by Fr John Correia-Afonso, S J gives a really good overall perspective. Cheers Aloysius D'Souza ________________________________________________________________ > To Cherish and to Share: The Goan Christian Heritage > Paper presented at the Conference on Goa at the University of Toronto > by: John Correia Afonso S.J. > .. > Consider certain distinctive elements of the Goan cultural heritage, as part > the wider theme of continuity and change in Goa. It is obvious that such a > study must be made against the geographical background of the land, and in > the context of its history. These have played-and still play---a chief role > in the cultural evolution of Goa, and a brief reference to them, though it > may appear superfluous to some not be out of place by way of an > introduction. > Goa, which in May 1987 became the twenty-fifth state Republic of India, is a > tiny territory of a little more than 3,500 square kilometres on India's West > Coast, bounded by Maharashtra and Karnataka. It is good to remember that the > present frontiers of Goa were fixed only in the late eighteenth century, > when the Conquests were added to the Old by the Portuguese. Goa's eleven > talukas contain five cities or towns and some 250 villages. This cold > administrative description cannot convey, of course, any idea of the beauty > of Goa-of its luxuriant vegetation, meandering rivers gleaming beaches and > green hills, blessed alternatively by sun and rain. It is this breathtaking > vision of which the Goan never tires when he is home, and dreams of when > abroad. > The Goan people have a hoary past and a history, which goes back four > thousand years. For the two millennia before the Christian era Goa was > already known as an important entrepot, trading with the Egyptians, the > Phoenicians, the Persians, and others. Goans came the time mainly from Aryan > and Dravidian stock, and mixed in some measure with the foreign traders as > well as people from other parts of India. Important are some of the original > settlers in Goa the Kunbis, a hardy dark-skinned race of labourers still to > be found today, very independent in spirit and attached to their ancient > customs. > Recorded Goan history in the Common Era takes us back Bhoja kings, the > Konkan Mauryas, and the Kadambas. It is these last who are best remembered, > having brought a golden age to Goa by uniting it into a prosperous kingdom, > ably ruled from their imposing capitals of Chadrapura and Gopakapathana. > Later Goa came under the sway of Vijayanagara, and subsequently of Bijapur. > In 1510 as is well known, Goa was conquered by Afonso de Albuquerque. It > remained in Portuguese hands till 1961, which brings us to the present days, > but > if Goan culture and identity is understood as a long historical process > there is less scope to be pessimistic about the influxes and outfluxes of > people in this territory. Movements in both directions have made and will > continue to make their contribution to the growth of Goan culture and > identity. > The above brief overview gives us an idea of the factors that have shaped > Goan culture. Its maritime location gives Goa an openness that is both > physical and social. The land and climate have made for a population living > in relative sufficiency. Both position and population have contributed to > the development of trade and cultural exchanges. Migrations in both > directions have deeply affected Goan society and life, especially in this > century. Most recently the forces of decolonization, democratization, > industrialization, and technology have brought social and ecological > problems along with undoubted benefits. Though with a fairly peaceful past, > Goa has had its share of invasions and occupations, which have left their > mark. > Is the Goan Unique? > What have these factors produced? Is it the end-of-the-twentieth century > Goan who is modestly convinced that he or she is unique, and the greatest? > Are Goans really so different from other Indians, other people? > Jawaharlal Nehru, in the thick of the struggle over Goa's integration into > the Indian Union, declared: "Goa has a distinct personality, and we have > recognized it."2 This personality is not the monopoly of the Goan Christian, > but belongs also to Hindus and Muslims. It has a long history, but there is > no doubt that a turning point in its formation was the arrival of Portuguese > on Goa's shores, and the inclusion of Goa into the one world which the > European explorers and conquistadors were shaping, for better or worse. As > has been perceptively remarked: > Goans figured among the earliest, if they were not the very first > extra-European group to be incorporated in that New World, that new order or > context. It is true that the inhabitants of the Caribbean islands visited by > Columbus preceded us by a few years, but they did not survive the visit by > more than a generation. Goans on the contrary have a lively tale to tell, a > tale that has the duration and continuity of modern history.3 > Still, for all that, though Goans may differ in certain respects from other > Indians, can they claim to be unique? Not really. Many of the > characteristics the vocal Goan is inclined to claim as his own belong in > fact to a limited sector of the Goan population, others are shared by many > coastal people.4 Cultural openness and assimilation, leading to > cosmopolitanism, are among the latter. An artistic temperament, a love of > music, a taste for conviviality are found among the coastal Bengalis, for > instance. It is for these reasons that "it is more useful and accurate to > regard Goa as an Indian region with a rather unusual past."5 > But even if the Goan is not unique, does he have a predominant > characteristic? "What is Goan or who is a Goan," writes a very knowledgeable > non-Goan, "evokes an instantaneous streak of smile conjuring up images of > the sosse gado Goan-the merry-making, happy-go-lucky Goan male representing > an ethos, an abandon, a leisurely existence."" The author, however, proceeds > to say that this image is resented by "the self-conscious middle-class Goan, > who has come to realize where his genuine culture is." > I believe that there is something in the concept of the sosse gado Goan. Not > in the sense that the Goan is by nature happy-go-lucky, much less that he is > bone-lazy. But that he is blessed with a certain equanimity, content with > what he has, and not interested in the modern rat-race.7 This containment > has its roots in complex causes like his native temperament and habitat, the > absence of dire poverty, a trust in Providence, and firm social ties. Again, > it is not the monopoly of the Christian. > Roots > Which brings us to the core of our subject, the Goan Christian heritage. Let > me say at the outset that I intend to speak not of the Christian heritage of > the Goan, but of the heritage of the Goan Christian. The Christian heritage > of the Goan is basically the Catholic faith in a Portuguese wrapping, but > the heritage of the Goan Christian is something much wider and richer, for > it includes valuable elements from his Indo-Hindu origins. In this context I > agree with the view expressed on the occasion of the International Goan > Convention of 1988, that "many Goan emigrants [and I add, not emigrants > alone] need to shed their very parochial concept of Goan culture and admit > that their Goan culture is 'Indo-Portuguese,' which is obviously Indian > first." > But it is not only Goan culture as a whole that is Indo-Portuguese: even the > sub-culture which we call Goan Christian, if greatly influenced by the > Portuguese, is manifestly also Indian. Our Goan Christian heritage, it has > been said, consists of an amalgam of what is intrinsic to our faith, with a > thin overlay of the Western ethos and what we have been permitted to retain > from the culture of our pre-conversion days. > The Goan Christian must not forget the Indian contribution to his identity. > Unfortunately > many people in the past and today think they are Portuguese Christians when > in reality they often behave and think in ways that indicate they are really > Indian Christians. Christian Goans see no contradiction in this, nor did > they in the past, for being blind to one's enacted (as distinct from one's > self- elected) identity is part of being human and is an essential aspect of > the real Goa, Goa Indica.9 > If the Goan Christian has retained Indian cultural roots while being > considerably Lusitanisized, it is good to note that the Portuguese way of > life has also affected the Goan Hindu--in the commercial and legal spheres, > for instance. A further point to be borne in mind is that when we speak of > Goan culture we tend to concentrate on the way of life and tradition of the > upper castes and the economically powerful, ignoring the large majority of > the population, both Hindu and Catholic.10 > The Goan Christian is clearly a product of acculturation, a highly selective > process in which a group engaged in cultural contact maintains its social > identity and to a degree its cultural distinctiveness and integrity.11 The > Goan Christian has a cultural legacy in which Indo-Hindu and Luso-Christian > elements are inextricably mixed. However, we shall try to identify and focus > some of the principal components, and not only the positive ones. > The Legacy of India > What does the Goan Christian owe to his pre-sixteenth-century past? It is > impossible, of course, to analyze here all the Indo-Hindu institutions and > characteristics which he still retains. Kinship ties, social customs, > folklore, and superstitions--these are just some of the areas that must be > explored. We shall concentrate on three elements: > 1. Konkani--The language of Goa, officially recognized as such only in 1989, > is Konkani written in the Devanagari script. Derived from Prakrit, Konkani > in pre-Portuguese times was written in Kannada or in Devanagari, but it had > little literature. Though the attitude of the Portuguese to Konkani became > only increasingly negative, it cannot be forgotten that it was under their > regime that the first Konkani grammars and dictionaries were composed and > printed, by Christian missionaries such as Tomas Stephens, Diogo Ribeiro, > Ignazio Arcamone, and Miguel d'Almeida. They played vital part in making the > "Lingua Canarim" or "Lingua Bramanica" a literary language, albeit they > changed the script to Roman. The Goan Christian is apt to speak a Konkani > which is far from nitoll or pure, but he is becoming increasingly conscious > of the beauty and importance of the Goan mother tongue, amchi bhas, "an > ancient and vital language which was used as literary and educational medium > and which enjoyed popularity in pre-Portuguese times.12 As a keen foreign > observer has remarked, "Konkani above all is the cement which binds all > Goans across lines of religion, caste and class.13 It has been for centuries > the unifying bond of the Goan population. > 2. Community--Next to the language, the most distinctive feature of Goan > society is the millennial institution of the gauponn or communidade. This > village community is a peculiar and characteristic organization which has > existed from the earliest times in Goa-as it did in most parts of India > until it was abolished by the British. "It is this institution that has > developed in a Goan a deep-rooted love for his village, and it has been the > starting point of all his political, economic, Social, educational and > cultural activities."14 Under the Portuguese the communidades had a > chequered history, but they were not abolished, and today they can still > provide a useful basis for panchayati Raj for they embody a tradition of > equality and social justice. In the Goan villages that are predominantly > Christian, the gauponns are naturally linked with the village church, and > the local feasts and fairs. > 3. Caste--The unhappiest inheritance of our pre-Portuguese past is the caste > system. Due in great measure to mass conversions, and to a missionary policy > which was tolerant in this regard, the Goan convert brought to Christianity, > preserved, and even developed his caste and its loyalties, though its > excesses were curbed and softened.15 Sadly, "the caste system prevails among > the Christians of Goa to this day, and caste discrimination always played an > important part in politics and matrimonial relations constituting and > segregating endogamic social classes.16 We are surely aware that even today, > and even among the educated and the emigrants, the Goan Christian still > nurses, if only subconsciously, caste feelings which are really incompatible > with his faith and true democracy > Faith and Empire > And what of our Lusto-Christian heritage, the fruit of long Portuguese > domination? The most important part of it is, of course, the Catholic faith. > Whatever may be said in criticism of the Portuguese missionary methods, the > motivation of the Indian converts, and the excesses of the Goa Inquisition > in the sixteenth to eighteenth centuries, the fact is that the Goan > Christian has generally a strong, rather traditional faith. In the model of > Iberian Catholicism, this faith is neither Puritan nor individualistic, and > it is accommodating. It can on occasion even make room for devotions and > superstitions from the Hindu past, though I would not go so far as to say > with R.S�Newman that "a majority of Goans share in a syncretic > Hindu-Catholic religion--undefined, unlabelled, but mutually understood.17 > Goa has given priests and lay apostles to the Church, though they seem to > have made their mark more outside the territory than within it--Matthew de > Castro, Joseph Vaz, Agnelo D'Souza, and Valerian Gracias are some of the > names that come to mind. Unfortunately it is only in very recent times that > the Goan Church seems to have felt the impact of Vatican II and of the > changed situation in Goa, after 1961. > There is no doubt that evangelization in Goa was accompanied by > Europeanization, and a strenuous effort was made by Portugal to "assimilate" > the native Christian. Part of this effort consisted in the introduction of > Portuguese as the language of State and Church, of commercial and social > intercourse among the higher classes. In so far as this was done to the > detriment of Konkani, it is to be regretted. However, Portuguese also opened > to the Goan a door to the wider world, in as much as it was the lingua > franca of the East in the Age of Discovery, and is still today one of the > ten most spoken languages of the world. Further, Portuguese vocables have > been naturalized in Konkani and many other Asian languages, as that great > Goan scholar, Msgr. Sebastiao Rodolfo Dalgado, ably demonstrated in his > Influencia do Vocabuldrio Portugue emm Linguas Asiaticas (1913). > It is generally acknowledged that a principal contribution of Christianity > to civilization has been the propagation of the ideals of charity and > service, and the establishment and maintenance of institutions of social > assistance. Among those that have nourished in Goa are the Misericordia, and > hospitals, orphanages, and asylums. Schools were not unknown in Goa, of > course, but under the effort of evangelization they were complemented by the > minor seminaries and institutes of higher education, such as the College of > St. Paul, endowed with a fine library. It was here too that India's first > printing press with movable types was established in 1556, and was soon used > to produce not only catechisms and dictionaries, but also philosophical and > scientific works, in Portuguese and Indian languages, and eventually in > Indic characters. > While speaking of education we naturally think of the Goan parochial schools > which have been called "nurseries of music and musicians" and "agents of > cultural synthesis of East and West." The achievement and importance of > these schools as part of our Goan Christian heritage has not always been > appreciated.18 It is here that, more than four hundred years ago, the Goan > talent for music became acquainted with the concept of harmony. Goans then > made valuable contributions to Church music, as composers and performers, > and later developed their own secular music forms, the mando being the best > known of them. It is with reason that the seminar on Goa: The Problems in > Transition declared in 1964: "The Seminar believes that Goa is one of the > very few regions in India where there is a tradition of the appreciation of > Western music. Similarly, the Seminar believes that Goan music itself > illustrates the possibility of a creative symbiosis between the Western and > the indigenous tradition of music."19 The Goan theatre, now drawing a lot of > attention as the Konkani tiatr, is another manifestation of the Goan > Christian's artistic and musical gifts.20 > The most visually striking part of the Goan Christian heritage consists in > the imposing churches, especially those of Old Goa. Volumes have been > written about the baroque art of Goa, and the Indian features therein.21 > What has been the salvation of the Goa churches, as compared to similar > monuments elsewhere, is that the vast majority have been continuously in use > up to this day. This also applies to the houses of well-to-do Goan > Christians which exemplify Indo-Portuguese domestic architecture--with steep > red-tiled roofs, balconies, private chapels, spacious halls, and inner > courtyards. Incidentally, Portuguese influences are also in evidence in some > of the Goan Hindu temples.22 > Apart from architecture, the Goan Christian inheritance includes > achievements in the fine arts and liberal professions, in literature, > science, and agriculture.23 Worthy of special mention is Goan cuisine, made > internationally famous by its chefs and its recipes, some of these > consisting of Indian ingredients put together according to Portuguese > formulae in places like the Convent of Santa Monica in Old Goa. > It is often thought that in the sphere of law it was the British who made > the greatest contribution to Indian society and life. Yet Goa, under the > Portuguese, had for generations a Common Civil Code, accepted by all > communities without discord, in happy contrast with the rest of the Indian > Union. In the sphere of women's rights too Goa has been ahead of the rest of > the country. More than three centuries before Sir William Bentinck, Afonso > de Albuquerque banned sati in Goa, and Christianity improved the status of > women, promoting the equality of the sexes. The Christian--and later the > Hindu--woman in Goa was guaranteed basic rights of ownership and > inheritance: "The progressive legislation of the nineteenth and twentieth > centuries built, for the Goan women, from daughter to grandmother, a > brighter legal future based on the twin pillars of equality and liberty."24 > Continuity and Change > This has been a very rapid survey of the heritage of the Goan Christian. > Basically Indo-Hindu, it was radically transformed by four and a half > centuries of Portuguese dominance, which were marked by a relatively open > relationship between the conqueror and the conquered who accepted Christian > faith. This led, in the view of some, to a bastardized society of > denationalized Goan Christians, who were cut off from their ancestral Indian > heritage and compelled to change their names, dress, food, and even > language--or to emigrate, as an alternative However, while it is true that > the religious and cultural life of the Goan who became a Christian was > transformed, his social and economic life was much less affected.25 The Goan > Christian learnt to live on good terms with his Hindu neighbours, and as > peace-loving citizen, a family person, noted for joie de vivre. > Balkrishna Borker, a great Goan humanist and a Hindu, writes about Goan > culture: > The virility and vitality of this, quiet, soft-mannered and peace-loving > society's culture were tested and proved beyond doubt when in the sixteenth > century the Portuguese conquers of Goa tried fanatically to uproot > completely. Though partially impaired under their onslaught of superior arms > and administrative machinery it not only outlived it but even absorbed some > good and progressive features of their Latin culture. Besides, it turned > every difficulty they thrust upon it into a new opportunity to revitalize > and enrich itself. It adopted some fine modes of Western living and grafted > on its ethos and aesthetics the good sense and good taste peculiar to Latin > culture brought by the Portuguese.26 > And he continues: > Now with freedom acquired, Goa has infinite possibilities and opportunities > to enrich its cultural pattern according to its innate genius, but its wall > of isolation having fallen, it also runs the risk of being invaded by varied > cultural patterns and also by speed of industrialization which is bound to > rob it of its leisure.27 > Borker was writing twenty years ago. Today the Goan cultural tradition is > still under intense pressure because of the changes in economic and > political structures; the increased urbanization and migration; and the > impact of films, television, and tourism. Nor has Goan education risen to > the challenge--quite the contrary, as it is still struggling with the > question of the medium of instruction. > It was said at the seminar on Goa: The Problems of Transition (1964) that > The Goan people today are confronted by the difficult task of throwing off > the legacy of Portuguese rule: The various institutions created or sustained > by the Portuguese served the needs of the imperialist power and reflected > its despotic character.28 > This statement is much too categorical. I hold that there are elements of > the Portuguese legacy, which are worth retaining, and they form part of the > Goan Christian heritage. > The Road Ahead > If we are to maintain our Goan Christian heritage, we must cherish it; that > is, we must know and value it. To help us in this task is the work of our > educators, at home and in school. But we must also protect and cultivate it, > and this in collaboration with Hindu fellow Goans. Such an effort will also > help build "a new Goan identity," about which R.S.Newman has written with > understanding and which would be based, according to him, on four > foundations: a shared economic system, a common history, kinship, and the > cultural-linguistic heritage.29 > It is not enough to preserve our culture, isolating ourselves from others. > This is not desirable: it is not even possible today. Our effort must be to > understand our Goan Christian heritage, to appreciate it, enrich it, and > share it. A programme of this kind was outlined in the International Goan > Convention in 1988.30 It calls for human relations skills, cultural > self-awareness, multicultural appreciation and cross-cultural activity. > The Goan is not a stay-at-home. Particularly in this century he has been an > emigrant and a "cultural broker." Manglore, Bombay, Karachi, Nairobi, > London, New York, Toronto, and Dubai are some of the cities where he has > established himself.31"A Goan is at home everywhere and nowhere, a man > rooted in his soil but also something of an outsider in his own home. That > is, perhaps, what a Goan is a man who lives on the other side of the > frontier."32 The life of Goa is a life where cultures meet; this is what the > Goan Christian can claim with a sense of pride but also of responsibility It > is a distinguished Portuguese scholar who has written: > Four centuries of Christian influence have here been so profoundly absorbed > by a geographical milieu and a society which are Indian from top to bottom > that one might believe that, like Hinduism, Christianity too had been born > in the shade of these palm-trees, on the banks of these rivers. This rooting > and this fusion of cultures make Goa, according to the happy expression of > Pierre Gourou, "a double treasure of civilization."33 > Such is the Goan Christian heritage: a double treasure, to be cherished and > to be shared. > END > Notes > 1. Teotonio R. de Souza, "Goan Culture and Identity: Historically Speaking" > (mimeographed, Panjim, 1990), pp4 > 2. Quoted in Robert de Souza, Goa and the Continent of Circe (Bombay, 1973), > p. 33. > 3. Joao da Veiga Coutinho, "A New Look at Goan History" (mimeographed, > Panjim, 1989), p.l. > 4. See Dionisio Ribeiro, "The Problem of the Emotional Integration of > Goans," in A.B. Shah, ed., Goa: The Problems of Transition (Bombay, 1965), > pp� 82-85. > 5. Robert S. Newman, "Goa: The Transformation of an Indian Region," in > Pacific Affairs, 57 ( Fall 1984) 429. > 6. William R. da Silva, "Construction of Goan Identity: An Episodic Salient > Narrative" (mimeographed, Panjim, 1990), p. 2� > 7. See Lambert Mascarenhas, "Coa: A Cultural Synthesis," in Sart Esteves and > Vatsala de Souza, eds., This is Goa (Bombay, 1983). > 8. Teotonio R. de Souza, "Looking from Goa," in International Goan > Convention '88 Souvenir (Toronto), p. 53. > 9. Caroline Ifeka, "The Image of Goa," in Teotonio R. de Souza, ed., > Indo-Portuguese History, Old Issues, New Questions (New Delhi, 1958), p. > 193. > 10. Newman, op. cit., p. 436. > 11. See F. M. Kettering, Cultural Anthropology (New York, 1958), p. 387. > 12. Bento Graciano D'Souza, Goan Society in Transition: A Study in Social > Change (Bombay, 1975), p. 46. > 13. R. S. Newman, "Konkani Mai Ascends the Throne: The Cultural Basis of > Goan Statehood" (mimeographed, La Trobe University, 1988), p. 26. > 14. Sarto Esteves, Goa and Its Future (Bombay, 1966), p. 31. > 15. See Bento D'Souza, op. cit., pp. 150, 241-247. > 16. Robert de Souza, op. cit., pp. 92-93. > 17. Newman, " Konkani Mai...," p. 25. > 18. See Mascarenhas, op. cit., > 19. Shah, op. cit., p. 97. > 20. See Pramod Kale, "Konkani Tiatr': An Expression of Popular Cul ture," in > B.S. Shastry, ed., Goan Society Through the Ages (New Delhi, 1987), pp > 236-247. > 21. See Jos~ Pereira, "The Art Historiography of Baroque India," in Indica > (1986), pp. 159-170. > 22. Jose Pereira, "Evolution of the Goan Hindu Temple: Temple of Bloom," in > Goa Today (September 1990), p. 36. > 23. See Mariano Saldanha, A Luzitana~Bo de Goa (Goa, 1947), pp. 16-17. > 24. Pratima Kamat, "Some Legal Aspects of the Socio-Economic Life of Women > in Portuguese Goa," in Shastry, ed., op. cit., p. 99. > 25. Luis Filipe Thomaz, "Goa: Une SocietC Luso-Indienne," in Bulletin des > Etudes Portugaises et Bresiliennes, Tome 42-43, p. 32. > 26. Balkrishna Borker,'"The Goan Personality," in Boletim do Institute > Meneses Braganea, No. 96(1971), p. 61. > 27. Ibid., p. 62. > 28. S. P. Aiyer and V. K. Sinha in Shah, ed., op. cit., p. 9. > 29. Newman, "Konkani Mai...," pp. 19-26. > 30. See Judy Luis, "History, Culture and Identity: A Critical Link," in > International Goan Convention '88 Souvenir (Toronto), p. 15. > 31. The latest study on Goan migration known to us is: Stella > Mascarenhas-Keyes, "International Migration: Its Development, Reproduction > and Economic Impact on Goa up to 1961," in Teotonio de Souza, ed., Goa > Through the Ages, vol. II, pp. 242-246. It is estimated that in 1954 there > were 1,800,000 Goans outside Goa(including 1,000,000 in the Indian Union) > (see Bento D'Souza, op ,it., p. 203) and some 5501000 i, Goa itself. Before > the Gulf conflict (1990) there were probably around 150,000 Goans outside > the Indian Union. > 32. Jay Dubashi, "On Being Goan," in Goa Today (September 1985), P� 39. > 33. Thomaz, op cit., pp 15-16. > Reprinted with permission from: > South Asian Studies Papers, no 9 > Goa: Goa Continuity and Change > Edited by Narendra K. Wagle and George Coelho > University of Toronto > Centre for South Asian Studies > 1995 > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Aloysius D'Souza" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > To: "John Manuel Pimenta" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > Sent: Wednesday, November 12, 2003 9:16 AM > Subject: Christianity's Similarities with Hinduism > > > > Hi John, > > > > This may be of interest to you > > > > Cheers > > > > Aloysius > > ----- Original Message ----- > > From: Lawrie D'souza <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > > To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > > Sent: Tuesday, November 04, 2003 5:36 PM > > Subject: [Goanet]Christianity's Similarities with Hinduism > > > > > > > Christianity's Similarities with Hinduism > > > > > > November 2, 2003, 4:29 am > > > > > > Stephen Knapp > > > http://www.stephen-knapp.com > > > > > > You may find it surprising that much of Christianity > > > originated from India. Indeed, over the centuries, > > > numerous historians and sages have pointed out that > > > not only has Hinduism had a predominant influence on > > > Christianity, but that many of the Christian rites > > > could be directly borrowed from Hindu (Vedic) India. > > > > > > French historian Alain Danielou had noticed as early > > > as 1950 that "a great number of events which surround > > > the birth of Christ-as it is related in the > > > Gospels-strangely reminded us of Buddha's and > > > Krishna's legends." Danielou quotes as examples the > > > structure of the Christian Church, which resembles > > > that of the Buddhist Chaitya; the rigorous asceticism > > > of certain early Christian sects, which reminds one of > > > the asceticism of Jain and Buddhist saints; the > > > veneration of relics, the usage of holy water, which > > > is an Indian practice, and the word "Amen," which > > > comes from the Hindu (Sanskrit) "OM." Another > > > historian, Belgium's Konraad Elst, also remarks "that > > > many early Christian saints, such as Hippolytus of > > > Rome, possessed an intimate knowledge of Brahmanism." > > > Elst even quotes the famous Saint Augustine who wrote: > > > "We never cease to look towards India, where many > > > things are proposed to our admiration." Unfortunately, > > > remarks American Indianist David Frawley, "from the > > > second century onwards, Christian leaders decided to > > > break away from the Hindu influence and show that > > > Christianity only started with the birth of Christ." > > > Hence, many later saints began branding Brahmins as > > > "heretics," and Saint Gregory set a future trend by > > > publicly destroying the "pagan" idols of the Hindus. > > > > > > Great Indian sages, such as Sri Aurobindu and Sri Ravi > > > Shankar, the founder of the Art of Living, have often > > > remarked that the stories recounting how Jesus came to > > > India to be initiated are probably true. Sri Ravi > > > Shankar notes, for instance, that Jesus sometimes wore > > > an orange robe, the Hindu symbol of renunciation of > > > the world, which was not a usual practice in Judaism. > > > "In the same way," he continues, "the worshiping of > > > Virgin Mary in Catholicism is probably borrowed from > > > the Hindu cult of Devi." Bells too, which cannot be > > > found today in Synagogues, the surviving form of > > > Judaism, are used in church-and we all know their > > > importance in Buddhism and Hinduism for thousands of > > > years, even up to the present day. There are many > > > other similarities between Hinduism and Christianity, > > > including the use of incense, sacred bread (prasadam), > > > the different altars around churches (which recall the > > > manifold deities in their niches inside Hindu > > > temples), reciting prayers on the rosary (Vedic > > > japamala), the Christian Trinity (the ancient Vedic > > > trinity of Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva as the creator, > > > maintainer and destroyer respectively, as well as Lord > > > Krishna as the Supreme Lord, the all-pervading Brahman > > > as the holy ghost, and Paramatma as the expansion or > > > son of the Lord), Christian processions, and the use > > > of the sign of the cross (anganyasa), and so many > > > others. > > > > > > In fact, Hinduism's pervading influence seems to go > > > much earlier than Christianity. American > > > mathematician, A. Seindenberg, has, for example, shown > > > that the Shulbasutras, the ancient Vedic science of > > > mathematics, constitute the source of mathematics in > > > the antique world of Babylon to Greece: "The > > > arithmetic equations of the Shulbasutras were used in > > > the observation of the triangle by the Babylonians as > > > well as in the edification of Egyptian pyramids, in > > > particular the funeral altar in the form of pyramid > > > known in the Vedic world as smasana-cit." > > > > > > In astronomy too, the "Indus" (from the valley of the > > > Indus) have left a universal legacy, determining for > > > instance the dates of solstices, as noted by 18th > > > century French astronomer Jean Sylvain Bailly: "The > > > movement of stars which was calculated by Hindus 4,500 > > > years ago, does not differ even by a minute from the > > > tables which we are using today." And he concludes: > > > "The Hindu systems of astronomy are much more ancient > > > than those of the Egyptians-even the Jews derive from > > > the Hindus their knowledge." There is also no doubt > > > that the Greeks heavily borrowed from the "Indus." > > > Danielou notes that the Greek cult of Dionysus, which > > > later became Bacchus with the Romans, is a branch of > > > Shaivism: "Greeks spoke of India as the sacred > > > territory of Dionysus, and even historians of > > > Alexander the Great identified the Indian Shiva with > > > Dionysus and mention the dates and legends of the > > > Puranas." > > > > > > French philosopher and Le Monde journalist Jean-Paul > > > Droit recently wrote in his book, The Forgetfulness of > > > India, that "the Greeks loved so much Indian > > > philosophy that Demetrios Galianos had even translated > > > the Bhagavad-gita." > > > > > > Many Western and Christian historians have tried to > > > nullify this India influence on Christians and ancient > > > Greece by saying that it is the West through the Aryan > > > invasion, and later the onslaught of Alexander the > > > Great of India, which influenced Indian astronomy, > > > mathematics, architecture, philosophy-and not vice > > > versa. But new archeological and linguistic > > > discoveries have proved that there never was an Aryan > > > invasion and that there is a continuity from the > > > ancient Vedic civilization to the Saraswati culture. > > > The Vedas, for instance, which constitute the soul of > > > present day Hinduism, have not been composed in 1500 > > > B.C., as Max Muller arbitrarily decided, but may go > > > back to 7000 years before Christ, giving Hinduism > > > plenty of time to influence Christianity and older > > > civilizations which preceded Christianity. > > > > > > Thus, we should be aware of and point out the close > > > links which exist between Christianity and Hinduism > > > (ancient Vedic culture), which bind them into a sacred > > > brotherhood. Conscientious Christian and Western > > > scholars can realize how the world humanity's basic > > > culture is Vedic through proper research. > > > > > > > > > ===== > > > www.travelandgoa.com > > > > > ########################################################################## # Send submissions for Goanet to [EMAIL PROTECTED] # # PLEASE remember to stay on-topic (related to Goa), and avoid top-posts # # More details on Goanet at http://joingoanet.shorturl.com/ # # Please keep your discussion/tone polite, to reflect respect to others # ##########################################################################
