Teotonio deSouza wrote: Please check Sanjay Subrahmanyam about the perpetuation of the cock-and-bull story of Ibn Majid in his book *The Career and Legend of Vasco da Gama*. http://www.outlookindia.com/article.aspx?203436
COMMENT: I have to concede that I was not on the East African coast when Vasco da Gama was looking for a 'pilot' to guide him to the south-western coast of the subcontinent. That having been noted, the following might appear reasonable to assume: [a] It is unlikely that Vasco da Gama would have traveled all the way to Kenya - without having made some arrangements for the onward route. [b] While one has to try be as accurate as possible, it really matters little whether it was Ibn Majid or a real or imagined and ? un-named Gujrati 'pilot' who guided VDG to Calicut. [c] Under the theory of 'respondeat superior', it is the master who takes the credit (or blame) for the actions. [d] Vasco da Gama is the one who opened (for better or for worse) the sea trade route (via South Africa) from the subcontinent to Western Europe. Hitherto, the route (controlled by the Arabs) was either via land or via Alexandria (Egypt) and Venice (Italy). [e] The arrival of the Portuguese into the subcontinent led to the eventual and determining defeat of the previous masters in the Battle of Diu. [f] This resulted in many many residents of the subcontinent NOT being forcibly circumcised (The horrible Inquisition having been noted), Hundreds of thousands of living women not being sent to the funeral pyre of their husbands, education being brought to the poor and the disadvantaged by that Apartheid Caste system, and some being able to re-obtain Portuguese nationality and be gainfully employed in Lisbon. Is not that something to be happy about? If so ..... what was all that 1997-98 anti-VDG fracas about? And why do we not protest the continued vandalism by the vandals? jc
