Goa

Dating a Goan Catholic and never having been to Goa, I decided to learn a little something about Goa and specifically the Catholics in in my unproductively spent free time. Yes, perhaps studying for the GMAT would be a more effective use of said free time, but that's not the point.

History of Goa
Working our way chronologically backwards in the most cursory manner imaginable, here goes:
1987 Goa becomes a State of India, officially
1963 First Election to House of Assembly
1813 Representative sent to House of Representatives in Lisbon
1739 Marathas attack Goa (state of Maharastra where Bombay is located, directly above Goa geographically)
1622 St. Francis Xavier is cannonized by Pope Gregory XV
1570 Goa under seige by Ismail Adil Shah
1560 Establishment of the Inquisition in Goa
1542 Francis Xavier and Jesuits arrive in India--to Goa
1540 Persecution of Hindus in Goa
1510 Yusuf Adil Shah forced to surrender Goa to Afonso de Albuquerque of Portugal
1200-1300 Goa under Mauryan Rule of Asokha The Great

The history of Goa, like much of India but perhaps more so than the rest of the country is colored by religious strife. The Hindus, the Muslims--the Mughals--, and the Portugese Catholics infilrated Goan beaches time and time again. It's one of the smallest states in an over-populated nation but it continues to hold its own at least from the standpoint of tourism. For decades the West has smoked pot and soaked in the Arabian sun on the beautiful beaches of Goa. But past the debauchery and relaxation, the Catholic community in Goa is incredibly strong with architecturally majestic old churches on what were once pristine beaches. Before the resorts and the commercialization, there was St. Francis and Vasco Da Gama.

Culturally, the most Western of communities East of the Middle East Goans love to tout their Portugese heritage and some years ago the government of Portugal issued EU passports to dozens of Goans who could prove their European lineage. Last names like D'Souza, Gomez, Rodriguez, Fernandez, D'Mello, Pinto, Lobo, and Lopez abound on these beaches--these names belong to Indians, or at least folks that look like the rest of the Indians running around the beach.

Goans--at least the Catholic ones--have long held the title of the premier merry-makers and dancers (expect the waltz in lieu of Bhangra) in the greater Indian community. Few are the non-Punjabis (northern Indian community bordering Pakistan consisting of Sikhs, Bhangra dancers, and future Bollywood stars) and who can outdrink the Goans and they can only do it because of their warrior blood and relative enormity compared their dimunitive Goan bretheren. Catholic Goans also represent the only group of Indians to consume sausage in a country of vegetarians and fish eaters. Muslims have the monopoly on goat. Non-goan christians will break ou the beef and fish, but it's the Goans that enjoy lavish Western breakfasts of sausage, eggs, cheese, and milk all in one sitting. No Indian Jew can sit at a table less kosher.

I want to be clear...I'm not Goan and if I were to eventually be yoked with one, I would still never BE Goan, but it's a culture that has fascinated me since childhood. Walking on the beach in Juhu (what was once a fabulous beach in Bombay), you could always tell the Goan Catholic couples apart from the rest--they were the most affectionate, they had on the coolest pair of blue jeans, they had the most interesting slang, and they always looked like they were having the best time with each other in that moment along that shore.