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Mangalorean Catholics

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Mangalorean Catholics
Kodialche Katholik
Total population
700,000+ *
Regions with significant populations
India Mangalore (India)340,654[1]
 India550,000 *
Languages
Konkani
Religion
Christianity (Roman Catholicism)
Related ethnic groups
Konkani people, Goan Catholics, Indo-Aryans
  1. ^ "Mangalore Diocese". Catholic Bishop's Conference of India (C.B.C.I). Retrieved 2008-01-14.

Mangalorean Catholics (Konkani: Kodialche Katholik) are Catholics from the Mangalore Region which consists of the present South Canara and Udupi districts in India. They are Konkani people belonging to the Konkani ethnicity, their mother tongue is Konkani.

They are the descendants of Goan Catholics who fled Goa during the Portuguese-Maratha Wars and the Goa Inquisition. The history and existence of Mangalorean Catholics in Mangalore dates back to the 15th century.

Following in the footsteps of their resilient ancestors, Mangalorean Catholics have made special contributions in all walks of life. Today, the Mangalorean Catholic diaspora is scattered across the globe, with emigrant communities in Arab Gulf nations and Anglosphere still closely tied to Mangalore culturally and traditionally. A recent cultural event held by them had entered the Guinness Book of World Records by creating an astounded continuous singing record for 40 hours.[1]

History

Origins

Almost all the present existing Mangalorean Catholic community trace their family lineage to Goa. They are basically descendants of Goan Catholics who migrated to Mangalore due to some of the ruthless Maratha warriors and also due to the obdurate Portuguese practices such as the Goa Inquisition. Economically, they migrated due to the inequitable taxation imposed by the Portuguese. Culturally, due to the forced imposition of the Western culture. Politically, due to the military attacks by the Sultans of Bijapur and the Maratha warriors. These migrants were welcomed by the Bednore rulers of Mangalore due to their dexterous agricultural skills, yielding efficacious labourers for cultivation of their forest lands which would thrive their economy. These Christians migrated from various towns in Goa between 1500 AD to 1763 AD. Gradually these Christians learnt the local languages of Mangalore, but retained Konkani as their mother tongue, they built churches, organized parishes, started industries and warehouses in Mangalore to promote socio-economic and cultural development in their own way. After migration and subsequent relocation, they named themselves Mangalorean Catholics to distinguish themselves form their antecedent Goan counterparts.

The European influence in Canara

The St Mary's Island in Mangalore where the Portuguese explorer Vasco Da Gama had landed in 1498

The seeds of Christianity in Mangalore were laid much before the migration by the consecrated European missionaries. The first Europeans to initiate the conversion activity near Mangalore were the French missionaries way back in 1321. In 1321, the French Dominican friar Jordanus Catalani of Severac (in south-western France) landed in a place called Bhatkal near Mangalore. He established a missionary station there. Many locals were converted to Christianity by Jordanus. Later all the missionaries were killed by the Hindus and all the missionary stations ravaged.[2] These were unsuccessful conversions, the Christian converts were reconverted back by the local populace or they had to face instant death or torture. Hence, these conversions did not fetch any Christian population in the Canara region or a very very few population. These conversions just gave a glimpse of the European conversions in the Canara region. During the 15th century, the Portuguese were not successful in establishig their presence in Mangalore due to the ardous resistance from the valiant Vijayanagara ruler Krishnadevraya and the dauntless Bednore Queen of Mangalore Abbakka Rani of Ullal. In 1498, the Portuguese explorer Vasco Da Gama landed at St Mary's Islands in Mangalore on his voyage from Portugal to India.[3]

The migration era

Many of the Goan descendents of the present Mangalorean Catholics had eluded Goa due to the Goa Inquisition which was introduced by the Portuguese. The King of Portugal, who decreed that every trace of Indian customs and practices, no matter how minuscule it was be eradicated completely by the Inquisition. During the Goa Inquisition, New Christians who converted to Catholicism, as well as their descendants, who were suspected of practicing their ancestral religion in secret were chastised. The Portuguese rulers of Goa tried to enfore cultural assimilation of the Goan Christians into the Western culture. Their personal names, food habits and even dress were made to conform to the contemporary European Christian standards. As long as these Christians tried to maintain a separate identity through their language, customs and manners, the Portuguese government practiced social discrimination. These factors made the Goan Christians leave Goa.

The Sultan of Bijapur attacked Goa in 1571 and completely annihilated the Portuguese influence in Goa. These Sultans were especially known for their abomination towards Christianity. Fearing persecution, many Catholics from Goa fled towards the safer lands of Mangalore. This migration is suppposed to be one of the major contributions for the Mangalorean Catholic community.

The consternation of the Maratha Empire was a major cause of the migration of the Goan Catholics towards Mangalore. In 1664, Shivaji attacked the outskirts of Kudal, and began his campaign for Goa.[4] The onslaught of his son Sambhaji along the northern territories of Goa drove nearly all the Christians living in Goa to flee their homelands. Evading towards the stronghold of Old Goa, or else far down south along the Konkan coast were the only two options. They preferred migrating. This was the second big wave of Goans towards Mangalore. However during the later years, the migration slowed down due to the Maratha-Mughal wars, thus keeping Sambhaji busy in warfare.

Post-migration era

Hyder Ali, who had ushered in a traumatic era for Mangalorean Catholics

In the mid-seventeenth century, Hyder Ali ascended to the throne of Mysore.[5] The Portuguese had offered to help Hyder Ali against the English. But when the Portuguese betrayed Hyder Ali, leaving Hyder Ali vulnerable against the English, he took his anger and fury against the Mangalorean Catholics. Toward the end of 1768, Hyder Ali prevailed over the English and defeated them, and he now turned against the Mangalorean Catholics. Nearly the whole Mangalorean Catholic community took refuge in the fort at Mangalore which the British captured from the Portuguese on 1st March 1768. Hyder Ali accompanied by his son Tippu advanced on Mangalore and took the town of Mangalore from the British and re-captured Mangalore fort. The British were forced into a humiliating peace treaty with Hyder Ali and the fort at Mangalore was given back to the Portuguese.

The hardest times the Mangalorean Catholics had to endure were during the reign of Tippu Sultan who rose to the throne of Mysore following his father Hyder Ali's death in December 1782.[6] On 20th May 1783, Tipu laid siege on the Mangalore fort which harboured the Mangalorean Catholics and the English army. After 18 months of siege, the fort was finally delivered to Tippu in an armistice. Tippu Sultan ordered horrendous atrocities against those Christians condemned for treachery.[7]

Tippu Sultan, who was responsible for the holocaust of Mangalorean Catholics at Srirangapatna
File:Hospet.jpg
The Hospet Church is the only church in Mangalore that escaped the demolition drive by Tippu Sultan during early 1790

The holocaust of the Mangalorean Catholics at Srirangapatna which began on 24th Feb 1784, and ended on 4th May 1799 was the most disconsolate memory in the history of Mangalorean Catholics.[8] Soon after the Treaty of Mangalore in 1784, Tippu Sultan issued orders to all stations in Mangalore to seize the Christians, confiscate their estates and deport them to Srirangapatna.[9] The Mangalorean Catholics were caught in the crossfire of Anglo-Mysore relations and many of them suffered the historical experience of captivity under Tipu Sultan. The hapless Mangalorean Catholics who were conquered by Tippu Sultan from the Mangalore fort were forced to climb nearly 4,000 feet through the jungle of the Western Ghats. The distance to Srirangapatna was approximately 210 miles. The Mangalorean Catholics had to suffer terrible hardships on the way. Tippu was set about eradicating Christianity completely. All Christian churches were razed to the ground and all land owned by the captured Christians was taken over by Tippu and distributed among his favorites. After arriving at Srirangapatna, the survivors had to face unendurable tribulations and humiliations and some had to face torture or death. Tipu committed several excess on the Christians and subjected them to inhuman misery, including death and torture. On 4th May 1799, the English stormed the fortress, and after a bitter battle, finally breached the town of Srirangapatna and killed Tippu Sultan.[10] The death of Tippu Sulatn in the Fourth Anglo-Mysore War was the deliverance they had prayed for and they were finally freed. The holocaust exterminated nearly 92% of the entire Mangalorean Catholic community. The Mangalorean Catholics had to suffer 15 years of torture and ridicule and abject degradation by the Muslim hordes of Tippu Sultan. After the Mangalorean Catholics were finally freed, all their belongings had disappeared, their houses were confiscated, their families were missing and their paddy fields cultivated by others. Later, The British took over South Canara after the fall of Tippu Sultan in 1799. Some 15,000 of the exiled Mangalorean Catholics survived. British General Wellesley helped some 10,000 of them return to Mangalore and allowed them to resettle on their land. He also restored their land holdings. The present Mangalorean Catholic community are the descendents of those survivors.[11]

Geographical Distribution

Distribution of Mangalorean Catholics in India

The Mangalore Diocese estimates the population of Mangalorean Catholics in Mangalore to be 340,654[12], of the total population of 3,009,973 in the Mangalore Region (South Canara + Udupi districts)[13] according to the 2001 census. Thus they approximately constitute around 12% of the population in the Mangalore Region as well as Mangalore City. Some experts had estimated that approximately 50% of the Mangalorean Catholics today live in Mangalore. Most of them are based in the South Canara district.

Mangalorean Catholics are widely found in India. Some experts had estimated that approximately 30% have moved to other parts of India. Mangalorean Catholics today are especially found in the metropiltan cities of India like Bombay and Bangalore. They are also found in other Indian metros, but not as abundantly as in these two metros. They are found in huge numbers in the Indian states of Karnataka and Maharashtra. Their presence in other states is miniscule. Combining Mangalore which is in India, approximately 80% of the Mangalorean Catholics live in India.

Mangalorean Catholics are also found in huge numbers outside India. Some experts have estimated that the remaining 20% of the population have left India for greener pastures abroad. Some of them are NRI's or they are the official citizens of that nation with some people born in that nation itself. Overseas regions where Mangalorean Catholics are most abundantly found are the Arab Gulf nations in the Middle East. The most popular nations among them being Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, United Arab Emirates and Kuwait. While some of them have migrated to the Anglospheric world such as the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia and New Zealand. Recent emigrants are also found in European Union and Africa. It is estimated that there are over 300 Mangalorean Catholic families in Sydney with quite a number of second-generation families. Many of these are multi-cultural in the sense they are married to Anglo-Saxons, Italian, Greeks and other ethnicities.[14]

Culture

A Fried Fish in Mangalorean Catholic style
Fish Curry in Mangalorean Catholic style

Mangalorean Catholics mostly prefer bilingual names which have variants in Konkani as well as English. Depending on the language used, the corresponding variants are preferred. Popular names of this type are Paolu - Paul, Zuvaav - John and Pedru - Peter. Another popular naming convention is the use of English names which don't have Konkani variants. Popular names of this convention are Kenneth and Kimberly. Other European names are also very popular. Names of this type are Savio and Andrea. Indian names are also quite popular among Mangalorean Catholics. Names of this type are Rohit, Rahul and Anita.

Mangalorean Catholic variant(s) English variant(s) Meaning Sex
Tejhu Theresa or Teresa One who reaps Female
Valli Valerian Potent Male
Achchoo Alex or Alexander Defender of Men Male or Female
Pedru Peter Stone Male
Aashu Ashes The Ashes of Wood Female
Zuvaav John God is gracious Male
Zubell Elizabeth My God is my oath Female
Paolu Paul Small Male
Wilfy Wilfred Peaceful Male

The Portuguese surnames are most abundantly found among Mangalorean Catholics since their chronicles significantly revolve around the Portuguese. Spanish surnames are also found among the Mangalorean Catholics although there is no evidence of any sort of interaction of them with the Spanish. They are basically observed among Mangalorean Catholics due to the proximity of the Portuguese and Spanish languages. When a Portuguese surname like Fernandes is referred as Fernandez, then it no longer remains a Portuguese surname, but it can be then categorized as a Spanish surname. English surnames are basically observed among them when English names like Thomas, John are used as surnames. To capture their tradition, many Mangalorean Catholics had reverted to their original Saraswat surnames like Prabhu, Kamat, Pai and Shenoy.

A traditional house of a Mangalorean Catholic family in Mangalore

The Mangalorean Catholic cuisine is largely influenced by the South Indian cuisine. The curry uses a lot of Coconut and curry leaves. Ginger, garlic and chilli is also used in curry. Sanna-Dukra Maas is the most famous dish of the Mangalorean Catholic community. Sanna is idli fluffed with toddy or yeast and Dukra Maas means Pork in Konkani. Mangalorean fish curry is known for its taste in the whole of coastal India. The Fried Fish of the Mangalorean Catholics is a gourmets all time favourite.

Mangalorean Catholics speak the Konkani language which is an Indo-Aryan language and belongs to the Indo-European family of languages, spoken predominantly on the west coast of India. Their architecture is observed in their style of constructing houses which is unique and quite traditional. Mangalorean Catholic houses are red tiled houses having spacious porticos, red cement or terra cotta floors and fruit trees around the house. Such houses are only observed in Mangalore. Mangalorean Catholic weddings encompass many roguish rituals. The main ingredients of a Mangalorean Catholic wedding are the Roce ceremony and the Wedding ceremony. The Roce Ceremony is conducted one or two days before the wedding where the bride and groom are blessed by their parents in the presence of relatives and anointed with coconut oil. The tradition Of Voviyo which are sung by women is a unique tradition among Mangalorean Catholics during a Roce.[15] Later, it is followed by the traditional Catholic wedding mass and finally the wedding.

The St Aloysius Chapel in Mangalore

Mangalorean Catholics celebrate many unique festivals which have both religious as well as historical significance. Monti Fest is one of the major festivals of the Mangalorean Catholic community combining the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary and blessing of new crops or Novem. It is celebrated on September 8, the day of the Nativity feast which celebrates the birth of Mary, Mother of Jesus. Monti Fest had originated at Farangipet in 1763 by Father Miranda when Tippu Sultan had destroyed all churches in Canara but had spared Monte Mariano Church in deference to his father Hyder Ali's friendship with Father Miranda.[16] Attur Jatre or Attur Fest is the feast of St. Lawrence celebrated at the foot of Parpale hill located at Attur on the outskirts of Karkala in Udupi district. The St. Lawrence Shrine which is located here, has a rich history of miracules with its origin tracing back to 1759 A.D. The Eucharistic Procession (Evkaristic Purshanv in Konkani) is a annual Catholic religious procession led by the Bishop of Mangalore from the Milagres Church to Rosario Cathedral, the principal church of the Diocese of Mangalore situated at Pandeshwar that was built by the Portuguese. The procession is led on the first Sunday of the New Year of the Gregorian calendar, attracts thousands of lay and the religious from all over the diocese. The event culminates with a high Mass and community prayers with the theme for the year reflected and the faithful craving blessings for a wonderful year ahead.[17] Many religious festivals are also celebrated in the St Aloysius Chapel in Mangalore.

Organizations

There are numerous well established organizations for the Mangalorean Catholics in Mangalore. Recently, a Konkani cultural event Konkani Nirantari [18] held in Mangalore by a Mangalorean Catholic organization Mandd Sobhann [19] had recently entered the Guinness Book of World Records for holding a 40-hour-long non-stop musical singing marathon by beating a Brazilian musical troupe Communidade Evangelica Luterana Sao Paulo of Ulbra University in Brazil who had previoulsy held the world record of 36 hours.[1][20] The first session of the Canara Konkani Catholic World Convention took place on 27th of December, 2004.[21]

The Kanara Catholic Association (KCA Bangalore) was formed in 1955 for the Mangalorean Catholics in the Indian city of Bangalore. In addition to KCA Bangalore, Bangalore harbours 9 more Mangalorean Catholic organizations which are spread across the city.[22] The Mangalore Catholic Association (MCA) (formerly Mangalore Catholic Club (MCC)) was formed on 10 February 1996 in the Indian cantonment town of Pune to bring together the many Mangalorean Catholics scattered all over Pune.[23]

Mangalorean United Konkani Association ‘MUKA’ is a well established association which caters to the English Catholic families, of Mangalorean origin in the city of Nottingham in United Kingdom.[24] America's Mangalorean Konkani Catholic Prayer Society (AMKCPS) is an online Prayer society established on January 01, 2005 for the American and Canadian Catholics who have family roots in the Diocese of Mangalore.[25][26] Mangalorean Konkan Christian Association (MKCA) is a famed organization in the United States for the American Catholics of Mangalorean origin.[27] The KCA UK had been established for the British Catholics of Mangalorean origin in the city of Manchester in United Kingdom.[28] The Mangalorean Catholic Association of Victoria (MCAV) was the very first Association for Mangalorean Catholics in Australia that had been built on a solid foundation of a Constitution and an elected Management Committee.[29] In the year 2006 Sydney established the Mangalorean Catholic Association Of Sydney (MCAS) which was possibly the third Mangalorean Catholic Association in the world. The other two were Nottingham in the UK, and Melbourne in Australia.[30][14] One more notable organization in Canada is the Mangalorean Association of Canada.[31]

Notable Mangalorean Catholics

Notable Mangalorean Catholic Achievements
George Fernandes He is a member of the Janata Dal (United) party and also the former defence minister of India
Lawrence Saldanha He is the Archbishop of Lahore, Pakistan
Margaret Alva She is a senior leader of the Indian National Congress
Oscar Fernandes He is a Minister of state of the Ministry of Labour and Employment in the UPA government in India
Blasius M. D'Souza He was a fast acting politician and a Congress leader of Mangalore
Viren Rasquinha[32] He was the captain of India's national field hockey team

See also

References

  1. ^ a b "Mangalore: Guinness Adjudicator Hopeful of Certifying Konkani Nirantari". Daijiworld Media Pvt Ltd Mangalore. Retrieved 2008-02-01.
  2. ^ "THE GREATE PRELATES WHO SHAPED THE HISTORY OF DIOCESE OF QUILON". Quilon Diocese. Retrieved 2008-01-14.
  3. ^ "St. Mary's Island Beach". BharatOnline.com. Retrieved 2008-01-14.
  4. ^ "History of Goa". Goa India Tourism.com. Retrieved 2008-02-19.
  5. ^ "ESTABLISHMENT AND EXPANSION OF BRITISH POWER IN INDIA" (PDF). Department of School Education, Government of Tamil Nadu. Retrieved 2008-02-29.
  6. ^ "Tipu Sultan (1750 - 1799)". Retrieved 2008-02-29.
  7. ^ Kirk, Patrick. Kirkpatrick's Collection of Letters. India.
  8. ^ "DEPORTATION & THE KONKANI CHRISTIAN CAPTIVITY AT SRIRANGAPATNA (1784 FEB. 24TH ASH WEDNESDAY)". daijiworld.com. Retrieved 2008-02-29.
  9. ^ "Treaty of Mangalore between Tipu Sultan and the East India Company, 11 March 1784". Project South Asia. Retrieved 2008-03-01.
  10. ^ "1799: Fourth Anglo-Mysore War". Sify.com. Retrieved 2008-02-29.
  11. ^ "The Konkani Christians". Indian Catholic. Retrieved 2008-03-01.
  12. ^ "Mangalore Diocese". Catholic Bishop's Conference of India (C.B.C.I). Retrieved 2008-01-14.
  13. ^ "Census 2001". Census of India. Retrieved 2008-02-29.
  14. ^ a b "The Birth of the Mangalorean Catholic Association of Sydney Inc. (MCAS)" (PDF). Mangalorean Catholic Association Of Sydney (MCAS). Retrieved 2008-02-29. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  15. ^ Maurice D’Mello. "THE TRADITION OF VOVIYO". www.konkanifoundation.com. Retrieved 2008-03-12.
  16. ^ John B. Monteiro. "Monti Fest Originated at Farangipet - 240 Years Ago!". daijiworld.com. Retrieved 2008-01-15.
  17. ^ Stephen D'Souza. "What's in a Name?". daijiworld.com. Retrieved 2008-03-04.
  18. ^ "Konkani Nirantari". Daijiworld Media Pvt. Ltd. Retrieved 2008-02-29.
  19. ^ "MANDD SOBHANN AND ITS ACHIEVEMENTS". konkaniworld.com. Retrieved 2008-02-29.
  20. ^ "Konknni Niron'tori at the Doorstep of a Guinness Record". konkaniworld.com. Retrieved 2008-02-29.
  21. ^ "World Convention: The History of Canara Konkani Catholics". mangalorean.com. Retrieved 2008-03-01.
  22. ^ "KCA Bangalore (Kanara Catholic Association, Bangalore)". Retrieved 2008-03-12.
  23. ^ S Raye. "Little Mangalore in Pune". Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd. Retrieved 2008-03-13.
  24. ^ Raj Francis Pereira. "Mangalorean United Konkani Association". Konkanifriends.com. Retrieved 2008-01-20.
  25. ^ Fr Robert Crasta. "Welcome to America's Mangalorean Konkani Catholic Prayer Society(AMKCPS)". MangalorePages.com. Retrieved 2008-02-28.
  26. ^ Fr Robert Crasta and Mr Wilfred Lewis. "Welcome to America's Mangalorean Konkani Catholic Prayer Society(AMKCPS)". Mangalorecatholics.org. Retrieved 2008-02-28.
  27. ^ "MKCA (Mangalorean Konkan Christian Association)". Retrieved 2008-02-29.
  28. ^ "Monthi Feast By KCA UK - A Report". konakniworld.com. Retrieved 2008-02-29.
  29. ^ "Mangalorean Catholic Association of Victoria (MCAV)". daijiworld.com. Retrieved 2008-02-29.
  30. ^ "Welcome to MCAS Web Site". Mangalore Catholic Association Of Sydney. Retrieved 2008-02-29.
  31. ^ "Mangalorean Association Of Canada - Together We Make A Difference". Mangalorean Association Of Canada. Retrieved 2008-02-29.
  32. ^ "Viren Rasquinha". mangalorean.com. Retrieved 2008-03-04. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |autor= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)

Notes

Bibliography

External Links

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