| Dear Selma, Actually I enjoyed reading your review. It is an excellent review and the book is an important addition to the literature on this topic. I probably read too much into the word “complicity.” Sounded like Timoja and others were committing some kind of crime. It is now well established that the Portuguese Empire would not have survived for as long as it did had it not been for the willing and active collaboration of the Goans, particularly Goan Hindus (collaboration with the Portuguese from day one). This was well established by Pissurlencar. Again, thank you for your excellent Review and to Sharmila for her excellent book. John Sent from my iPhone On Jul 28, 2026, at 1:24 PM, 'Carvalho' via Goa-Research-Net <[email protected]> wrote:
Dear John, I searched for the word traitor in my review, I couldn't find it. I have not used the word traitor nor has Sharmila Pais. This is a story of collusion and collaboration.
I have not read what Pissurlencar has written about this using original sources. Although Pais uses secondarly sources extensively throughout the book, in this respect she has used primary sources and since I have not read Pissurlencar, I can not compare who has used them more effectively but in any case such a comparison is not necessary from my end.
All best,
On Tuesday, 28 July 2026 at 18:20:40 BST, John de Figueiredo < [email protected]> wrote:
Selma, This has all been well documented by Panduronga Pissurlencar using original sources. Timoja and the Goan leaders invited Albuquerque to take over Goa and get rid of Bijapur. When Albuquerque succeeded at occupying Goa after one failed attempt, he was taken in triumph by the Goans. We should not use our contemporary ideas on nationalism and colonialism to call the Goans who supported Albuquerque “traitors.” They were trying to get rid of Bijapur and Goa was a crucial spot because it was the only opening to the ocean to the Empire of Vijayanagara. After that, many Goan Hindus continued to cooperate with Portuguese for many years and the Portuguese rewarded them handsomely. John M. de Figueiredo Sent from my iPhone On Jul 27, 2026, at 12:47 PM, 'Carvalho' via Goa-Research-Net <[email protected]> wrote:
Dear members,
I ordered this book from the link given in the review and within 8 days it had arrived in London. There is no reason at all for readers worldwide not to enjoy books published in Goa.
TikTok reels may lie but the archives don’t. The truth has been right under our noses residing at the Historical Archives of Goa department, Panjim, which Pais investigates with great scholarly rigour. Right from the onset the Hindu brahmin hand is evident. As Afonso de Albuquerque, after laying siege to Calicut, nears Honavar, the Admiral of the Honavar fleet Timoja lies in wait—not to confront the aggressor but to present him with tribute. In the bounty he will lay at Albuquerque’s feet are “sheep, cows, chicken and refreshments”. Then Timoja soothingly assures Albuquerque that “he would lead him to a city that could easily be taken with the strength of his fleet.” These are not Pais’ words, they form part of a speech by Marquis of Vallad in 1873 exulting Timoja nearly two centuries later. Timoja had knowledge of Portuguese. He described himself as a brahmin and a “vassal of the King of Portugal”. The complicity is not restricted to Timoja, there were others involved, their names live on, perhaps not commonly known to us Goans because we like to bury inconvenient truths, but their names are evidenced in the archives as Malurau, Menaique, Mang, Dolvi, Raulu Camotim from Divar—all richly rewarded by the Portuguese with distinguished positions. The letters of Albuquerque reveal at least sixteen other upper-caste Hindu names who rendered invaluable service in the opening decades of Portugal’s imperial ambitions in Goa. Thereby began a dance between the Hindu elite and the Portuguese which endured through the centuries.
Read full review here:
| | Religion, lies and videotape — Joao-Roque Literary Journal est. 2017Review by Selma Carvalho The tragedy of human societies is that we are only capable of accessing recent memory ... |
|
|
--
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Goa-Research-Net" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [email protected].
To view this discussion, visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/goa-research-net/1856278483.1681574.1785135844387%40mail.yahoo.com.
--
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Goa-Research-Net" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [email protected].
To view this discussion, visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/goa-research-net/FA95A61C-736B-4C6C-8E4D-6FE536C0834D%40sbcglobal.net.
--
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Goa-Research-Net" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [email protected].
To view this discussion, visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/goa-research-net/1375172224.2074717.1785262853268%40mail.yahoo.com.
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Goa-Research-Net" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [email protected].
To view this discussion, visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/goa-research-net/CCB7986D-2E39-411A-9654-7529E92E89CA%40sbcglobal.net.
|
