GU Chair to study 16 century Goan migration
GOANEWS DESK, PANAJI | 15 May 2013 13:45 IST
Goa University will study the migration episode of Goan Diaspora in the 16th and 17th century to different parts the World, especially the Portuguese colonies.
Former union minister Eduardo Faleiro said the University Grants Commission has already released funds to set up a Chair in Diaspora Studies at the Goa University.
Faleiro said the Chair would study the migration of Indians and especially Goans, to different parts of the world as well as the neighbouring areas in 16th and 17th centuries.
During Portuguese regime, Goans had migrated to different parts of the world including Portugal, its colonies like Africa as well as Europe.
Similarly, he said Goans had migrated to neighbouring parts within (then) India, like Mumbai, Karachi (now in Pakistan) as well as Kolhapur and Belgaum.
In fact he has planned an exchange programme next month between the youth Goa, Kolhapur and Belgaum.
Faleiro said Goans belonging to all religions are today settled in Kolhapur and Belgaum.
Most of the Kolhapur-settled Goans were from Bardez and they are called Bardezkar and even carry a surname Bardezkar.
Those who settled in Belgaum are called Konkanne as their mother tongue is Konkani.
“Hindus, Muslims and Christians participate there in each other’s religious festivals as well as other social gathering and their social life and food habits are no different from Goans”, said Faleiro.
With the help of Nehru Yuva Kendra, Faleiro has thus planned one-week orientation programme for the youth of Kolhapur and Belgaum, who would come down to Goa to study the socio-cultural lifestyle of Goa.
This would be later exchanged with a group of Goan youth visiting Kolhapur and Belgaum to study the lifestyle of Goans settled there.
I have heard many a times from senior citizens that the Saraswat Brahmins of Goa migrated from River Saraswati region. Some went Kashmir side, some Bengal side and others came to the Konkan out of whom, many in Goa.
It would be nice if studies could cover this migration also, so that the present generation gets a clear idea of this issue also.
So the politician of the day will decide what will be the topic of research for a chair academic Professor.