-------------------------------------------------------------------------- | Goa - 2005 Santosh Trophy Champions | | | | Support Soccer Activities at the grassroots in our villages | | Vacationing in Goa this year-end - Carry and distribute Soccer Balls | -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Alfred DeMello's web article and my own interest in GOA'S INQUISITION (not European Inquisition) tempted me to do more research on an often quoted figure in Goa's history - Garcia de Orta.
My interpretation of the events leads me to differnt conclusions on Dr. Garcia de Orta. This man was a Catholic - not a Jew. His ancestors were Jewish. (So one cannot accuse him of breaking the law by eating pork). Dr. Orta was a rich and well-read man having been a professor at Coimbra University "Amchem Tempar". In 1534 he sailed to India - some claim he fled Portugal because of the inquisition against Jews - false again! WITH the "por favor" of the Portuguese authorities in Goa, Dr. Orta did very well for himself as will be seen below. So likely he immigrated, like most do, for economic reasons. Goa must have been an adeventure for this enterprising and multi-talented man. On coming to India, Dr. Orta had an interest in herbal medicine having written a book on medicinal plants of Goa. Likely this interest was stimulated by looking as what the (Goan) natives did in treating illness before western medicine came to India. With his publications and his theoretical explanations / propounding of the effectiveness of these herbal remedies, he ran afoul of "official" medical practice of the period in the world. There was no one to challenge his theories in Goa/ India and he flourished as a "great dotor" to the colonizers. In Goa he became very very rich - as a smart doctor and also as someone interested in semi-precious stones. He had plenty of influence in the Portuguese / Goan courts, not withstanding his Jewish heritage. Due to his influence and the Portuguese Governadors "por favor" he was rewarded the Island of Bombay where he lived - before the same island was given to the British Royalty. With his affluence and influence he brought his to-be-bride, a relative (a much frowned practice) and later other family members - just like one would do in later periods and today. Again none of this had anything to do with the Inquisition in Portugal or the "forced fleeing" by those with Jewish heritage. Dr. Garcia de Orta died of natural causes. However he was brought before the inquisition after his death. His body was exhumed and burnt at the stake - an undeniable fact. His (Goan) supporters claim this was because he was crypto-Jew (Marrano). More likely in my opinion - Dr. Garcia was perceived to be a spy actually a double-agent whose luck ran out after his death! As one interested in herbal medicine and semi-precious stones - because of or as an excuse, he often visited the courts of the neighboring (Muslim) Nizams the mortal / military enemies of the Portuguese (during that period). As one Jewish authority remarked - Dr. Orta was living a double life. His wife had venereal disease - an uncontested fact - and there are theories how she got it. Burning a dead person at the stake is an abhorrent practice and a lot better than burning live people at the stake. The punishment handed-out to Dr. Orta and a few others who were dead, was to serve as a deterrence to the living that "Justice can catch-up with you even after you are dead." This is no different than the thinking through the ages about the role of Capital Punishment. As a physician, was Dr. Orta's work great? The answer is NO! We know today that India's herbal medicine has no scientific basis and has not stood the test of time. There are less than 10 plants whose extracts may have some medicinal benefit. So Dr. Orta's "scientific" writings and studies like the "other" medicine of the period was just hocus-pocus. This post is not a defense of the Inquisition. Some claim that I deny the existence of the Inquisition in Goa. Not surprising, they do not read my writings well. The above is just my "inquiring mind" probing little known historical facts of Goa in my spare time. Those with "inquiring minds" are encouraged to do their own research & analysis and share them. Kind Regards, GL ----------------------------------------------------------------------- * G * O * A * N * E * T *** C * L * A * S * S * I * F * I * E * D * S * ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Spread the Christmas cheer - even when you're not here! Send Christmas Greetings to your loved ones in Goa. 2005 Christmas Package - Flowers, Bubbles and Layers of Love. http://www.goa-world.com/expressions/xmas/ -----------------------------------------------------------------------
