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NEW BOOK: 'PATRIOTISM IN ACTION: Goans in Indias Defence Services' With Foreword by Gen SF Rodrigues, PVSM, VSM, ADC (retd) former Chief of Indian Army Staff and Governor, Punjab & Administrator, Chandigarh UT Copies now available at: GOA: Literati (2277740), Other India (2263306), Broadway (6647038), Mandovi (2427904), Noel DSilva & Associates (9823120454 / 9096781714), Confidant / Golden Heart Emp (2732450), David & Co (2730326), Vardaan (9527463684) SERV / RETD Def Offrs in Goa: O/o Sainik Co-op Hse Bldg Sty, Def Col, Porvorim (2417288) MUMBAI: David & Co (22019010) PUNE: Manneys (26131683), Popular (25678327) BENGALURU: Narayan (22865800) DELHI: Ritana (24617278) ONLINE (worldwide delivery): http://www.ritanabooks.com, http://goa1556.goa-india.org --------------------------------------------------------------------------- I was delighted to see the old maps of Goa recently posted on Goanet by Frederick. I am currently reading a book on Ferdinand Magellan. His claim to fame was to circumnavigate the world. He did so in a Spanish vessel / flag. However Ferdinand was Portuguese and his first experience at sea was to come to India as part of Almeida's fleet in 1504. Francisco Almeida appointed as Viceroy sailed to India with 22 ships and 2000 men. The book has several maps of Diu, Goa (Island of Tiswadi) and other strategic places of Portuguese interest. I was trying to study the landmass, topography and housing on Tiswadi. The maps corroborate well with Frederick's maps (Dutch maps of Goa). But I am ahead of myself. Ferdinand Magellan was born to a minor aristocratic family. The practice of those days, the sons of these families were royal page-boys, lived and learnt at the court of the Queen. These courts and their large retinue wandered across the country in several palaces and forts to avoid the plague. At court, the pages were taught the important subjects of the day, in addition to music, hunting, 3Rs, swordsmanship, jousting. In addition at the Portuguese court, pages learnt Astronomy, celestial navigation and cartography (map making). So map-making was a serious, precise and scientific subject. Looking at the maps of Isle of Goa / Tiswadi posted by Frederick and in my book, the map of 1700's (peak of Goa Dourado - Golden Goa) shows the city as a central part of the island bordering on the river with numerous boats. The city of Old Goa had well-designed roads and rows of well-built homes. Beyond these homes in the small city, the territory of the island was barren with some hills with no outlying villages or homes. The maps was the work of an eye-witness. The size of the island in comparison to the nearby island of Diwar, would confirm that the Isle of Goa / Tiswadi was not a big island. The number of homes would suggest that population of the city and the island was mainly upper class. It does not have any native-built homes or native villages. I think the maps could tell us a lot of the history and demographics of Portuguese Isle of Goa of the period. Question: Do the clear well-crafted maps corroborate with the history and the social demographics of the time; that some Goan historians suggest in their writings? Once again, I would request for any data of the earliest demographics of Portuguese Goa and the names of five churches built over named temples in the Island of Tiswadi prior to 1540. Happy New Year to all Goanetters Thanks, Regards, GL