In column by Keith Vaz “One to One” Priya Mendes mentions “I would like to ask Vasco Da Gama how he discovered sea route to India”. It was Christopher Columbus who fired imagination by extolling that world being round, one can travel west and circumvent to east. But in his desperate and bold step, he did not envisage presence of a vast continent, the America.
To avoid mistake by Christopher Columbus, Portugese sailors (Bartholomew Diaz) undertook route directly towards the east, but were stumped by storms at the cape of African continent, and named it as Cape of Storms. Portugese king did not lose heart and named that as Cape of Good Hope. This hope was realized by untiring sailor Vasco Da Gama. He ultimately landed into calmer waters of Indian Ocean, reached port today known as Mombasa. Here, he was helped by an Indian (Kutchhi) navigator to reach India, area today known as Coromandal coast. Please also note WHY he ventured forth.
Prior to 1600 and around 1400 AD, Whole Europe was crushed under ruthless heel of poverty. Europe had heard about wealth of the Eastern lands and pined to tap it. Thus poverty motivated Europeans to go out and import oriental wealth. Accidental expedition by C. Columbus motivated them to go directly to east. These trips were made sheerley under duress of poverty, later historians gave tint of hedonistic adventure, courage and bravery. But motive was Europe’s dire need to survive.
This is where history of the India must be rewritten. India was so very rich that it attracted invaders, looters and survival seeking European traders. Patriotic youth like Priya Mendes can rewrite history of India and glorify image of motherland Goa and India. I appeal to ALL writers of Readers’ Voice to inform, educate and motivate India’s youth towards reinventing motherland India.
Ramesh Jhalla
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