Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
converts in understanding the intricacies of Christian dogma, many
were probably unable to read or write their own language. These
early invaders were not particularly well-informed about
Hinduism, either, one group of soldiers cheerfully sitting through
a rite in the temple of the dark goddess of death, Kali, under the
impression that they were congregants in the shrine of a local Black
Madonna.
Although the Goans had been studying Portuguese and Latin in
schools established by the clergy, few attained the degree of
proficiency in these alien tongues necessary to grasp even the basics
of the doctrinal texts foisted upon them. To the non-Christian, there
are many aspects of Christianity that are perplexing and, in some
instances, downright bizarre.
Rather than patient counselling or public forums conducted in a
language people could understand, the church decided a far better
way of resolving these problems would be to start a reign of terror to
frighten the savages into submission. Set up as a kind of tribunal,
the Inquisition was headed up by a judge dispatched from Portugal.
The 'grand inquisitor' answered for his actions solely to the court
back in Lisbon. Thus, along with two judicial henchmen, he
interpreted rules he himself made up and meted out punishments
as he alone saw fit, often for crimes he'd invented. By the time all
these ad hoc laws were codified, they filled a folio volume of more
than 230 pages.
The palace in which these holy terrorists ensconced themselves
was known locally as Vodlem Gor - the Big House. It became a
symbol of fear. Recondite ceremonies were conducted in there
behind closed shutters, locked doors. People in the street often heard
screams of agony piercing the night. All the Inquisition's activities
were conducted in strict secrecy, replete with impenetrably arcane
terminology, fiendishly discrepant logic, antonymous questioning.
Children were flogged and slowly dismembered in front of their
parents, whose eyelids had been sliced off to make sure they missed
nothing. Extremities were amputated carefully, so that a person
could remain conscious even when all that remained was a torso
and head. Male genitals were removed and burned in front of wives,
breasts hacked off and vaginas penetrated by swords while husbands
were forced to watch.
