New Delhi: The rule of the British colonizers over the Indian subcontinent remains one of the most important phases in the history of our country. The process of colonization began with the British East India Company which came to the country as traders and slowly and steadily expanded its influence, defeating the kings, nawabs and a declining Mughal Empire. After the 1857 Indian Rebellion, the power dynamics shifted from the Company to the British Crown which ruled over the Indian subcontinent from 1858 to 1947.
The control of the British Raj extended over almost all of present-day India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Myanmar. The British colonizers ruled India for almost 200 years and left behind a deep influence on every fabric of the society. They inflicted immense hardship and oppression on the general population of the country, and changed the narrative of India’s journey forever. However, while they ruled almost the entirety of India, there was one place they could not capture. That state defied British imperialism and maintained its own existence independent of the most dominating Empire in the history of the world. The state is none other than Goa, today a popular tourist place.
How did Goa remain independent of the British rule?
Today, Goa is one of the most popular tourist destinations in India, with few other places able to match its allure. Every, large numbers of domestic and international tourists visit the place because of its beautiful beaches, active nightlife, places of worship, and heritage structures. Due to its close proximity to the North Western Ghats rainforests, Goa is blessed with a rich flora and fauna.
Goa was never captured by the British since it was already controlled by the Portuguese Empire. In 1498, Vasco da Gama, the famous explorer discovered the sea route to India. It started the Portuguese trade in the region and Goa became the focal point of the Portuguese operations in the country, becoming a major trade hub.
In 1510, the Portuguese defeated Yusuf Adil Shah, the ruling Bijapur sultan with the help of a local ally and made Old Goa their permanent settlement. It marked the beginning of Portuguese colonial rule in Goa that would last for four and a half centuries. While the British Raj expanded all over India, Goa remained out of its control. They Britishers arrived in Surat in 1608 and slowly started to expand their influence in the country. They left in August 1947 and by that time, India had been drained of significant riches. However, while the rest of the India gained Independence on August 15, 1947, Goa remained a Portuguese territory. On December 19, 1961, the Indian Army launched Operation Vijay and annexed Goa, and the Daman and Diu islands into the Indian union.
Goa, now a popular tourist destination, uniquely resisted British colonial rule. Its independence stemmed from prior Portuguese control, established in 1510 after Vasco da Gama’s arrival. knowledge Knowledge News, Photos and Videos on General Knowledge
