History of Gangolli church

 

GLIMPSE INTO  THE  HISTORY  OF  GANGULI  CHURCH

Pratapananda Naik, S.J.

Founder of Ganguli Church – Franciscan Friars

Venkatappa Nayaka I (1582 – 1629 A.D.), the powerful king of Keladi to whom Ganguli belonged, died on 10^th November 1629.¹ His successor, Virabhadra Nayaka (1629 – 1645), was attacked by the Adil Shah of Bijapur and the other neighbouring kings. Besides the feudatories of Keladi began to revolt and a relative of Virabhadra claimed the throne of Keladi.² The Portuguese fully exploited this critical situation. Early in 1630 they took possession of Ganguli.³

The Portuguese Viceroy, Dom Miguel de Noronha decided to execute the plan to build a fort at Ganguli.⁴ The local Chettis (merchant caste) approved the plan under the condition that the Portuguese would defend them against Virabhadra Nayaka. The Portuguese had already acquired Kundapur fort in 1569 from Tolar chiefs.⁵ About a century later, due to storm, the entrance to the Kundapur harbour was shifted and the original channel partially silted up, making it impossible, except with extremely high tides, for ships to reach the old landing places. Moreover a new channel appeared the other side at Ganguli (Cambolim).⁶ It was for this, to regain control of the shipping the Portuguese captured Ganguli.

When king Virabhadra heard that the Portuguese were building a fort and that they had already completed one bulwark, he marched on Ganguli. But when he realised how helpless he was, he relented and allowed the Portuguese to complete the construction of a fort and factory.⁷ The fort was completed in 1633.⁸ The fort was named after St. Miguel.⁹

To care for the Catholics of the place two Franciscan Friars, Francisco Cordeiro and Jorge da Conceição, were appointed.¹⁰ The first thing they did was, in accordance with the mentality of the age, to demolish a grand Hindu temple which was near the fortress. It was dedicated to Lord Shiva and richly endowed with a revenue of 1,000 pagodas.¹¹ The friars built a church in the very place of the destroyed temple and it was dedicated to Our Lady of Immaculate Conception.¹² Both these Fathers were held in great veneration.¹³ According to Severine S. Silva of Karwar this took place in 1619.¹⁴ But he does not mention his source of information.

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Fr. Achilles Meersman, O.F.M., the Franciscan historian says that it was in 1629.¹⁵ But   according to Dr.  B. Seetharama Shastry of Puttur, the Portuguese conquered Ganguli only in early 1630.¹⁶ Therefore the Church could not have been built before 1630. Dr. B.S. Shastry is the authority on the subject of the Portuguese in Kanara. His doctoral thesis was The Portuguese in Kanara (1498 – 1763). He is also the author of Keladiya Arasaru Hagu Portuguisaru (in Kannada, Dharwar: Karnataka University, 1972).

When the Franciscan Friars were appointed at Ganguli, the Vicar of Kundapur claimed jurisdiction over the newly created centre of Ganguli. This was reported to the Viceroy who in turn communicated it to the Governor of the Archdiocese of Goa. The position of the Friars was then canonically established.¹⁷ The Franciscan continued to serve at Ganguli up to the days of Shivappa Nayaka (1645 – 1660) of Keladi. He attacked the Portuguese forts in Kanara and took them one by one.¹⁸ According to Fr. Meersman Ganguli fell in 1657.¹⁹ But according to Dr. B.S. Shastry Ganguli fell in January1653.²⁰ Dr. Shastry is correct in his data. From history we know that Shivappa Nayaka seized all the Portuguese forts on the Kanara Coast between the years 1652 and 1654.²¹ Shivappa Nayaka opposed the presence of Europeans, especially the Portuguese in his kingdom.²² The Franciscan during this period were almost exclusively Portuguese.²³ Therefore they withdrew to Goa.

Cross of Ganguli

Conde, de Linhares, Viceroy (1629 – 1635), records in his dairy an interesting episode.²⁴ A cross was erected at the distance of a gun shot from the Portuguese fortress of Ganguli. One night, however, it was removed by the local tanadar, assisted by a few men and was taken to Virabhadra Nayaka. The twenty men who stole the cross died all of a sudden. Even those who scornfully placed their hands upon it also fell dead. Seeing the fate of his men, Virabhadra ordered that the cross be restored to the Christians. In the meantime it was very much venerated and worshiped by the Hindus with flowers. Of course it is rather difficult to ascertain the degree of truth in this episode.

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The Contribution of Fr. Joseph Vaz

Fr. Joseph Vaz came to Kanara from Goa in 1681 and for about three years. During this short period he became very popular among the Christians. He improved the Church of Our Lady of the Rosary of Mangalore and built two new churches in Kundapur (Barcelore) and Gandalyan (Ganguli?) and dedicated to Our Lady of Rosary and Our Lady of Immaculate Conception.²⁵ Most likely the Church built by the Franciscan friars at Ganguli was destroyed by Shivappa Nayaka. During the time of Joseph Vaz Ganguli had the largest number of Catholics.²⁶

Fr. Joaquim Miranda

By the provision of 5^th October 1759, Fr. Joaquim Miranda of Santa Anna of Talavlim (Goa) was the vicar of Ganguli parish. He was there till 1762. Then he was transferred to Omzoor.²⁷

The Captivity of Kanara Christians

The Kanara Christians were taken as captives to Seringapatam in 1784 according to the order of Tippu Sultan, the ruler of Mysore.²⁸ His soldiers destroyed many churches in Kanara. The Ganguli church too was destroyed by Tippu.²⁹

The Return from the Captivity

On 4^th May 1799 Tippu died at Seringapatam in the battle against the British.³⁰ With the death of Tippu Sultan the captivity of Kanara Christians ended. When the Christians returned to their home towns they began to reconstruct their fallen churches.

The Letter of L.R.Silva

The letter of L.R.Silva of Trasi (near Ganguli) to his sister in Barkur dated 22^nd November 1904 gives a lot of information about his grandfather, Louis Silva’s adventures. Louis Silva was a boy of eight years old when he was taken as captive by Tippu’s soldiers. But he managed to escape and come back to Trasi.³¹ L.R.Silva wrote the letter in Konknni (Kannada script). He writes:

Before 1812, in the times of our grand-father (Louis Silva), our Gongolli Church was of mud walls, with a roof of bamboos covered with hay. It was not at all beautiful. The parishioners were few. In all there were about 225 people. In spite of this, Lord Archbishop Galdino appointed a vicar at Gongolli, a person of a very and rich family…………………… At this time it struck our grand-father to pull down the old building and build a new church on a more prominent site (the present site?). He worked strenuously at this idea; and God blessed his efforts. He went down to Mangalore and prepared an application and presented it to the principal Sub-Collector Harris Saheb…………………..

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He begged of the Saheb to do him the favour. Seeing his spirit of tenacity and perseverance, the Saheb told him to go his place and pull down the battery and take the stones. He said that he would give orders to the Tahsildar accordingly. The grand-father returned from Mangalore immediately. He collected all the people and encouraged them and working with them night and day, pulled down the battery and brought 8000 stones to the maidan of the church. Lawrence Coelho was the Taluk Tahsildar. He verified the quantity of stones. ………..…  Our grand-father returned to Mangalore again. He presented another application to Harris Saheb in which after acknowledging the services rendered by him so far, he earnestly entreated the Saheb that considering the fact that there were absolutely no funds for constructing the church, he should recommend to Government the grant of Rs.1000. Of this Rs. 500 were not to be repaid. The remaining Rs. 500 to be recovered in yearly instalments of Rs. 50. For this adequate security was to be taken. The grand-father remained in Mangalore till favourable orders were passed, and returned thereafter. ………………. On his return home, he took a rich Brahmin by name Thimmappa Gowda of Arante to Cundapur and giving his security obtained the sum of Rs. 1000. The construction of the church building was commenced thereafter. As the funds were still insufficient, he went round Mangalore and Coorg and collected from the charitable people Rs. 500. Even this was not enough; at last he sold his wife’s jewelry (jewellery) and obtained Rs. 300. With all this he completed the building. During the time of the construction he used to go to Gongolli after night meals and reach there at about midnight. He used to rise during early hours and prepare stones and chunam for the masons. In the evenings, he used to come home, and in the night walk for 4 miles to Gongolli, saying the Rosary all the while on the road. …………….. Encountering all this, he completed the church building. He did not trouble Bishop for the Building.³²

Severine Silva was right in saying that it is solely due to the efforts of one Silva (Louis) the Ganguli church was constructed.³³ Louise Silva’s grandson L.R. Silva says in his letter that in 1895 he (L.R. Silva) went to Sirsi to collect funds for rebuilding the Ganguli Church.³⁴ I have not found so far any documents or oral testimony to say that L.R. Silva’s collection was used to build a church in Ganguli in early 20^th century. In 1956  Fr. Joseph D’Souza, the parish priest of Ganguli pulled down the old building, except the altar and church tower and built the present church building.

PRIESTS of Ganguli

1759 - Fr. Joaquim Miranda de Talaulim

1762 - Fr. Manuel Furtado de Pomburba

1766 - Fr. Salvadore Pinto de Anguira

1769 - Fr. Severino de Silva de Benaulim

1775 - Fr. Antonio Lobo de Serula

1777 - Fr. Salvador Gomes de Loutelim

1779 - Fr. Jose Mascarenhas de Loutelim

1780 - Fr. Lourenco de Nazare de Calangute

This list was compiled by Fr. Francis Xavier Gomes Catão of

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Goa from the Patriarchal Archives of Panaji, Goa. This list is found in Severine S. Silva’s book History of Christianity in Canara vol. I, p. 231. These priests served in Ganguli before the captivity and they were from Goa.

After the captivity Ganguli continued to be an independent parish but had no resident priest for many years and was usually served from Kundapur.³⁵ In 1845 Fr. Salvador Casmir Serrão, vicar of Kundapur was also the vicar of Ganguli.³⁶ On 10^th March 1902 Fr. Emmanuel Fernandes was appointed as vicar of Ganguli.³⁷ In 1905 the Catholic population of Ganguli was 1319 and there were two schools attended by 58 boys and eight girls.³⁸

Division of Ganguli Parish

In 1971, Basil D’Souza, bishop of Mangalore divided Ganguli parish into two parts. Ganguli parish and Trasi Parish.³⁹ Fr. Herald D’Souza was appointed as the first parish priest of Trasi parish. According to 1981 - 1982 Directory of Mangalore diocese there are 1504 Catholics in Ganguli parish.⁴⁰ Fr. Thomas D’Sa is the present parish priest of Ganguli.

Conclusion

This brief history of Ganguli parish has to be completed with many more details. For example: the names of priests served in Ganguli parish in 20^th century, the history of Stella Maris Convent and Girls’ high school, etc.

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NOTES

1.      B.S. Shastry, Studies in Indo-Portuguese History, (Bangalore: IBH Prakashana, 1981), p. 55.

2.      Ibid. 

3.      Ibid., p. 56, 206, 221.

4.      Achilles Meersman, The Ancient Franciscan Provinces In India (Bangalore: Christian Literature Society Press, 1971), p. 253.

5.      Panduranga S.S. Pissurlencar, Regimentos das Fortelazas da India (Bastora, Goa: Tipografia Rangel, 1951), pp. 427 - 428.

6.      Meersman, The Ancient Franciscan Provinces in India, p. 252.

7.      Ibid., p. 253.

8.      Shastry, Studies in Indo-Portuguese History, p. 56

  Keladiya Arasaru Hagu Portuguisaru, in Kannada

(Dharwar: Karnatak University, 1972), pp. 47-48, 51-52.

9.      Shastry, Studies in Indo-Portuguese History, p. 224.

10.  Ibid.; Meersman  The Ancient Franciscan Provinces in India, p. 253.

11.  Shastry, Studies in Indo-Portuguese History, p. 224.

12.  Ibid.; Meersman,  The Ancient Franciscan Provinces in India, p. 253. Severine S. Silva, History of Christianity in Canara vol. I (Karwar, 1958), p. 52.

13.  Marcellino da Civezza, Saggio di Bibliografia… Sanfranciscana (Prato, 1879), p. 6.

Meersman, The Friars Minor or Franciscan in India (Karachi: Roti Press, 1943), p. 66.

14.  Silva, History of Christianity in Canara vol. I, p. 52.

15.  Meersman,  The Ancient Franciscan Provinces in India, p. 253.

16.  Shastry, Studies in Indo-Portuguese History, pp. 56, 206, 221.

17.  Paulo da Trindade, Conguista Espiritual do Oriente vol. II (Lisboa: Centro de Estudos Históricos Ultramarinos, 1962), pp. 233 - 236,  242.

Meersman, The Ancient Franciscan Provinces in India, p. 253.

18.  Shastry,  Keladiya Arasaru Hagu Portuguisaru, pp. 87 - 110.

19.   Meersman,  The Ancient Franciscan Provinces in India, p. 253.

20.  Shastry, Studies in Indo-Portuguese History, p. 59.

21.  Joseph Thekkedath, History of Christianity vol. II

(Bangalore: Theological Publications in India, 1982), pp. 227, 286.

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22.  Meersman,  The Ancient Franciscan Provinces in India, p. 252.

23.  Ibid.

24.  Diario do Terceiro Conde de Linhares vol. II (Lisboa, 1943), pp. 20, 148.

Shastry, Studies in Indo-Portuguese History, p. 230.

25.  S.G. Pereira, Life of the Venerable Father Joseph Vaz (Galle: Loyola College, 1953), p. 27.

Charles  Gasbarri, A Saint for the New India, Father Joseph Vaz (Bombay: St. Paul’s Publication, 1961), p. 32.

26.  Silva, History of Christianity in Canara, vol. I, P. 70.

27.  Ibid., pp. 96, 231.

28.  Ibid., p. 126.

S.N. Saldanha, The Captivity of Canara Christians under Tippu in 1784 (Mangalore: 1933), p. 1.

29.  Silva, History of Christianity in Canara vol. I, p. 146.

30.  Praxy Fernandes, Storm over Seringapatam (Bombay: Thacker & Co., 1969), pp. 189 - 190, 194.

31.  Silva, History of Christianity in Canara vol. II

(Karwar, 1961), p. 91.

32.  Ibid. pp. 93 - 95.

33.  Silva, History of Christianity in Canara vol. I , p. 166.

34.  Silva, History of Christianity in Canara vol. II, p. 92.

35.  J. Moore, The History of the Diocese of Mangalore

(Mangalore: Codialbail Press, 1905), p. 247.

36.  Ibid.

37.  Ibid.

38.  Ibid.

39.  Directory diocese of Mangalore (1981 – 1982), (Mangalore: Bishop’s House), p. 23.

40.  Ibid. p. 11.

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BIBLIOGRAPHY

PRIMARY  SOURCES

Meersman, Achilles. The Ancient Franciscan Provinces in India.

      Bangalore: Christain Literature Society Press, 1971.

 

Shastry, B. Seetharama. Studies in Indo-Portuguese History.

                  Bangalore: IBH Prakashana, 1981.

 

Silva, Severine S. History of Christianity in Canara 2 volumes.

            Karwar, 1958, 1961.

 

SECONDARY SOURCES

Civezza, Marcellino da Saggio di Bibliografia… Sanfranciscana.

     Prato, 1879.

 

Directory Diocese of Mangalore  (1981 – 1982).  Mangalore: Bishop’s  House.

 

Fernandes, Praxy. Storm over Seringapatam. Bombay: Thacker & Co. 1969.

 

Gasbarri, Charles. A Saint for the New India, Father Joseph Vaz. Bombay: St. Paul’s Publication, 1961.

 

Linhares, Conde de, Diario do Terceiro Conde de Linhares, Vice-Rei da India vol. II. Lisboa: Biblioteca Nactonal, 1943.

 

Meersman, Achilles. The Friars Minor or Franciscan in India.

      Karachi: Roti Press, 1943.

 

Moore, J. The History of the Diocese of Mangalore. Mangalore: Codialbail Press, 1905.

 

Pereira, S.G. Life of the Venerable Father Joseph Vaz. Galle: Loyola College, 1953.

Pissurlencar, P.S.S. (ed.). Regimentos das Fortelazas da India. Bastora: Tipografia Rangel, 1951.

 

Saldanha , S.N. The Captivity of Canara Christians under Tippu in 1784. Mangalore, 1953.

Thekkedath, Joseph. History of Christianity vol. II. Bangalore: Theological Publications in India, 1982.

 

Trindade, Paulo da. Conguisto Espiritual do Oriente vol. II. Lisboa: Centro de Estudos Históricos Ultramarinos, 1962.

 

N.B. 1. I have corrected the spelling mistake and placed it in round brackets in italics on 17.10.2020.

2. Since the above article was written and typed on a typewriter on a legal size paper in 1982, I have maintained the original page numbers, while retyping them now on A4 size paper on 17.10.2020.