Portuguese in Madras:

Portuguese in Madras:

It is indeed a surprise our History books dismiss the presence of Portuguese in Madras just in a paragraph.
Madras (Madras Patinam) was under the rule of Portuguese for about 230 years from 1515 to 1749. It is believed that the name Madras or Madras Pattinam is derived from the Portuguese word "Madre de Deus" meaning "Mother of God" a Church in San Thome consecrated by the rich Portuguese family Madeiro's Family in  1575. The Portuguese colonised the settlement peacefully  by bringing groups  of "casados" (Married army men) from Portugal to live.The main settlement was the town of São Tomé de Meliapore (near today’s Mylapore in South Madras), where there was  the grave of the apostle Saint Thomas. Unlike the English and Dutch, the intention of Portuguese was not Trade or Commercial supremacy, but conversion of the locals to Catholicism, i.e. baptism. By the time Portuguese evinced interest in the Coromandel coast, the Dutch were already there, well established in Paleacate (Pulicat,) a busy port about 40km north of Madras, from where they did a lucrative export of spices and slaves to their colonies in Java and South east Asia and South America.

Portuguese built their first Church in Paleacate in 1515, and called it Nossa Senhora da Gloria (Our Lady of Glory). It is unfortunate and lack of respect for heritage value, this Church was demolished in 2007 to make way to rebuild a new one. Similarly few other Churches and buildings of  Heritage value were destroyed due to callous attitude of the Government.Today, no trace of the Portuguese presence remain in Pulicat, one reason being the early Dutch conquest in 1609. On the other hand, both Pulicat and Mylapore were among places with a significant Portuguese presence and influence which were never fully integrated in the administrative system of the Estado da Índia, i.e. the Portuguese colonial system, even though the latter inevitably became an important pole in the Padroado’s geography (Papal patronage). In 1580 the town of São Tomé had four churches, those of São Tomé, São Francisco, São João Baptista and Misericórdia. Outside the town were the churches of Madre de Deus, São Lazaro, Nossa Senhora da Luz and Nossa Senhora do Monte.The Parish was first known as 'Madre-de-Deus' , but later this place was turned to the Jesuit Fathers for the Retreat House, and Lazarus Church was made the Parish church. It is believed that this Portuguese name Madre-de-Deus in due course gave the name ‘Madras' to the city. At the beginning of 1600 São Tomé had a population of about 600 Casados. On 9 January 1606 the Diocese of São Tomé de Meliapur was erected.

To name  a few  valuable ancient buildings of Portuguese Architecture demolished  in the 20th century were " Madre de Deus church (dates back to 16th century,demolished and replaced); Our Lady of Health (16th century, little Mount - demolished, replaced); Our Lady of Resurrection (16th century,little Mount, destroyed with dynamite); Our Lady of Assumption (dating to 1640 - demolished and replaced by new one, Portuguese Church Street, Chennai); Our Lady of Visitation (original church dates to 16th century, 18th century one demolished and replaced, on the way to the little Mount); British Governor House and Portuguese Madeira ("Madra") Family House (Chennai - demolished)".

Igreja de Nossa Senhora da Luz (Our Lady of Light) or  Luz Church.

There is an interesting anecdote about  Igreja de Nossa Senhora da Luz ,Our Lady of Light,(Luz- Portuguese word for Clustering light) locally pronounced “Luz Church”.  That a small group of Franciscans Friars at sea in a ship on a stormy night on March,9,1500  , when traveling  fell victim to the wrath of the seas, and in their fear brothers prayed to Our Mother Mary. Suddenly their eyes were drawn to a bright light which led them safely to land on the shores of Mylapore, on the same spot where the ruins of ‘Bethuma’, (Arabic word for House of Thomas) the old house of St Thomas, the Apostle, was located. As they moved towards the mysterious guiding light, it led them to a clearing in the forest. Here the light disappeared suddenly. Moved and inspired by this experience, Friar Pedro, of the Observance of St Francis, built this church on the very same spot. The Church, even today, is referred to as ‘Kattu Koil’ or ‘Forest Church’ by the local people. Now, the forest has disappeared in the metropolis of Chennai. The church exhibits a stone bearing a painted inscription of doubtful trustworthiness – the letter type, paint, etc. - that states that the founder was one Pedro da Atouguia. The date surprises as this is two years before the first documented visit to Meliapor by the Portuguese. But the historical importance of the Church is apparent from the fact that the area now is officially called ‘Luz’, . Luz Church was damaged during the occupation by Qutb Shahi forces from Golkonda  between 1662 and 1673. During the occupation of Hyder Ali between 1780 and 1782, the East India Company Forces which occupied the Luz Parish Residence for some years. The Church of Our Lady of Light was built in 1516 and is now renovated and restored to its original form.

Carthilha.

 Portuguese influence in Tamil:

Portuguese influence in the life of Tamils was so strong that many words from Portuguese language has become normal use in Tamil vocabulary today. அவற்றில் சில
அலமாரி (Armário), ஜன்னல்,(Janale) மேஜை(Mesa), மேஸ்திரி (Mestiri),சாவி(Chave), வராந்தா(Varanda),குசினி (Cozinha),   
சப்பு (Chupo),  பீப்பாய் (Pipa),  அன்னாசி (Ananás).

தமிழில் அச்சேறிய முதல் நூல்
லிஸ்பன் நகரில் 1554இல் அச்சிடப்பட்ட கார்த்தில்யா (Carthilha) என்ற நூலே முதல் தமிழ் நூல் என்பர்.
இந்நூலில் தமிழ் எழுத்துகள் கையாளப்படாமல் உரோமருடைய எழுத்துகள் தமிழ் ஒலிகளைக் குறிப்பதற்குக் கையாளப் பெற்றிருந்தன. இது 36 பக்கங்களை உடையது. இந்த உரைநடை நூலில் கத்தோலிக்கக் கிறித்தவ சமயத்தின் வழிபாட்டு முறைகளும், செபங்களும் அடங்கியுள்ளன.
ஹென்ரிக் ஹென்ரிக்ஸ் (1520–1600):இவர் ஒரு போர்த்துகீசிய மத போதகர். தமிழில் நூல்களை அச்சடிக்க என தொடக்க காலத்தில் அச்சுக் கூடத்தினை நிறுவி தமிழில் நூல்களை அச்சிட்டவர். 1578 ஆம் ஆண்டிலேயே தம்பிரான் வணக்கம் என்ற நூலினை அச்சில் வெளியிட்டவர். கிரிசித்தியாணி வணக்கம் என்ற நூலினையும் கொண்டு வந்தவர்.
கி.பி.1679ஆம் ஆண்டில் அந்தோணி பிரயோன்சா அடிகளார் போர்த்துகீசிய-தமிழ் அகராதியை உருவாக்கினார். வீரமாமுனிவர் சதுரகராதியை 1732இல் வெளியிட்டார். மேலும் அவர் தமிழ்-லத்தீன் அகராதி, போர்த்துகீசியம்-தமிழ்-லத்தீன் அகராதி ஆகியவற்றையும் வெளியிட்டார்.

It was during the Portuguese period  a new trend in Building  Architecture  was introduced throughout the coastline of Tamil Nadu , the vestiges of which can be seen  even today.

To Continue.......



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