Flight of Konkani Christian was a blessing in disguise

            What we call as Catholic Christians or Konkani Christians have an unforgettable past. The inter-regional and international migration of people to Tulu nadu tells us the state of origin of Konkani Christians in the year 1500 A. D. Besides other factors, the coercive laws, rules and methods of Portuguese and their religious intolerance in Goa made the life of people miserable and unbearable. As a result they fled from Goa to Coastal Karnataka where they could find some freedom and live peacefully.

           The migration of Konkani Christian came as blessing in disguise for the rulers of Vijayanagara and the Shivappa Nayakas of Keladi who encouraged their flight.  The fact of the matter is that the migrated population was skillful in many ways. Under the rule of Portuguese the people of Goa were trained to be great artisans, merchants, cultivators. Though they shared small number of the entire population they did agricultural works, made handicrafts and grew jasmine and fragrant flowers.   By utilizing the skill of these the Konkani Christians who were also called ‘Roman Catholics’ the empires established the economy status of the region. The business skill of the Christians helped them learn Tulu and their culture in order to strike a better relationship with the local people.  This life of comfort and safety lad them to become part of Tulu nadu. 

         The Roman Catholics were also good at spreading their Christian faith to all over. This resulted in the increase of Catholic population who also built a number of churches in and around Coastal Karnataka. The writes and scholars have acknowledged that arrival of other missionaries like Basel mission have developed the educational system in the region.