The arrival of three ships under Vasco Da Gama, led by a Gujarati pilot named Abdul Majid, at Calicut in May 1498 profoundly affected the course of Indian history.

Most historians have observed that the coming of the Portuguese not only initiated what might be called the European era, it marked the emergence of naval power. The Cholas, among others, had been a naval power, but it was now for the first time a foreign power had come to India by way of the sea.

While it is difficult to segregate the influence of the Portuguese alone the arrival of the Portuguese heralded a start of a cultural process in modern times. The successor powers like the British copied what the Portuguese set in motion like the custom duties, pass system and administration. They can be credited for bringing modern technology like the printing press, armaments, building techniques, and many others including novel cuisine and culture which are enumerated in the succeeding paragraphs.

Military innovation

The Portuguese brought a ruthless fighting style which was infused by a missionary zeal and hatred of Muslims and the natives.

In the Malabar of the 16th century, the Portuguese showed military innovation in their use of body armour, matchlock men, and guns landed from the ships. The Portuguese may have contributed by example to the Mughal use of field guns, and the ‘artillery of the stirrup’. (Mughal light artillery, was also known as artillery of the stirrup).

However, an important military contribution made by the Portuguese onshore was the system of drilling groups of infantry, on the Spanish model, introduced in the 1630s as a counter to Dutch pressure. The practice was adopted first by the French and English, and later taken up by the Marathas and Sikhs, and such armies of sepoys became new tools of empire in India.

Improved techniques at sea

The Portuguese were masters of improved techniques at sea. Their multi-decked ships were heavily constructed, designed as they were to ride out Atlantic gales rather than run before the regular monsoons; this permitted them to carry a heavier armament.

Their use of castled prow and stern was a noteworthy method by which to repel or launch boarding parties. Indian builders adapted both to their own use.

Skill at organisation

However, the Portuguese skill at organisation—as in the creation of royal arsenals and dockyards and the maintenance of a regular system of pilots and mapping and pitting state forces against private merchant shipping—was even more noteworthy. The Mughals and Marathas may certainly have learnt from the Portuguese, but the more certain heirs of this knowledge were other Europeans, especially the Dutch and English, in Asia.

Spread of Christianity

The Portuguese spread Christianity in the Malabar & the Konkan coast. Missionaries like St. Francis Xavier, Father Rudolf & Father Monserette played a leading role in propagating the Christian faith.

Today many practices seen in Goa are a syncretic fusion of the influence of the Portuguese on the locals though the methods and practices at that period were gruesome. Today the Christian population in Goa account for about 25% and is almost entirely Catholic, whose ancestors had converted during Portuguese rule.

Spread of Education

The Missionaries started schools & colleges along the west coast, where education was imparted in the native language. The missionaries undertook research on Indian history and culture.

Printing press

The Portuguese brought the printing press to India. The Bible came to be printed in the Kannada & Malayalam language.

What the arrival of the press did was it helped create a great volume of vernacular literature.

The growth of the use of the printing press also led to an upsurge and ease to spread the ideas of patriotism and modern values in India through rise of periodicals and newspapers along with literature. This also spread literacy and helped spread ideas of freedom and create rallies against the colonial powers.

Printing made education easily accessible as traditional methods of teaching combined with modern methods created a new breed of literate Indians who ushered in modernity and a scientific temper until then restricted to the west.

Contributions in the cultural field

In India, the memory of religious persecution and cruelty detracts from the other contributions made by the Portuguese in the cultural field. However, it cannot be forgotten that the missionaries and the Church were also teachers and patrons in India of the arts of the painter, carver, and sculptor. As in music, they were the interpreters, not just of Portuguese, but of European art to India.

The art of the silversmith and goldsmith flourished in Goa, and the place became a centre of elaborate filigree work, fretted foliage, work, and metal work embedding jewels. However, though the interior of churches built under the Portuguese have plenty of woodwork and sculpture and sometimes painted ceilings, they are generally simple in their architectural plan.

Introduction of new crops

The Portuguese brought some crops to India like tobacco. Today India is the second largest producer of Tobacco after China providing a livelihood to nearly 36 million Indian (Central Tobacco Research Institute, 2022).

Some fruits & vegetables were also introduced by them like potatoes, lady’s finger, chilly, pineapple, sapota, groundnuts, etc

Impact on Food habits

The cuisines we see in India are a result of lot of colonial influences. While it was the quest for spices brought Portuguese to India there were a lot of changes that the Portuguese brought to the Indian palate. Introduction of potato, tomato, maize, papaya, peanuts, guava, avocado, and chillies among
many others is owed to the early Europeans particularly the Portuguese. Today it is almost impossible to imagine Indian cuisine without these vegetables.

The Portuguese also brought the cashew nut which is an essential component used in garnishing sweets and desserts or as snacks. The cashew juice is fermented to produce a strong spirit called feni.

Portuguese brought along the methods to ferment yeast to make leavened bread. VadaPav and Pao Baji which is an integral part of Maharashtrian cuisine popular across the country.

Portuguese introduced wine in cooking in India and is also the only one that uses so many types of vinegars.

The world most popular and sought-after mango is the Alphonso mango and the credit for introducing grafting to create the variety and being named after the Viceroy goes to Portuguese.

They also added special items like sweet Goan Wine and Tobacco that was introduced to India.

Must read: Economic policies of the British in India

External link: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portuguese_India