Goa has a history that goes deep down into the Hindu mythology. Formerly known as Gomantak, the place was mentioned in Mahabharata. The Sanskrit meaning of the term means fertile land. For a long time Goa was ruled by different Hindu dynasties. Satavahana rule of more than 700 years restored a method in the madness even as Kings suddenly fell and from the ruins of a dead kingdom rose a new one. Goa became an important trading center during the rule of the Chalukyas. The prosperity of Goa increased because of profitable trading and soon it became prime target Muslim invasions.
Under Muslim rule Goa had to suffer from the destruction of temples and religious persecutions but it was again retaken by the powerful kingdom of Vijayanagar. Goa slowly became a major trading port of the Vijayanagar empire. While it exported spices to the Arab countries, in return it imported mighty Arabian horses. After much infighting among various Muslim dynasties, Goa slowly became a prominent target of European powers. The Arabs started to face competition at sea from European traders.
When Vasco da Gama, a Portuguese sailor stepped on Calicat, Goa was slowly inching towards a complete overhaul of entire system of administration. The spread of Christianity along the western coast of India also facilitated people to people interaction and brought a number of European powers closer. With the arrival of Francisco de Almeida to India the stage was set for Portuguese colonization. But things began to roll when Afonso de Albuquerque was appointed as the successor to Almeida. Goa soon fell into the Portuguese hands and continued to be under Portuguese dominance until 1961 when it was freed of foreign occupation by India.
Things, however, became ugly as a foreign rulers became very repressive. Repeated revolts was put down firmly and brutally by the authorities. After independence of India, Goa remained under Portuguese occupation but soon its destiny was about to change. In the year 1961 the Government of India managed to form an international opinion against the Portuguese occupation of Goa. When Portuguese did not budge, the Government ordered swift military action and the Indian Army moved into Goa and took strategic control of the state. Popular support ensured that Goa became an indisputable part of the Indian territory.
