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12 Soc. Change 3 (1982)

handle is hein.journals/sclcnge12 and id is 1 raw text is: Social Change : March 1982: Vol. 12 No. 1 Impact of Changing Socio-religious Processes on Spatial Development Differentials -A Case of Goa Biswaroop Das* Abstract The association between growth and socio-religious processes has been studied in Goa. The time-series analysis brings out two clear development zones, These zones coincide within major physiographic divisions of Goa and also are seperately known as the New and Old Conquests, following successive subjection of these territories by Portugal at two different dates in history. The analysis brings out that these two regions have experienced different historical incidents and hence for longer times, though adjacent to each other forming part of the same region on which Portuguese ruled for a longer time, eventually gathered different characteristics, which subsequently became factors influencing its spatial growth pattern. The socio-religious factors which has been working for centuries saw its translation over the geographic space even in terms of its political implications during the latter half of the twentieth century. *Centre ror Social Studin. Universty Campus, Udhna Magdalla Road, SURAT-395037 3 Introduction This paper adopts its base from the hypothesis that spatial development of a region, whether 'macro' or 'nicro' is influenced considerably by the past history of socio-religious processes of that region. We intentionally do not emphasize on the economic and political processes here as they seem mutually more exclusive (yet interrelated) and hence amenable to relatively easier analysis. The adapted case is of Goa region where attempt is made to explore the role of socio-religlous processes In determining its spatial growth pattern over time.' Explicitly then, the theme brings forth two major objectives, (a) to determine spatial characteristics/ patterns in Goa region, and (b) to look into the role of past socio-religious processes in helping determinethese patterns. Hence, the paper Is divided into two major parts. Part 1 identifies the patterns in a very broad and sumnmarized way and Part 11 discusses the contextual socio-religious processes in its historical perspective. I. Goa and its Spatial Development Pattern 1.1 The Method The eleven talukas of Goa 2 were treated as eleven different units to determine the spatial variation in development in terms of eight related aspects, viz. Demographic, Labour force,Agriculture, Industry, Fiscal, Health, Education, and Communication. Data on the 'indicators' making up each of the above aspects were gathered from vatious government, semi-government and voluntary organisations with the help of a detailed check list of variables.' Though pre-1961 data ' was utilized up to the decadal point of 1931 (the intermediate points being 1941 and 1951) the scanty nature of it put serious limitations on analysis. Hence the period following 1961 was taken to understand the patterns. At four different points in time, viz. 1961, 1967, 1971 and 1976 the positions of the talukas in relation to each other, in terms of each variable ' under each aspect were examined. The relative position of talukas in relation to each other were determined on the basis of the deviations, calculated from the regional aggregate.6 The assigned values7 under each aspect for every individual variable then were added. Finally a total ranking was done by summing the aggregates of all aspects of each taluka. The same procedure was adopted for each 'time point', chosen for the study.8 The dummy Table I shows the procedure adopted for ranking the talukas in accordance with their attained positions under various aspects and their aggregates. 1.2 The Pattern At each of the chosen four points in time (1961, '67, '71, '76) the spatial pattern of developrent at Goa broadly remained the same. The aggregated weightages under each aspect and the subsequently obtained ranks by each taluka at each point in time brought out two clear development zones. At the outset these two zones coincided with the two clear physiographic zones, viz. the coastal zone (or the low contour zone) and the Hilly zone (or the high contour zone). The Coastal zone, consisting of the talukas of Tiswadi, Salcete, Bardez and Mormugao appeared as the Developed zone, whereas the zone consisting of the rest seven talukas remained relatively under developed at all the four points in time. Incidentally, these two major physiographic zones have their historical synonyms. The Coastal zone is the area where Portuguese landed first and ruled for 450 years. Owing to its early annexation this zone is known as the 'Old Conquests'. The second zone (physiogra- phically hilly) was annexed. by Portuguese between 1763 and 1778 A.D and came-to be known as the 'New Conquests'. The Coastal talukas (Old Conquests), characterised with longer duration of Portuguese rule and plain physiography experienced relatively higher concentration of secondary and tertiary activities over time. Growth of trade (Portuguese Digitized from Best Copy Available

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