VI: The Coming of
Vasco da Gama

ALEXYZ delves into the pages of history
in his usual tongue-in-cheek style

HARDLY had Yusuf Adil Shah settled in Parashuram's Paradise Resort to celebrate his conquest and to sign and stamp his own visa…

When in the year 1498 AD news kept filtering along West Coast of the sightings of splendid sailing ships and white-coloured men, who were captained by a strangely clothed and decorated man who went by the name of Vasco da Gama;

Vasco's club consisted of an unusual balchao of seafarers, traders and padres seeking the legendary spices and pagan souls;

Fortunately for Adil Shah, da Gama dropped anchor at (Kerala's) Calicut and got his pick of spices, but soon had to pull up his anchor and stockings and sail home for he had exhausted his bartering bundles, exhausted his gold bars and even worn out his soles.
Back in Lisboa, Vasco was the toast of the town and the Portuguese monarchy, for after his return the country was never the same, for he had added India's legendary spices to their lives...

...Specially of the wives.

But as all good things come to an end so did Vasco's spices and with it his super status and da Gama was pleaded and pestered, coaxed and cajoled by the King and the Queen and the Ladies and the Lords of Lisboa to sail back to India, whose recurring refrain was "Vasco, Vasco, go man go".

And go did Vasco but it was more of an ego trip, for he had relished all the admiration and adulation. However, this time he packed the ship's hold with all that it could hold with loads of continental goodies and barrels and barrels of vinho…

From the provinces of Madeira, Evora, etcetera and even the distant Porto.
So much so, when he reached India not only did he not have to raise his eyebrows or arms but on the contrary was welcomed with open arms and considered for his skin tone and attire the status of a Maharaja…thanks to his precious, mouth watering, rib-tickling cargo;

And at every port where he departed, the natives sang their own version of "Roll Out the Barrel", specially at Cochin (now Kochi), where he built a fort in the guise of an office and having done this he loaded his ships with the choicest of spices and silks and this and that, that he wanted to blow the minds of the gentry back home and more!

And as he touched the shores of Lisboa amidst the hullabaloo of brass brands and parabems, he was welcomed as if he had brought home the FIFA World Cup…and he was wined and dined till all this late night partying did him in…and Vasco da Gama was buried amidst unprecedented pomp and pageantry as a national hero!!

Next: VII - Alfonso de Albuquerque sails to conquer