Mangalore : A Tomb Stone dating back to 1629 pertaining to the Portuguese Captain of the first Fortress in Mangalore, has finally reached Rosario Cathedral on March 30, thanks to Rosario Parish Priest Rev Fr Stany Goveas, Steven Fernandes, (Gurkar of Ignatius Ward), a resident of “Haleya Kote” where the stone rested for centuries. The tombstone will be set alongside a stone of 1712 at Rosario Cathedral. It is probably the only identified existing monument, related to the Portuguese fort which since the 1500s formed a part of old Mangalore’s history. Preserving ancient relics to ensure they do not disappear into the dust, like much of local history, needs top priority.
A year ago, the inscriptions were deciphered The inscription translates as “Domingos de Mourao Coutinho, the captain of the fortress of Mangalore, who died on April 30, 1629. “ It would have been installed over his grave which in all probability was located within the first church in Mangalore, the Portuguese “Nossa Senora de Rosario”, known as the ‘poyeda igerji’ (Tulu) or ’church in the sand’, within the fortress, the fore runner of Rosario Cathedral.