There are few issues which can create the unlikely alliance of Hindu nationalists, Muslim youth groups, left-wing campaigners against colonialism, and environmentalists concerned about inequalities in world trade - but opposition to celebrating the 500th anniversary of Vasco da Gama's arrival in India has succeeded in uniting all of the above.

Vasco da Gama died in India in 1524

The governments of India and Portugal had planned to commemorate the event, but now local protests have forced them to abandon all celebratory events.

The commemorations had their supporters - some local historians argue that history cannot be re-written, and that any events which stimulate interest in the past are valuable.

And the tourist industry says that whatever the rights and wrongs of da Gama and all he stood for, anniversary celebrations could bring much needed jobs and money to Kerala.

Claude Alvares, Indian green campaigner: "No celebrations in this country for an event that inaugurated our slavery" (56")

But for many Indians, Vasco da Gama heralded the era of colonial rule in south Asia

He was the first European to sail from Europe, round Africa, to India. He landed in Southwest India, on the 27th or 28th of May, 1498, just north of the then prosperous port of Calicut.

But the Portuguese did not want only to trade. They also wanted to dominate trade routes, seize bases on the coast, and roll back the influence of what da Gama called the "Mohammedan heresy", of Islam.

Muslim groups dislike him for the brutality the Portuguese showed to their co-religionists.

While some green activists are keen to draw parallels between the Portuguese conducting commerce at cannon-point 500 years ago, and the World Trade Organisation imposing what they see as unfair trading terms on the developing world today.

There remains one local who speaks kindly of the Portuguese Admiral though. 89 year old PK Ettanunni Raja is the present day successor to the great Sea King of Calicut, who 500 years ago welcomed da Gama to India's shores.

He succeeded to the title four months ago, living in a small suburban house distinguished only by a board on the gate reading "Zamorin Raja of Calicut" and warns people not to heed modern history books with their tales of bitter rivalry between Vasco da Gama and his predecessor.