Surat: the First Steps of the French Adventure in India
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8 SURAT: THE FIRST STEPS OF THE FRENCH ADVENTURE IN INDIA Sara Keller | résidente à l’IEA de Nantes Historienne et archéologue du bâti formée en France et en Allemagne, les recherches de Sara Keller portent sur les monuments et les structures urbaines historiques comme source d’information pour l’étude de contextes socio-culturels pluriels. Spécialiste de l’architecture médiévale et moderne de l’Inde du Nord, elle travaille notamment sur les villes portuaires du Gujarat et les transferts culturels et technologiques entre l’Orient et l’Occident, dont ces cités sont le théâtre depuis plusieurs millénaires. The French “comptoir” in the in Surat in 1668. The French India. Rather than questioning remains from the glorious age of the factory into a Consulate, great Mughal port of Surat representative of the CFIO soon the economic and politic mea- of Surat are visible today, and and following the seizure of (1668-1778) tells the story of sensed the limits of their econo- ning of the French Factory in the architectural elements the Consulate by the British the first enterprising steps of mic perspectives in Surat as late Surat, my study aims to recons- of the French establishment authorities. In these regards, the French colonial adventure. comers in an extremely complex truct the reality of the French in Surat were not spared by the archival documents of the Surat, one of the greatest port socio-economic system. Their presence in the port town. What this modernizing urge. This consulate (1773-8) conserved towns of both Indian Ocean and efforts pushed them towards are the topographical and archi- infrastructural silence brings at the “Archives Diplomatiques Indian History, presents a com- other local and extra- regional tectural traces of this presence in fuzziness around the meaning de Nantes” represent an plex and fascinating socio- poli- littorals, to the benefit of other and around Surat? A pluridisci- of the French presence in extraordinary source of data tical picture which is repeatedly factories and settlements (with plinary study based on historical Surat. The plurality of terms which proved to be the core re-discussed. In this colourful Pondicherry as the most suc- and archaeological evidences used in archives regarding information of my study.2 debate, the French presence goes cessful enterprise). The French conducts me to reconstitute the French establishment My residence at the Institut practically unnoticed. Yet its factory of Surat lost all major the picture of the French poli- contributes maintaining the d’Etudes Avancées de Nantes resonances in 19th and 20th cen- commercial activities within few tical and economical establish- misunderstanding concerning offered me the opportunity to tury Gujarat demands to raise decades after its foundation. It ment. This reconstruction brings the reality of the French factory. access this archive in excellent the question of the French pre- bitterly impacted the French essential elements of understan- The reason is that the French conditions. My topographical sence in Surat and its meaning economic and political expec- ding concerning the place and establishment was not a unique and archaeological survey done for the French episode in India. tations, and in Versailles, the visibility of the French presence infrastructure, but a set of plots in Surat brought the missing question of Surat was a recur- in Surat. It also opens the ques- and buildings distinguished by elements to link the data 17th century Surat was a popu- rent trouble spot. The French tion of the cultural and infor- complex jurisdictional realities. extracted from the historical lous and extremely dynamic establishment (reshaped in 1773 mative flow between the French The French print on the surti documents. port town: it was the gateway into a Consulate) was forgotten nationals and other individuals territory can be reconstituted to Mughal India and the place soon after the takeover by the and social groups from Surat. with the help of historical The French establishment in to be for European Companies British in 1778.1 documents produced in the Surat was composed by two developing commercial links Though the main economic second half of the 18th century. major set ups, a “loge” located with the East during the late 16th Yet the French factory and activity of North-West On one hand are the maps in the heart of the city, and a and early 17th century. Following consulate of Surat laid the foun- India shifted from Surat to created by the French and land called the French garden the English and the Dutch East dation stone of the construction Mumbai during the late 18th British administrations, on (“Jardin Français”) situated India Companies, the French of the French presence in India, and early 19th century, Surat another hand the written outside the southern outer city East Indian Company (Compa- and in this light, it represents remained a busy urban center surveys done by the French wall. Two other plots were used gnie Française des Indes Orien- the first diplomatic and cultural which underwent multiple agents in the 1770s, that is, in by the French: a plot at Suvali tales, CFIO) founded a factory encounter between France and development phases. Very few the framework of the reshaping beach, the anchoring place for perspectives n. 14 — printemps-été | spring-summer 2016 9 SURAT: THE FIRST STEPS OF THE FRENCH ADVENTURE IN INDIA Sara Keller | résidente à l’IEA de Nantes Historienne et archéologue du bâti formée en France et en Allemagne, les recherches de Sara Keller portent sur les monuments et les structures urbaines historiques Europeans (directly located request of the French envoys personal and important docu- the river side. This architectural plants, such as the “schampa” comme source d’information pour l’étude de contextes socio-culturels pluriels. Spécialiste de l’architecture médiévale et moderne de l’Inde du Nord, elle travaille on the Gulf of Cambay, about Bebber and La Boullaye le ments always remained based set was enhanced by symmetri- tree or “frangipanier” (plumeria) notamment sur les villes portuaires du Gujarat et les transferts culturels et technologiques entre l’Orient et l’Occident, dont ces cités sont le théâtre depuis plusieurs 20 km East from Surat), and a Gouz and to allow the French in the “loge” located near the cal flowerbeds and well-ordered or other essences which French millénaires. cemetery near Katargam gate, to start their commercial activi- Capuchin church in the walled plantations laid out according were appreciating or fascinated the northern outer city gate. by. This garden possibly served Additionally to these bases in as a botanical resource which and around Surat, a French was drawn to supply the “jardin agent or a merchant working d’acclimatation” (the acclimati- with the CFIO was posted in zation garden), its counterpart each big market and manufac- in the metropolis. After the turing place of Gujarat, like takeover of the French esta- Ahmedabad and Bharuch. This blishment by the British in shows that the French esta- 1778, the treatise of 1783 res- blishment, commonly referred tored the French establishment to as the “comptoir”3, was an but the French did not returned institutional unit, but a split and never claim their proper- functional and territorial rea- ties in Surat. The few remaining lity. By a reverse metonymy, the French nationals moved out of “loge” mentioned in the archival Surat, and the gardens and buil- sources mostly refers to the ins- dings of the Jardin Français did titutional reality of the factory not survive the lack of mainte- (le “comptoir”), and not to the nance. The small France built place and building used by the in Surat during the 18th century French members of the CFIO vanished. Yet it would be too in the walled city of Surat. hasty to pretend that the isolated French presence did not leave The “loge” was an architectural any traces in Gujarat. During set rented by the CFIO (later the 19th century, the interest of the Consulate) within the city Gujarati princes and aristocrats wall to accommodate the com- towards French culture and mercial and political activities of architecture rather speaks as a the factory. The Mughal autho- resonance to the French living rities were refusing to give a plot style established and demons- in property to the Europeans trated in Surat. Let us not for- within the walled city, in fear of get that “démontrer la grandeur militarization and questioning du Roy de France” (“demons- of the local political authority. trate the grandeur of the King Therefore the French, like other of France”) was a major point European companies, had to of the French agenda in India: rent a place. They found a buil- The comptoir français of Surat ding on the northern side of the modestly but successfully intro- walled city, close to the French © ChDelory 2015 Keller, Sara duced in the East the model Capuchin mission and in the of the French cultural identity vicinity of other European esta- Let us not forget that “démontrer la grandeur du Roy de France” program. blishments. The “loge” was a (“demonstrate the grandeur of the King of France”) was a major point timbering building constructed Notes in the local fashion. It included of the French agenda in India: The comptoir français of Surat modestly 1. On the history of the “Compa- offices for the Director and but successfully introduced in the East the model of the French cultural gnie Française des Indes Orientales”, other members of the council, identity program. see the voluminous work of Philippe as well as living spaces for them Haudrère (especially La Compa- e and those who had a family. It gnie Française des Indes au XVIII siècle also had warehouses capable of ties in the Mughal port of Surat.