Orissa Review * September - 2004

Maritime Trade of Ancient Orissa

Er. Nirakar Mahalik

Province of Orissa, known as Kalinga in the these places can be identified with Arakan early time was commanding a very high coast and lower Burma.2 Tamali has been position in the maritime activities of in identified by Sylvain Levi with Tamralinga in the past. Its territory extended from the Ganges the Malaya peninsula. Apadana state that in the North to Godavari in the South at different traders from Malaya and China visited India.3 epochs of history. The present coastal lines of The Jatakas mention the eastern sea ports Orissa being 482 km shows the signs of bulging Champa and Tamralipti, whence traders sailed landscapes by the development lagoons and spits. It comprises of the districts of Balasore, to Ceylon and Suvannabhumi (lower Berma Bhadrak, Kendrapara, Jagatsinghpur, Puri and and Malacca). Buddhist chronicles speak of Ganjam. It was also studded with excellent the invasion of ceylon in the 6th century B.C. ports and harbours during ancient period. Ports by Vijaya Simha who gave his name to island. plays an important role in the maritime He is said to have sailed in a ship which could 4 activities of a country. hold over seven hundred people. The Buddhist literature named 'Siuki' speaks number of ports There are some reference in the Buddhist in the coast of Utkal (Orissa).5 literature to show that people of ancient India, especially of eastern region were interested in Orissa has a network of large and maritime activities, sailing on the occean navigable rivers, free from the freezing effects continuously for six-months with the direction- of a severely cold climate. She has also a weath showing-birds (crow) during the time of of forests abounding in strong timber which Buddha. Theragatha speaks of merchants might be readily utilised for the construction sailing on the sea with the hope of earing wealth of ship and boats. These natural advantages Sea-farers from Varanasi, Videha and Champa coupled with steadiness within the direction (Bhagalpur) were sailing to foreign lands like of the monsoon, over the , Indian Suvannadipa and Tamba panni1 perhaps via the ocean and China sea - aided the Oriyas to ancient Orissan ports. acquire that nautical skill and enterprise for The Mahaniddesa tells us that India's which they were justly famous in the ancient trade to the east existed with Kalamukha, world. Suvannabhumi, Vessunga, Verapatha, Takkola, The history of Orissa shipping and Tamali, Tambapanni and Java. First two of maritime activities goes back to the early times

39 Orissa Review * September - 2004 of the Rgveda (1,48,3) and (1,116,5), the have a picture of the preparations made by a Jatakas, the Greek and Roman authors, the early Nisad chief for an impending naval encounter literatures as well as a host of archaeological with Bharata. discoveries in India and abroad, all go to prove (ii) Buddhist Records that long before the birth of christ, the Oriyas had acquired a fair knowledge of the art of The Dighanikaya refers Dantapura of navigation and that they plied their boats not Kalingadesa as one of the seven famous cities only on the inland rivers, but also on the high of India and was ruled by a king called seas. There were ports and harbours all along Sattabhu. The chulla Jataka states that the coastal line such as Tamralipti (Tamluk), Dantapura was well connected by road-ways Adamus (Suvarnarekha), Kosambia (Balasore), to many other places. Mahavasthu, a Buddhist Dosarene (Dhamarra), Manada (), text of Ceylon mentions that Dantapur was one of the seven cities of Jambudvipa.8 Pakura (Palur-Risikulya), Konnagar (Konark),6 Nanigain (Puri), Kakadaram () (iii) Other Records Kalinganagar (Vamsadhara), Dantapuram. It is known from the Madalapanji that These are some of the important points king Bhoja had built many ships with local to be carefully examined to get the reliable wood.9 Rules and regulations regarding information of the maritime activities in the construction of ships were recorded in a book early past. called Juktikalpataru in sanskrit. Radhamukunda Baboo of Orissa, a research (i) Early Literature scolar had wrote a book called 'Bharatiya The art of employing boats and ships for Arnaba Pota' in English. This book describes the military purpose was known during Vedic two types of ship (i) Samanya (ii) Bisesh or and Puranic days. The Rgveda retains the echo Arnaba Pota (means ship used for journey in of a naval expedition, on which Tugra the Rsi sea). About twenty types of ship with details king, commissioned his son Bhujyu. Bhujyu of their sizes has been furnished in this book.10 however was shipwrecked on the ocean but (iv) Arthasastra of Kautilya was rescued by the twin Aswins (Rv-1- 112-6).7 The Mahabharat relates how the From the Chief adviser of Chandragupta Pandavas, ingeniously escaping from the house (326-296 BC) we learnt that trade both of the lac by a subterranean passage, came up overland and over-seas flourished very much 11 on the Ganges and get on board vessel, which at the end of the 4th century B.C. was provided with machinery and all kinds of (v) Travellers diary weapons and was capable of defying storms From Megasthenes we know that existing and waves (Adiparva-ch-15). Elsewhere in the routes were linked up and made a grand Trunk same work we read how Sahadeva, the yongest road which ran from Puskalavati in Gandhar of the Pandava brothers, continued his march through Takkhasila, Kanyakubja, Hastinapura, of conquest till he reached several islands in Prayaga to Pataliputra and then to Tamralipti the sea (on doubt with the help of ships) and (Tamaluk), a national sea-port. Through this subjugated the mleccha inhabitants there of route Megasthenes travelled in 4th century (Sabha-parva-ch-31). In the Ramayana we B.C.12

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Greek traveller Pliny who wrote his fourth century A.D. certain clay medallions natural history in 77 A.D. had placed on record (known as bullae) have a design of animals that the companies of archers had to be carried with human heads. This design is very similar on board merchant ship sailing out of India to one found on Roman Coins.17 This shows because the Indian seas are infested by pirates. that there was some trade contacts with The author of the Periplus of the Romans. Some historian identified Erythraean sea, who made a coastal voyage as Tosali, the capital of the provinces of round India, noticed the prevelance of piracy Mauryan empire and some others with along the Malbar sea-board.13 Kalinganagar, the capital of Kharavela, Chedi kings of Orissa. The trade with Roman empire According to early Tamil authors, was carried by boats through Daya-Vargavi- Cenkuttuvan, contemporary to Gajabahu-I of Kaukhia-Prachi river route to some of the old ceylon, led an expedition to the Gangetic Valley sea-ports of Orissa like Konagar (Konark) of and in that expedition "the journey from Cera Ptolemy or Charitrapur (che-li-ta-lo) of Hiuen- 14 kingdom to Orissa was performed by sea. It Tsang. is known from the above that in ancient times there was a regular sea-faring from Tamralipti Another excavation was carried at via Orissa ports to Tamrapanni (Sri Lanka). Manikapatna where some Chinese and Kushan From the sea-port to inner river ports of Orissa coins have been found.18 A large quantity of was connected by regular trade traffic. China celadon pieces also found assigned to the period 13th and 14th century A.D. by the (vi) Achaeology historian Karuna Sagar Behera.19 These From History we know that Augustus findings points out Chilika as a natural sea- conquered Egypt in 30 B.C. He and his port in the old days. successors strove to suppress the Arab traders In the neighbour-hood of Chilika near the and pirates. They also developed a direct sea- mouth of river Rsikulya, there is a place called trade between India and the Roman empire. From Mc crindle's Ancient India, Strabo says palur situated in the Chhatrapur sub-division that he saw in 25 B.C. about 120 ships sailing of Ganjam district. This place had been identified by Garini with a port described by from Hormus to India.15 the Greek sailor Ptolemy (2nd century A.D) From the achaeological excavations of who had named it as paloura. This port Kaveripattinam, we find the history of the site occupied an enviable position on the trade from the third century B.C. to the twelfth century route between India and the South-East-Asia.20 A.D. coins of different kinds were found, some It has been refered to in the Nagarjunikonda of belonging to the chola kings who ruled here Virapurusadatta (regnal year-14) as an and Roman coins brought here by traders. internationally important maritime emporium, Archaeologist found many kinds of ancient the script of which belong to the second half 16 artefacts here. of the third century A.D.21 On the west side of From the excavation of Sisupalgarh (near Chilika, there is a mountain just above the site ), it is learnt that people lived called 'Palur Pahara' seems to have acted as here from 3rd century B.C. to the middle of the the protector of the palur port. Ptolemy

41 Orissa Review * September - 2004 travelled upto Malaya by a ship from this Jasper and agate, bangle pieces of glass and port.22 shell, iron nails, strips and rings, copper collyrium (antemony) rods, terracotta human In the early centuries of Christian era, and animal figures, stone objects like muller, there existed six ports on the coast of Kalinga querns, and whet stone, bone objects like viz, Tamralipti (Tamulk) Kosambi (Balasore), styllus and comb.25 Charitrapura (ce-li-ta-lo), Kannagar (Konark) Paloura (Palur) and Kalingapatnam. Among Sylvan Levi opine that Dantapura was a these port towns, Ptolemy, mentions Paloura famous emporium having brisk trade contacts as an important port town in Eastern India, not only with the east and west coast of India, which generally tallies with the present day but contries like China and Persia from the 26 village of Paloura in Ganjam district of times even before the 6th century B.C. Orissa.23 (vii) Rock Edict and Grants Survey and investigation had been From the XIIIth Rock Edict of conducted recently in and around Paloura that the emperor maintained deplomatic resulted in the identification of palaeoharbours relations not only with Tamparni (Ceylon) but such as Palur and Ghantasila or Rambha, with the Hellenistic monarchies of Syria, situated on Southern horizon of Chilika lagoon Egypt, Cyrene, Mecedonia and Epirns. The and north of Rusikulya estuary. Survey has Maurya Navy created by Chandragupta yielded glazed black and red ware, red polished probably continued to the end of Asoka's were, Northern Black polished glazed ware, reign.27 glazed black ware with black core resembling The Kamauli grant credits the the ceramics of Sumatra and Vietnam and also Vaidyadev, the minister of Kumarpala (1097 Chinese celadon and porcelain were, ranging A.D.) with a naval victory in southern Banga in date from the early centuries of Christian near the mouths of the Ganges. Mr. R.D. Banerji era to the medieval times. So far, no brick suggests that this naval encounter probably took structural activity and antiquities of Buddhist place with Anantavarman king of Utkal and affiliation have been reported from the sites.24 Kalinga.28 It suggested that this naval warfare It is evident from the achaeological findings took place by using the naval bases of Utkal that it was a internationally important sea port and Kaling ports. for the brisk trade with China, Sumatra, (viii) Paintings , architecture and sculptural Vietnam and other far south-east countries in panels ancient time. Figure of ships from many stone panels Department of Archaeology and carrying elephants in temple architecture, Museums Government of Andhra Pradesh had exported a large number to foreign countries taken up excavations in and around Danta- shows the ancient maritime activities of Vaktrunikota in the ex-state of Paralakhimidi Orissa. A sculptural panel of such a ship can (present Srikakulam district of Andhra) and be seen on the walls of the Jagannath temple in identified the place as Dantapura, the ancient Puri. Another panel in Konark temple depicts capital of Kalinga. Antiquities unearthed at the a stray giraffe carried on a ship in temple art site include beads of terracotta, carnalion, lends support to this hypothesis.29

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(ix) Cultural Festivals and Rituals direct sea-trades in gems and pearls, sandal wood, ebony, balms and spices and especially In ancient times South-East-Asia 32 remained under the influence of Indian culture. pepper of India. The Vaishyas called sadhabas, a trading While discussing Travellers' diary, the communities of Orissa had been credited in portion of the Chinese traveller has been left. colonizing South-East-Asia alongwith other The Chinese pilgrim Hiuen Tsang while castes. Trade was the driving force for the visiting the capital of VCHA(Utkal) i.e. Jajapur early contact with other nations. It led to described on the south-east frontiers of the settlements, which slowly developed into country, on the borders of the ocean is the town colonies.30 Indian colonies were grown up in Charitra (che-li-ta-lo) about 20li round. Here the state like Cambodia, Champa, Malaya it is merchants depart for distant countries and Peninsula, Sumatra, Java and Bali and finally strangers come and go and stop there way. xxx the Burmese and Thai kingdoms. Bali yatra Going south 20,000li or so is the country of festival were performed in Orissa where the Simhala (Seng-kia-lo) xx. From this going ladies, young-girls and married women sail south-west about 1200li through great forest boats made of 'shole' or bark of plantain tree we come to the kingdom of Kong-u-to (Kadalipatua) with lamp lighted up, guava, raw (Kangoda).33 rice, betel leaves and different types of flower for safe return of Sea-Voyages in the month of From Jajapur, capital of Ucha (Utkal) bright day of Kartika. The same rituals is also south-east direction points towards Hukitola, observed at Bali where infants are helped to Jambo and False-point harbour. Historian sail tiny souls of their sailer ancestors.31 Padmashree Paramananda Acharya identified 'Taapoi' idol are worshiped in the coastal a place near about false point which is situated Orissa to remember the days of ancient maritime in between mouth of river Baitarani and 34 trade. Mahanadi on the sea shore. Historian Pratap Kumar Roy also identified it little above false- People of Orissa lighted a lamp on a high point on the left bank of Chitrotpala and Luna pillar of bamboo or bullah (Akash Dipa) near confluence, branches of Mahanadi.35 The Siva temple or infront of a Tulasi tree as a Chinese pilgrime Hiuen Tsang told that the city symbol of light house for the sea voyages in of Charitra in the country of UCHA (Utkal) the month of Kartika when the trade winds are whose south east boarder is the mouth of river favourable. The strong north-eastern wind Mahanadi and ocean. carried the ships swiftly till they reached ceylon where their sail fitted with north- The false point is well connected with westerly trade wind and carried them to Patamundai an ancient river port on the left Suvarnadvip. Foreign countries were not bank of old river Brahmani. It is also connected accustomed with the Indian monsoon till 45 to Dhamara, Chandabali, Kharsua river, Budha A.D. Hippalus the Roman pilot 'discoved' it river, Birupa, Matai, Salandi, the branches of about 45 A.D. the periodic change of monsoon river Brahmani and Baitarani via Pattamundai. winds. The Romans rewarded the discover by It is connected through river Gobari to giving the name Hippalus to the S.W. Monsoon Kendrapara. The false-point is only 6 km from and utilise the discovery by developing a great Paradeep through river route. It is a narrow

43 Orissa Review * September - 2004 mass of land going out into the sea which was the port town of Charitrapur if hidden under once a harbour of international repute. The the waters of ocean. anchorage was protected by two sandy reefs Historian W.W. Hunter in his history of called Long island and Dowdes well island. Orissa mentioned about Dhamara port. He Two separate channels lead inland from the described that out of nine ports like anchorage. The Jambo river on the north and Subarnarekha, Chhanua, Balasore, Laichanpur, Bakul on the south, a branch of Mahanadi river. Churamani, Dhamara, False point, Puri and This harbour was connected with Devi river Gopalpur, Dhamara was the only all weather by tidal creeks, which were navigable by the river port in 19th century A.D.37 The length of country boats throughout the year. It is well the Dhamara river is only 20 km from connected to Cuttack, Sonepur, Tusura confluence of Baitarani and Brahmani river (Bolangir) Binka, Boudh, Athmalik, Sambalpur upto the sea. It is 42 feet deep at low water by river route. approximately. The author of periplus had Due to regression of the ocean, tectonic mentioned the port Dosarene (Orissa) movement, coastal erossion and sedimentation, "Yielding the ivory known as Dosarenic."38 change of river course, heavy flood, severe Historian Jagabandhu Singh identified cyclonic effect and other types of vagaries of dosarene as river Baitarani (Dhamara).39 nature, the port town of Charitrapura (Che-li- Hence it played a very important role in the ta-lo) might had loose its existance. Engineers ancient maritime activities of Orissa in the past. have estimated that a strong littoral drift The spirit of enterprise and adventure carrying nearly one million cubic meters of was remarkable among the Oriyas in ancient sediments pass along the eastern coast of India times, who cherished the ambition of founding in the Bay of Bengal from south to north every colonies in distant lands of south east Asia and year. Under its influence the sediments carried Ceylon. Orissa's glorious maritime past had by rivers are deposited in northern side there 36 been proved from the excavated materials like by lengthening the river course. This type of Roman coins and Kushan coins and Chinese formation of spit in the mouth of eastern ceramic sherds found from different parts of flowing rivers reduces discharge capacity of Orissa in the recent pasts. The Chinese ceramic flood water in to sea. As a result of which sand shred detained from Manikapatana and bars are formed in the mouth of rivers which Khalkatapatna in Puri district, Ganjam, prevent the port to be navigable. Hence port Balasore andfrom Barabati fort in Cuttack40 was abandoned. town testify to the importance of ancient Under these circumstances many ancient maritime trade in East-West, especially in the ports like Kalingapatanam, Palur, trade with China. Black Knobbed ware found Manikapatana, Kannagar (Konark) Kosambi from Sisupalgarh (orissa), Dantapura (ex-state (Balasore), Tamralipti (Tamulk) were declared of Parala-Khemidi), gopalpatnam in Andhra abandoned. Sea coast goes away from the port Pradesh are conveniently called 'Kaling ware' town due to the above reason or the port town assign to 5th to 2nd century B.C.41 suggests the may be submerged into the sea due to change cultural contacts between Orissa with South- in land or sea like Dwaraka and Che-li-ta-lo. India through maritime trade from ancient Under water achaeology can help us in finding times.

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References : 24. Ibid. 1. India's over sea trade as known from the Buddhist 25. Ibid. Canons - Madan Mohan Singh. I.H.Q.J. 26. Ibid. vol.XXXVII. 27. Edicts of Asoka - Naval Warfare in Ancient India 2. Suvarnnadvip - R.C. Majumdar - I.H.Q.J. - Prithwis Chandra Chakravarti - IHQJ. Vol.VI. Vol.XXXVII. 28. Ep Indica Vol.II, p.351 - Ibid. 3. Jatak - III 29. Orissa and Indonesia - A trading of cultures - 4. The Trade of India - P.T. Srinivas Iyengar - IHQJ. Manipadma Jena, Orissa Review - January 1995. Vol.II. 30. Ramila Thapar - A History of India Vol.I, Presence 5. Prachina Utkal-Part-II - Jagabandhu Singh. of the people of Kaling in South East Asia - 6. Ibid. p.144. Benudhar Patra, Orissa Review, November 2001. 7. Naval Warfare in Ancient India - Prithwis Chandra 31. Orissa and Indonesia - A trading of cultures - Chakravarti, I.H.O.J. Vol.VI. Manipadma Jena, Orissa Review, January, 1995. 8. Dantapuram - Dr. B. Subrahmanyam and Dr. E. 32. The trade of India - P.T. Srinivasa Iyengar - IHQT- Sivanagi Reddy General Editor - A. Ramalakshman, Vol.II, p.298. IAS - Department of Archaeology and Museums, 33. SI-YU-KI-Buddhist records of the Western World Govt. of Andhra Pradesh, Hyderabad. - HIUEN TSANG (Translated by Samuel Beal). 9. Madalapanji - A.B. Mohanty - Prachi Samiti - p.4 34. Odisara Pratna Tatva O' Anyanya Prabandha - 10. Prachina Utkal - Vol.II, Jagabandhu Singh. Vol.-1 Padmashree Paramananda Acharya. 11. The Trade of India - P.T. Srinivas Iyengar - IHQJ - 35. Kendrapara Zila Itihas, Pratap Kumar Roy. Vol.II. 36. Management of high flood and drainage problems 12. Ibid. of Mahanadi river at Delta - Mr. K.K. Khatua and Prof. K.C. Patra, Orissa Engineering Congress - 13. Naval Warfare in Ancient India - Prithwis Chandra Souvenir, 2004. Chakravarti IHQJ - Vol.VI. 37. History of Orissa - W.W. Hunter, Dhamara - 14. Ibid. Chandabali Port - A Gate Way to Kaling, Rabindra 15. The Trade of India - P.T. Srinivasa Iyengar, IHQJ - Kumar Behuria, Orissa Review, Nov.1996. Vol.II. 38. The Trade of India, P.T. Srinivas Iyengar - IHQJ, 16. Kaveripattinam - Mysteries of the past Vol.II. Archaeological sites in India by Upinder Singh. 39. Prachina Utkal, Vol.II, Jagabandhu Singh. 17. Sisupalgarh - Ibid. 40. Chinese Ceramics from coastal Orissa - Indicator 18. Orissa and Indonesia - A trading of cultures - of Trade and Contact with China - Dr. Karuna Sagar Manipadma Jena, Orissa Review, January 1995. Behera, January, 1995, Orissa Review. 19. Chinese ceramics from coastal Orissa Indicator 41. Dantapuram, Dr. B.Subrahmanyam and Dr. of trade and contact with China - Dr. Karunasagar E.Sivanagi Reddy, Department of Archaeology and Behera, Orissa Review, January 1995. Museums, Government of Andhra Pradesh. 20. Palur port in Ancient Maritime Orissa - Prof. Benudhar Patra, Orissa Review, November 1996. 21. Ibid. 22. Sambalpur Itihas - Siba Prasad Das. 23. Dantapuram - Dr. B. Subrahmanyam and Dr.E. Sivanagi Reddy General Editor - A. Ramalakshman,IAS, Department of Archaeology Er. Nirakar Mahalik, Ex-Irrigation Engineer lives at and Museum, Govt. of Andhra Pradesh N-1/82, I.R.C. Village, Bhubaneswar-15.

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