Chapter - 2: Port Sites 16
Total Page：16
File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb
CHAPTER - 2: PORT SITES 16 Chapter 2 - Port Sites The early historical period witnessed crucial developments such as the emergence of ports in addition to towns in the coastal region of Maharashtra. A large number of trading ports dominated the Arabian sea coast including Sopara and Kalyan, Puri, Thane, Chaul, Uran, Nagothane, Roha, Shrivardhan, Bankot, Jaigad, Kharepatna, Vijaydurg, Raddi and Harnai. A Port is essentially "an economic concept and represents a complex interplay of physical, geographical and socio-economic phenomena", (Kidwai, 1992: 7). It is the place of contact where goods and people as well as cultures are transferred between land and maritime space, as it is a node where ocean and inland transport lines meet and intervene (Weigned, 1958: 185). In Maharashtra every geomorphologically suitable place was used as a port. So growth of a port was never static because it was determined by the fluctuated parameters of the water, land, and the human factors operating at global, regional and local levels. Some of these port towns existed as early as the first century of the Christian era, and are mentioned by many ancient voyagers for e.g. the Periplus. Irrespective of their size, it appear that the port towns were more numerous on the coast and received the attention of foreign traders. Water transport was the most economical and safe mode of transport in the early days and a creek-head location was both, a site for handling maritime trade as well as a central place occupying a focal point in the collection and distribution of regional goods. In the view of the poor agricultural potential of the lateritic soils of the South Konkan, it is not surprising that settlements are limited to fertile tracts and along the rivers. Many of the riverine settlements function as harbours also. Apart from the riverine harbours, the other main types of ancient ports are those situated along tidal creeks and lagoons. Konkan ports of the early Historic period are largely tidal ports. The selection of a port was also determined by the convenience of the route leading into the hinterland, so a port was located in the vicinity of anchorage and routes in the interior. 17 The coastal geomorpology and the geographical situations of Maharashtra on the Arabian sea eastern coast enabled it to linked India with Eastern, Western Mediterranean world and play a prominent role in India's overseas trade relations, with these most ancient as well as rich civilizations of the ancient world. Consequently, the Arabian sea had always been busy throughout the different periods of history. We come across evidence of contact between India and the West Asian countries even before the discovery of the Monsoons by Hippaulus. The change in the geographical set-up has deeply influenced the history and culture of Maharashtra. Trading activities were confined to the coastal ports, where business was transacted by indigenous merchants who supplied rice, pepper, and other products which the foreign seafarers desired. It also had a deep impact on its commerce establishing that there was a considerable topographical change, particularly in the coastal region of Konkan. One of the most important factors to be considered in the study of the physiography of the West coast is the change in sedimentation and sea level which changed the configuration of the coastline in important ways. Several ports of ancient Maharashtra which were linked with the main ocean through broad and deep estuaries have now become completely land-locked due to sea erosion. The example of Sopara is an ideal one of such a topographical change. Sopara had been an important port which is known as connected with the Arabian sea, by an estuary or creek which is known as the Sopara creek even now (BG 1882 124) At present the only remnant of it which can be seen is a hollow strip looking like a deep river bed, joining the Bhayandar creek on one side and on the other side, the Arabian sea near Nirmal. The ancient port of Surparaka which is now 10 kilometers away from water was situated on this creek. In the same way the inland ports such as Kalyan and Thane at present look insignificant, because the rivers or creeks on which they are situated do not look to be capable of carrying large ships in which commodities were exported from these ports during ancient times. Hence siltation resulted in the decline of Sopara, similarly erosion resulted in the abandoning of Puri. Almost every safe creek and estuary has a port but its importance depended on the hinterland. There were also inland trading ports like Mahad. This prominence has however been far from uniform and the West coast ports have had fluctuating fortunes as a result of the silting up of inlets and opening up of new routes in the coastal region. As late as the seventeenth century AD. the Bassein creek was navigable as far as Kalyan and Bhiwandi 18 and the silted channel on which Sopara stands today was navigable over a long distance. Similarly the Thane creek was navigable throughout its course and the present marshes and salt pans were much smaller. In the jaw of the Thane bight stood the islands of Hog, Gharapuri and Karanja or Uran, all important ports (Apte, 1973: 8-10) Its interesting to note that Maharashtra did not have navigable rivers like North India or the Coromondel states but still enjoyed pre-eminence in India's trade with overseas countries The long sea coast is one of the factors. The coastal region of Konkan provided ports like Sopara, Kalyan and Chaul but the commodities which were exported through these ports were mostly manufactured in the Desh region of Maharashtra which was known for the fertility of land as well as for the industrious nature of the people. The excavations at different sites in Maharashtra have yielded sufficient evidence about the productions of wheat, rice, millet and cotton on a large scale, right from the Chalcolithic period (Sankalia/Mate, 1966: 33). These agricultural products and subsistence items formed a major component of the complex Indian Ocean trading system Economic analysis of ports have emphasized the distinction between 'sea ports' - transport nodes and sea port 'terminals' - locations for industries based on bulk imports. As far as Maharashtra is concerned terminals are not found in the early historic period, but few of the sea ports like Chaul became terminals in the later periods. As stated earlier we find literary references to sea-routes and creeks in the Konkan region. Many small vessels were sailing along the sea-coast and up the creeks on the Western coast of Maharashtra. Although Maharashtra has no great rivers we find boats carrying men and luggage for short distances. The rivers formed a natural water-way, through which the raw material and finished goods were transported. There is abundant evidence for both sea and river traffic described graphically in detail mostly by the classical writers as well as in concurrent literature From the earliest times the sea has served more as a high way than as a barrier, and as Yule said, "the more we learn the further goes a closed basin like the Mediterranean, the prevalence of currents and periodical winds has always maintained a maritime system of exchanges in which India by virtue of her central position played the dominant role". The Satavahanas enjoyed the title of Tnsamudr- 19 adhipali.s, Lords of the three oceans, and some coins of the dynasty bearing the effigy of a double-masted ship attest the active interest of the people in sea-faring and overseas trade. Man had probably realized the easy access by river transport at a very early stage of cultural development. The roads, however, didn't carry all the traffic. In ancient period major part of it was shared by the coastal waters and the rivers Compared with travel by road, travel by water was slow, but for long-distance trade, this was widely preferred. The river traffic may not have been used for passenger traffic or over short distances, but for heavy and fragile goods the rivers were used quite frequently wherever possible. In this way, the agricultural and industrial prosperity which was concentrated in one part of the state which could get an outlet only through the sea coast This is probably the major cause for Maharashtra's significant role in ancient India's overseas trade relations. The trade and commercial relations of Maharashtra with foreign countries contributed to economic prosperity This was also reflected in Maharashtra's rock-cut art. Moreover, the communication network - the location of routes, and regional interference helped in the re-evolution of the cultural and social activities of Maharashtra in the later period. In the fifth chapter the aspects of route location will be studied. Literary Evidence: Boats were used for carrying grains and other articles (SCS, 10: 6) in the Konkan areas. Kantilya describes the officers incharge of shipping. He speaks of navigation not only on oceans and mouths of rivers but also on lakes-natural and artificial and rivers in the vicinity of sthatiiya and other fortified cities. He also speaks of large and small boats. Vasudevahimdi mentions that the merchant-ships which traversed a long distance have been referred to as janavatta, vahana or ports. The traders who carried on their business by land-routes were called Sagadiya, vaniyaya-s and satthavaha-s while the sea-traders were referred to as samjataya-vaniyas (Jamkehdkar, 1965). It is stated in the Kalhasahlasagar that while traveling over the seas, a ship was utilized by the merchants.