Craft Production and Trade in South Kanara: Ad 1000
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CRAFT PRODUCTION AND TRADE IN SOUTH KANARA: A.D. 1000 - 1763 Thesis submitted to GOA UNIVERSITY For the Award of the Degree of DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY IN HISTORY By OC3 Circt NAGENDRA E. RAO, M.A., M.Phil., Lecturer, Department of History, Goa University, Goa — 403206 tit y e. \ ------- 4, \ , t.P \■, India. 1 Lif3P4 , - 1"< f1 - \4 if \ / 4-1 I March 2001. DECLARATION I hereby declare that this Ph. D. thesis entitled "Craft Production and Trade in South Kanara: A.D. 1000 — 1763" submitted to Goa University forms an independent work carried out by me in the Department of History, Goa University, under the supervision of Dr. N. Shyam Bhat, Reader, Department of History, Goa University, and this thesis has not previously formed the basis for the award of any degree, diploma, associateship or other similar titles. Place: Taleigao Plateau, Goa. (Nagendra E. Rao) Date:12th March 2001. Research Fellow Countersigned by (Dr.. Shyam Bhat) Research Guide '...\\,\41 ■ \ (0 / , ,\\. Reader, Department of History, 1 1.16 Rh ;..j i -‹ i ---". k------- --. '' il Goa University, Goa — 403 206 \ ,...,., ..'of f (.5..?J RUC 6•3 ‘ 21-497. fia-e-vssz cot - 61' ii CERTIFICATE I certify that this thesis entitled "Craft Production and Trade in South Kanara: A.D. 1000 — 1763" submitted by Nagendra E. Rao for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in History, Goa University, is a record of research work done by him during the period from 1997 to 2001 when he worked under my guidance. This thesis has not previously formed the basis for the award of any degree, diploma, associateship or fellowship to Nagendra E. Rao. I affirm that this thesis submitted by Nagendra E. Rao represents the independent research work carried out by him under my supervision. r"-m- / Place: Taleigao Plateau, Goa, I II Dr. N. Shyam / Date: 12th March, 2001 Research Guide Reader, Department of History, Goa University, Goa — 403 206 111 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT The present study would not have taken this shape without the active support of many individuals and institutions. First and foremost, I express my deep sense of gratitude to Dr. N.Shyam Bhat, Reader, Department of History, Goa University, with whose supervision I completed this thesis. I thank him for the guidance and encouragement given throughout the course of this work. I am grateful to my teachers, Prof. B. Surendra Rao, Chairman, Department of History, Mangalore University, and Prof. Kesavan Veluthat, Department of History, Mangalore University, for their valuable suggestions. I am indebted to my uncle, Dr. K.G. Vasanthamadhava, Pavanje, and Dr.A.K.Shastri, Sirsi, who were kind enough to allow me to refer some of the rare and valuable documents and kadatas in their personal collections. I thank my colleagues - Dr. K.M. Mathew, formerly Professor and Head, Dr. Pratima P. Kamat, Reader and Head, Dr. Pius Malekandathil, Sri Ujjayan Bhattacharya and Sri Venugopalan Nair - in the Department of History, Goa University, for their co-operation and encouragement. I also acknowledge the support that I received from my friends. I thank the authorities of Goa University for providing me the facilities to work for my Ph.D. Degree. The minor research project sanctioned to me by the University on "Urbanization in Western Coastal India 1336-1763".enabled me to probe deeper into this area of economic history of South Kanara. I am indebted to the authorities and staff of various institutions like Goa University Library, Historical Archives of Goa, Mysore University Library, Epigraphy Office, Mysore, Mangalore University Library, Karnatak iv University Library, Bombay University Library and Maharashtra State Archives, Mumbai, for their help. I thank my parents and family members, particularly my wife, Mrs. Shailaja Rao, for their whole-hearted support in the completion of this thesis. Place: Taleigao Plateau, Goa. N 61/ett'.6}4 Date: 12th March, 2001. (Nagendra E. Rao) V ABBREVIATIONS ARSIE Annual Report of South Indian Epigraphy EC Epigraphia Carnatica El : Epigraphia Indica IESHR : Indian Economic and Social History Review JESHO Journal of Economic and Social History of the Orient SII : South Indian Inscriptions QJMS Quarterly Journal of Mythic Society QRHS Quarterly Review of Historical Studies LIST OF MAPS AND SKETCHES PAGE NUMBER 1. South Kanara during the Alupa period Between pages 21 and 22 2.South Kanara under the Vijayanagara 22 and 23 empire 3. South Kanara during the Keladi period 23 and 24 4. Centres of Craft Production in South 44 and 45 Kanara 5. Major Rivers and Ports of South 82 and 83 Kanara 6. South Kanara in the 16 th century 159 and160 showing the travel route of Ludovico Varthema 7. Ports of the Western coast during the 169 and170 16th century vi 8. European Factories in South Kanara 201 and 202 9. Sketches of the ports of Basrur and 173 and 174 Gangolli in the 17th century 10. Sketch of the port of Honnavar in the 177 and 178 17th century 11. Sketch of the Mangalore port in the 184 and 185 17th century vii GLOSSARY Adikasu market. Adlamy an additional custom duty imposed by Keladi rulers on goods traded by English merchants. Agasaru caste of washermen. Agraharas brahman settlements. Anchu a raised path between paddy fields. Angadi a shop. Ayam remuneration in kind given to artisans. Badagiya bayalu: land of carpenter. Bahar a measure of weight. Bahira gadyana : gadyana belonging to an outside country or region. Balanjuniti • a set of rules to be followed by traders. Batta paddy or wage paid to workers. Bandar port. Basadi a jain temple. Bestarabettu colony of washermen. Bidi street. Bilikabbu white sugarcane. Candy a measure of weight. In Kanara a candy of pepper was equivalent to 3 heavy quintals 3 arrobas. Carreira da India: the voyage from Portugal to India, and India to Portugal, via the Cape of Good Hope. Cartaz a pass enabling the vessel to sail on a specified viii route Casado a married Portuguese settler. Conselho da Fazebda: Treasury Council. Chinambara silk cloth. Doni log boat. Elame trade guild. Estado da India state of India. Gaddada turukaru : bearded Turks. Gadde cultivable land. Gadyana gold coin. Halaru a trade guild. Hanate earthen lamp. Hanjamana trade guild that comprised mostly of Muslim traders. Harigolu skin boat. Heddari high way. Hobali administrative unit which existed during Keladi period. Horahinavaru outside traders. Gavuda a unit of measurement of distance. One gavuda was equal to twelve miles. Gulama slave. faire a fair. Karikabbu black sugarcane. Kadatas black books where accounts were ix maintained by merchant families. Kambha a pillar. Kanchugaras bronze workers. Karkhanas workshops and the place where there was the of produced goods. Khandi a unit of weight. Keri street or quarters. Kumbaradi land of potter. Madivalabettu colony of washermen. Maletharu land grant made to those who supplied garland to temples. Manche a small craft. Mandi a place where there was wholesale trade of goods. Maund unit of weight. Mestico Eurasian trader, of mixed blood. Muliwarg private property hereditary in nature. Nadeva oni path way. Nakhara trade guild of local merchants of South Kanara. Nakhoda captain of a ship. Nanadesi a trade guild. Nangalla anchor. Nashta loss. x Nau large ship. Naveta mourisca : a ship belonging to a Muslim merchant. Olagadavaru caste of musicians in temples. Paddana folk song sung by cultivating castes usually during ploughing and harvest. Padinentu pattana : eighteen towns. Pagoda a gold coin issued by Vijayanagara and Keladi rulers. Palli village or mosque. Paradesi foreigner. Pattanaswami lord of town, in charge of municipal administration. Patsalis silk weavers. Pauju army. Pethe market place or town. Pulia one of the lowest castes in the South Indian social hierarchy. Quintal the Portuguese hundredweight, basic unit of weight in India. Rajya state. Santhe market. Sao tome a Portuguese gold coin minted at Goa, with a fixed value of 360 reis. Settikaras a trade guild. xi Sime place or a region. Sitalamalige warehouse. Sribali a puja performed in the temple. Sudeshi local trader. Sunkathanes stations where custom duties were collected from the traders. Teji horse. Teppa raft. Tupaki rifle. Ubhayananadesi trade guild of merchants of different countries. Varaha gold coin. Vinimaya vartakasangha: exchange guilds. Xerafim standard silver coin of Portuguese India, valued at 300 reis. Zambuco coastal sailing craft. xii CONTENTS Page Number DECLARATION CERTIFICATE ii ACKNOWLEDGEMENT LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS, MAPS AND SKETCHES v-vi GLOSSARY vii-xi CONTENTS xii CHAPTER - I INTRODUCTION 1 - 36 CHAPTER — II CRAFT PRODUCTION 37 - 72 CHAPTER — III ASPECTS OF TRADE AND URBAN CENTRES 73 - 130 CHAPTER — IV TRANSPORT, MARKET AND CURRENCY 131-153 CHAPTER — V EUROPEAN TRADERS IN SOUTH 154 - 213 KANARA(1500-1763) CHAPTER —VI CONCLUSION 214 - 220 APPENDICES — FROM I TO VI 221 - 230 BIBLIOGRAPHY 231 - 244 CC MLA i'D 91 IN TROD UVrril ON CHAPTER - I INTRODUCTION This thesis deals with the empirical and analytical study of the system of craft production and trade in South Kanara from A.D.1000 to 1763. As in the earlier period of its history, during this phase too South Kanara continued to exist predominantly as an agrarian economy. However, there existed considerable craft production or industrial activity which drew sustenance from agriculture. In fact agriculture and agrarian-based craft production thrived as the two major pillars of the economy of this region. The flourishing agrarian economy and the surplus production in the primary sector created conditions favourable for the development of industries, industrial production and trade. Trade was carried out in both agricultural and industrial products. This included inland trade, and sea trade between various regions in the country as well as with countries like Persia and others. Though traditionally barter system prevailed, during this period money economy came into being and both continued to exist side by side.