In my previous post, I focused solely on the northern regions of India, specifically discussing the Mughal Empire and Thomas Roe’s visit. However, it would be unjust to overlook the significant coastal areas that played a crucial role in facilitating maritime trade.
The Indian Subcontinent’s peninsula geography boasts two vital and thriving coastlines: the Malabar Coast to the west and the Coromandel Coast to the east. To merely state that these coasts had a profound impact on India’s history, as well as global history, would be an understatement. Both coasts served as integral pieces in the intricate puzzle of early centuries’ global trade, leaving an enduring imprint on our present world.
The Malabar Coast
The Malabar Coast, located on the western side of the Indian Subcontinent, holds a rich history intertwined with global trade and cultural exchange. Known then as the “Garden of Spices,” this coastal region has shaped India’s past and left a lasting impact on the world. The presence of the Cochin Jews, one of the oldest Jewish communities, and the flourishing spice trade attracted merchants from China, West Asia, Egypt, Greece, and the Roman Empire. The Chera dynasty, ruling over this coastal territory, established extensive trading links, connecting India with distant lands.
Today, the linguistic commonality between Hindi and Somali words, often due to the Arab Traders who acted as middlemen, and the continued spice production in Kerala and Karnataka attest to the enduring legacy of the Malabar Coast’s historical significance. The coastal cities of Kochi, Kozhikode, and Kannur bear remnants of their maritime past, preserving the vibrant cultural heritage fostered by the coastal trade networks.
The Coromandel Coast
This surely is the coast that I am more familiar with. The name “Coromandel” comes from the butchering of the word “Cholamandalam” in tamil, which means the region of the tamils. While Malabar was known for its trade with the Arabs, the Coromandel coast targeted what lay east to the subcontinent.
While the trade routes had been established much before what we now know as the common era, it was the early parts of the last millennium where the influences were much more obvious. The architectural remains from this time make it clear the constant communication between the modern-day Indonesia and the eastern coast. There are records about the relationship between the Cholas and the Srivijaya Empire. The commonality in the customs and even to some extent in the languages between these two regions further emphasize their relationship in the past.
Europeans and the Coast
The control over coasts and ports played a pivotal role in determining the frontrunners among the European companies engaged in maritime trade. The British East India Company, recognizing the significance of the Coromandel Coast, established their very first factory in this region. Meanwhile, the French found a crucial base of operations in Pondicherry before Madras, later known as Chennai, emerged as a dominant presence along this coast.
Turning our attention to the western side, the Portuguese were quick to establish their initial factory in Calicut, now known as Kozhikode. The bustling port of Surat, slightly further north, also facilitated maritime trade. Moreover, the Portuguese had already gained control over Goa and were in the process of shaping the great city of Mumbai.
However, amidst the dominance of these major powers, I wish to shed light on the first fort of a lesser-known player in the game – the Danish. Fond memories take me back to my childhood, where I visited Fort Dansborg in the town of Tharangambadi. It stood proudly along the sandy beaches, casting a ghostly shadow over the landscape. As a young child, my eagerness lay in plunging my feet into the ocean waves, but the fort intrigued me with its enigmatic presence. It was the second largest fort built by the Danish, and delving into the history behind its construction became my first plunge into the depths of the past.
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