Question

Note on the trading communities ancient in India?

Answer 1

Answer:

During ancient times Hindus were the masters of the seaborne trade of Europe, Asia and Africa. Till about the beginning of the 18th century almost every nation on earth obtained to a large extent its supplies of fine cotton and silk fabric, spices, indigo, sugar, drugs, precious stones and many curious works of art from India in exchange of gold and silver. This traditional prosperity of India began to vanish only at the dawn of the Industrial Revolution in the west.

In industrial production ancient India was far ahead in comparison with other countries of those times. According to Prof. Weber the skill of the Indians in the production of delicate woven fabrics, in the mixing of colours, the working of metals and precious stones, the preparation of essences and in all manner of technical art, has from early times enjoyed a world-wide celebrity. For instance surgical instruments of great delicacy and accuracy were manufactured in India and it was from Indians that the art of tempering steel was learnt by other people. Factors favouring India to emerge as the number one country in trade

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Answer 2

Answer:

1)  There were many kinds of traders. These included the Banjaras.  Several traders especially horse traders, formed associations, with headmen who negotiated on their behalf with warriors who bought horses

 

2)   Since traders had to pass through many kingdoms and forests, they usually travelled in caravans and formed guilds to protect their interests. There were several such guilds in South India from 8th century onwards – the most famous being Manigramam and Nanadesi.  

 

3)  These guilds traded extensively both within the peninsula and with South west Asia and China.

 

4)  There were also communities like Chettiars and the Marwari Oswal who went on to become the principal trading groups of the country.

 

5)  Gujarati traders including the communities of Hindu Baniyas and Muslim Bohras traded extensively with the ports of Red Sea, Persian Gulf, East Africa, South East Asia and China

 

6)  They sold textiles and spices in these ports and, in exchange brought gold and ivory from Africa, and spices, tin, Chinese blue pottery and silver from South East Asia and China

 

7)  The towns on the west coast were home to Arab, Persian, Chinese, Jewish and Syrian Christian traders.  Indian spices and cloth sold in Red Sea ports were purchased by Italian traders and eventually reached European markets, fetching very high profits.  

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