Write a brief note on Indian Medieval Markets.
Answers
Answer:
The oldest and the most traversed sea route from the last two millennia is the Indian Ocean. It is known to have been the center of intense commercial activity. The Indian Ocean trade of textiles has been thoroughly studied by the historians to map the routine and trace the importance of textiles in trade or exchange.
The consumption of textiles in the medieval period was by both the elite and the working class. Textiles were not only being used for apparel purposes but also had an important role to play in the domain of exchange of gifts, rituals and identity formation.
India, in the medieval times was deemed to be the largest and most-competitive producer of textiles. Thus, India was at the centre of Indian Ocean trade in textiles for a long period of time. Internationally, India was prominently trading with South-west Asia and the Mediterranean via the Arabia Sea and with Southeast Asia via the Bay of Bengal. The well-known centers of trade during the medieval period were Surat, Bengal and Masulipattanam.
as
Indian Ocean trade routes in the medieval period. Surat, Masulipatnam and Bengal were major export centres. Image credits: Rashtriya Patrakarita Kalyan Nyas.
The textile trade placed Bengal, Surat and Masulipatnam at the centre of a complex network of exchanges. Indian textiles such as cotton, chintz, muslin and silk became prestigious items all around the Indian Ocean. The port of Surat connected India to the Persian Gulf and the Red Sea. Apart from Surat, India was trading from the Eastern coast as well, where the main ports were Masulipatnam which lay on the Coromandel coast and Hooghly in Bengal. The ports of Masulipatnam and Hoogly fostered trade relations with the Southeast Asian ports. The Malabar coast and its various ports such as Cochin, Calicut, Cannanore, and Onore traded with the Arabs and the Chinese.
medieval-1
Bed Cover, Chintz, made for the European market. Image source: Wikimedia Commons
In the early 16th century, the region of Gujarat was a leading centre for trade. The chief items of trade from this region were cotton and silk. Some of the other textiles traded from Gujarat were baftas (calicoes), patkas (sash), birampouris, Surat's and Sironj's chintz. The port of Surat was situated near river Tapti. It was a commercial center where goods were carried in the boats and moored at the steps. The ships were anchored at Suwali road and the goods were then carried to and fro by bullock carts. The port of Surat became a place for exchange of goods where merchandise were being passed through places like Central India, the Deccan, Kashmir, and Lahore.
Explanation:
please mark me as brainlist