Trade in ancient and medieval Bengal

Banijye Basati Laxmi (business brings fortune) is an adage coined in the unknown ancient times. Many other adages on a myriad variety of subjects are heard in rural Bengal as proverbial sayings of a lady "Khana". These came to be known as "Khana's Bochan".  Our older generations relied upon these proverbial sayings in most spheres of their activities throughout the year, and regarded those as something  true and prognostic.
In the olden days, Bhasyas were engaged in business. The Kshatriyas played their role as warriors. The Brahmins were engaged in religion and the statecraft. The Sudras were engaged in menial jobs for the other three higher castes. It was likely that the Brahmins were involved in the overseas trade too, for, it was lucrative and important in maintaining administrative supremacy.
Bengal was a flourishing land in ancient times. Merchants of this region used to go east-ward with export merchandise. The venture brought, apart from trade, the flourishing of a profound cultural influence on its neighbours such as -- then-Burma, Bali Island, Cambodia, Java, Malaya, Siam, Sumatra and Sri Lanka. And this influence came almost entirely from trading and peaceful penetration of missionaries, merchants and others, and not by force.
In ancient times, the terms of trade were determined by exchange of commodities, as no foreign exchange transaction was in vogue in those days.
During the period of the Gupta dynasty, Chandra Gupta, who ruled from 321 to 297 BC, had introduced a broad framework of trade and established the Board of Admiralty, with a Superintendent of ships at its head. Arthashastra by his renowned finance minister Kautilya testifies to this fact. From their voyages of conquest and trade we can infer that they had an efficient establishment of trade and movements of ships.
Trade was synonymous with the conquest of territories. In the process, Hindu kingdoms were established in Malaya, Sumatra, Java, Cambodia, Siam. Besides, strait of Malacca was also under their control, extending the authority over far flung islands too. These were the territories that remained as a captive market. Far beyond, trade was also expanded up to China. China had good trade relationship with Bengal through a route called "Silk Line".
In the arena of inland trade, Bengal had flourishing business links with other regions in the sub-continent both overland and by river as well as in the coastal sea lane. Bengal at that time was a hub of all kinds of business and manufacturing activities and maintained its distinct identity from other regions namely Gujrat (Surat), Malabar/Kerala (Calicut), etc. People of land-locked regions like Bhutan and Nepal would come to Bengal with head-load of commodities and return after months, with head-load of commodities that they received in exchange. Similarly, Pathans from Northwest Frontier and Afghanistan popularly known as "Kabulis" would come to Bengal with head-load of mostly dried fruits and other commodities and lived in Bengal for months and years. They were also involved in money lending and had earned a bad reputation for the occasional cruelty they perpetrated on the defaulters.
With the passage of time, many of the territories and kingdoms were lost. But trade did not get lost altogether and continued to survive in the following centuries until the medieval age and thereafter until to date.
Due to disintegration of the Gupta, Murayan, Pal and Sen dynasties, political upheavals ensued in Bengal. As a consequence, overseas trade suffered a good deal. The Kingdoms established earlier in the overseas territories were also lost owing to loose links and lack of administrative control from the home government. Meanwhile, in the 7th  and 8th centuries, merchants from the Arab Peninsula crossed the seas and started trade with Bengal.
Along with the traders, Muslim missionaries came to the shore of Bengal and was able to establish there influence over the people. The Arabs were brave as seafarers, and would anchor their boats at Chatigaon (Chittagong). Gradually, the trade links enlarged and it is said traders from Morocco and European countries also took part in the venture. They came to the Red sea overland and then joined the Arab traders on the sea voyage eastward via Colombo to Chatigaon.
During the 7th/8th century and afterwards, Muslims established their sway in Bengal. Meanwhile, Afghans also established their foothold in Bengal, first in business and then by establishing their domains, alongside the Baro Bhuyans. During their rule over Bengal, trade remained unaffected. The Arab traders were regular callers at Chatigaon. In the process, a small business community, locally known as Sowdagars, emerged as important intermediaries. They received commodities of the Arab traders and sold goods and commodities to local traders in the different parts of Bengal. They also acted as importers of commodities, while the internal trade, inter-state trade and trade in the coastal sea-lane remained unaffected. Caravans containing goods and commodities from other regions of India would visit Bengal without facing encumbrances or hindrances. People of other communities too were quite active in business and by far, they were wealthy in comparison with the newly-emerged Muslims traders, mostly based in Chatigaon. In the rural Bengal and at the important river ports scattered thorough out the reverine Bengal, trade by and large was in the hands of the Hindus and the people hailing from Marwar (Known as Marwaries) and Gujrat (known as Memons). It is notable that these communities were engaged in business without let or hindrances
During the times of Baro Bhuiyans and Afghan chieftains, trade at home and abroad had a good time. Then the Turkish noblemen came and established the Sultanate in Bengal and ruled for 200 years up to 1537 and then they were dethroned by the Mughals, diminishing the influence of the Baro Bhuiyans. But the Bhuiyans were not totally wiped out from rural Bengal.
 None of the political onslaughts in Bengal affected trade much. On the contrary, the Mughals chased out the pirates and bandits, particularly the Marathas on land borders and Portuguese in the off-shore islands to facilitate movement of traded goods.
Heydays of trade in Bengal continued until the British East India Company subjugated Bengal after the Battle of Plassey in 1757.

The writer is a former Commercial Secretary, Bangladesh High Commission, London.
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