Describe the trade activities of the big and small traders belonging to the medieval time.
There were many kinds of traders. These included the Banjaras and several traders especially horse traders.
The traders usually travelled in caravans and formed guilds to protect their interests. There were several such guilds in South India from the eighth century onwards—the most famous being the Manigramam and Nanadesi. These guilds traded extensively both within the peninsula and with Southeast Asia and China. There were also communities like the Chettiyars and the Marwari Oswal who went on to become the major trading groups of the country. Gujarati traders,including the communities of Hindu Baniyas and Muslim Bohras, traded extensively with the ports of the Red Sea, Persian Gulf, East Africa, South east Asia and China. 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 Southeast Asia and China.
The towns on the west coast were home to Arab, Persian, Chinese, Jewish and Syrian Christian traders. Indian spices and cloth sold in the Red sea ports were bought by Italian traders and eventually reached European markets, fetching high profits. This ultimately drew European traders to India.
Find out about the present-day taxes on markets. Who collects these taxes? How are they collected and are they used for?
Compare any one of the cities described in this chapter with a town or a village with which you are familiar. Do you notice any similarities or differences?
What purpose did small towns serve? [V. Imp.]
Or
Describe various Junctions of small towns.
Name a few Indian spices which became an important part of European cooking. Ans. Pepper, cinnamon, nutmeg, dried ginger, g. 9. What were craftspersons of Bidar famous for?
In what ways was craft production in cities like Calcutta different from that in cities Wee Thanjavur?
State whether true or false:
(a) We know the name of the architect of the Rajarajeshvara temple from an inscription.
(b) Merchants preferred to travel individually rather than in caravans.
(c) Kabul was a major centre for trade in elephants.
(d) Surat was an important trading port on the Bay of Bengal.
Fill in the blanks:
(a) The Rajarajeshvara temple was built in ………………..
(b) Ajmer is associated with the Sufi saint…………………
(c) Hampi was the capital of the ………….
(d) The Dutch established a settlement at…………….. in Andhra Pradesh.
Describe the trade activities of the big and small traders belonging to the medieval time.
How did the system of advances snatch the freedom of the weavers?
OR
How did the Indian Crafts persons lose their independence?