Piloting trade, 2000 years ago

AHMEDABAD: If you thought marketing Gujarat as an investment destination was a recent phenomenon, just flip through history books. The practice of attracting business to Gujarat exists since third century BC. Historians say Gujaratis have always been global maritime marketmen. The most significant first century book by Greek author, ‘The Periplus of the Erythraean Sea: Travel and Trade in the Indian Ocean by a Merchant of the First Century' described the unique practice of a Bharuch king to draw business from the high seas.
As the path through the Gulf of Cambay towards Bharuch was trecherous for sailors, the king’s boatmen used to solicit ships in the Arabian Sea and escort them safely to Bharuch for trade. The guards also provided them protection against pirates. “This gulf is very narrow to Barygaza (Bharuch) and very hard to navigate for those coming from the ocean,” he writes, adding, “Because of this, native fishermen in the king’s service, stationed at the very entrance in well-manned large boats, go up the coast as far as Syrastrene (present day Saurashtra), from which they pilot vessels to Barygaza (Bharuch).” He further writes: “And they steer them straight from the mouth of the bay between the shoals with their crews; and they tow them to fixed stations, going up with the beginning of the flood, and lying through the ebb at anchorages and in basins.” The theory is endorsed by eminent historian Satish Chandra in his book ‘The Indian Ocean: Explorations in History, Commerce and Politics’. “Attempts were being made from about the fifth century to ensure the security of the sea. Protection and similar services provided by kings to foreign traders sometimes had a double edge as was probably the case at Barygaza at the time the Periplus was written,” he writes.