“Culture, Commerce and Empire: Exploring the Coromandel Coast”, the National Seminar held on 8th and 9th February 2017 at Puducherry (2).

“Culture, Commerce and Empire: Exploring the Coromandel Coast”, the National Seminar held on  8^th and 9^th February 2017 at Puducherry (1).

Technical session conducted on 08-02-2017 (Wednesday): After lunch, the technical session was started with the paper presentation.  The “Abstract volume” and the program list were provided. As per them, there were 28 papers, but, 9 had not turned up. At the end, there were 21 papers were presented and thus, it is evident that two were accommodated, but listed earlier.

Section	Theme	Chaired by[1] (as per the program)	Actually chaired by
I	Culture and commerce in Colonial India	B. B. Mohanty	Venkata Ragotham
II	Renaissance and the Making of Modern India	K. Srinivas	Do
III	Pre-Colonial, Colonial  and Post colonial India	D. Subramanyam Reddy	G. J. Sudhakar
IV	Science, Technology and Empire Building	Deepak Kumar	Deepak Kumar
V	Colonialism and its Multifarious Impact	Shri Krishan	Shri Krishan
VI	Emergence of New cultural practices, public spaces and architecture	G. J. Sudhakar	Venugopala Reddy

Audience view on 08-02-2017

The first paper “The Indigenous merchants and the English East India Company on the Coromandel Coast in the Seventeenth century” was presented by S. Babu[2]. Under Session – I chaired by G. J. Sudhakar.  He argued that the commodification of convicts’ labour through enforced work on various public works and the indoor labour within the prisons went beyond the colonial concerns of punishment, reform and disciplining of the delinquents to constitute a captive body of enforced labourers available at beck and call of the colonial state.

Then, G. J. Sudhakar[3] presented, “Socio-political views of Vivekananda and an overview of the work of the Ramakrishna Mission”.  He explained how Swami Vivekananda with his Vedantic universalism treated all equal and tried to achieve such goal thriugh the establishment of Si Ramakrishna Mission rendering services to all.

Next paper, “Fishing and fisher folks on the Coromandel Coast (fromcolonial period to present): A social history” was presented by Shri Krishan[4].

Vineeth Thomas[5] presented a paper on the position of Dalits in the pre-colonial period.  He was rather confused about the semantics of SC, “dalit” and other expressions.

Raman P. Sinha[6] presented his paper on “The Making of a culture in Pre-colonial India: A case study of Dakkani”.  He pointed out as to how Dakkani (Proroto-khari- boli Hindi-Urudu) literary corpus was created in large numbers during the 14^th to 18^th centuries in the Deccan India.

Sudharshan Kumar[7] presented a paper on “Maritime networks of Kollam in the Pre-Colonial period”, pointed out the role of  maritime relations of Kollam in the pre-colonial period based on inscriptions.

The last paper “From Cholas ocean to Lake to “Bay of Bengal”: The Chnge in the Colonial Cartography, Historiograhy and Maritime Ethics” was presented by K. V. Ramakrishna Rao[8], where he explained with maps as to how the name of “Bay of Bengal” came from earlier expressions of golfo di bangala, sinus ganteticus, Ganga-darya, Mahadadhi, Cholas’ lake, Cholas’ ocean. Thus, the concept of “Coromandel” was changed to attain the present cnntation. There were querries, clarification and lively discussion about the papers presented.

The “Historia” – T-shirt and the Students: “Historia”, the Greek word was borrowed into Classical Latin as historia, meaning ‘investigation, inquiry, research, account, description, written account of past events, writing of history, historical narrative, recorded knowledge of past events, story, narrative’. The colur red has been chosen for the shirt. Red is the color of fire and blood, so it is associated with energy, war, danger, strength, power, determination as well as passion, desire, and love. Red is a very emotionally intense color. It enhances human metabolism, increases respiration rate, and raises blood pressure. In fact, I was asking many students as to how it came, how the T-shirt was designed and so on. A Google search showed some designs. The students of the History department have designed, ordered and worn the T-shirts during the seminar. Incidentally, I too wore a red shirt on the first day.  Yes, the students have been young, energetic, with strength, power, determination as well as passion, desire, and love for history and they were seen everywhere like birds and flowers rendering their services.

Technical session conducted on 09-02-2017 (Thursday): The second day proceedings started with the paper presentation as follows:

G. Chandrika	Edward Green Balfur: Surgeon, scholar and environmentalist[9].
T. Sandeep	Conception, obsevation and reflection: the cartographic representation of south India under the European colonialism[10].
Kale Sanjay	Introduction of Technical Education in Shipbuilding Industries: An Inevitable outcome of Industrial revolution[11].
Krisha Kumar Panjaje	Naval warfare in the colonial coast in the eithteenth century.
Manoj Kumar Sahu	Early colonial intervention in health services in Odisha[12].
Sovon Sanyal	Nature of colonialism and anti-colonialalism in India: Studies on the Revolts of 1878 and 1857[13].

However,  Sanyal’s paper topic was changed to “Reading an Indo-Portuguese novel in the light of the Revolts of 1878 and 1857”.

Bitin Thakur	Colonialisation and its effect on Indegenous culture – Reconsidering the statement of Doodnath Tewarry[14].
A. Arul Jothi

After lunch, the following papers were presented:

N. Chandra	The cultural impact of the French Empire in Puducherry: A postcolonial Reading[15].
Nivedita Ejilane	The influx of French culture, Architecture, Cuisine and Recreation in Pondicherry[16].
G. Balajee	The New Architecture of colonial Madras[17].

G. Balajee’s papar was the last one and the technical session was wound up, getting ready for the valedictory function.

Valedictory Function (4.00 on 6.00 pm): The valedictory function was held in the same auditorium. Dr / Prof / HOD Chandramouli, Rila Mukherjee, Venugopal Reddy, Subramanyam Reddy and Venkata Ragotham were on the dais. The special address was about “Armagaon and Pulicat: The first fortified ports and factories of the Dutch and the English on the Coromandel Coast od India” was delivered by Subramanyam Reddy. He gave many details as to how Alfondo de Souza came with soldiers and tried to loot Tirumala but went away; as the Dutch was dominating at the Pulicat, the British moved from Armagoan to Machlipatnam; how Mallayaa Chetti was dominating; how varities of textiles were manufactured for export; and finally pointed out that both ports were now disappeared and become neglected villages / spots.

Audience during the valedictory – from LHS

“Envisioning the Maritime silk Roads” – Rila Mukherjee: The valedictory address, “Envisioning the Maritime silk Roads” was delivered by Rila Mukherjee. She emphasized that research should be oriented towards “interpretation with critical thinking useful to the present reality with active engagement with the present”. She went on explaining as to how Silver had connected the world. It created the Eurasian silver century long before the First Global Age between 1400 and 1800.

Even earlier, when Arab and Persian traders traded across the Indian Ocean from the seventh-eighth centuries, silver coins had been the trade currency of the Indian Ocean, while usage of copper cash was the norm in Southeast Asia. China, lacking adequate sup-plies of both, repeatedly tried to break into the Indian Ocean trade by way of its paper currency, but was not successful;

silver remaining the currency of long distance Indian Ocean trade until the nineteenth century. A ‘lesser’ currency—the kauri shell or cypria moneta—bridged the gap between silver and local currencies all along the Indian Ocean littoral. One of the more intriguing aspects of the monetary history of early medieval Bengal is the almost total disappearance of silver coming in from Bagan (a medieval kingdom in present Myanmar) from the 9th century by the traditional land routes into Bengal. China chronically required metals during the 7^th to 10^th centuries and getting from India.

How India was important in the maritime trader – Venkata Ragotham: The presidential address was delivered by Venkata Ragotham and he gave many important points to ponder over. He pointed out that till 19^th century, India was exporting goods, but now exports people. He gave specific examples to prove as how India was dominating in the export of steel, sugar, salpetre etc. With the story of Walters Scott, he brought out the uniqueness of Indian steel, “Wootz”.

He asked why should India now import steel fro m China and Korea.  With the establishment of sugar mills at Jamaica, the importance of Indian sugar was reduced by the British.  The slave trade was controlled by the Arabs. In India, actually, the rulers prevented export of men as slaves. He pointed out that the Raja of Thanjavur intervened the export of slaves through Karaikal. He showed how the “House of Commons” became rich citing the scandal of Warren Hastings. The sugar profits were used to buy tea and coffee that enriched China. Thus, Opium exported from India to balance the trade of tea. Therefore, the research should be oriented to facts, instead wasting time of hypothetical “nation-state” debates, he emphasized. The function was ended with vote of thanks and National Anthem.

K. V. Ramakrishna Rao

11-02-2017

[1] All are Dr / Prof  / HOD and therefore for brevity, they are not repeated here in the list.

[2] Abstract Volume, p.2.

[3] Abstract Volume, p.11.

[4] Abstract Volume, pp.17-18.

[5] His paper was nether listed nor included in the abstract volume.

[6] Abstract Volume, p.15.

[7] Abstract Volume, p.16-17.

[8] Abstract Volume, p.17.

[9] Abstract Volume, p.21.

[10] Abstract Volume, p.24.

[11] Abstract Volume, p.23.

[12] Abstract Volume, p.25.

[13] Abstract Volume, p.31.

[14] Abstract Volume, p.33.

[15] Abstract Volume, p.35.

[16] Abstract Volume, p.37.

[17] Abstract Volume, p.38.

“Culture, Commerce and Empire: Exploring the Coromandel Coast”, the National Seminar held on 8th and 9th February 2017 at Puducherry (1)

“Culture, Commerce and Empire: Exploring the Coromandel Coast”, the National Seminar held on  8^th and 9^th February 2017 at Puducherry (1).

The National Seminar On “Culture, Commerce and Empire: Exploring the Coromandel Coast” was held on 8^th and 9^th February 2017 at the Convention-cum-Cultural Centre, Pondicherry University under the UGC – SAP [DRS-II] program. The SAP and DRS may apear differently for engineering and IT students, but, here, they have different connotations. SAP = Special Assistance Programme and not SAP SE[1] or SAP [Systeme, Anwendungen, Produkte] as known. DRS = Departmental Research Assistance and not anything else. The delegates were accommodated at the Convention Centre and the “International Guest House”, Pondicherry[2].

The International Guest House was started in 1972 by the Aurobindu Ashram[3] situated near to Manakkula Vinayagar temple. The registration was done at the Convention Centre on February 8^th 2017 and the proceedings were conducted at the Convention cum cultural centre.

On 7th evening, Kanaka Ratnam and Paldurai came to take us [Shri Krshna, Sovon Sanyal, Bijender Singh, Raman Sinha and myself] for dinner.

I could meet Prof Venkata Ragotham after several years!

The Theme of the Seminar: The theme of the seminar was given a follows by the organizers[4]:The onset of modern age intersected with the emergence of colonial empires in the non- European world. Therefore, the expansion of modern culture contributing to the explosion of commerce which in turn culminated in the rise of empires in the non-European world are closely interconnected. The commercial and trading activities of the European powers close to the first half of the eighteenth century had not brought about a significant impact on social and cultural realms of the non-European societies. The cultural transaction between the European and non-European worlds was non-intrusive and not very contagious. However, with the coming of the Industrial Revolution and the rise of Capitalism, the European countries witnessed unparalleled growth in their economies and in the realms of culture. Following this, there was an intense drive for acquisition of colonies. The non- European world, powerless to prevent the onset of this rapacious process, began to experience a decisive and irreversible transformation. The advancement of the European nations and disintegration of the non-European countries was thus simultaneous and parallel process. Cultural transformation was concomitant with the intensified expansion of commerce. The emergence of new libertarian culture accelerated the endeavours to explore new frontiers of the world and seek new avenues for expansion of trade and commerce. The culture changes assisted commercial expansion and the commercial contingencies contributed to the construction of empires in the non-European world. Indian Ocean trading network massively expanded after 1500 A.D. The network of long-distance commerce and creation of network of communications climaxed ultimately in founding empires in India and elsewhere. The exchange of commerce eventually led to the control of the territories and colonization. Commerce was thus connected to the colonization and vice versa.

How the initial commercial and cultural transaction had taken place in the early stages in India was alluded by a foreign traveller, who extols the ingenuity of Indians. Pyrard de Laval (1619), exudes: “I have never seen men of wit so fine and polished as are these Indians: they have nothing barbarous or savage about them as we are apt to suppose. They are unwilling indeed to adopt the manners and customs of the Portuguese; yet they readily learn their manufactures and workmanship, being all very curious and desirous of learning. In fact the Portuguese take and learn more from them than they from the Portuguese; and they that come fresh to Goa are very simpletons till they have acquired the airs and graces of the Indies. The European trading companies seeking to establish their trading contacts with the Eastern world initially traversed along the coastal regions establishing their trading posts and in the process nurturing their territorial ambitions on account of the politically volatile environments in India. European commerce and its expansion with the East were essentially hinged on the policy of conquest and control. It was the lucrative trade and commerce and the unlimited opportunities for exploitation of the natural resources of the non-European world, which finally set off the colonization process”. W.H. Carey (1882) writes thus: “At the commencement of the Company’s commercial operations in India, the trade was not extensive; but small as the Company’s power to trade was, limited as their means were, the profits were nevertheless large. It was not uncommon to make 100 per cent, of profit on their capital and in some cases it even exceeded that percentage. It is axiomatic that it was the prospect of unlimited profits that lured the British trading company to India. Despite of initial hiccups, the Britishers were firm on pursuing their trade and commerce with India”.

The lust for fortune more than their appetite for territories tied the British firmly to Indian trade till the mid-eighteenth century. The commercial and trading company was finally transformed into a Colonial Power. Ports turned into Fortresses. Merchants found themselves reincarnated as Messiahs of India, a development, which had been described by Adam Smith as a “strange absurdity”: that is, a Company-State and a merchant-empire, and which was further ‘pilloried’ by Edmund Burke as “a state in the disguise of a merchant”. (Philip J, Stern, 2011). The seminal theme for the seminar is the great expansion in interaction between the world’s distinct terrains, cultures and peoples and the change that was caused by contact with the foreigners and their armies, commodities and ideas. Aspects particularly the trajectory of trade and commerce, the emergence of new markets, the transformations in the production process in the areas of agriculture and industry, the demise of old cities and emergence of new ones, the process of de-industrialization and its attendant social and economic outcomes, the growth of the capitalist enterprises, the emergence of new social classes, viz., capitalist class, working class would also be covered.

The Objectives of the Seminar:  It would focus on the trajectory of Coromandel Coast from early modern era to the end of the colonial rule in India. It primarily seeks to focus on the interconnections between culture, commerce and empire building process in the Coromandel Coast.

• The phenomenon of Colonialism unleashed the consequences, which were disastrous for the colonized people. The foundation of British colonial rule in India was a protracted and painful process. In the process of its establishment, it devised varied instruments and endeavoured to alter or disorganize the Indian economy, distort the society and disorient the patterns of development. Precisely, the National Seminar seeks to interrogate this excruciating process, explore the narrative of colonial trauma, and the strategies employed by the colonial powers in building their empires.
• The Seminar aims at providing comprehensive understanding of the transformations in the economy and society of colonial south India. It covers the introduction of diverse policies under the British rule. It also discusses the transformation that was effected in the urban space of British India. It focuses on the endeavours to reconstruct India and also on the emergence of modern industry and the rise of new social classes in colonial India.
• The Seminar also attempts to bring focus on the spread of Western science, the condition and contribution of science in the colonial process and the nature of scientific progress in a colony with special reference to India. It seeks to critically survey the role played by the East India Company in the diffusion of science and technology in India, and also the introduction and the degree of support extended to Western medicine in India with particular emphasis on the Coromandel region.
• The seminar chiefly focuses on the interrogation of the cultural and commercial transactions between the Western colonial powers and India, the foundation and the role of Colonialism in India’s social, political and economic evolution. It aims to reassess the adequacy of the interpretive strategies or the historiography hitherto followed in the study of nature of the Colonial State.
• It also endeavours to articulate on the necessity to look for new sources i.e., non archival sources to construct or reconstruct the history of Colonial State and its accountability in the transformation of social, political and economic aspects of colonial India especially the Coromandel region. It also seeks to address the emergence of new perspectives on history and historiography of Colonial State.

The Broad Sub-themes of the Seminar: Besides the above, the broad sub-themes were suggested as follows:

• State and Society in pre-colonial India
• Trade and Commerce (17th -20th Century).
• Empire building: Wars and Technology: Ship Building Technology (17th -20th Century)
• Early Cultural Transaction and Travelers’ Accounts.
• Debate on Indian Economic Transformation in 19th Century
• Rise and growth of New Market Networks
• Advent of New Technologies: Printing Technology
• Indian Renaissance and Making of Modern India
• Influx of New Cultural Practices: Western Food Culture and New Recreational Avenues
• Emergence of New Public Spaces: Museum, Zoo, Botanical Gardens, Herbarium
• Rise of New Architecture: Insignia of Colonial Rule
• Science, Technology and Empire: Growth of Scientific and Technological Research Centres and Laboratories
• Colonial rule and its multifarious impact on Coromandel Coast

The convener of the seminar was Dr. K. Venugopal Reddy, Associate Professor and Head, Department of History[5].

Inaugural, keynote, felicitation and presidential addresses: As usual, though the inauguration was to start by 10.30, it was delayed slightly. Again, as usual, the “Kuttuvilakku” (lighting the traditional lamp) was lighted by the VIPs with shoes, as a sign of inauguration. Prof G. Chandrika recalled as to how the department of History was started in 1986 with K. S. Mathew as HOD and then had association with S. Gopal, Chempakalakshmi, M. G. S. Naraynan and others. Of course, it has grown with Dr Venkata Raghotham with the tradition of “dissent and debate”. In 1992, there were only three students in history department, but, now, there are more than 150 students.  Thus, the history department here has been active. Then, K. Venugopal Reddy explained the theme of the seminar. He pointed out that it was a collective effort to organize the seminar with the participation of all. Even the topic of the seminar was discussed and decided with much thought process gone into. He appreciated Deepak Kumar for his contribution to “History of Science and Technology”.

Deepak Kumar in his inaugural address stressed about the “dispersion of knowledge” is more important than the “generation of knowledge” in the context of “knowledge-society”. The volume of exports carried on from India to other countries has not been quantified, as such statistical figures are important for research. “Canonized knowledge” (Sastra sambanda gyan) is useless, as it leads to static society.

During inauguration, a section of audience with students

 During inauguration, a section of audience with students, another view

Ratan Lal Hangloo in his keynote address elaborated the historical background starting with Persians, Alexanander to 13^th century.  Some of his observations are intriguing – greek langage was studied in the Indus valley[6], Ramayana was copied from Odessy[7], Chinese sponsored pagoda at Nagapatnam which bore the inscription dated 1267 a Tamil temple was built in Quanzhou[8], a recently discovered papyrus[9] contract recording the terms of shipment of goods between Muziris in India and Roman port etc., had been intriguing as they were involved with the complexities of controversies and extra-historical enthusiastic activities[10].

Venkata Ragotham pointed out that India and China were controlling the 2/3rds of world economy, but such details were not discussed. History seen beyond the confinements of “nation-state” is better concept for understanding India. Both oppressive nationalism and post-colonialism marred the historiography of India and that is why we know more about historians than history, as historians have become the prisoners of the state. With K. N. Chaudhury, the Indian Ocean studies developed. In “construction and deconstruction” processes, opaque language as some (e.g., Gyan Prakash) use should be avoided. The “academic deception” could be noted more in the post-colonial historiography. He concluded with the note that history is not survey, collection of data etc., but is is what actually happened in the past.

Anisa Basheer Khan, VC of Pondicherry University briefly touched upon the seminar theme.  She suggested that the topic of the seminar “Culture, Commerce and Civilizations” could be better. She also pointed out that Puducherry is a mini “India”!

K. V. Ramakrishna Rao

11-02-2017

The students serving the participant delegates and others.

After lunch, the scholars had discussion

[1] SAP SE, a global software company, is one of the largest vendors of ERP and other enterprise applications. The company is headquartered in Walldorf, Germany. SAP was started in 1972 by five former IBM employees in Mannheim, Germany. The original name for SAP, Systeme, Anwendungen, Produkte, is German for “Systems, Applications and Products.”

[2] “International Guest House”, 47, Subash Chanra Bose Road, Pondicherry – 605 001; 0413-23366999  / 2221812; ingh@aurosociety.org Amenities – Internet – None; Laundry facility – Available; vehicle parking space – None; In rooms – TV – None; Refrigerator – None; Water Heater (shower) – In select rooms only. Those who want hot water should inform and get one bucket with charge of Rs.5/-

[3] http://www.aurosociety.org/visiting/accommodation.aspx – International Guest House (INGH)

[4] http://www.pondiuni.edu.in/sites/default/files/national_seminar_history10112016_0.pdf

[5]  Dr. K. Venugopal Reddy, Seminar Convener, Department of History, Pondicherry University Puducherry-14 ; Mobile: 09994190670; Office:0413-2654382 / 2654771; e-mail: rk_venugopalreddy@yahoo.com, or kvgreddy.his@pondiuni.edu.in

[6] The dispute that the Indus script and its language was Aryan or Dravidian has not yet resolved in spite of thousands of attempts made by the various experts and pundits. Under such circumstances, the study of Greek language in the VC is intriguing.

[7] For more details – see at http://navalanthivu.blogspot.in/2006_02_01_archive.html

D. C. Boyd, Weber on the Ramayana, Indian Antiquary, 1872,Vol. I, p.120, 172, 239 and 1875, Vol.I.

Kashinath Trimbak Telang, Was the Ramayana Copied from Homer? A Reply to Professor Weber, (first printed in 1873), Publishers Parlor (India), New Delhi, 1976.

Krishnamachariar, History of Classical Sanskrit Literature, Motila Banarasidas, New Delhi, 1937, pp.14-22.

[8]  The Quanzhou inscription was a bilingual (Tamil-Chinese) informing that the Siva temple there was built by one Sambanda Perumal with the permission of Senis khan. However, that temple was demolished by the Chinese authorities in 20^th century.

[9] This is related to the controversial “Pattanam excavations” stopped by the ASI, where the archaeologists have differed widely about the claims made.

[10] See  his paper “Commerce, Culture and Empire: Interests Intertwined” circulated – p.7, 9, 11, etc.