A well-researched study of the distinctive entrepreneurial standards of the Kachchhis, ascertained by captivating details on each page, writes YAMINI AGARWAl
What is the first thought that strikes you when someone mentions the area of KachchhIJ Reminiscing about the school time geography books, one would recall something known as Gulf of Kachchh and Rann of Kachchh. Going back in time, one could also recollect the catastrophic earthquake that occurred in this area in 2001.
The knowledge for most is exhaustive at this point with a few exceptions. Obliviousness of this geographical area is to the degree that it is often misspelled as Kutch. Merchants of Kachchh as historical subjects have not been researched upon much despite their immense contribution. To fill this vacuum, Chhaya Goswami has come out with a book, Globalization before its time: The Gujarati Merchants from Kachchh, which underlines the period of capitalism in Kachchh from where the traces of new era globalisation could be sketched. This new addition to the collection of Indian Business History Series is a sequel-cum-new edition to her last one titled The Call of Sea: Kachchhi Traders in Muscat and Zanzibar. This book has the feel of aboriginal structure of trade in the 18th and early 19th Century.
The author, through this new book, tries to challenge a set of assumed beliefs about the economy of 18th and early 19th Century, one of them being the Dark Age under the Portuguese, Dutch and British colonisers (in the chronology of their presence) subsequent to the fall of imperial Mughal rulers. This story of Kachchhi merchants and their know-how corroborates that Indians were not always the underdogs under the colonial rule.
The book is broadly divided into four parts. The first part talks about the land of Kachchh, focussing on the evolving polity and its relation to trade. It brings out the importance of Mandvi Port, the prominence of the activity of shipbuilding, not much talked about indulgence of Kachchhis in horse trade, the genesis of marine insurance, the banking world, and lastly, the apprenticeship system followed in Kachchh.
The second part covers the alliance of Kachchhi entrepreneurs in Muscat, Oman. As the author puts it, “the story of this trade covers goods as diverse as precious pearls, sweet dates and sinister arms”. The role of Indian investors in the pearl trade and date plantations is given much attention. This part also throws light on the irony observed in the commands of the British Government that wanted to curtail the production of arms, and the British firms that wished to continue it for their profit.
The third part entails the Kachchhi presence in Zanzibar in the trade of ivory, cloves and copal (an aromatic resin that is unknown to majority). The last part talks about the Kachchhi mercantile firms that often played a significant role as financiers to the functioning of the State.
The social and economic structure of Kachchhi business system pertaining to money transfers, banking, foreign exchange trading, bankruptcy laws, insurance instruments, legal agreements, bill discounting etc act as heralds to the modern-day business structure. The narrative, at different points, gives the sense of association between the present connotations of globalisation and that of the historic period covered in the book.
A distinct side to the idea of trade is explored when the author writes about the Hindu merchants’ decision to not get involved in meat and fish trade as it was against their religious beliefs. Traces of patriarchal society could also be identified when the author portrays the then practiced tradition of not taking the women counterparts along with the Hindu merchants for overseas travel.
Personal accounts such as that of Jairam Shivji’s firm in Zanzibar as a custom house is a testament to the detailing in the book. The instances cited, such as the refusal by the Sultan of Zanzibar to give the contract to other firms, signpost a business environment that was ingrained in personal relationships and local practices. Such instances could remind the reader of present day crony capitalism. Short anecdotes of the lives of early traders like Sunderji, laddha Damji, and Khatau Makanji impressively build greater interest in the people of Kachchh.
The style of writing embeds a number of emblematic terms and words of that period at different places in the book which beautifies the text and gives an authentic charm to its read. The book unquestionably is a well-researched study of the distinctive entrepreneurial standards of Kachchhis, which is ascertained by the captivating details on each page. However, less attention has been paid to their analysis. The inclusion of copious details might swerve the reader’s involvement if one resumes reading the book after a little break. These details, on the other hand, would be appreciated for value by historians who seek the miniscule details and can keep track of it.
A tremendous effort put in by the author to publish a comprehensive picture of the subject that has not been touched upon by anyone in detail is laudable. The book is certainly worth a read for historians studying the Indian Ocean trade and markets of South Asia and East Africa. Furthermore, it is a good insight for anyone interested in the study of trade and economy.
The reviewer is an Assistant Professor in Miranda College, University of Delhi