Indian Antiquary Vol 52

Author(s): Richard Carnac Temple, Stephen Meredyth Edwardes, Krishnaswami Aiyangar
Publisher: Swati Publications

Page 107

MAY, 1923)
SOME DISCURSIVE COMMENTS ON BARBOSA
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kingdom of Guzarate as he calls it. This is remarkable, as it was then usual to call it Cambaya or Cambay, through Arabic Kambâyat, from its principal seaport, but Barbosa knew that the kingdom of Cambaya belonged to the king of Guzerate, once again showing accuracy of information. He describes its people as Resbutos or Rajpats, thus commencing a series of corruptions of that much abused name : Baneanes (Baniâns, Baniâs) or traders, meaning thereby Jain traders from his description of them; and Bramenes or Brahmans. He thus got the main divisions of the Hindus fairly accurately, and the order in which he places them is interesting, as showing how they appeared to rank in the eyes of the earliest European visitors to the country. The lower classes he calls Pateles, from the title patel, assumed by certain low castes for their sub-divisions. Dames remarks that “it is probable that some men of these castes acted as messengers for the Brahmans in Barbosa's time." Barbosa's description of the Muhammadan and cosmopolitan side of the population of Cambay is equally discriminating.
Of inland cities there is a description of Champânêr (Barbosa's Champanel), then an important mint town of the Muhammadan kings of Gujarat, and of Ahmadábåd, under the name of Andava.
A large port called Pateney is then reached, which Dames conjectures to be Somnath. The name is somewhat of a puzzle. This is followed soon afterwards by a description of Dio (Diu) and its relations with the Portuguese, and of Barbasy, apparently the modern Bhaunagar. Then comes Guindarim in the land of dangerous tides, which is most interesting, as it represents Ghandhâr, the Kandahêr of many a North Indian legend, unless indeed by the Kandahår of the northern bards is really meant the old land of Gandhåra about Peshawar. After a short account of the "fair city of Cambaya" and its luxury, follow two notices, with important notes attached, of Limadura and Reynel. The first is the place where the carnelians of commerce came from, and Dames identifies it with Limodra on the banks of the Narbada near Ratanpur in the Rajpipla State. The second is the town known to the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries as Reynel, Ravel, Reiner, Reniel, Raneile, Ro Neal, and so on, on the Tâpti, near Surat. This, as I think correctly, Dames shows to be the old town of Randêr. It was the home of wealthy Indo-Arab half-breeds called Momins, Navêyat&s, Nayat&s, Naiteas, and Naites, whose luxurious ways Barbosa notices.
Surat is briefly noticed as Çurate, while the neighbouring province of Sorath is called Curiate, and then follow short accounts of Dinuy (Daman) and Baxay (Vasai, Bagaim. Bassein), and Tana-Majambu, an odd name for Thêna, as to which Dames has an interesting conjecture. By the way, many years ago I wrote an article in this Journal, vol. XXII, pp. 18-21, showing that there are now three postal towns in India and Burma, all called Bassein by us, none of which is so known to the natives of the neighbourhood. Bassein in Bombay is Vasdi: Bassein in Berar is Basim or W&sim ; Bassein in Burma is known to the Burmans as Pathông and to the Talaings of the neighbourhood as Pasôm or Pasim. I was moved thereto by my letters, when at Bassein in Burma in 1875, being constantly and unnecessarily sent elsewhere.
Barbosa's next description is of the “Daquem Kingdom," the Deccan, where the Bah. manis of Kulbarga and Bidar still ruled in name and the 'Adilshåbt Dynasty of Bijapur was the virtual power on the coast. After noticing several ports along the coast, he comes to " the River of Betele and the towns thereon," which last Dames identifies with Vijaydrug. “one of the best harbours on the west coast of India," on the Vaghotan River, in the Ratnagiri District. Here is given an socurate description of "betel” (pdn-supdri) both as