Question

Surat was an important trading port on the Bay of Bengal.
A True
B False

Answer 1

Hint: A port is a place or an area where there is a transfer of people, culture, goods and commodities between maritime space and land. Surat is located in Gujarat on the west coast of India.

Complete answer: Surat is a very efficient trading port of India but it is not located in the Bay of Bengal. The Bay of Bengal is situated on the east coast whereas Surat is located on the west coast of India. Surat is an ancient city and port by all evidence and has been through centuries a centre of maritime trade. The city was very popular and was full of merchants. The city had a very considerable number of foreign settlers, Surat was a great port and a commercial centre. The 17th century was an era of prosperity for the city of Surat. The two great sources that contributed to the wealth and prosperity of the city were foreign commerce and domestic manufacturers. Surat was a commercial trading centre besides essential commodities such as indigo, spices and clothes and many important goods imported from Europe were sold in its markets.
Goods were brought to Surat from capital trading cities known for particular important goods. They were sold in quantities to Europeans, Turks, Arabians, Persians who travelled the farthest. Surat had internal trade relations with Masulipatnam and Bengal. Surat developed trading relations with every regional trading system. As a result of overseas trade, Surat became the most urbanized city of the Mughal territory.
Therefore, option B is the answer.

Note: During the later part of the 18th century, Surat flourished as a rich, wealthy and one of the most significant cities of India. It was also the home of merchant communities due to its prosperous economic condition and it became one of the most important trading ports in Western India during the 17th century.