Question

_____ was the gateway for trade with West Asia via the Strait of Ormuz.
A) Bombay
B) Panaji
C) Surat
D) Gandhinagar

Answer 1

Hint: The Andrews Library which was built in 1850 is located in this city. ‘The Great Fire of 1837’ in which more than 500 died was a disaster that took place in this city. Presently it is the second-largest city in Gujarat.

Complete answer:
To choose the correct answer from the given options, we must first know which of the places had access to the sea in order to exercise trade. Secondly, we also need to know which parts of the world they traded with.

Let us analyze the given options:
Option A) Bombay – The majority of the trade that occurred from Bombay during that period was to Mecca and Basra. These were placed which had to be reached via the Gulf of Aden and the Persian Gulf. They did not carry out trade via the Strait of Ormuz. Therefore, this option is incorrect.
Option B) Panaji – Panaji was the capital of Portuguese India. It remained under the Portuguese until 1961 when India annexed Goa and Panaji from the Portuguese. It was not a centre of trade, rather an administrative centre for the Portuguese. Thus, this option is incorrect.
Option C) Surat – Surat was the most prosperous port during the Mughal Empire. It was a very busy seaport that was frequented by many ships. These ships mainly came from Western Asia via the Strait of Ormuz. Therefore, it is known as the gateway for their trade. Thus, this is the correct option.
Option D) Gandhinagar – Gandhinagar is currently the capital city of Gujarat and is located on the banks of the river Sabarmati. It is in the Indian mainland and not in the coastal region. Thus, it does not have enough access to the sea to act as a prominent seaport. Thus, this option is also wrong.

Thus, the correct answer is Option (C) Surat.

Note: The Strait of Ormuz is named after the Kingdom of Ormus, which ruled from the 10th to the 17th century in the Persian area. It is the only passage that provides access to the Gulf of Persia. It is considered one of the most strategically important choke points.