Sailing Around Erythraean Sea: Fifty Five

In the last Section we had a picture of Nora, Tyndis, Muzris and Nelcynda: the ports of Malabar coast. But we did not have a glimpse of the export or import activities in these ports. Moving forward let us hope that the anonymous sailor would give some account of imports and exports into and out of Malabar ports. Now the new Section begins:

There is another place at the mouth  of this river, the village of Bacare; to which ships drop down on the outward voyage from Nelcynda, and anchor in the roadstead to take on their cargoes; because the river is full of shoals and the channels are not clear. The king of both these market-towns live in the interior. And as a sign to those approaching these places from the sea there are serpents coming forth to meet you, black in colour, but shorter, like snakes in the head, and with blood red eyes.

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Bacare: Purakkad Is around sixteen kilometres south of Alappuzha (Nelcynda). Take a look at Modern day Purakkad. South of it, upto and including Thottappilly, there must have been a bay which is now closed by sandbanks. Following are the human habitates on the sandbank: Primary Health Centre, Erupathettil, Punthala Sri Bhagavati Temple etc. The waterbody east of these markers is Illichara. East of this is Kollam Karumadi Ferry. River Pumba is draining into this Ferry. If the sandbar were not there, Purakkad to Thottappilly would have been a bay. It is clear from the text of Periplus Maris Erythraea, that the river was full of shoals; and the bay was used as a roadstead where ships could anchor safely. It is not clear how far the anchorage was put to use.

The End of the Section 

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