The Original Gujarat

The history of Gujarat stretches much beyond and much before Modi, and it was not always based on Muslim-bashing and hard Hindutva

Khalid Akhter Delhi

Chief Minister Narendra Modi highlighted Gujarat's dazzling economic success in his election campaign and then quickly switched on to time-tested xenophobic hardline — defending Sohrabuddin's fake encounter as a metaphor for Muslims and communal polarisation. His loyalists in Ahmedabad and Delhi, including in the media, have eulogised him as the 'development role model'. "Gujarat has risen as a strategic economic power to India's advantage with strong fundamentals of international economic benchmarks," Modi said in a news conference. Modi is being given the credit for a 'booming Gujarat'.

True, Gujarat has a highly successful economy. According to a recent study by the Reserve Bank of India, Gujarat stood first in the country with investments of $17.8 billion in 2006-07 or 25.8 per cent of India's total investment of $69 billion during the year. Its per capita GDP is 2.4 times the Indian average. It is India's most industrialised state and accounts for 20 per cent of the country's industrial output, 25 per cent of textile production, 40 per cent of pharmaceutical production and 47 per cent of petrochemical production. The state accounts for 21 per cent of India's exports. Impressive figures indeed!

However, there is madness in glorifying Modi for every good thing happening in Gujarat. Modi is credited even for the good rains in the last few years (what about the man-made devastating floods?), for the sensex zooming up, booming agricultural income (what about farmer suicides?), real estate boom and middle class millionaires (what about the urban poor and the slums?). A BJP worker claims in a typical Gujarati manner, "Modi shuknaiyal che”. (Modi's rule is auspicious.)"

There is an uncanny element of truth in this glorification of one man's megalomania. The history of Gujarat stretches much beyond and much before Modi, and it was not always based on Muslim-bashing and hard Hindutva, nor were human carnages celebrated with such gusto as in the contemporary era. Hence, to give credit to a single individual for this longstanding economic growth would be discrediting the vibrant and resilient Gujarati community, which has had a long history of being successful traders both inland and overseas since antiquity.

Historically, Lothal and Dholavira were great architecturally planned and flourishing societies and important trade centres during the Harappan civilisation 5000 years ago. Lothal's dock - one of the world's oldest — connected the city to an ancient course of the Sabarmati river on the trade route between the Harappan cities in Sindh and the peninsula of Saurashtra. It was a vital and thriving trade centre in ancient times, with its products reaching the far corners of West Asia and Africa.

In ancient and medieval times, Gujarat had 52 active ports of which Bharuch, Khambhat and Surat were the busiest. From the 11th to the 17th century, Bharuch was at the height of its glory. In the 15th century, as many as 4,000 ships passed through Bharuch. Next to Bharuch, Khambhat was a prominent port during this period.

In the 17th century, Surat surpassed both Bharauch and Khambaat. Throughout the second half of the 17th century, it served as an emporium of trade, both inland and sea-borne, and was the chief port of the Mughal empire. Commenting on its economic importance and strategic geographic situation, Dutch historian H Terpstra says, “No wonder, if one thought of the magnificent central position of Surat — westwards were the Persian Gulf and Red Sea for navigation; north eastwards, one could quickly reach by land the fertile Ganges plain, which stretched eastwards to the rich land of Bengal.”