33. Reconnecting with India’s historical heritage: A visit to Sadras Fort built by the Dutch in 1648: Part I: a) Commentary on the Dutch presence in India & b) The Dutch Cemetery:

Reconnecting with India’s historical heritage:  A visit to Sadras Fort built by the Dutch in 1648:
 Part I: a) Commentary on the Dutch presence in India & b) The Dutch Cemetery:

As with all Western powers expansionism – both in trade and territories has been the cornerstone of their colonial policies from the times of their early exploratory expeditions wherever they went all over the globe.

    India with its muslin, painted cloth, calico, spices, pearls, edible oils as well as diamond, gold & silver mines etc. was nicknamed as the “Golden Bird” (“Sone ki Chiriya”) a fertile ground to be tapped upon by the Western Powers.

    The Dutch, the Danes, the Portuguese, the French and the British all wanted to have a slice of the business-pie from India and fiercely fought one another to gain territorial and business supremacy in Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Pondicherry.

    Brief recounting of the advent of the Western Powers in Pulicat and Sadras: The Chief protagonists:

    Ever since Vasco da Gama charted the sea route to India, it was open season on all the “goodies” available to be had from India.  

    In 1502, the Portuguese established a trading post in Pulicat (or   “Pallaicatta”) with the approval of the Vijayanagar rulers.

   

    In 1503, the Portuguese built a Fort at Pulicat, to defend their business interests/trading posts, which they continued for over a century.

 

    On 20.03.1602, the “Verenigde Oost-indische Compagnie” (VOC) or the “United East India Company” was set up by the Dutch for seeking out profitable trading opportunities in India and the Far East. (The Company was finally wound up on 31.12.1799 after almost four centuries of profitable trade).

In 1605, the Dutch first got the trading rights in Masulipatnam and explored setting up a trading post in Pulicat the following year. 

In 1609, they established a factory and a trading outpost in Pulicat, which was inter alia, handling textiles and diamonds, with the consent of Queen Eraive, the wife of Venkata II, the Vijaynagar King. 

    Also, in 1609, the Dutch met with extreme hostility from the Portuguese who already had a Fort and trading base/outpost in Pulicat. The Fort fell under Dutch occupation, who defeated the Portuguese defenders comprehensively.       

In 1613, to further protect their business interests from the Portuguese and local Kings/nobles, the Dutch built a Fort in Pulicat called Fort Geldria (named after Gelderland in the Netherlands). Interestingly, “Verenigde Oost-indische Compagnie” (VOC) or the “United East India Company” was the first one to start shares market and issued 25 shares in Pulicat to the Dutch living there. 

        By 1614,  the Dutch,  had initially built a factory at Sadras (then known as “Sadraspatan”) for processing and exporting large quantities of muslin, pearls and edible oils among other goods and for shipping them back home for huge profits, as Indian goods, particularly, cloth & spices were always in great demand all over Europe. This factory was later supplemented through building the Sadras fort (1648) for protecting VOC’s business interests.

By 1616, Pulicat became the headquarters of the Dutch Government and the Chief of Pulicat was the Governor of the Coromandel Coast. Pulicat remained the capital of Dutch Cormandel till 1690. 

The settlements at Pulicat and Sadras were of great advantage to the Dutch as the best cotton goods could be procured here and from the surrounding districts. What was locally made was a material with checks and stripes which was quite a rage among the Upper Classes in Netherlands who wore the “Palaykat” (Pulicat) checks and “Palaykat lungis”. Over a period, these evolved into the Madras checks.

The Dutch who had built up the trust of the local population by marriage alliances were most liked by the locals and became the envy of other European powers.

    In 1612, a factory was built by the British East India Company, at Surat which was a fortified ware-house. The British East India Company found the initial years difficult, as the local authorities under the influence of the other European traders – mainly Dutch were hostile towards the English. The English were keen to start trading in “painted cloth” (as well as, Indian calico) and Indian spices, for which there was a ready market in Europe and profit margins were much higher. Painted cloth had designs drawn in colour by hand on varieties of cotton fabrics which never faded away. They knew that the best painted cloth was made in present day Andhra Pradesh and the Northern coast of present day Tamil Nadu.

    Guided by business considerations, the British East India Company began searching for footholds on the Eastern coast and built a fugitive lodgment at a location in modern day Nizamapatnam, which was abandoned in a decade’s time.

        In 1621, the British after several attempts at establishing trade in Pulicat, struck a deal with the Dutch at Pulicat but the Dutch did not trust the British, as such, the alliance was soon terminated.

    In 1626, the East India Company was allowed to fortify a small land in Armagon (present day Durgarayapatnam), north of Pulicat Lake. The Dutch who severely distrusted the British, objected to their presence and hindered them at every step.

   

    Accordingly, in 1640, the East India Company scouted for more strategic locations and was granted permission by the local ruler Venkatadri Nayak to set up a Trading Post in Madraspatnam (later Madras and present day Chennai) Day sailed south from Armagon. The British trading post at Armagon was closed and a factory was set up in Madraspatnam. In the same year, work started on building Fort St. George at Madraspatnam.

    By 1653, Fort St. George was completed by the British East India Company.

   

    Between 1621 and 1665, the Dutch had at their disposal about 130 slave ships which transported about 40000 Indians captured on the Coromandel coast to Dutch plantations in Batavia, the capital of the Dutch East Indies which is now in North Jakarta, Indonesia. Batavia is still a part of the Netherlands. (Interestingly, Batavia is also the name of a famous Dutch East India company ship, made famous by mutiny engineered by some of its passengers & men, which was ship-wrecked on its maiden voyage on the Houtman Abrolhos – a chain of 122 islands and coral reefs in the Indian Ocean off the west coast of Australia – in 1629).

   

    The British continued with their efforts to dislodge the Dutch from their well-entrenched Trading positions and, in 1806, Fort Geldria was destroyed and overrun by the British.

    Pulicat repeatedly changed hands, until it was taken over by the British in 1825 and, ultimately, became a part of the Madras Presidency. Sadras too suffered a similar fate and was almost completely destroyed by the British, in the ensuing land battles for gaining supremacy in Territorial holdings in India, with the Dutch ultimately abandoning their settlements in India and leaving for their settlements in North Jakarta.

   

The extremes of approaches of the Portuguese, the Dutch and the British:

The Portuguese were more like religious extremetists who “captured” territories around the World in the “name of religion”, and were extremely intolerant of other religions and local customs and cultures, leading to a continuous mistrust and hostility with the locals in theor colonies.

The Dutch, on the other hand, adopted a median approach as they were chiefly merchants/traders, who were keen to adopt a “relationship” with the local cultures and customs for the purpose of building up long-term fruitful liaisons.

The British were “administrators”. Their approach was on the other extreme. They studied the local customs, cultures and Rulers, took advantage of them and were not averse to discarding them once their own interests were served. They were not beyond using any methods or devising policies to further their own selfish interests.  Although ingraining the locals in their own customs and culture while using their “services”, they always treated them as second class citizens – the “White town” and the Black town” in Fort St. George or the “British Officers’ Mess” and the “Indian Officers’ Mess” in the Andaman & Nicobar Islands are some such examples. 

Ultimately, the Dutch could not stand upto the British machinations and eventually left their possessions in India for their colony in Jakarta, which is still in their possession, present day.

Sadras Fort – Present Day:

    Situated at the at the entrance of the River Palar, on the northernmost branch thereof, Sadras was a major weaving centre, renowned for its muslin since the days of the Chola chiefs (3^rd Century BCE to 13^th Century CE), the Sambuvarayars ( in the 13^th & 14^th century CE) and the later Vijayanagar Empire (14^th to 17^th century CE).

    An inscription stands in Sadras dating back to 1359, which mentions that the town was called “Rajanarayanan Pattinam” named after a “Sambuvaraya” chieftain. A temple dedicated to the Hindu God Vishnu was constructed sometime later (Lord Vishnu is called called “Giri Varadar” in this temple), after which this place was renamed as “Sadiravasagan Pattinam” and later “Sadurangapattinam” or even “Sadirai”. Unable to pronounce the local names, the British conveniently, called it “Sadras” because of its proximity to Madras.

The Dutch built this magnificent Fort for commercial purposes near the beach at Sadras in 1648.

  Sadras Fort which is situated some 15 kms from Mahabalipuram, was devastated in the final land battle called the Battle of Sadras between the Dutch and the British and is now in ruins. Tell-tale signs of the battles fought for supremacy can still be seen inside the Fort. What now remains of the once grand fortress bustling with trading activity are the remains of two rooms, a gallows, granaries/godowns, stables, a cemetery  and two cannon at the front of the main gate protecting the Fort.

                  The ASI symbol greets visitors at the Front gate.

The Sadras Fort is now under the protection of the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), as evidenced by the sign on the main gate.

                       

 

    A view of Sadras Fort from its present entrance. Sumita connecting with the past.

The entrance of the Fort as it is seen now was not the one used in the 1660s when the Fort was initially built. The initial entrance was said to be facing the sea-front, which was walled up because of the Sea battles with the British, as a measure to protect the Fort from being over-run by enemies.

                One of the two cannons at the entrance of the Fort.

One of the two cannons at the main gate, shows the “VOC” emblem/balemark.

One can easily see the “V” with its top portion somewhat obliterated with the passage of the centuries. The depression towards the top of the “V” is the remnant of an “O”, while, the “C” has been completely obliterated.

                                   The VOC emblem/balemark

    

    The passageway at the entrance leading to the interior of the Fort. Anu studying the marks formed over the ages on the sturdy walls.

          

               Ajit and Rajeev with the caretaker of the Fort Mr. Selvaraj

         

                                 The entrance to the cemetery

We counted about 17-20 Dutch tombs, all dating between 1662 and 1790. There are tell-tale signs of 3 or 4 more graves, perhaps of poor Dutch persons, whose families could not afford proper tombstones or obliterated through the passage of time, which may date back even before 1662, as the Fort was set up in 1648 and the Dutch Factory were in existence, much before that date.  We were very careful not to step upon these unmarked graves, as a mark of respect to the deceased persons resting there.

 The tombstones are in very good condition, belying the fact that the inscriptions on them, giving details of the deceased persons resting under them, as well as their Coat of Arms, were carved centuries ago, speaking volumes of the craftsmanship and quality of work of the tombstone engravers.

    

    

      Inside the well preserved Dutch cemetery studying the tombstones 

  

      A well preserved inscription on a tombstone. The dates, January 1712 and January 1713 are clearly mentioned.

    

      

      An unusual engraving of a three-masted sailing ship is placed on this tombstone where the Coat of Arms/Emblem of Hearldry are usually placed. a merchant ship or a Dutch "Man-o-War" ? 

           

     A Dutch Coat of Arms showing a Lion rampant in the first and fourth Quarters of the shield. Three Fleur-de-lis each are shown in the centre foreground of the Lion images and a fourth Fluer-de-lis is held by the Lions in their left forepaws. 
    

    Inscription on a tombstone. The dates 22 April 1716 and 28 May 1762 , perhaps the life period of the deceased are clearly visible.

   

    The date 20 February A* 1790 is clerly visible in the second last line of this tombstone inscription. 
  

    A Coat of Arms on  this tombstone shows a globe/upper portion of a knight’s armour on top of a rectangular  shield and trees growing in straight rows. 
 

                             The inscription on the above tomb.

     This Coat of Arms depicts a knight’s armour with the rays of the sun emanating in all directionson top of the shield. There seems to be a halo around the head. The shield  bears a bird in the first quarter, three diamonds in the second, a horse with its fore-legs raised (if one leg is raised – it means wounded in battle, if both legs are raised – it means that the nobleman died in battle) in the third, In the fourth quarter the rays of the rising sun (usually associated with a victory in battle, particularly after a Revolution).

   The inscription on this tomb. The date 15^th January 1705 is clearly seen in the fourth last line. 
  

   This shield shows two winged animals with the shield crowned.

 

   The inscription below the above shield mentions the word “Captain”.

   This Coat of Arms shows a plumed Knight’s helmet with a raised Arm ready to strike with his sword above the shield. The shield consists of two halves – one bearing three arrows and the other a soaring eagle. The message seems to be “I kept a watchful eye over all the territories I was charged to protect and my bow was always ready to strike my enemies”.  

    This Arms bears the Skull & Crossbones reminiscent of a pirate’s flag in the 17^th century (the golden Age of Piracy), with an hourglass. On a more profound Note this could symbolise that everyone that is born must come to an emd, with the passage of time.

  The inscription on the above tombstone. The date 4^th November A* 1663 and 21 “IULVA” 1693 are clearly visible, indicating the life period of the person interred here.

   This Coat of Arms placed sideways in this image, shows three tridents in the top triangle and fishes in the bottom two triangles. 

    This Arms shows a Heart pierced by two arrows. A love lorn soul? 
 

   The inscription below the stricken heart emblem shown above. This inscription shows the date of this person’s passing away as 10^th July 1662.

  

                                     Another Arms found on a tomb. 

   This Arms shows a shield in two halves –  one half showing arrows (ready for war with his enemies) and the other a flower (ready to live in harmony with everyone)? 
 

   This Arms bears a winged Wheel of Fortune on a knight’s helmet , with the shield showing an angel bearing two Wheels of Fortune (synonymous with the Card of Judgment in Tarot card decks).  

At the end of the cemetery, we were shown a walled-up section, which Mr. Selvaraj claimed was once a “secret chamber”, adding to the mystique of the Fort.

The secret passage in the cemetery which led to underground ammunition stores or dungeons or as some “romantic” historians believe led to an underground tunnel to Bengal for routing Dutch Trade from there. As the entrances are now closed this cannot be physically verified and stays within the realms of history books and historical debates!!

                       The passage to the walled up section

Mr. Selvaraj shared with us that the Fort receives Dutch guided tourist groups at least once a month, some of whom are descendants of the Traders who were interred in the cemetery as well as those who come to revisit Dutch colonial heritage.

Inside the chamber besides the cemetery, in one of the rooms, the roof has caved in and the sunlight peeps in, creating beautiful artistic patterns on the "canvas" below. The following photographs are from Anu's camera:

(We visited the Sadras Fort with Ajit & Anu whom we were visiting in  Chennai during March 2014. This post was researched and compiled by Rajeev Prasad, based on what we felt, saw, heard and read about the Fort).

Part II of this post - "The ruins of Sadras Fort tell us the story of the Grand old days"  is under preparation and will be uploaded shortly on our return to Pune.


Links:

 1)  i)The advent and early days of the East India Company in India and the History of Fort St. George at Madras (Chennai)

 2)   Fort St. George, Chennai Museum (Part III): i) Indo-Danish coins ii) Indo-Dutch coins iii) Indo-French coins iv) Indo-Portuguese coins

3) Reconnecting with India's historical heritage: Part II: The Sadras Fort