A review of the book 'Travels in India – Volume 2' written by Jean-Baptiste Tavernier, translated and edited by Valentine Ball.
Jean-Baptiste Tavernier (1605–1689) was a 17th-century French gem merchant and traveller. Tavernier, a private individual and merchant traveling at his own expense, covered, by his own account, 60,000 leagues (120,000 miles) in making six voyages to Persia and India between the years 1630 and 1668.
Tavernier's writings show that he was a keen observer, as well as a remarkable cultural anthropologist. His Six Voyages became a best seller and was translated into German, Dutch, Italian, and English during his lifetime. The work is frequently quoted by modern scholars writing about the period.
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Coming up: A review of the book 'Travels in India – Volume 2' written by Jean-Baptiste Tavernier, translated and edited by Valentine Ball.
Namaste Friends. My name is 'Shinil Subramanian Payamal' and you are listening to the Historylogy podcast.
Before I proceed, a full disclosure: This book was bought with my own money and not been provided to me by the publisher.
Little bit about the author:
Jean-Baptiste Tavernier (1605–1689) was a 17th-century French gem merchant and traveller. Tavernier, a private individual and merchant traveling at his own expense, covered, by his own account, 60,000 leagues (120,000 miles) in making six voyages to Persia and India between the years 1630 and 1668.
Tavernier's writings show that he was a keen observer, as well as a remarkable cultural anthropologist. His Six Voyages became a best seller and was translated into German, Dutch, Italian, and English during his lifetime. The work is frequently quoted by modern scholars writing about the period.
The book has been translated and edited by Valentine Ball, a 19th-century geologist and orientalist.
Let me read a brief description of the book:
QUOTE
The author’s name, owing to its frequent mention in histories and in works on precious stones, has long been known as that of one of the most renowned travellers of the 17th century. Possibly it would not be incorrect to speak of him as in some respects the most renowned traveller during that period when so much was done to bring home to the people of Europe information about countries which had previously been but little known. Such being the case, it is not only somewhat surprising that there should be so much error in the published accounts of his life, but also that his Travels, although they have been frequently issued in various languages, have not, as a whole, been subjected to critical examination and elucidation with the aid of our modern knowledge of the countries which they describe. In the present volumes it is sought to present an approximately literal translation of the portion of the Travels which refer to India, accompanying it by such identifications of localities with modern sites, and such elucidation of obscure points, as have been possible. This book contains one portrait of the author and four illustrations.
UNQUOTE
Volume 2 focuses largely on Tavernier’s dealings in diamonds and precious stones, giving readers an insider’s view of commerce in the Mughal empire, Golconda, Bijapur and his journey to the mine of Ramallakota.
The author describes in detail how fraud was practised in manufactures, whether by the roguery of the workers or the knavery of the brokers and buyers.
Tavernier talks about the different kinds of weights for weighing diamonds at the mines; the kinds of gold and silver in circulation; the routes by which one is able to travel; and the rule in use for the estimation of the prices of diamonds.
The author also describes in fairly graphic detail the practice of Sati by giving several examples of women being burnt after the death of their husbands.
Tavernier also talks about how he finds it astonishing that the idolaters of India (i.e. the Hindus) in spite of being so numerous that for one Muhammadan there are five or six Gentiles, they have allowed to be subjected by so small a number of persons, and has bent readily under the yoke of the Muhammadan Princes. But the astonishment ceases when one considers that Hindus have no union among themselves.
Tavernier takes us through a journey in the north eastern part of India and then to places like Bhutan, Thailand, Taiwan, Sri Lanka, Indonesia, and finally embarking on a Dutch vessel in order to return to Europe by sea.
As the author says in the final chapter:
My first thoughts on finding myself in Paris, on the return from my sixth journey, were to return thanks to God for having preserved me, during the space of forty years, among so many perils which I had run, by sea and land, in regions so distant.
And finally, the Appendices talks about the true history of the Kohinoor diamond, the Grand Duke of Tuscany’s Diamond, on the weights of some of the diamonds, and other precious stones, and pearls, mentioned by Tavernier.
He also lists all the diamond mines in India, including diamond mines of Bengal, and also diamond mines of Borneo, the ruby mines of Burma, the sapphire washings of Ceylon.
Conclusion:
Travels in India – Volume 2 is highly recommended for those interested in knowing more about the exciting journey of Tavernier in India and the adjoining countries.
I give this book 4.25/5.
The book is available in Paperback and Hardcover formats. At the time of recording this review, it is not available in Kindle or Audible formats. I have given the respective buy links in the show notes. Please check them out for the latest prices.
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