Thread by @VAdkri

Maritime history of Ganjam'~
****Gopalpur Port History*****
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Thread-
From the beginning of the last century, Gopalpur had been recognised as an important port in Eastern India. By this time the former port of Ganjam like Ganja , Kalinga patana ,Barua, Bheemili
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Had gradually becoming silent by activities.Gopalpur had a big lighthouse of twenty feet height. The ships were took langar a mile and a half away from the shore, anchored in "NaFadam" or 56 feet deeper in the sea.The mud soil of the sea bed was very helpful to hold anchor
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On April 13, 1893,the Governor of Madras visited Ganjam coast and reviewed in his note :
“A port officer was appointed in Gopalpur. It was headed by Mr Atenede, the master of the marine department of the Madras government.There were large warehouses
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Atenede house

customs houses, pat posts, godowns and lighthouse.
Gopalpur port was a prosperous and noisy area.
The ships were anchored about a mile and a half km away frm coast. One had to be reached to the ship by small boat from the shore.
* Ships were coming from the ports of
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The ports of Gopalpur to Burma, England, the United States, the Netherlands &
Also frm Madras &Calcutta.

"Jaladurga" of the British India steam navigation company coastguard was running in btn Gopalpur &Rengun (Myanmar) in every Sunday by carrying international passengers
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And one more Sindheya steam navigation company ‘Chilika’ carried every Tuesday in same route.
* The ship used to leave Rangoon port direct from Gopalpur. Later, it touches to ports of Barua, Bimili Patna, Vizag and Kakinada in alternative weeks
* On the way back,
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To rangoon was finally returning to Gopalpur through these ports respectively. About 3,000 passengers used to travel from Gopalpur port to Rangoon in every week.
*though Gopalpur was a passenger port, but it has much commercial significance than this
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Among the major business establishments of the major companies were
MS Simon Brother, Stephenson Nixon and Co., Willson and Co., Minchin and Co are prominent.
Mohammad Abi Ali, K.C.
Kashi Subuddhi, Saudagar Abdul Aziz, Adam Alli, Nur Abi, Wal Chandraraju, K. Naga Chetty
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Were some renowned industrialist of those period in Ganjam.
There were also a number of medium-sized businesses.
By 1910, the main business of the port was the export of goods from the world famous Asika Sugar Factory.
* According to a British statistic for the year,
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the port had an import values of Rs 5,66801
Since the Railway was not introduced before 1903, the port was the only major export & import route in E. india
*After the construction of Railway, a freight station was set up at Narendrapur near Berhampur, targeting to the port
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There were normal public & inter national hotels, Mushaphirkhana, hospitals, dharamsala, etc., Iooking in to the view of the passenger trade and business.
Hundreds of Jhataka chariots were carrying passengers and goods between NarendraPur and Gopalpur

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Ruins

Mr SH panda from Ganjam was the first odia coordinator of British indian marine service.
M Venkat Swami Naidu was the agent from the British India Steam Navigation Co, for the passenger business

Mr. Shashi Bhushan Rath was agent of Scindia Company in Gopalpur
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The passenger ship from Gopalpur to Rangoon took 60 hours and the ticket cost was Rs 12 rupees.
* The city of Berhampur has become a commercial city, especially for Gopalpur.

*To be continued.......

Presentation : @VAdkri
Source: @DR_Anantaramkar