Port of Surat

This is a folio from an illustrated manuscript of Anis-al-Hajjaj.

Anis-al-Haj or Anis-ul-Hajjaj is a travelogue by Safi bin Vali Qazvin who was patronized by Zeb-un-Nisa, the daughter of Aurangzeb who sent him to perform the Haj. The author embarked on his journey in 1676 CE and on his return he meticulously recorded the details of the preparations and the journey in this travelogue.

This illustration depicts the port of Surat in a conventional style. The fort on the bank of the river Tapti was repaired over and over again by the Mughal kings including Emperor Akbar. The inner fortification, with four bastions, was the central area of activity during the 16th to the 18th century, till the Bombay harbour was developed. Three masted ships are anchored on the bank with life boats. The highly stylized sails appear almost like balloons. The Hajis or the Haj pilgrims are lined up on the upper deck. The ships seem to have special cabins at the stern. The fort wall around the city, may not have been a perfect rectangle as is shown here, though the six gates are authentic. The city had a special jetty for the ships travelling to the Haj known as the Makka Ovaro, a place which is still in existence. The artist seems quite familiar with the harbour and the surrounding areas. The six gates starting from the left are named Majura, Navsari, Sara, Variavi, Burhanpur and Bharuch.