Indo-Nepal Trade in the Nineteenth Century (An Old and Rare Book)

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In my quest for the trade-culture complex of the Himalayas, I can hear ceaseless musings on the symbiosis of the Indic and the Mongolian Worlds. The subject matter of this book forms a part of that quest. The present work contains only a fragment of my dissertation, "INDIA AND NEPAL A STUDY OF COMMERCIAL RELATIONS 1846-1900," for which I was admitted to the Ph. D. degree of the University of Calcutta. The other aspects of commercial relations, to be published in a follow-up work, include findings on slave trade, opium trade, timber trade, arms deal and customs duty and an analysis of the confrontation between the free trade policy of the British Government and that of isolationism of the Nepal Darbar. The tunnels of investigation have led to other areas of kindred interest. These include culture-contacts between India and Nepal, cultural profile of Sikkim and multi-dimensional study of Darjeeling.

My debt to the Department of History, Calcutta University is too deep for words. The late Professor Narendra Krishna Sinha imbibed in me a passion for the exploration of overland trade-routes of India. Chapters 3, 4 and 8 of this book are my humble homage to his memory. Professor Nirmal C. Sinha, formerly Centenary Professor of International Relations, Calcutta University and now Director, Sikkim Research Institute of Tibetology, Gangtok, is more than a guide in my academic and meta-academic pilgrimage to the Himalayas. Professor Amales Tripathi, Asutosh Professor of Medieval and Modern Indian History and Head of the History Department, Calcutta University kindly read substantial portions of my manuscript and cautioned me, where necessary, not to miss the wood for the trees. Dr Binay Bhusan Chaudhuri too was kind enough to go through the manuscript. He has asked me to analyse the overall impact of the trade on the economy of both the countries. I hope to argue the point in my subsequent follow- up works. I am specially indebted to Dr. Arun Kumar Dasgupta for his constant encouragement and cheerful help.

Commerce sustains and radiates culture. Culture facilitates the process of commerce. This general truth is illustrated by the interesting study in the INDO-NEPAL TRADE by Dr Jahar Sen. Although the title of his book suggests that his research is confined to the time frame of the nineteenth century, in fact he traces the backdrop of Indo-Nepal trade well beyond the last century and at times even beyond the preceding two three centuries. Admittedly trade is the main focus of Dr Sen's study but his occasional excursions to other areas of Indo-Nepal relations like geopolitics and culture are extremely relevant and interesting.

Lying along the southern slopes of the Himalayan mountain ranges Nepal is located between India and Tibet. Roughly three-fourth of the country is covered by mountains. The main four regions of Nepal are the Tarai, a low and fertile land adjacent to the border of India, the forested Churia foot hills, the Mid-Mountain lying between the Mahabharat Lekh range and the Himalayas, and Himalayan Range. Because of the difference in elevation and location, Nepal's climate varies from sub-tropical monsoon condition in the Tarai to cool and cold conditions along the lower slopes of the Himalaya mountains, and freezing temperature of higher altitudes beyond 16000 feet. Natural vegetation of the country follows the pattern of climate and elevation.

The country is very rich in flora and fauna. The forests consist mainly of Sissoo, Sal (a timber tree with foliage providing food for lac insects) and Khair. Tarai forests are the home of tigers and leopards, wild ox, buffalo, elephants and various kinds of deer. Sheep and wild sheep, goat and wild goat, and bear are found in the upper reaches of the mountains Forest products, hides and skins, tusks, wool and blankets have been figuring as some of the major items of Nepal's export trade down the centuries.

The linguistic, ethnic and religious pattern of Nepal is marked by Indian and Tibetan influences. Nepali (or Gorkhali) is basically an Indo-European language and somewhat similar to Bengali. Nearly eighty per cent of the population, (total population, 1,12,89,000, 1971 census) comprising of the people of the Tarai, the Pahari, the Newars is of Indo-Aryan ancestry. The ruling families are of Indo-Aryan origin. The rest of the population is of the Tibeto-Nepalese background. The large scale migration of Mongoloid groups from Tibet went on for ages. Ninety percent of the population is Hindu and nine percent Buddhist and the rest follow other religious faiths.