Sailing straight out into the open waters of the Arabian Sea during the late spring, ships were whisked by the monsoon winds on a steady northeast course, arriving on India’s west coast by mid-summer. It was a daring feat for those first sailors who attempted it.

Abstract: Monsoon plays a predominant role in the daily life of the people of South Asia. The use of monsoon wind in the Indian Ocean for maritime trade was a boon to the sailing ships to reach overseas countries. The flow of wind and current was favourable for setting sail for both onward and return journey.

Monsoons would help carry ships from Africa to India between April and September. They carried ships back from November to February. In what ways did monsoons assist and determine trade? Muslim merchants because they had money to build ships.

The monsoon winds had the special role of taking the boats from place to place in the Indian Ocean trade network. These winds were very constant because they came with the seasons. This was very important because the sailors could always count on the winds to bring them to and from their destinations.

Long before Europeans “discovered” the Indian Ocean, traders from Arabia, Gujarat, and other coastal areas used triangle-sailed dhows to harness the seasonal monsoon winds. Domestication of the camel helped bring coastal trade goods such as silk, porcelain, spices, incense, and ivory to inland empires, as well.

Strategic situation. The island of Ceylon was strategically important, since it commanded the Indian Ocean. Thus it controlled access to India, the vital Allied shipping routes to the Middle East and the oilfields of the Persian Gulf. Ceylon held most of the British Empire’s resources of rubber.

Singapore Port, the most important in the region and second busiest port in the world based on container traffic and cargo tonnage, is located in the Strait of Malacca. Linking Indian and Pacific Oceans, the Strait plays a pivotal role in the global commerce.

In addition to political motivation, the new emperor had financial motivation. The treasure fleet voyages cost Ming China enormous amounts of money; since they were not trade excursions, the government recovered little of the cost. For all of these reasons, Ming China stopped sending out the magnificent Treasure Fleet.

Trade Routes on the Indian Ocean

• Mediterranean Basin.
• Ceramics, Wine, Gold, Olive Oil, Glassware.
• East Africa.
• Ivory, Gold, Iron Goods, Slaves, Quartz, Tortoiseshells, Leopard Skins.
• Arabia.
• Frankincense, Myrrh, Perfumes.
• India.
• Grain, Ivory, Precious Stones, Cotton Textiles, Spices, Timber, Tortoiseshells.

The Indian Ocean became the largest sea-based trade network in this time frame. I know we tend to think of the Silk Roads and luxury items being sold when we picture trade routes. However, the bulk of actual trade happened on the Indian Ocean. The Indian Ocean traded “regular goods”, in bulk and at a lower cost.

According to the latest survey of 2019 the coasts are Mumbai port and JNPT(Jawaharlal Nehru port) which carries 70percent of Indian maritime trade with China and other countries.

Muslim

During the Muslim period, in which the Muslims had dominated the trade across the Indian Ocean, the Gujaratis were bringing spices from the Moluccas as well as silk from China, in exchange for manufactured items such as textiles, and then selling them to the Egyptians and Arabs.

Monsoon Wind Patterns From November to February, the winds blew to the southwest allowing ships to travel from India to Africa. While between April and September, the winds switched directions to the northeast allowing vessels to travel from East Africa to India.

. David Arnold in ‘The Indian Ocean as a Disease Zone, 1500-1950’ discusses the diffusion of cholera, smallpox, plague and influenza in the Indian Ocean area.

Effects of the plague Given the large volume of trade in the Indian Ocean, it is not surprising to find accounts that hint at the plague spreading throughout the Middle East and South Asia at this time as well.

These included Kilwa, Sofala, Mombasa, Malindi, and others. The city-states traded with inland kingdoms like Great Zimbabwe to obtain gold, ivory, and iron.

The first way is through trade. When various areas of the world trade goods, these goods are incorporated into different cultures where they may not have been before. The goods can be adopted or adapted for use in these new areas. Warfare can also lead to cultural diffusion.

Disadvantages of cultural diffusion can include the loss of a person’s own cultural identity, according to Exeter University’s Lesley Newson. As outside influences seep in, long-term traditions may be forgotten in the face of more dynamic ways of doing things.

In essence, there really are only three types of cultural diffusion: relocation, expansion and maladaptive.