The semi-precious stone and beads trade was quite vigorous as well, and were mainly used in decorations and jewellery all over Asia. Arikemadu in Andhra Pradesh seems to be a major manufacturing site of such wares, and these were exported from Kalinga’s ports to Java, Vietnam, and Bali. Rouletted ware, for example, is a special type of ceramic that was fairly common during ancient times and has been found all along the Indian Ocean rim and Southeast Asia - all the way from Vietnam, to the coastal areas of India, to the Middle East till Rome. For example, bronze bowls with a knob at the bottom, commonly used in burial rituals in Thailand, are similar to those found in coastal Odisha as well. A lot of items were also manufactured specifically for the needs of customers abroad, which shows that some craftsmen made goods only for exports, and had a good understanding of the culture of their target markets. The main trade between Kalinga and Suvarnabhumi were spices, ceramics and cloth - especially Kalingam, speciality blue cotton cloth of very high quality. The lands of Suvarnabhumi were fertile and the culture was rich. There is a lot of evidence of trade between India and Southeast Asia, which was known as Suvarnabhumi (land of gold) by Indian sailors. Some of India’s most bustling ports were located along the coasts of Kalinga - Tamralipti and Chandraketugarh (in modern-day West Bengal) Nanigaina (modern Puri), Katikadarma (modern Cuttack), Kannagara (modern-day Konark) and Salihundam and Dharanikotam located in modern Andhra Pradesh. The mountains of western Odisha were also rich with precious and semi-precious stones, which were valued commodities for export. An abundance of rivers, such as the Ganges, Mahanadi and Godavari, were great for bringing goods from inland far easier than by land. There are plenty of natural harbours and deltas that were advantageous for setting up ports. The geography of Odisha’s coast is especially conducive for sea trade. Why was Odisha such a maritime superpower? This ballad is not only a tender story of filial love and the pain of separation, but also a rich repository of information about the culture, customs, trading methods and widespread exposure of that time. Perhaps the most poignant tale related to Odisha’s rich mercantile history is, of course, the ballad of Tapoi. The Odia version of the Mahabharata also has accounts of ship-building. Rasakallola by Dinakrushna Das has stories of shipwrecks by sea storms, and Kavya Parimala by Narasimha Sinha references Kalinga’s trade with Sri Lanka. Odia literature is especially rich with accounts of travel - the famous epics Lavanyavati and Vaidehi Vilasa (Upendra Bhanja) speak about voyages. Travel writings, put together by poetic souls and practical merchants alike, enliven the ancient trade routes with anecdotes, stories and practical advice.
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