write a short note on surat
Surat wasreferred as Gateway of trade because:
a. As Surat was an important commercial townwhichbecame an important center of commercial activities. Located near the sea it became the hub of economic activities whereby goods could be traded via sea routes.
b. Portuguese, English, Dutch has set up their factories in Surat.
c. Surat had a flourishing business of cotton textiles which was exported on a large scale to West Asia, Africa and Europe.
d. Surat became gate to Mecca ,because many pilgrim ships set sail from there.
Surat had huge banking houses that issued a Hundi that isa note recordinga deposit made bya person. Theamount depositedcan be claimed inanother place bypresenting therecord of thedeposit, this made transaction easy.Surat hundis were honoredin the markets of Cairo in Egypt, Basra in Iraqand Antwerp in Belgium.