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FAMINES IN THE INDIAN SUBCONTINENT, 1500 to 1767
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1509 (a): Bengaluru / Bangalore (to Coromandel Coast?)1509 map
Documented causes: unspecified
Documented effects: 'very severe' (voluntary slavery is normal)

B. Lewis Rice, "Epigraphia Carnatica: vol. IX, Inscriptions in the Bangalore District" (1905)
Translations p123: "Kankanhalli Taluq … 21: Date ? 1509 A.D.
(In the year specified), the Besigal-nad maha-prabhu Channa-Viranna-Odeyar's son Viresvara-Odeyar, spending money in the very severe famine, gave 120 honnu and 120 selige of paddy, and having the stones of the Rameya-deva temple erected, had (the god) set up again. The stone-cutter Peboja on one occasion saved ten persons from having the skulls of their heads burnt off."

pp151-2 [location of inscription, and transliteration of first few words for those who wish to work out the specified year for themselves.]:
"Kôdihalli hobli … Bannimukkondlu … on a pillar at the door of the Rámésvara temple.
Sukla-samvatsarada Mâgasira-sudha 5 Bêsigala-nâda mahâ-prabhu Channa …."
Duarte Barbosa, "Livro de Duarte Barbosa" (in "Collecção de noticias para a historia e geografia das nações ultramarinas …" vol. 2, 1812)
pp358-9: [description of Coromandel / Charamandel as Barbosa knew it around 1510 CE] "He esta tera ha mais abastada que ha nestas partes da India, tirando Cambaya; porém se alguús anos acontece de nom chouer, he tamanha antreles ha fome, que dela morem muytos, e per caso dela uendem hos filhos por quatro e sinco fanões; hos Malabares lhe trazem neste tempo muyta soma daros, e quoquos, e leunom has naos careguadas descrauos: ha maior parte ou todolos mercadores gentios e Chatis que viuem por toda ha India, saom naturaes daquy, e saom homeis muy agudos em todo trato de mercadorias: nos portos de maar uiuem muytos Mouros naturaes da tera, grandes mercadores, e tem muyos nauios."
Duarte Barbosa (trans. Mansel Longworth Dames), "The Book of Duarte Barbosa" (vol. 2, 1921) [translation of above]
pp125-6: [from the description of Coromandel] "This is the best supplied of all the lands in this part of India, saving only Cambaya, yet in some years it so happens that no rain falls, and then there is such a dearth among them that many die of hunger, and for this reason they sell their children for four or five fanams each. At such seasons the Malabares bring them great store of rice and coco-nuts and take away ship-loads of slaves.
The more part or all of the Heathen merchants or Chatis who live throughout India are natives of this country, and are very cunning in every kind of traffic in goods. At the seaports also are many Moors, natives of the land; who are great merchants and own many ships."
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