Marco Polo and the Indian Pearls Chapter Notes | English Class 6 ICSE PDF Download

Introduction

This chapter tells the exciting story of Marco Polo, a brave traveler from Venice who journeyed from Europe to Asia. He spent seventeen years in China and later shared his amazing experiences in a book. On his way back, he observed pearl fishing in the Gulf of Mannar and wrote about it. The chapter also includes details from another traveler, Cesare Federici, about this unique activity. It shows how pearls were collected and how important they were in the past.

Key Points

This story is about:

• Marco Polo was a famous traveler who lived in China for seventeen years.
• He described pearl fishing in the Gulf of Mannar during his return journey.
• The province of Maabar, part of greater India, was known for its fine pearls.
• Pearl fishing happened from April to mid-May and September to mid-October.
• Divers went deep into the sea to collect oysters that contained pearls.
• The king and fish-charmers received a share of the pearls as payment.
• Special people sorted the pearls into different types based on their quality.

Explanation

About Marco Polo

Changes
- Change some sentences in Summary & key points for better understanding at sixteen or seventeen with his father and uncle. They traveled to China using the Silk Road and met the great Mongol emperor Kublai Khan. They stayed in his empire for seventeen years. When they returned to Venice in 1295, people were shocked as they thought the Polos were dead.

Later, while in prison during a war, Marco told his stories to a writer named Rustichello, who wrote them in a book called "The Travels of Marco Polo." This book became very popular and inspired explorers like Columbus.

The Province of Maabar

Maabar was a special part of India on the mainland, known as the finest and noblest place. It had five kings who were brothers. One king, Sundara Pandi Devar, ruled a kingdom where beautiful pearls were found. The sea between Maabar and the island of Seilan (now Sri Lanka) is called the Gulf of Mannar today. The water in this gulf was shallow, about two to twelve fathoms deep, making it a good place for pearl fishing.

Pearl Fishing Process

Pearl fishing took place from early April to mid-May. Merchants and divers used large and small boats. After sailing sixty miles into the gulf, they switched to small boats. Divers, who were skilled workers, jumped into the water and went down four to twelve fathoms to collect oysters.

They carried a net bag to store the oysters and came up when they needed air. This continued all day. The best spot for oysters was Bettelar, and the fishing area stretched sixty miles southward. After May, the boats moved 300 miles away for fishing from September to mid-October.

Sharing the Pearls

From the pearls collected, the king took one-tenth as his share. Fish-charmers, called Abraiaman, got one-twentieth to protect divers from big fish like sharks. These charmers used their skills daily, stopping the charm at night to allow fish to move freely, which also prevented night theft. The king also had the special right to pick the best and largest pearls, earning him a lot of wealth.

Details from Cesare Federici

Cesare Federici, another traveler, spent eighteen years in India and visited pearl fishing in 1563 during Portuguese rule. Before fishing started, divers found the best spots for oysters. A temporary village with houses and a market was built near the fishing area. The divers were Christian converts from the Paravar caste, paying taxes to the Portuguese king and churches. 

Armed ships protected them from pirates. Boats with seven or eight divers anchored in fifteen to eighteen fathoms of water. Divers used a rope with a stone to go down, filling baskets with oysters, and returned to shore in the evening. Oysters were piled and opened later when the fish inside were dead.

Sorting the Pearls

Experts called Chittnis sorted the pearls into four types. The round ones were bought by the Portuguese, the less round ones by Bengal, the lower quality by Vijayanagar, and the lowest by local people. Merchants from different places came to buy them based on quality and weight.

Message

The chapter teaches us about the hard work and teamwork involved in pearl fishing. It shows how people in the past used their skills and knowledge to gather treasures from the sea. It also highlights the importance of sharing and fairness, as the king and workers all got their fair share. Marco Polo’s stories remind us to explore and share our experiences with others.

New Words with Meanings

• Venetian: of the city of Venice in Italy 
• Seilan: the country of Ceylon, today known as Sri Lanka 
• Westerly direction: towards the west
  
• Maabar: Ma'abar, the name given to the areas of the Coromandel Coast by the Arabs
  
• Fathom (n): A unit to measure water depth, equal to six feet.
• Lustre: A soft, shiny glow on the surface of something.
• Royalty: Payment given to a king or owner from the produce.
• Thence: From a place mentioned before.
• Great fishes: a possible reference to sharks or dolphins
• Dues: Fees or taxes paid for something.
• Duty: A tax paid to the ruler or government.