Jain Miniature Paintings from Western India c11.s1.11

c11.s1.11

The import of cotton and cotton goods was at its maximum under the southern Sung dynasty in the 11th and 12th centuries.⁹ We have a detailed account of the several voyages of the eunuch Cheng-Huo, which have come to us in two forms, the original given by Ma Huan, and a refacimento by Fei-Sin.¹⁰ Both the redactions say that in all the coastal districts of South Asia as well as in the islands, the printed cotton goods formed the most important item of export. Speaking of the Indian Coast, the account says that it was the Kingdom of Ku-li, stretching from Cochin in the south to Cannanore in the north, which produced a good deal of printed calicoes.¹¹ This Ku-li should then be Calicut, but the neighbouring country of K'an-pa-yi, according to M. Pelliot¹², could not be Cambay which lies much farther to the north, but Coimbatore. It, however, does not seem possible that Cheng-Huo, who made many voyages to Calicut, could never reach Cambay, the principal producer and exporter of cotton goods.