Growth of Muslim Population in Medieval India, A.D. 1000–1800 c12.13

c12.13

Moreland estimates that between 1614 and 1659 there were thirteen famines or periods of scarcity in India of which ten occurred during the reign of Shahjahan.⁸ As recorded by Jahangir famine stalked the Punjab as far east as Delhi in 1614-15. Coromandel coast and Vijayanagar regions were visited by scarcity in 1618-19.⁹ 1633-34 saw famine in Sind and 1635 in Surat and Golkunda.¹⁰ Punjab suffered from continual famine between 1626 and 1637 and Kashmir as well as Orissa suffered from scarcity in 1640. Drought came to Bengal and Orissa in 1642-43 and to the southern section of the Coromandel coast in 1645-46. In 1646 there was scarcity in Agra and Ahmedabad and the next year in Rajputana, especially Marwar. In 1648 famine visited the Coromandel coast again, and in 1650 Avadh and almost the whole of India suffered from scarcity.¹¹ A prolonged period of scarcity in northern India began in 1658 and Agra, Delhi, Lahore, Sind and Rajputana saw famine and plague in 1659-60 "which swept away most part of the people."¹² Col. James Tod speaks of its effects on Marwar, but his description may be taken to hold good for all the affected regions. "Fruits, flowers, every vegetable thing, even trees were stripped of their bark, to appease the cravings of hunger; nay men ate men. Cities were depopulated. The seed of families was lost..."¹³ In 1661 many parts of India suffered again.¹⁴