The Mumbai Research Centre of the Asiatic Society of Mumbai presents a specially curated bus tour of Udwada and Sanjan, led by Dr. Kurush Dalal.Sanjan (Medieval Sanskrit Samyāna) emerges as an important medieval entrepôt after the decline and silting of Bharuch and Sopara. Documented as early as the 8th century CE in the Sanjan copper plates of the Rashtrakuta monarch Amoghavarsha, Sanjan (on the Maroli river) was a port that traded with Persia, Arabia, Africa and perhaps even China. Excavations at Sanjan Bunder by Dr. Dalal and team reveal a rich array of pottery and jewellery representing various cultures interacting at the port. The village of Palgam on the opposite bank might also have been a minor ancient port, perhaps the 'Poulipoula' of Ptolemy.
Sanjan and later Udwada also become important in the cultural history of the Parsis. The famous legend of their arrival, wherein they demonstrated to the local ruler that would assimilate into society as sugar does in milk, is set in Sanjan, now marked by a memorial pillar. The visit to Sanjan and Udwada will cover places important in the history of the Parsi community, as narrated in the Qissa-e-Sanjan. Breakfast (packed), lunch and dinner (packed) will be provided, in Parsi style.
Date: 18th September 2022
Time: 5 am to 9 pm
Assembly and pick-up/drop spots will be communicated in the dedicated WhatsApp group.
Registration links:
General public ₹5000 — https://rzp.io/l/SanGen
Members ₹4500 — https://rzp.io/l/SanMem
Please Note: Photographs are best taken with the residents' permission. The double vaccination certificate is mandatory.