Rander

This article is about a town in Surat district. For other uses, see Randor (disambiguation).

Rander
Town
Rander Rander (Gujarat) Rander Rander (India)
Coordinates: 21°13′8.2″N 72°47′46.4″E
Country	India
State	Gujarat
District	Surat
Area
• Total	5.12 km2 (1.98 sq mi)
Population  (2011)
• Total	114,632
• Rank	9th in Surat
• Density	22,400/km2 (58,000/sq mi)
• Demonym	Randeri
Time zone	UTC+5:30 (IST)
Pincode(s)	395005
Area code	0261
Sex ratio	1.1
Language	Gujarati

Rander is a town in Surat district in the state of Gujarat, India. It is located on the bank of the Tapti River, it is 2 kilometres (1.2 mi) from the city of Surat.

History

Historical evidence indicates that Rander was an important port in Western India during the ancient era, conducting trade with the Arabian Peninsula, Egypt, Sudan, and beyond. During the rule of Samprati, the Jain community established a presence in the area and built temples in and around Rander.

The Jain settlement is believed to predate 1200, when Rander was a small, prosperous village in the hinterland of Suvali. At the time, Suvali was a thriving port town with Middle Eastern trade connections involving ceramics, silver, wooden artefacts, and furniture. Rander developed into a principal commercial centre with trading connections across Africa, the Middle East, and Burma. Ships laden with spices, silk, benzoin, and porcelain from as far as Sumatra and China docked at its port.

The earliest recorded mention of Rander appears in Al Biruni's 1050 work, Kitab al Hind. Nawayath Arabs, who settled in the area by 1225, became the primary traders. Arriving from Kufa, they overtook the existing Jain population; architectural remnants of the Jain period remain visible in structures the Manibhadra Temple and the Kanch nu Derasar (Mirror Temple).

By the late medieval period, Rander had become an important port in western India, though it remained smaller than other regional ports such as Bharuch.

In 1514, the Portuguese traveller Duarte Barbosa wrote:

Ranel (Rander) is a good town of the Moors, built of very pretty houses and squares. It is a rich and agreeable place ...... the Moors of the town trade with Malacca, Bengal, Tawasery (Tannasserim), Pegu, Martaban, and Sumatra in all sort of spices, drugs, silks, musk, benzoin and porcelain. They possess very large and fine ships and those who wish Chinese articles will find them there very completely. The Moors of this place are white and well dressed and very rich they have pretty wives, and in the furniture of these houses have china vases of many kinds, kept in glass cupboards well arranged. Their women are not secluded like other Moors, but go about the city in the day time, attending to their business with their faces uncovered as in other parts.

Thus according to Barbosa, the Muslims of Rander did not observe the Islamic purdah. However, the piety of Nawayath Arabs is reflected in the numerous mosques and durghas they constructed. In 1874, the Hope Bridge was built across the river, connecting Rander to the villages on the other side of the river.

The Mughal emperor Jahangir and his entourage, on their way to Ahmedabad, stopped at this historic place near Jehangirpur, now known as Rander Eid-Gah. Jahangir accepted a dawat (invitation) from the mayor of Rander, Malik Tujjar, one of the wealthiest businessman of the era. To welcome the emperor, a red carpet was laid from the mayor's palace to Jehangirpur. Dinner was served on gold plates, which were subsequently donated to charity. During his visit, Jahangir offered Friday prayer at the Jumma Masjid of Rander and Eid Salah at Eid-Gah.

The Rander Mehfil-e-Islam Kutub Khana is a charity society of Muslims that was established and registered in 1888 and 1913 respectively. Mehfil-e-Islam has 17 trusts.

In 1194, Qutb ud-Din Aibak, a general under Muhammad of Ghor, raided Rander and Surat. By 1225, Arabs from Kufa had settled in Rander, marking a significant demographic shift. In 1373, Surat was sacked by Muhammad bin Tughluq. This pattern of conflict continued until 1391 when Masti Khan was appointed governor of both Surat and Rander.

In 1411, Muzaffar Shah I assumed the governorship, though his son, Masti Khan, led an unsuccessful rebellion. The period between 1496 and 1521 was notable for the prominence of Gopi Malik, a renowned Hindu trader in Surat. However, the city faced further turmoil in 1512 when the Portuguese plundered and burnt Surat. Despite these attacks, Gopi Malik managed to befriend the Portuguese by 1514.

The Portuguese, led by Antonio da Silveira, attacked Surat again in 1530. In 1531, they launched a third attack on both Surat and Rander. Amidst these invasions, Khudawand Khan completed the construction of the Castle of Surat in 1546. The city continued to be a focal point of conflict and power struggles. In 1573, following a rebellion by the Mirzas, the Mughal emperor Akbar captured Surat and appointed Kalij Khan as the commander of the castle. That same year, Raja Todar Mal conducted a survey of the twenty-eight Surat parganas.

The Portuguese attempted another seizure of Surat in 1583. By 1590, Surat was hailed as the emporium of the world and had become a first-class port. The early 17th century marked the arrival of the English, with the first English ship reaching the mouth of the Tapi River in 1608, followed by a second ship in 1609, which was wrecked off the coast, with its crew landing at Gandevi. In 1610, Malik Ambar plundered the Surat Aththavisi. The same year saw a significant conflict between the English and the Portuguese at the mouth of the Tapi River, resulting in an English victory in 1612.

From 1612 to 1615, Thomas Aldsworth served as the President of the English factory in Surat. In 1613, the English secured a trade charter from the Mughal Emperor. The Portuguese faced another defeat at the hands of the English in 1615. During the period from 1615 to 1623, Thomas Kerridge was the president of the English factory. In 1615, Sir Thomas Roe reached Surat, and in 1616, the Dutch were given provisional permission to establish a factory. In 1618, Mukrab Khan, the Governor of Surat, was recalled, and Prince Khurram, later known as Shah Jahan, became the Governor of Surat. The same year, the Dutch negotiated a Treaty of Commerce with Prince Khurram.

The French made several attempts to gain a foothold in Surat between 1620 and 1642. In 1623, Pietro Della Valle visited Surat, and from 1623 to 1626, Thomas Rastell served as the President of the English factory. In 1628, Mir Arab was appointed as the Governor of Surat, followed by Moiz-ul-Mulk in 1630, and Jam Kuli in 1635. Johan Albrecht de Mandelslo visited Surat in 1638, and Muhammad Khan became the Governor in 1639. Jean-Baptiste Tavernier visited the city in 1642, and Mowazaz Khan was appointed Governor in 1644. By 1648, Mazi-ul-Zaman had taken up the position of Governor, followed by Jamkuli in 1651, Mustafa Khan in 1653, Muhammad Sadak in 1655, and Roshan Zamir in 1657.

In 1664, Shivaji launched his first attack on Surat. The Siddis of Janjira secured the admiralty of the Mughal fleet in Surat in 1669. Shivaji led a second attack on the city in 1670, and in 1672, his general demanded Chauth from Surat. The Marathas captured the fort of Parnera in 1676. Surat experienced a severe outbreak of plague in 1684, and in 1690, Ovington visited the city.

By 1699, Khanderao Dabhade succeeded in collecting Chauth from Surat. Maratha raids on the city continued in 1706, with disturbances led by Pilaji Rao Gaekwad in the Surat Aththavisi Parganas. In 1723, Pilaji established himself in Sonpura, and the following year, he vanquished Bairam Khan, occupying the territory around Surat. In 1730, Durjan Singh, the ruling chief of Mandvi, was deprived of his possessions by Damaji Rao Gaekwad. Nawab Teg Bakht Khan was appointed governor in 1733.

The English negotiated with Teg Bakht Khan in 1733 for the transfer of the fleet subsidy from the Sidis to the English, but this attempt was in vain. The English stopped merchant ships from coming to the bar of Surat in 1734, prompting the merchant community to threaten Nawab Teg Bakht Khan with relocating to Bombay. A dispute between Teg Bakht Khan and the Sidis of Janjira regarding the payment of the Sidi's Tankha occurred in August 1735. The English mediated to settle the dispute, leading to the release of merchant ships by the Sidis. Dayaram, Teg Bakht Khan's Dewan, settled the dispute of the Nawab's revenue of Aththavisi with Damaji Rao in 1735.

Notable people

• Goolam Hossen
• Cassam Ajum Piperdy
• Asim Randeri
• Zar Randeri
• Nuruddin ar-Raniri

See also

• List of tourist attractions in Surat