
This opened a new chapter in the Indian trade relation with Europe.

The discovery of the sea route to India is considered as a milestone in world history. He sailed from Lisbon in Portugal via Cape of Good Hope. Vasc-da-Gama came to India in the present day Kerala. These necessities forced King Manuel I to send an expedition to search a sea route for India. Land route was long and also under the influence of the Muslims. Other eastern nations were also trading with India. At that time, Muslims had a monopoly of trade with India. Indian spices were famous all over the world. This was mainly from the trading point of view. In 1497,King Manuel I sent a Portuguese expedition to India under Vasco-da-Gama in search of a maritime route from Western Europe to the East. He is credited for the discovery of the sea route to India from Europe. Vasco-da-Gama was a very successful Portuguese sailor. He came to India through Cape of Good Hope. He discovered the route in the end of the fifteenth century. In fact, he was the person who discovered the sea route to India from Europe. He was the first European to reach India by sea. Vasco da Gama reportedly took Kanji Malam onboard at Malindi in East Africa, and since Kanji Malam had excellent knowledge of the sea route to India, he could guide Vasco da Gama to Calicut, also known as ‘Kozhikode’ in the present day.Hint: Vaso-da-Gama was a Portuguese explorer. Read More: The Heritage Held In Hagia Sophia, A Mosque As Well As A ChurchĪccording to various historical sources, Kanji Malam was a Kutchi sailor who hailed from the town of Mandvi, a port town in Gujarat, famous for ship building.

The consensus by various scholars seem to be that the man who really showed Vasco da Gama the way to India by sea was Kanji Malam. However, this claim has been disputed by scholars, who say that Majid couldn’t have been anywhere near Vasco da Gama at the time. Some accounts claim that he was a Christian, a Muslim, or that he was the Arab seafarer Ibn Majid. However, did you know that it was a Gujarati seafarer who helped him navigate from Africa to India? Contrasting AccountsĪs can be expected from records that are several centuries old, there are contrasting accounts as to the exact identity of the man who guided Vasco da Gama to India. Known to have been both enterprising and cruel in equal measure, Vasco da Gama made a huge impact on the Indian west coast, and is remembered even today in textbooks, museums, and street names. Vasco da Gama was a famous explorer who is well-known for being among the first in recorded history to sail from Europe to Kerala, set up trade and even try to spread Christianity.
