સોકોત્રા ટાપુ પરથી પ્રાપ્ત ગુજરાતી શિલાલેખો વિ.સં. ૧૭૨૯ (ઈ.સ. ૧૬૬૨) અને વિ.સં.૧૭૭૫ (ઈ.સ.૧૭૧૮)
By Bharti Shelat
Summary
This Gujarati article presents two previously unreported inscriptions from the island of Socotra, located in the Arabian Sea. The inscriptions, dated to V.S. 1729 (A.D. 1662) and V.S. 1775 (A.D. 1718), are written in Gujarati script and commemorate the visits of traders or pilgrims. The author provides photographs, transliterations and translations of the texts, which mention the names of individuals and invoke Hindu deities for safe passage. Linguistic analysis reveals orthographic features characteristic of 17th and 18th century Gujarati. The article situates the inscriptions within the broader context of Indian Ocean trade networks, noting that Socotra served as a stopping point on routes between Gujarat, Arabia and East Africa. The findings support historical accounts of vibrant commerce and cultural exchange. The author argues that such inscriptions attest to the presence of Gujarati communities far from the Indian mainland and contribute to our understanding of maritime mobility.
Conclusion
These inscriptions highlight the maritime reach of Gujarati merchants and the cultural footprints they left on distant shores. Their preservation and study enhance our knowledge of premodern trade and underscore the need to document epigraphic evidence wherever it is found.