The Chief Port for trade with Burma and Ceylon during the Mauryan period was:

Question

Accepted Answer

The correct option is 3:
The correct answer is Tamralipti. Tamralipti (modern-day Tamluk in West Bengal) was the most crucial port on India's eastern coast during the Mauryan period and subsequent eras. Its strategic location on the Bay of Bengal made it the primary gateway for maritime trade with Southeast Asia and the Indian Ocean islands. Specifically, for trade with regions like Burma (Suvarnabhumi) and Ceylon (Sri Lanka), Tamralipti was indispensable. Goods, including spices, silk, and precious metals, were loaded here for voyages across the Bay of Bengal, linking the vast Mauryan inland network to external maritime markets. This port’s dominance on the eastern sea route confirms its role as the chief hub for commerce directed towards the southeast.

The incorrect option is 1:
Braghukachchha (also known as Barygaza) was the principal port on the **western coast** of India, situated near the mouth of the Narmada River. It was the major hub for trade with the Roman Empire, the Arabian Peninsula, and East Africa, but it was not the main port for accessing Burma and Ceylon, which lie to the east and south.

The incorrect option is 2:
Sopara, located near modern-day Mumbai, was another important port on the **western coast** during the Mauryan and later periods. Like Braghukachchha, it facilitated trade primarily with western civilizations and was not geographically positioned to manage the bulk of the trade directed towards the eastern neighbors like Burma and Ceylon.

The incorrect option is 4:
Kalyan was a flourishing port on the **western coast**, south of Sopara, and was also instrumental in trade with the West and Persia. Although it was significant, its location meant it served the trade routes across the Arabian Sea, making it unsuitable as the "chief port" for the long-distance maritime routes extending into the Bay of Bengal toward Burma and Ceylon.