Nelcynda

Nelcynda (Ancient Greek: Νέλκυνδα^[1], also Nelkynda) was an early historic inland port town and settlement located in what is now Kerala, on the Malabar Coast, in southern India.^[2][3] It is mentioned by several classical Greco-Roman authors, including Pliny the Elder and Ptolemy, as well as in the Periplus of the Erythraean Sea and on the Peutingerian Table.^[3] No archaeological evidence has been found for Nelcynda.^[2]

Nelcynda is commonly mentioned alongside "Becare", another early historic port on the Malabar Coast, which likely served as its loading site.^[2][4] According to Greco-Roman geographers, Becare, located on the seacoast, was linked to Nelcynda, possibly via an inland river. Ptolemy identified the river on which Nelcynda was situated as the "Baris". The Periplus appears to suggest that both Becare and Nelcynda were located on the same river.^[3] Scholars have also noted that, between the time of Pliny the Elder and Ptolemy, Muziris rose in importance while the ports of Bacare and Nelcynda declined.^[5]

The ports of Bacare and Nelcynda are listed as towns under the rule of the Pandya kings in the Periplus.^[2] Scholars suggest that Nelcynda may have been under the control of the Ay rulers, a prominent lineage in early historic Kerala, who were traditionally vassals of the Pandya rulers.

Variations

Nelcynda/Nelkynda (Νελκύνδα) is mentioned by various Greco-Roman authors under slightly different names. In Ptolemy's work, it appears as "Melkynda" (Μελκύνδα), which he places within the territory of the Ay rulers.^[6] The Peutingerian Table probably records it as "Nincildae", while the Geographer of Ravenna refers to it as "Nilcinna".^[6][7]

In his "Natural History", Pliny the Elder does not recognize the port of Nelcynda, instead referring only to a "gens Neacyndon".^[8]

Citations

Periplus of the Erythraean Sea

Main article: Periplus of the Erythraean Sea

The ports of Bacare and Nelcynda are mentioned as towns under the Pandya rulers in the Periplus. It also states that Nelcynda was located 500 stades (~ 92 km) from Muziris and about 22 km from Bacare, which was situated on the coast (i. e., 22 km via the inland river).^[2] Additionally, it mentions that both Bacare and Nelcynda were situated along the same river.^[3] According to the author of the Periplus, Nelcynda served as the location where ships were unloaded and spent the winter, while Bacare was used for loading return cargoes. The presence of sandbanks and narrow channels made loading at Nelcynda impractical.^[9]

The author also states that the main centers of commercial activity on the Malabar Coast were the ports of Muziris and Nelcynda, while the ports of Naura and Tyndis played a more peripheral role.^[4]

Beyond Calliena there are other market-towns of this region; Semylla, Mandagora, Pala patma, Meligara, Byzantium, Togarum and Aurannohoas. Then there are the islands called Sesecrienae and that of the Aegidii, and that of the Caenitae, opposite the place called Chersonesus (and in these places there are pirates) and after this the White Island. Then come Naura and Tyndis, the first markets of Damirica, and then Muziris and Nelcynda, which are now of leading importance.

Tyndis is of the Kingdom of Cerobothra; it is a village in plain sight by the sea. Muziris, of the same Kingdom, abounds in ships sent there with cargoes from Arabia, and by the Greeks; it is located on a river, distant from Tyndis by river and sea five hundred stadia, and up the river from the shore twenty stadia. Nelcynda is distant from Muziris by river and sea about five hundred stadia, and is of another Kingdom, the Pandian. This place also is situated on a river, about one hundred and twenty stadia from the sea.

There is another place at the mouth of this river, the village of Bacare; to which ships drop down on the outward voyage from Nelcynda, and anchor in the roadstead to take on their cargoes; because the river is full of shoals and the channels are not clear. The kings of both these market-towns live in the interior. And as a sign to those approaching these places from the sea there are serpents coming forth to meet you, black in color, but shorter, like snakes in the head, and with blood-red eyes.

— The Periplus of the Erythraean Sea, 53-55

The Natural History

Pliny the Elder (c. 23–79 CE) provides a detailed account of voyages to India during the 1st century CE, referring to numerous Indian ports in his work The Natural History.^[10] He notably mentions that the ports of Becare and Nelcynda were preferable to the port of Muziris.^[2][5]

But for them that would make a voiage to the Indians, the most commodious place to st forward is Ocelis: for from thence, and with the West wind called Hypalus, they have a passage of fortie daies sailing to the first towne of merchandise in India, called Muziris. Howbeit a port this is, not greatly in request, for the daunger of pirates and rovers, which keepe ordinarily about a place called Hydræ and besides that, it is not richly stored and furnished with merchandise. And more than so, the harborough is farre from the towne, so as they must charge and discharge their ware too and fro in little boats. At the time when I wrote this storie, the king that reigned there, was named Celebothras. But another haven there is more commodious, belonging to the Necanidians, which they cal Becare: the kings name at this present is Pandion: not far off is another town of merchandise within the firme land, called Madusa. As for that region, from whence they transport pepper in small punts or troughes made of one peece of wood, it is named Cotona.

Present location

Despite references — such as the description of Nelcynda being "about five hundred stadia from Muziris by river and sea" — and other geographical details, the precise location of Nelcynda has yet to be definitively established.^[2][3]

Identification of Nelcynda

Location	Author/Source	Notes
Kottayam	Sastri; 1955, Gurukkal and Whittakker; 2001, and Schoff (and Bacare with Purakkad[2])	[11][2][3]
Kannetri	Caldwell	[12]
Kallada or Kannetri on the Kallada River	Yule; 1882	[13]
Nirkunnam on the Meenachil River	Kanakasabhai; 1904	[11]
Nakkada, or Nakkida near Thiruvalla[2]		[2][14]
Niranam	Casson; 1989	[2]
Niganda (later known as Niranam)	IC Chacko; 1979	[11]
Purakkad	Gurukkal and Whittakker; 2001	[3]
Alappuzha	Gurukkal and Whittakker; 2001	[3]

Kallada/Kannetti

Yule (1882) suggested that Nelcynda was probably Kallada or Kannetti, noting that this identification matched the description of a port situated on a river.^[13]

"The absolute identification of the last [Nelkynda] is not easy, but it was probably Kallada, on a river of the same name entering the backwaters, the only navigable river south of Perriar at Cranganore. This is probably the same place as Kannetti, famous in the legendary history of Malabar; and it is still a great entrepot for Travancore pepper, which is sent hence to the ports on the coast for shipment. That Nelkynda cannot have been far from this is clear from the vicinity of the Πυρρὸν ὄρος or Red Hill of the Periplus, which is mentioned in immediate succession to the mouth of the river of Nelkynda. There can be no question that this is the bar of red laterite which, a short distance south of Quilon, cuts short the backwater navigation, and is thence called the Warkallé Barrier. It forms abrupt cliffs on the sea, without beach, and these cliffs are still known to seamen (as the navigation books show) as the Red Cliffs. This is the only thing like a sea-cliff from Cannanore (or perhaps from Mount d'Ely) to Cape Comorin"

— Notes on the Oldest Records of the Sea-route to China from Western Asia

Niranam

The identification of Nelcynda with Niranam is considered plausible based on its association with ancient Christian traditions. However, there is a lack of geographical or archaeological evidence to confirm that present-day Niranam functioned as an ancient port.^[3]

Kannettri

Scholar Robert Caldwell has identified Nelcynda with Kannettri.^[12]

I content myself with simply noting the following names of places on the Malabar coast. Muziris appears to be the Muyiri of Muyiri-cotta; Tyndis is Tundi; and the Kynda of Nelkynda (or as Ptolemy has it Melkynda, i.e., probably Western Kynda) seems to be Kannettri, the southern boundary of Kerala proper. One MS. of Pliny writes the second part of this word not cyndon, but canidon. The first of these places was identified by Dr Gundert; for the remaining two we are indebted to Dr Burnell.

— Robert Caldwell, A Comparative Grammar of the Dravidian or South Indian Family of Languages

In fiction

• In 2012, Susan Visvanathan published a novella inspired by Nelcynda, titled Nelycinda and Other Stories (Roli Books).^[15]