FAMINES IN THE INDIAN SUBCONTINENT, 1500 to 1767

1721 (a) [to 1723]: Canavay, Mysore
Documented causes: unspecified
Documented effects: migration

Pierre de Hondt (ed.) "Histoire Générale des Voyages ..." (vol. 13, 1755)

p470: "… le Père Barbier … peint les succès de la Mission du Carnate en ces termes. 'Le Père Aubert, qui seul cultive, maintient & augmente, depuis quelque-tems, les Chrétientés répandues en deça des montagnes du Canavay, dans un territoire d'environ soixante lieues, a administré cetter année, (1723) les Sacremens à environ trois mille Chrétiens, & bâtisé plus de deux cens Adultes; ce qui est d'autant plus extraordinaire, que la famine, qui afflige cette Contrée depuis trois ans, a obligé la plûpart des Habitans à se retirer dans d'autres Provinces. Ce Père, par ses charités, & par les mesures qu'il sçait prendre pour accrediter la Religion, s'est attiré une estime générale.' ..." [Source: "Lettre du P. Barbier, Rec. XVIII, pag. 418 & suiv."]

1720s: strict government in Bengal

Munshi Salim Allah, "A narrative of the transactions in Bengal, during the soobahdaries of Azeem us Shan, Jaffer Khan ..." (trans. 1788)

pp111-2 (events during the reign of Murshid Quli Khan, as Jaffer Khan Nasiri, 1717-27): "Besides feeding a multitude of people, he also provided food for the beasts of the field, and the fowls of the air. He always provided against famine, and severely prohibited all monopolies of grain. He constantly made private enquiries concerning the market price of grain; and whenever he discovered any imposition, the offenders suffered the most exemplary punishments. If the importation of grain to the cities and towns fell short of what had been usual, he sent officers into the country, who broke open the hoards of individuals, and compelled them to carry their grain to the public markets. Rice was then commonly sold at Moorshedabad, at four maunds for a rupee; and the prices of other provisions were in proportion. He also strictly prohibited the exportation of grain; and the foujdar of Hooghly had express orders to see that no ship, belonging to Europeans or others, was suffered to carry away more than was sufficient for the victualling of the crew, during their intended voyage. Neither were any merchants suffered to have any stores of grain." [NB: This book also describes the reign of Alivardi Khan, who conquered Bengal in 1740, aged about 68, and remained in power, despite constant invasions by the Marathas, until his death in 1756. He was quite fond of the "Red Wedding" strategy ...]