Lutherian-Armenian Contacts in India 1708-1765

Abstract

The Armenians belong to an old Christian minority in India. During the Mughal period some of them had held important positions in the administration. Their role was not limited to their traditional practice of trade with which they had covered the entire area around the Indian Ocean to the Pacific. In leading positions they could also take part in the political and cultural life of India. When one looks at Armenian gravestones in India one finds various places and regions mentioned, such as Erivan, Karabagh, Basra, Hamada, Tibris, Bitlis, Samsun, Tiflis, Georgia, Astrachan, Kar, Maragha, Constantinople, Kabu, Diyarbaki, Van and Salma. But one place by far outstrips all others: Julf. This refers to New Julfa, the Armenian district of Isfahan. Before New Julfa had been set up by the forced resettlement of Armenians from Julfa under Shah Abbas in 1605, the Armenians had generally come to India directly from Armenia. The deportation affected 50,000 Armenians from the Armenian city of Julfa. Hunted by the Persians and on the run from Turkish rule the deportation became a nightmare. Those who were too weak to carry on were killed or left to freeze or starve to death. Many drowned in the icy waters of the Arax. Only 25,000 reached the capital city of the Shah. Here they were allowed to establish New Julfa and were given religious freedom as well as freedom from taxation. The deportation also led to a stream of refugees via Basra to Surat.