Plan of Tutecoryn

Original engraved plan by Philippus Baldaeus (1632-1672)

This original engraved plan by Philippus Baldaeus (1632-1672) appears in Naauwkeurige Beschryvinge van Malabar en Choromandel (1672) and was re-issued in A Collection of Voyages & Travels (1704–52). Baldaeus, a Dutch Reformed Church minister, served in the Dutch East Indies and documented South India and Ceylon’s culture, history, and religion. Fluent in Tamil, Portuguese, and Sanskrit, he was among the first Europeans to extensively write about Hinduism, introducing Indian mythology, the Ramayana, and the Mahabharata to European audiences.

Tutecoryn, known as the “Pearl City,” has been a major seaport since the 6th century, serving as a gateway to Tamil Nadu and Southern India. The town’s rulers over centuries included the Pandyas, Cholas, Ma’bar Sultanate, Vijayanagar Empire, Nayaks, and various colonial powers such as the Portuguese, Dutch, and British East India Company. The town’s pearl fishing and maritime trade brought it global recognition, making it an essential node for commerce and culture.

Dutch India (1605–1825) comprised regions like Dutch Ceylon, Coromandel, Malabar, Bengal, and Suratte. The Dutch East India Company traded textiles, spices, precious stones, indigo, silk, and pepper, with notable mints in Cochin, Negapatam, and Pulicat. However, the Dutch influence waned after the 1741 Battle of Colachel, and their remaining territories were ceded to the British under the Anglo-Dutch Treaty of 1824, marking the end of their presence in India.