Did you know India was once divided by a wall that ran from Punjab to Orissa?
Hedge that divided the Nation...
The wall was more than 4000 km long and was not built out of mortar or bricks. The wall was a hedge (row of shrubs) known as The Great Hedge or Inland Customs Line that had its beginning in 1803. The hedge was 12 feet high in some parts.
The hedge was planted in place by East India Company to check on salt smuggling. Salt tax brought East India Company the biggest chunk of their revenue. In 1784-85 alone salt tax brought them revenue of 62,57,470 rupees. One big problem faced by the company was that salt was free to anyone who had access to salt basins or the ocean and salt was one of the most smuggled item back then due to high prices.
The line consisted of a customs post every one mile linked by raised pathways to allow people cross it every 4 miles. The hedge was finally abandoned in 1879 at which point salt tax was applied at the point of manufacture, which remained until 1946.
Hedge that divided the Nation...
The wall was more than 4000 km long and was not built out of mortar or bricks. The wall was a hedge (row of shrubs) known as The Great Hedge or Inland Customs Line that had its beginning in 1803. The hedge was 12 feet high in some parts.
The hedge was planted in place by East India Company to check on salt smuggling. Salt tax brought East India Company the biggest chunk of their revenue. In 1784-85 alone salt tax brought them revenue of 62,57,470 rupees. One big problem faced by the company was that salt was free to anyone who had access to salt basins or the ocean and salt was one of the most smuggled item back then due to high prices.
The line consisted of a customs post every one mile linked by raised pathways to allow people cross it every 4 miles. The hedge was finally abandoned in 1879 at which point salt tax was applied at the point of manufacture, which remained until 1946.
Akshit Kapoor
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