Basrur

Basrur / Basroor is a village in Kundapur taluk in Udupi district of Karnataka. Historically Basrur was also called as Barcelor, Barcalor, Basnur, Bares, Abu-Sarur and Barsellor.

History

Basrur, once called Vasupura, is a historic port town on the banks of the Varahi River on the Kanara coast in Karnataka, India. For much of the sixteenth century and the first half of the seventeenth century, it was the rice port par excellence on that coast. The port was used by traders of several foreign countries mainly to cater for the needs of Keladi Samsthana, which was near Shimoga. The town had several streets, each specifically housing communities like traders, artisans, dancers, weavers etc. It was also famous for communities who were experts in singing and dancing, which art is forgotten and no longer exists. The town has become a small obscure village and the trade no longer exists.

In his travel account Moroccan Traveller Ibn Batuta (Abu Abdullah Mohammed (1304–1358)) who visited Canara on his way to Malabar from Honavar says, "The first town in the land of Mulaybar (Malabara) that we entered as the town of Abu-Sarur (Basrur), a small place on a large inlet and abounding in coco palms" British Major of Engineers James Rennel has concluded with due analysis that the Bares of Ptolemy's Map is the Barcelor or Basrur.