the capital of eastern Bengal and Assam. The names of different quarters of the city—such as Kumartuli (the potters’ district) and Sankaripara (the conch-shell workers’ district)—still indicate the various occupational castes of the people who became residents of the growing metropolis. By now the city, however, was self-sufficient in many ways and it continued to remain an important centre of administration even after the transfer of the capital. Fort William, in ruins, had to be mostly re-built and this saw the introduction of military-style architecture to public buildings in urban settings. Be on the lookout for your Britannica newsletter to get trusted stories delivered right to your inbox. Insistent agitation led to the annulment of this partition in 1911, but at that time the capital of British India was removed from Calcutta to Delhi, where the government could enjoy relative calm. Calcutta became the intellectual centre of the subcontinent. In 1773 Bombay (now Mumbai) and Madras (now Chennai) became subordinate to the government at Fort William. The large lake east of the fort is now called Lal Dighi. The main entrance was to the landward side. Planned by British architect William Emerson, the building is constructed of white marble sourced from Rajasthan and combines Indian and British … In 1706 the population of Calcutta was roughly between 10,000 and 12,000. In 1690 the Chief Agent of Bengal, Job Charnock built an unauthorized settlement in Sutanuti and called it Calcutta after the nearby village of Kalikata. Victory in the June 1757 battle of Plassey opened up a vast majority of Northern India to the British and contributed to the emergence of Calcutta as the Imperial Capital. Meanwhile, as Calcutta’s population grew larger, social problems also became more insistent, as did demands for home rule for India. August 1, 2020 / Spotlight. St. Anne’s church marked f, the first Anglican church of Kolkata, stood at the site of the Writers Building. Hindustan under the Great Mughals was an economic superpower, and Bengal was its most glittering, coveted, asset. The Indian merchants lived in the Black Town north of the fort whereas the Indians of lower socioeconomic class lived towards the south. - DR82ET from Alamy's library of millions of high resolution stock photos, illustrations and vectors. Map of Calcutta (c. 1900), from the 10th edition of. It was named after King William III of England in 1700. He was an actor and director, known for Karnarjun (1941), Kabuliwala (1957) and Jar Jetha Ghar (1949). Writers’ Building, Tank Square. The nawab was defeated shortly afterward at Plassey (June 1757), after which British rule in Bengal was assured. Named after William III, the fort sits on the banks of the Hooghly River and was at the centre of the Battle of Plassey fought between the British and the Nawab of Bengal, Siraj-ud-Daulah. Kolkata was the capital of the British Indian empire until 1911 when the capital was relocated to Delhi. Bengal, 1710, map published by Pieter van der Aa. The construction of the fort was almost on the verge of completion and was yet to be named. Engineers in classical style. Completely separated from Bengal Presidency were Straits Settlements in 1867, Aden, Burma in 1937. One of Kolkata's most enduring Raj-era edifices, it extends over an area of 70.9 hectares. Ring in the new year with a Britannica Membership. In 1858, administrative power was handed over from the East India Company to the British Crown, and in 1869 the foundation stone for Victoria Memorial Hall was laid by Prince of Wales (opened in 1921). The shaded habitations in this map are marked as English Houses. This plan is that of the Old Fort William as it existed in 1756. Calcutta at that time was described as a pestilential town. Murshidabad was capital of Bengal. The map is oriented east (north is to the left). A supreme court administering English law … Calcutta in 1756 was a segregated city. The east face fronting the river extended 700 feet. Historical Atlas, Bangladesh, India since 1947, Pakistan, South Asia Pages see also EIC India for the history of India under the E.I.C., 1759-1858, British India for the history of British India 1858-1947 Communal riots occurred in 1926, and, when the nationalist leader Mohandas Gandhi called for noncompliance with unjust laws, riots occurred in 1930. In 1814 the Lottery Committee was constituted to finance public improvement by means of lotteries, and between 1814 and 1836 it took some effective measures to improve conditions. Facebook Twitter Email WhatsApp. In World War II, Japanese air raids upon the Calcutta docks caused damage and loss of life. This in no way means it was an easy time in the timeline of Calcutta’s history. On the river side the rear entrance led to the Ghats or landing places. The only bridge linking Kolkata to its twin city Howrah over River Hooghly was built … 1715 British people completed building the Old Fort. The British Indian regiment was sent as aid to the Civil Power in 1930. The most serious communal riots of all took place in 1946, when the partition of British India became imminent and tensions between Muslims and Hindus reached their height. However, following the decline of the Mughal Empire in 1707 and after the East India Co… A… Presidency College - 1870 Designed by Robert F. Chisholm in pure Italian style derived from Renaissance Classicism Lectures and Seminars are held in the hall Mayo College of Mant at Ajmer was built in Indo - saracenic. For example, the revenue of pre-colonial Dhaka alone was 1 million rupees in the 18th century (a high amount in that era). It was followed in 1611 by a permanent factory at Machilipatnam on the Coromandel Coast, and in 1612 the company joined other already established European trading companies in Bengal. A supreme court administering English law began to exercise original jurisdiction over the city as far as the Maratha Ditch (now Acharya Prafulla Chandra and Jagadish Chandra Bose roads). It was Hedges’ idea to build a fortified port close to the mouth of the Hooghly River to protect British interests from other European powers as well as from subordinates of the Nawab of Bengal. - DRPWXK from Alamy's library of millions of high resolution stock photos, illustrations and vectors. This beautiful monument, one of Kolkata’s best known, was built between 1906 and 1921 in memory of Queen Victoria, following her death in 1901. In 1608, the English East India Company established a settlement at Surat (now in the state of Gujarat), and this became the company's first headquarters town. In 1699 the EIC declared Bengal as a separate Presidency and named the fort to be built in Calcutta as Fort William after the then British monarch William III. For most of the 17th century the commercial interests of the East India Company (EIC) was managed from Fort St. George in Madras (Chennai). After the victory of Clive over the Nawab in the battle of Plassey in 1757, Old Fort William was abandoned. From the late 18th century to the late 19th century, social and cultural activities in Calcutta were largely determined by British tastes and traditions, although the rich ‘natives’ also participated in recreational activities. Two distinct areas—one British, one Indian—came to coexist in Calcutta. During this period, small units of the Calcutta Scottish were deployed on eighteen operations. Before the coming of British Calcutta was just a village. The troops of the Calcutta Scottish regiment were joined with the Calcutta Volunteer Machine Guns and served in few British battles. In this sense, "British India" did not include the princely states directly ruled by Indian princes, though under a close eye from the British authorities. In Bengal, the British inherited from the Mughals the biggest revenue earnings in the Indian subcontinent. Chhabi Biswas was born on July 12, 1900 in Calcutta, Bengal Presidency, British India as Sachindranath Biswas. The Bengal Army led by Nawab Sirajud Daula attacked and laid siege to the fort and the British surrendered on June 20, 1756. This plan is that of the Old Fort William as it existed in 1756. There were so many palaces in the British sector of the city that it was named the “city of palaces.” Outside the British town were built the mansions of the newly rich, as well as clusters of huts. 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