The myth about Kolkata’s origin
The myth about Kolkata’s origin
We were taught in our school days that Kolkata was founded by Job Charnok who came to India in search of a job in 1650. However the popular perception got a jolt when a historic judgement by Kolkata high court concluded that the city of kolkata consisting Sutanati, Govindapur and dihi Kolkata existed much before 1690. It is the year which counted as birth year of kolkata, widely believed to be the year when Aurangzeb granted business right to Job Charnok who was stationed in Kolkata during that period. Job Charnok considered to be the pioneer architect of today’s modern kolkata.
Some historians attributed the origin of name ‘Kolkata’ derived from Kalikhetra’ or abode of Goddess Kali whose famous temple is situated in Kalighat.
‘Mansa Mangal’ written by Bipradas in 1495 also mentioned the existence of the temple. In fact, out of the 24 Parganas of south WB, eight Parganas, stretching from Halisahar to Diamond harbour was granted to Sabarna RoyChoudhury by Mughal emperor Jahangir in the year 1605.
The land belongs to Mughal King, but tax collection and subsequently sending them to Mughal court was responsiblity of Sabarno family. Around 1650 there were around one thousand foreigners of Dutch, Portuguese and Armenian origin who were residing in kolkata. In fact a grave was found in city’s oldest Armenian church of one lady named ‘Rezabeebeh Sookia‘ and 1630 is the year of death mentioned in the epitaph. In fact 40 Armenian families are required at any given place to built a Armenian church. So it is obvious that quiet a number of Armenians were living in the city in seventeenth century, much before arrival of Job Charnok.
To dig out the origin of Kolkata let us go back to history of earlier centuries. The ancient silk routes for trading waned after advent of seafaring vessels. Maritime trade become more popular in 16-17th century. So Ports become the Centre point, surrounding which people from all walks of life flock together to form a city.
Tamralipta was the major port in Bengal which started to decline from 9th century due to siltation. A new port Was built in Saptagram( today’s Tribeni, Bansberia) in the confluence of Saraswati and Hooghly river. It is considered that 14th-16th century was the golden period of Saptagram port. But due to siltation of river Saraswati, Saptagram port declined and Kasimbazar which is today’s Baharampur become the major maritime trade hub.
Job charnok (1630-1693) came to India in 1650. in his initial days in India he was employee of merchant Maurice Thompson and in 1656, he joined East India company. By 1686 he rose from rank and file to second in command of Bengal division of East India Company. During the period (1679-86), he was posted in Kashimbazar. Sometime in 1685 Mughal emperor imposed three and half percent extra tax on trading, which Charnok refused to pay. Arrest warrant was issued to capture Job Charnok. So one night on 20th December,1686 he left Kashimbazar with all his subordinates and company’s goods in a small ship to avoid imprisonment. He sailed through Hoogly and and anchored in Sutanuti, then a low swampy village with scattered huts. It was a perfect hideout for him. Those days company’s headquarter was in Madras. Initially company did not allow him to setup his factory in Sutanuti as Dutch and Portuguese traders were already settled there. So he set up his factory in Hijli. But Charnok was constantly getting hounded by Nawab’s force. In 1688 East India Company wanted to have a fortified settlement in Bengal to carry out business activity uninterruptedly. To find a suitable place Charnok went Chhitagaon which was also a potential harbour for settlement. After much deliberation at Madras, Sutanuti was chosen as future maritime business hub, because the Hoogly river depth was sufficiently deep which facilitate for anchoring and also the defensible position of the area.
In those days Sabarno RoyChoudhury’s were controlling the area. They refused to give permission to East India Company to do business (Jaigirdari right) in the area of Sutanuti, Gobindapur and Kolikata . It is said that in 1690 the company received permission from Aurangzeb to carry out business in Sutanuti. But as claimed by RoyChoudhury family that it was a fake document issued to the company by some close associate of Aurangzeb after taking bribe. When the matter become known to Aurangzeb, he took action to prevent company to carry out business. Job Charnok got married in 1678 to an Indian lady who happens to be a Rajput princess who bore him three daughters and a son. Job Charnok died in the year 1693. It is his son in law who at a much later period in 1698 took permission on behalf of East India company, from Sabarno RoyChoudhury family with an yearly fee of 1300 rupees to get business right and setup factory in Kolkata. In fact during this time only parallel to business expansion by setting up factories (to shift business strategy from trading to manufacturing), the company began fortify the city by building a fort near present GPO. The construction of the fort completed in 1707.
So in a nutshell, the growth of the city of Kolkata was a gradual process which started in early seventeenth century and only much after death of Job Charnok, East India Company got a solid footing in the place and later on, the city become the most important trading hub of East India Company. Hence It is myth that Job Charnok is the founding father of the city.
Debadatta
28/08/2021
Very important history. Written nicely. Should be widely circulated.
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