Examine how concerns of defence and health gave shape to Calcutta.
Sirajudaula, the Nawab of Bengal in 1756, sacked the small fort from Britisher. In this fort the British traders had built to house their goods. Consequently, when Sirajudaula was defeated in the Battle of Plassey, the British built a new fort, Fort William which could not be easily attacked. Around this a vast open space was left. This open space ‘ was called the Maidan or garermath. This was done for security reasons, because there would be no obstructions to a straight time of fire from the Fort against an advancing enemy army. Soon the British began to move out of the Fort. They built residences along the periphery of the Maidan. This indicates that how the English Settlement in Calcutta began to take shape. The vast open space around the Fort William became the significant town planning measure in Calcutta (Now Kolkata). Lord Wellesley was more concerned about the conditions that existed in the cities. Cities were overcrowded, and had no sanitation facilities. He issued an administrative order in 1803 on the need for town planning and set up various committees for this purpose open places in the city would make the city healthier. As a result of this, many bazaars, ghats, burial ground and tanneries were cleared or removed. After Wellesley’s departure, the Lottery Committee carried on with the work of town planning in Calcutta.
What are the problems of using official sources in writing about the history of peasants?
How did the Paharias respond to the coming of outsiders?
Why was the jotedar a powerful figure in many areas of rural Bengal?
What were the concerns that influenced town planning in the nineteenth century?
Why was the charkha chosen as a symbol of nationalism?
What do visual representations tell us about the revolt of 1857? How do historians analyse these representations?
How did the American Civil War affect the lives of ryots in India?
How did women experience Partition?
In what way was the livelihood of the Paharias different from that of the Santhals?
Why was the revolt particularly widespread in Awadh? What prompted the peasants, taluqdars and zamindars to join the revolt?
In what way did Mahatma Gandhi transform the nature of the national movement?
Why were many zamindaris auctioned after the Permanent Settlement?
Why was the revolt particularly widespread in Awadh? What prompted the peasants, taluqdars and zamindars to join the revolt?
Why did the Santhals rebel against British rule?
Why were the dialogues at the Round Table Conference inconclusive?
What were the new kinds of public places that emerged in the colonial city? What functions did they serve?
What were the measures taken to ensure unity among the rebels?
How did Mahatma Gandhi seek to identify with the common people?
On an outline map of India, trace the major rivers and hill ranges. Plot ten cities mentionedin the chapter, including Bombay, Calcutta and Madras, and prepare a brief note on why the importance of any two cities that you have marked (one colonial and one pre-colonial) changed in the nineteenth century.
To what extent are census data useful in reconstructing patterns of urbanisation in the colonial context?