From Mughal Empire To British Empire – Bengal Monuments Survive

India as we know it has survived the rule of many empires. From the ancient period to the medieval period to the modern period – the plethora of rulers and empires are vast. Calcutta  and Bengal bear the same lineage like the rest of the country.

But the thing that stands out in the history and heritage of its monuments are those dating back to the medieval and modern period. The towering monuments that saw the gruesomest battles fought and stood the test of time includes the popular mughal structures of the erstwhile mughal capital of Bengal – Murshidabad.

Today, we are going to talk about those crumbling monuments which saw the transition from the Mughal empire to British empire and had sown the seed of colonialism in India back in 1757 when the British East India Company’s Robert Clive defeated the last Nawab of Bengal, Siraj-ud-Daula in the Battle of Plassey

Murshidabad is a town in West Bengal lying to the East of Hooghly river, a region which Job Charnock became the chief agent of East India Company back in 1686, 4 years before he took over Calcutta in 1690. Murshidabad town lies nearly 43 kms away from Calcutta, in the district of modern day Murshidabad whose district capital is Berhampore. Here too, the town grew up on the banks of Ganges which is known as the Bhagirathi here.

So, before Charnock landed here in Cossimbazar, Berhampore area back in 1656, Murshidabad was ruled by the Nawabs of Bengal who were under the Mughal Empire. Under these nawabs, several zamindars flourished and developed large estates. Traditional architectural style bengali houses and kothis were created by them which still survives. These 200 year old  traditional zamindar houses or Rajbaris like Bari Kothi of Azimgunj and Cossimbazar Palace Roy’s still survives the test of time and acta as heritage stays and hotels for the region. The opulent bengali styled kothis give out the fervour of bengali culture specially during Durga Puja, when more than 300 year old family festivals are opened to the public – both global and local visitors. Many like the Nimtita Rajbari, Kathgola Palace have also been used as a storyline and shooting spot in films like Satyajit Ray’s Jalsaghar, Srijit Mukherjee’s Ek Je Chilo Raja

Now, coming back to the Mughals and the remains of the Mughal empire monuments of Murshidabad, the Nawabi Capital of Bengal – the chief attraction is the Hazarduari Palace or the Palace of Thousand Doors. This 1829 built, administrative building was commissioned by the then Nawab of Bengal , Humayun Jah for administrative purposes. At that time the Nawab was just a titular head and the British rule had already started – in fact it’s more than 50 years after the Battle of Plassey. So, this opulent structure was built under the supervision of a 19th century British architect Duncan McLeod, who was part of the Bengal Corp of Engineers

Hazarduari was meant to be an administrative building lying just opposite to the Nizamat Imambara, the largest congregation hall for the muslims in India. The whole area was well planned to have a clock tower and a mosque called madina mosque – thus serving all facets of religion and trade. The clock tower was used to determine the time of arrival of sailors and merchants at banks of river bhagirathi. Now, this 130 metres long opulent structure with 1000 doors (of which 100 are false doors) serves as a museum depicting the history of the Mughal era in Bengal. The Nizamat Imambara lying opposite to was built in 1848 when the original imambara built by the last of Nawab of Bengal, Siraj Ud Daula burned down in a fire in 1847

Moving back in time, we visit another popular structure of Mughal Bengal – the largest mosque of Murshidabad, the Katra Masjid which houses the grave of the founder of Murshidabad, Murshid Quli Khan. This was the largest caravanserais of India which was built in 1724. The mosque with properly lined domed cells where maulavis performed namaz is a spectacle to watch, specially the 2 large towers which flanks on either sides. One of the towers got destroyed in the 1897 earthquake . The mosque had several domed cells which collectively housed 700 people for reading the Quran. The masjid is situated on a raised platform and one has to climb a flight of stairs to enter. Below these flight of  stairs lies the tomb of Murshid Quli Khan, the founder of Murshidabad

Murshid Quli Khan, a Hindu brahmin from the Deccan Plateau region was the first Nawab of Bengal. He changed religion after he was bought by a mughal Haji Safi. He worked as a Divan of Vidarbha region in Emperor Aurangzeb’s court . He was later transferred to Murshidabad and made the first Nawab of Bengal in 1717  by Faruskhiyar. It was Aurangzeb who gave him the title Murshid Quli Khan and permitted him to name the town on himself, – the city of Murshid Quli Khan, Murshidabad. He changed the city name when he finally got back to Murshidabad in 1717. He was the pioneer who changed the jagirdari and mansabdari system of medieval india to zamindari system.

The first Nawab of Bengal was known for his taste in culture and religion. He not only built the Katra Masjid in 1727 but also built several terracotta temples all over Murshidabad district which bears testimonial to the rich craft of Bengal’s artwork and architecture. There were more than 500 terracotta temples, of which few like the Char Bangla temples still survives today showcasing the finest specimens of Bengal’s way of life, culture and religion.

He was a pious man who regularly participated in local hindu festivals. He wanted to be touched by the footprints of noble men and hence wanted to be buried near a mosque. So, when he died in 30th June, 1727, he was buried under the stairs of the Katra Masjid, the mosque he entrusted  an architect friend Murad Farash Khan to built

After his death, his grandson Sarfaraz Khan took over the reins but his father, Murshid’s son opposed it so he gave it away. After Murshid’s son’s death Sarfaraz took over the throne but he was soon attacked and defeated by Alivardi Khan in1746. His unfinished mosque still lies in Murshidabad.

Alivardi reigned till 1756 and defeated the Marathas in the Burdwan war. He saved many a bengalis from the Maratha attacks. It was the grandchild of Alivardi, Siraj Ud Daula who finally took over the throne in 1756 and thus began the story of treachery and british annexation

The last Nawab of Bengal, Sira Ud Daula faced opposition from both within the family and from outside. His aunt Ghasti Begum was against him and wanted her father’s throne while the British were trying to capture the town. Ultimately, Robert Clive defeated him in the Battle of Plassey playing a cruel game. Despite having the advantage of a large army of 50,000 people, horses and elephants, guns and canons, Siraj lost as his aunt Ghasiti Begum and his general Mir Jafar conspired against him and gave information to the British. Added to this was monsoon rains which made the Indian soldiers gun powder wet while the British could save theirs. Ultimately Siraj was assassinated by treacherous Mir Jafar and he was appointed the titular Nawab of Bengal by the British.  Mir Jafar hounded down and killed every member of the Siraj’s family including Ghasiti Begum and her sons who now liea buried along with Siraj in Khosbagh

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Mir Jafar’s treachery was marked in history and collective memory of Indians, so much so that even today people call a traitor by his name. The descendants of Mir Jafar still live in Murshidabad under this humiliation while the town is rife with monuments and structures built by him and his successors. Mir Jafar and his clan lie buried in an elaborate cemetery in Jafarganj, the ruins of his palace, Namak Haram Deori are still there while nothing survives of Siraj.

Some plaques and ruins remain in the Battlefield of Plassey, some kilometers away of Murshidabad. The house and office of Jagat Seth, a diwan and money lender of Siraj still remains. It is here where the Battle of Plassey deal was signed between Robert Clive and Ghasiti Begum and Mir Jafar.

Much later in the colonial period, the British moved the capital of Murshidabad district to Cossimbazar, Berhampore, site where Charnock landed first. It’s here modern administrative power lies in the Murshidabad district of bengal. The then Governor general Warren Hastings used to visit and stay in Berhampore and so did a substantial British, Dutch and other colonial population. In fact, his wife is buried in Berhampore’s Old English cemetery which is also an ASI heritage spot. So several elaborate cemeteries like the Dutch cemetery, Residency Cemetery, Old English Cemetery came up steeped in european architecture which are now designated ASI listed heritage monuments

Today, all this is visible when you visit the erstwhile capital of Mughal Bengal, Murshidabad and watch the scenes unfold in the 40 mins light and sound show which showcases the bengal story at the horse shoe shaped Moti Jheel in Murshidabad.

Historian and writer, William Darlymple’s latest book, 

 “The Anarchy” chronicles this story of the British East Company’s rise very well.

References

• The Musnud of Murshidabad https://archive.org/details/musnudofmurshida00maju
• Incredibe India Blog https://www.incredibleindia.org/content/incredible-india-v2/en/destinations/kolkata/murshidabad.html
• Cossimbazar Palace Roy’s Websitehttps://cossimbazarpalaceroys.business.site/
• Bari Kothi Website https://barikothi.com/
• Job Charnock’s biography in Britannica https://www.britannica.com/biography/Job-Charnock
• Archaelogical Survey of India http://www.asikolkata.in/monuments.aspx