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British colonialism in India saw the emergence of new' cities, Calcutta, now Kolkata, was one of the first cities. Which of the following villages were amalgamated to form the city of Calcutta ?
Explanation
The city of Calcutta (now Kolkata) emerged from the amalgamation of three riverside villages: Sutanuti, Kalikata, and Gobindapur [1]. In 1690, Job Charnock, an agent of the British East India Company, established a factory at Sutanuti [2]. By 1698, the Company secured the zamindari (landlord) rights to these three villages from the Sabarna Roy Choudhury family for a payment of approximately 1,300 rupees. Geographically, Sutanuti was located to the north, Gobindapur to the south, and Kalikata in between. These settlements were fortified and named Fort William in 1700, serving as the seat of British power in India until 1911 [1]. While Sutanuti and Kalikata were absorbed into the growing urban fabric, Gobindapur was eventually cleared to facilitate the construction of the new Fort William [1].
Sources
- [1] Rajiv Ahir. A Brief History of Modern India (2019 ed.). SPECTRUM. > Chapter 3: Advent of the Europeans in India > Why the English Succeeded against Other European Powers > p. 57
- [2] Rajiv Ahir. A Brief History of Modern India (2019 ed.). SPECTRUM. > Chapter 3: Advent of the Europeans in India > Charter of Queen Elizabeth I > p. 40