Monsoon clod gathering over the Howrah Bridge in Kolkata.
Let us look back to the 17th. century to explore the history of
Kolkata.
In the year 1690 Job Charnock, an agent of East India Company came
to the bank of the river Hooghly. Earlier he had various disputes
with officials of Mughal empire at the port of river Hooghly and
was forced to abandon his plan of establishing his settlement. His
repeated attempts to establish his plan at other places down the
river also turned futile. However, Mughal empire finally did not
want to lose the benefit they had gained from the British company's
commerce and at last decided to permit him to return once again.
Job Charnock carefully choose a site which was being protected by
the river Hooghly on the West, a creek to the north and by lakes
(presently called Salt Lake) about few miles to the east. He also
took lease of three villages Sutanuti, Govindapur and Kalikata in
pursuit of establishing a trading post of the British East India
Company.
In 1756 the city became famous in when Siraj-Ud-Dullah, last
independent nawab of Bengal captured the city. The British regained
power of Bengal and the city was recaptured in 1757 by Robert
Clive.
Thereafter, General Warren Hastings was chosen as the first
Governor General of India and Calcutta became the capital of
British India in 1772.
