Maratha Ditch
Encyclopedia
Maratha Ditch was a three-mile long moat excavated around Kolkata
(then known as Calcutta) in the present India
n state
of West Bengal
, in 1742, as a protection against possible attacks by marauding Bargi
s, as the Marathas were known locally. The Bargis, however, never came to the city. Later, the ditch proved to be useless when the Nawab of Bengal
, Siraj ud-Daulah
, came and ransacked the British settlement in 1756. The ditch was never completely built. It was mostly filled up in 1799 to build the Circular Road and the balance was filled up in 1892–93. It earned Kolkatans the sobriquet "Ditchers". The area bounded by the ditch was considered to be the original town of Kolkata.
. Bargi invasions took place almost as an annual event. Bargi is corruption of a Marathi
word which meant horsemen who were provided with horses and arms by the Maratha Empire
in contrast to the siladars, who had their own horses and arms.
The Bargi invasions played on the creative impulse of the people. Even to this day, mothers in Bengal sing the cradle song to put their children to sleep -
Alivardi Khan
became Nawab of Bengal in April 1740, after defeating and killing Sarfraz Khan
. His rule was challenged by Sarfraj Khan’s brother-in-law Rustam Jung, who was naib nazim (deputy governor) of Orissa
. Alivardi defeated him in a battle at Falwaei, near Balasore, placed his own nephew as naib nazim of Orissa and left for his capital, Murshidabad
. Rustam Jung sought the assistance of the Maratha ruler of Nagpur
, Raghoji I Bhonsle
. He regained control of Orissa with the assistance of Marathas, who in the process discovered how easy it was to plunder the rich countryside in Bengal. Alivardi returned to Orissa and again defeated Rustam Jung, but before he returned to Murshidabad, a Maratha cavalry under Bhaskar Padit was sent to Bengal by Bhonsle. They entered through Panchet and started looting the countryside.
For about ten years, the Bargis raided and plundered Bengal every year. Contemporary chroniclers have left behind vivid descriptions of Bargi terror, their hit-and-run tactics and the helplesness of the Nawabab’s army in checking them. Alivardi showed exemplary courage and military skill in every frontal battle that took place, but the objective of the Bargis was not occupation of territory but plundering. The Nawab’s soldiers could not match the Maratha horsemen in speed and manoevureability. Only the Ganges
- Bhagirathi river line proved a barrier to their movement. They crossed it only on a few occasions.
The Bargi invasions came to an end in May 1751 after the Nawab and the Marathas reached an agreement, including the secession of Orissa.
When the Bargis started plundering the Bengal countryside, the Nawab was still powerful, and the British were in the process of developing their trading outpost at Kolkata. It was fear of the Maratha attack that made them dig the Maratha Ditch, cutting across the only pathway, north of Kolkata, through which invasions by land were possible.
According to H. E. A. Cotton
, the country was laid waste from Balasore
to Rajmahal
. The Mukwah Tannah Fort, which stood near the later day Indian Botanical Gardens
in Shibpur
, was captured and crowds of inhabitants of the country on the western side of the river came and implored the protection of the English, who in consequence of the general alarm, obtained permission from the Nawab Alivardi to build an entrenchment round their territory.
The original plan of the ditch extended for seven miles but in six months three miles of it were finished. When it was found that the Bargis did not approach Kolkata, further excavation stopped. Except for a detour on the north-east at Halsibagan, to enclose the garden houses of Gobindram Mitter
and Umichand, it followed the later day Circular Road (Upper Circular Road has been renamed Acharya Prafulla Chandra Road, and Lower Circular Road has been renamed Acharya Jagadish Chandra Bose Road) from Perin’s Point at the north-west extremity of Sutanuti
(in present day Bagbazar
), where the Chitpur Creek met the river, down to a spot near the present Entally
corner. It was planned to excavate it to the south of Govindpur
, but that was stalled.
Although the Maratha Ditch was thought of as a protection against the possible plunder of the Kolkata by the Bargis, the "natives" had to pay for the construction of the Maratha Ditch to protect the British seat of power, Fort William.
Siraj ud-Daulah succeeded Alivadi Khan as the Nawab of Bengal. Till 1756, the legal status of the English was that of zamindar
. In 1756, Siraj decided to attack Kolkata. On 16 June 1756, the Nawab reached the outskirts of Kolkata with some 30,000 troops and heavy artillery. The major part of Siraj’s troops crossed the Maratha Ditch near Sealdah
on 18 June and the Battle of Lal Dighi was fought..
Subsequent to the Battle of Plassey
, the British settled down as rulers. For about forty years, the Maratha Ditch was the receptacle of all the filth and garbage in Kolkata. The Marquess of Wellesley
, as Governor-General of India
, ordered that it be filled up.
The Maratha Ditch was filled up in 1799 to create the Circular Road. Whatever was left of it was filled up in 1892–93 with the earth and rubble from the construction of Harrison Road (renamed Mahatma Gandhi Road).
While the Maratha Ditch has become part of history, in the north Kolkata neighbourhood of Bagbazar, there still is a Maratha Ditch Lane, connecting Nandalal Bose Lane and Akhoy Bose Lane. It runs parallel to Bagbazar Street and Galiff Street/ Mahatma Sisir Kumar Sarani.
Kolkata
Kolkata , formerly known as Calcutta, is the capital of the Indian state of West Bengal. Located on the east bank of the Hooghly River, it was the commercial capital of East India...
(then known as Calcutta) in the present India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
n state
States and territories of India
India is a federal union of states comprising twenty-eight states and seven union territories. The states and territories are further subdivided into districts and so on.-List of states and territories:...
of West Bengal
West Bengal
West Bengal is a state in the eastern region of India and is the nation's fourth-most populous. It is also the seventh-most populous sub-national entity in the world, with over 91 million inhabitants. A major agricultural producer, West Bengal is the sixth-largest contributor to India's GDP...
, in 1742, as a protection against possible attacks by marauding Bargi
Bargi
Bargis indulged in large scale plundering of the countryside dominated western part of Bengal for about ten years . Bargi invasions took place almost as an annual event.- Etymology :...
s, as the Marathas were known locally. The Bargis, however, never came to the city. Later, the ditch proved to be useless when the Nawab of Bengal
Nawab of Bengal
The Nawabs of Bengal were the hereditary nazims or subadars of the subah of Bengal during the Mughal rule and the de-facto rulers of the province.-History:...
, Siraj ud-Daulah
Siraj ud-Daulah
Mîrzâ Muhammad Sirâj-ud-Daulah , more commonly known as Siraj ud-Daulah , was the last independent Nawab of Bengal, Bihar and Orissa. The end of his reign marks the start of British East India Company rule over Bengal and later almost all of South Asia...
, came and ransacked the British settlement in 1756. The ditch was never completely built. It was mostly filled up in 1799 to build the Circular Road and the balance was filled up in 1892–93. It earned Kolkatans the sobriquet "Ditchers". The area bounded by the ditch was considered to be the original town of Kolkata.
Bargi invasions
For about ten years (1741–1751) the spectre of Bargi invasion and large scale plundering of the countryside dominated the western part of BengalBengal
Bengal is a historical and geographical region in the northeast region of the Indian Subcontinent at the apex of the Bay of Bengal. Today, it is mainly divided between the sovereign land of People's Republic of Bangladesh and the Indian state of West Bengal, although some regions of the previous...
. Bargi invasions took place almost as an annual event. Bargi is corruption of a Marathi
Marathi language
Marathi is an Indo-Aryan language spoken by the Marathi people of western and central India. It is the official language of the state of Maharashtra. There are over 68 million fluent speakers worldwide. Marathi has the fourth largest number of native speakers in India and is the fifteenth most...
word which meant horsemen who were provided with horses and arms by the Maratha Empire
Maratha Empire
The Maratha Empire or the Maratha Confederacy was an Indian imperial power that existed from 1674 to 1818. At its peak, the empire covered much of South Asia, encompassing a territory of over 2.8 million km²....
in contrast to the siladars, who had their own horses and arms.
The Bargi invasions played on the creative impulse of the people. Even to this day, mothers in Bengal sing the cradle song to put their children to sleep -
- chhele ghumalo, pada judalo bargi elo deshebulbulite dhan kheyechhe, khajna debo kise?
- When the children fall asleep, silence sets in, the Bargis come to our landsBulbulis (birds) have eaten the grains, how shall I pay the tax?
Alivardi Khan
Alivardi Khan
Ali Vardi Khan was the Nawab of Bengal, Bihar and Orissa during 1740 - 1756. He toppled the Nasiri Dynasty of Bengal and took power as Nawab.-Early life:...
became Nawab of Bengal in April 1740, after defeating and killing Sarfraz Khan
Sarfraz Khan
-Early life:Born Mirza Asadullah, sometime after 1700, he ascended as the Nawab of Bengal under the title Mutaman ul-Mulk, Ala ud-Daula, Nawab Sarfaraz Khan Bahadur, Haidar Jang [Mirza Asadullah], Nawab Nazim of Bengal, Bihar and Orissa...
. His rule was challenged by Sarfraj Khan’s brother-in-law Rustam Jung, who was naib nazim (deputy governor) of Orissa
Orissa
Orissa , officially Odisha since Nov 2011, is a state of India, located on the east coast of India, by the Bay of Bengal. It is the modern name of the ancient nation of Kalinga, which was invaded by the Maurya Emperor Ashoka in 261 BC. The modern state of Orissa was established on 1 April...
. Alivardi defeated him in a battle at Falwaei, near Balasore, placed his own nephew as naib nazim of Orissa and left for his capital, Murshidabad
Murshidabad
Murshidabad is a city in Murshidabad district of West Bengal state in India. The city of Murshidabad is located on the southern bank of the Bhagirathi, a distributary of the Ganges River. It was the capital of undivided Bengal during the Mughal rule. Nawabs of Bengal used to rule Bengal from this...
. Rustam Jung sought the assistance of the Maratha ruler of Nagpur
Nagpur
Nāgpur is a city and winter capital of the state of Maharashtra, the largest city in central India and third largest city in Maharashtra after Mumbai and Pune...
, Raghoji I Bhonsle
Raghoji I Bhonsle
Raghoji I Bhonsle was a Maratha general who took control of the Nagpur Kingdom in east-central Indiaduring the reign of Shahu. His successors ruled the kingdom until 1853....
. He regained control of Orissa with the assistance of Marathas, who in the process discovered how easy it was to plunder the rich countryside in Bengal. Alivardi returned to Orissa and again defeated Rustam Jung, but before he returned to Murshidabad, a Maratha cavalry under Bhaskar Padit was sent to Bengal by Bhonsle. They entered through Panchet and started looting the countryside.
For about ten years, the Bargis raided and plundered Bengal every year. Contemporary chroniclers have left behind vivid descriptions of Bargi terror, their hit-and-run tactics and the helplesness of the Nawabab’s army in checking them. Alivardi showed exemplary courage and military skill in every frontal battle that took place, but the objective of the Bargis was not occupation of territory but plundering. The Nawab’s soldiers could not match the Maratha horsemen in speed and manoevureability. Only the Ganges
Ganges River
The Ganges or Ganga, , is a trans-boundary river of India and Bangladesh. The river rises in the western Himalayas in the Indian state of Uttarakhand, and flows south and east through the Gangetic Plain of North India into Bangladesh, where it empties into the Bay of Bengal. By discharge it...
- Bhagirathi river line proved a barrier to their movement. They crossed it only on a few occasions.
The Bargi invasions came to an end in May 1751 after the Nawab and the Marathas reached an agreement, including the secession of Orissa.
The ditch
According to H. E. A. Cotton
H. E. A. Cotton
Sir Harry Evan Auguste Cotton CIE was a barrister, administrator, journalist, historian and writer...
, the country was laid waste from Balasore
Balasore
Balasore is a strategically located city in the state of Orissa, about north of the state capital Bhubaneswar, in eastern India. It is the administrative headquarters of Balasore district. It is best known for Chandipur beach. It is also the site of the Indian Ballistic Missile Defense...
to Rajmahal
Rajmahal
Rajmahal is a city and a notified area in Sahibganj district in the Indian state of Jharkhand. Rajmahal is the only sub-divisional town in Sahibganj district. It is one of the most historic place in Jharkhand...
. The Mukwah Tannah Fort, which stood near the later day Indian Botanical Gardens
Indian Botanical Gardens
The Acharya Jagadish Chandra Bose Indian Botanic Garden is situated in Shibpur, Howrah near Kolkata. They are commonly known as the Calcutta Botanical Garden, and previously as the Royal Botanic Garden, Calcutta...
in Shibpur
Shibpur
Shibpur is a residential area located in the city of Howrah, West Bengal, India. It is well known for being the location of the Acharya Jagadish Chandra Bose Indian Botanic Garden, the Bengal Engineering College and the Hazar Hath Kaali Temple. The famous Bengali linguist Suniti Kumar Chatterji...
, was captured and crowds of inhabitants of the country on the western side of the river came and implored the protection of the English, who in consequence of the general alarm, obtained permission from the Nawab Alivardi to build an entrenchment round their territory.
The original plan of the ditch extended for seven miles but in six months three miles of it were finished. When it was found that the Bargis did not approach Kolkata, further excavation stopped. Except for a detour on the north-east at Halsibagan, to enclose the garden houses of Gobindram Mitter
Gobindram Mitter
Gobindram Mitter was one of the earliest Indian officials under the British rule and earned a reputation for his wealth and extravagance.- Early life :...
and Umichand, it followed the later day Circular Road (Upper Circular Road has been renamed Acharya Prafulla Chandra Road, and Lower Circular Road has been renamed Acharya Jagadish Chandra Bose Road) from Perin’s Point at the north-west extremity of Sutanuti
Sutanuti
Sutanuti was one of the three villages which were merged to form the city of Kolkata in India. The other two villages were Gobindapur and Kalikata. Job Charnock, an administrator with the British East India Company is traditionally credited with the honour of founding the city...
(in present day Bagbazar
Bagbazar
There is also a bagbazar in Kathmandu, Nepal.Bagbazar is a neighbourhood in north Kolkata, in the Indian state of West Bengal...
), where the Chitpur Creek met the river, down to a spot near the present Entally
Entally
Entally is a neighbourhood in central Kolkata, earlier known as Calcutta, in the Indian state of West Bengal. It has a police stationand is an assembly constituency...
corner. It was planned to excavate it to the south of Govindpur
Govindpur
Govindpur is one of the oldest colonies established by Allahabad Development Authority back in 1981 at the bank of river Ganges. It is very well connected by local transport with the rest of the city with indegineously developed vehicles called Vikrams supported by limited bus service. The...
, but that was stalled.
Although the Maratha Ditch was thought of as a protection against the possible plunder of the Kolkata by the Bargis, the "natives" had to pay for the construction of the Maratha Ditch to protect the British seat of power, Fort William.
Siraj ud-Daulah succeeded Alivadi Khan as the Nawab of Bengal. Till 1756, the legal status of the English was that of zamindar
Zamindar
A Zamindar or zemindar , was an aristocrat, typically hereditary, who held enormous tracts of land and ruled over and taxed the bhikaaris who lived on batavaslam. Over time, they took princely and royal titles such as Maharaja , Raja , Nawab , and Mirza , Chowdhury , among others...
. In 1756, Siraj decided to attack Kolkata. On 16 June 1756, the Nawab reached the outskirts of Kolkata with some 30,000 troops and heavy artillery. The major part of Siraj’s troops crossed the Maratha Ditch near Sealdah
Sealdah
Sealdah is one of the major train stations serving Kolkata in India, the others being Howrah Station, Shalimar Station and Kolkata Railway Station. Sealdah is one of the busiest rail stations in India and an important suburban rail terminal...
on 18 June and the Battle of Lal Dighi was fought..
Subsequent to the Battle of Plassey
Battle of Plassey
The Battle of Plassey , 23 June 1757, was a decisive British East India Company victory over the Nawab of Bengal and his French allies, establishing Company rule in South Asia which expanded over much of the Indies for the next hundred years...
, the British settled down as rulers. For about forty years, the Maratha Ditch was the receptacle of all the filth and garbage in Kolkata. The Marquess of Wellesley
Richard Wellesley, 1st Marquess Wellesley
Richard Colley Wesley, later Wellesley, 1st Marquess Wellesley, KG, PC, PC , styled Viscount Wellesley from birth until 1781, was an Anglo-Irish politician and colonial administrator....
, as Governor-General of India
Governor-General of India
The Governor-General of India was the head of the British administration in India, and later, after Indian independence, the representative of the monarch and de facto head of state. The office was created in 1773, with the title of Governor-General of the Presidency of Fort William...
, ordered that it be filled up.
The Maratha Ditch was filled up in 1799 to create the Circular Road. Whatever was left of it was filled up in 1892–93 with the earth and rubble from the construction of Harrison Road (renamed Mahatma Gandhi Road).
While the Maratha Ditch has become part of history, in the north Kolkata neighbourhood of Bagbazar, there still is a Maratha Ditch Lane, connecting Nandalal Bose Lane and Akhoy Bose Lane. It runs parallel to Bagbazar Street and Galiff Street/ Mahatma Sisir Kumar Sarani.