THE GREAT BENGAL FAMINE

India faced many famine in under the British rule but the famine of 1943 was the worst among these. EIC started trade with India from 1600 incorporated by the royal charter issued by British crown. After the battle of Buxar (1764) Britishers took control over the diwani rights of Bengal, Bihar and orisha.

There were many famine between 1764 to 1947 but there were two great famines during this period – Bengal famine of 1770 and the Great Bengal famine of 1943.

BENGAL FAMINE 1770

It happened at that time when there was dual governance in Bengal, control of civil administration, which continued to lie with the Mughal governor, the Nawab of Bengal Nazm ud Daula (1765-72) while the revenue related rights were under Britishers.

1768 – there was crop failure in Bengal , at that time area of Bengal was very big , Bengal had area of Bihar and few areas of present day Odisha too .
EIC officers in India informed the Court of Directors in London about impending famine-like conditions in Bengal — a century later, W. W. Hunter would note this letter to be the “only serious intimation” about the approaching famine, and find the absence of
President Verelst’s affirmation to be striking. Other letters sent in the same month to the Board speculate about potential loss in revenue collection but do not discuss the famine
1769 – There was very less rainfall and chickenpox epidemic had spread in Bengal so crop was not grown in that good amount , Britishers purchased rice in big amount for their soldiers, price has rise twice than normal.
1770 – Crop was not good for last 2 years, and there was no rain in 1770 too , people had no grain in their house for their children and to feed their family .
The famine affected 30 million people and nearly 7 – 10 million people died in this famine.

In summer of 1770 plentiful rain spread diseases among people which caused more death
Bankim Chandra Chatterjee in his book Anandmath writes about this incident , according to him people were dying of hunger , they had no food to eat , there was drought and were facing epidemic of small pox for last two years so they could not grow grains , they had to pay high taxes to Britishers.
There was no reduction in tax. On one hand there was no growth of crop while on another hand people had to pay high taxes. People were loosing their life and their loved ones there was no medical facility, no food facility was provided from government’s side.
Situation had gone worst, people had become cannibal, they were eating flesh of their own family members just to survive. It was the worst moment in Indian history when people were compelled to eat the flesh of their family members.

NEGLEGENE OF THE RULERS

Bengal was under dual governance at the time. Governor of Bengal had no revenue rights. Although Bengal was under great Mughal Empire but the Mughal Empire itself had become weak and was not in condition of helping his own people.

Britishers, who were busy only in drain of money and resources of Bengal. Common people had no grain to eat and company was asking them to grow Indigo and Opium.

Britishers had good health facilities and could have arranged grain but Indians were just source of exploitation for them. On 23 October 1969, Becher had reported to the Council about “great dearth and scarcity” of food grains at Murshidabad. This prodded the council to purchase 1.2 million maunds ( traditional unit of mass used in British India, Afghanistan and Arabia) of rice for its army, as an emergency measure. Which shows British govt. was already aware of famine and its seriousness.

DEATH

May 1770, Court Of Directors estimated that 1/3 of the population of Bengal has perished which was approximately equal to 10 million. Becher (British resident at Murshidabad Darbar) claimed on 12 july 1770 that approximately 500 people were loosing their life in Murshidabad everyday this situation was worst in rural areas. Except Bankim Chandra, Becher also mentioned that cannibalism was apparently on echibition.

Malayria and Cholera increased no. of death which increased after light rain shower. Nawab Najabat Ali Kha was also caught by small pox epidemic.

to be continued……………..