Mughals

West Bengal, the gateway to eastern India flaunts a rich and varied cultural history that dates back to antiquity. Prior to the oppressive British Rule, the state was ruled by numerous dynasties that ranged from the Palas, Senas, Pundras, the emperors of the Delhi Sultanate as well as the Mughals. It was under the Mughals that Bengal became a recognized commercial hub in the country.

The Muslims established control of the domicile of Bengal during early 13th century. Three centuries down the line, the disorderly lawlessness that prevailed in the state during the anarchic Muslim rule gave way to the flourishing Mughal rule. The Muslim rulers established strong trading ties with the rest of the country as well as abroad and under their reign internal trade and commerce as well as maritime trade flourished in the state.

The Mughals were patrons of art and culture. Under their auspices the already rich cultural legacy of blossomed to great heights. It was a brainchild of the Mughal emperors who permitted the East India Company to establish trade links with India, a consequence of which was the nation’s subsequent colonization.

The Mughal emperors were indirectly responsible for the establishment of Kolkata, the present capital of West Bengal. Job Charnock, a East Indian Company agent found the site of three villages namely, Sutanuti, Gobindpur and Kolikata suitable for facilitating trade. The ruling Mughal emperor granted his permission to the East India Company to conduct business at their own discretion provided they paid a yearly sum of Rs. 3000 to the Mughal government.

It is an unfortunate tragedy, that as soon as the Mughals started gaining prominence in Bengal, the state was taken over the Portuguese, followed by the Dutch, Francha nd British traders.