Maidan

Hello, friends. In my last blog, I promised that I will come back with Nawab Siraj-Ud-Doulah and his army. Well, here I am. Today, I am going to tell you the story of the lungs of Kolkata, Maidan. In winter, people of Kolkata visit this place in a bulk. Do any other city has a large open space like this? I doubt it. But, what is this Maidan doing in the center of a city? For that, we need to go back to 262 years.

1756, British East India Company was conducting their business from  Fort William at Dalhousie Square. Problem is the goods and stuff of Chandannagar or I can say the French East India Company. It appeared to the British that there will be a chance of fighting they started to garnish the old Fort William with more weapons. This news arrived at Murshidabad, where the last independent Nawab of Bengal Siraj-Ud-Doulah ruled. He sent an emissary and warned the British that-" In my rule, I will not tolerate any private wars by you. You should sue for peace." As a reply, Roger Drake, the Governor-General of Fort William at that time wrote," In the late war between our nation and the French, they had attacked and taken the city of Madras. We are under some apprehension that they will act the same in Bengal". Shortly I don't care about your rule, I will do whatever my heart desires. Well, you know you can't talk to a Nawab like that. As a result, Nawab Siraj-Ud-Doulah attacked Kolkata in 1756 with 50,000 soldiers. In Kolkata, the number of British were only around 300. Siraj demolished the British as the old Fort William had a very chaotic surrounding. After that 1757, Plassey, Mirjafar etc we all know the story. But the British realized their mistakes and now they want to build a new fort in an open space. So, they said to the villagers of Govindpura-"Leave". They built a new fort with open spaces in three sides at the bank of river Ganges. That is why even today also, Kolkata Maidan is a property of Military.  18553ccbb8d9136dd995534581541b7e7d826fdb21d003c5dc