Introduction
The reason for choosing this topic as an assignment is that the most acute and worst famine in the history of Bengal was the famine of 1770. This famine is also known as "Chhiyattarer Manvantar" because of the fact that it occurred in Bengal in the year 1176.
The administrative power of the Nawab of Bengal was very limited. The revenue was collected from the East India Company. Under the administrative rule of the powerless Nawab, the East India Company started unlimited exploitation and plunder in the name of revenue collection. Apart from the excessive revenue collected by the East India Company, there was erratic rain in Bengal.
Therefore, crop production is severely damaged. As a result, a terrible famine occurred in Bengal in 1770. About one crore people died of malnutrition due to this famine, which is one-third of the entire population of Bengal.
The Famine of 1770 this is an important event
The famine of 1770 was the most tragic event in the history of Bengal. Extreme disasters and famines occurred in the country. Millions of people died without food because of this famine.
And this famine killed about 10 million people. Which is one third of the total population among the country. Thousands of people are affected by its various diseases. The events of famine 1770 are very important in the history of Bengal because after this event the country suffered economically for many years. Food production was disrupted due to the death of many people. There were not enough people to cultivate the land and grow crops. There was no responsible government in the country to run the country.
This famine has affected this country in various ways for the next 100 years, sometimes due to lack of state management. This incident created the attitude of the country to become independent under the East India Company. After this event, people have learned that they need their own government to run this country. Everyone can understand that East India Company is not doing anything for them and is not able to run the government properly.
Description True nature of the Famine of 1770
The terrible famine that befell Bengal in 1770 is known as the "Chhiyattarer Manvantar". Many people died of starvation due to this famine. There was a time when people had to eat human flesh. Mothers killed their children because they could not bear them. At that time people used to eat leaves, root fruits etc. Children would die of starvation. Dead bodies lay on both sides of the road. There were so many deaths that no one had a chance to bury them. Death processions started all over rural Bengal.
There were multiple causes of famine and epidemic in Bengal. Such was the negligence of the government on the common people of the country, nature was unsuitable for agricultural work, there was abundant drought and the government had some wrong decisions.
Collection of higher amount of revenue from farmers.
In 1757, the last independent Nawab of Bengal, Sirajuddaula, fell victim to a conspiracy and was defeated by the British. Since then, the British have been plundering huge resources in this country.
In 1765, the English got the Diwani of Bengal, Bihar and Orissa from the Emperor Shah Alam of Delhi. The Nawab of Bengal has little administrative power. Administrative responsibilities are in the hands of the Nawab, and the company has full authority over revenue collection and expenditure.
The acquisition of the East India Company Diwani led to anarchy in the entire revenue system. The rural economic situation deteriorated rapidly. Bengal has always depended on agro-based economy.
In the Mughal period farmers had to pay rent at a fixed rate. Frequent revenue rates did not change or farmers were not evicted. This stability was conducive to increasing agricultural production. But the sole purpose of the East India Company was to generate as much revenue as possible in agriculture.
The sustainability of revenue employees depended on who could collect the most revenue. There was no maximum or fixed limit on the corner of revenue. As a result, the peasants were exploited and oppressed. The Nawab of Bengal had no choice but to be a silent spectator. As a result, many farmers quit farming. Many became beggar.
Erratic rain
More droughts came down in Bengal. Farmers were not able to grow crops properly due to this drought. This erratic rain started in Bihar and Bengal from 1768 and continued till 1769. The field of Bengal became like a desert. This led to famine in this country.
The government's wrong decision
The irrational decisions of the government turned this famine into an epidemic. One class of traders and employees started exclusive businesses of a few essential products. The government continues to stockpile millions of pounds of food grains for the army. The little food that was left disappeared in an instant.
The government decided to collect the revenue more strictly instead of waiving the revenue. Food shortages on the one hand and government oppression on the other turned Bengal into a famine.
As a result of the famine of 1770, the social and economic life of Bengal was severely disrupted. About one-third of people die from food poisoning. In Bengal, the countryside became depopulated. Many areas turned into forests.
Due to the massive deaths of working people like farmers, weavers, blacksmiths, potters, etc., the shortage of people in agriculture became apparent. Similarly, there is a shortage of people for various industries.
Due to the lack of people, trade in various types of goods almost stopped. The famous thunder industry of Bengal was almost destroyed. Financially and food-deprived people are forced to lose their morals and engage in corrupt activities. Law and order is broken everywhere. Robbery and looting began. Dinajpur, Rangpur, Rajshahi and other districts are more prone to such misdeeds. There was no such thing as law and order and security in the country.
People started moving to the city in groups from famine-stricken rural Bengal. As a result. On the one hand, the cities are under severe pressure and on the other hand, the villages are becoming depopulated. Thus the famine of 1770 turned the economic and social life of Bengal upside down.
Conclusion
The famine of 1770 is an important event in the history of Bengal because it shows the wrong decision of the British Company to run the state. This incident testifies to how such a famine was coming down on the land of Bengal as a result of drought and collection of extra revenue.
Where one third of the entire population of the country died in this famine. About 1 million people died. Some could not eat, some died of various diseases. So many people in the country died in this famine that there was a shortage of people to do the work of the country later. The negligence of the East India Company and the oppression of the people in the name of collecting revenue is clearly exposed through this incident.
