The travels of Bengalis in the past
Sumana Dam
(Continued from the last part)
The author Bholanauth Chunder writes that the interest people have in Kanpur often leads to disappointment when they actually see the city. Despite being located on the banks of the Ganges, Kanpur's sandy, barren plains, dust, and hot wind loo or simoom make it unattractive. There are no old architectural structures in Kanpur, nor does it hold any historical significance. Hindu mythology, Babur’s autobiography, and Ain-i-Akbari mention Kanpur nowhere. Kanpur is a city created by the British. Its development began when the British needed to keep an eye on the Nawabs of Lucknow.
Today, Kanpur is a commercial city. Large stacks of cotton and grains are visible here and there, transported by carts. Dust clouds rise from the feet of thousands of horses, camels, bullocks, and donkeys, creating an oppressive atmosphere.
In the Cantonment area, the scene is different. The roads are washed with water every morning and evening. No road in India is as wide as these. Rows of trees line both sides of the road, and open grounds help maintain public health. There were clean, well-maintained shops with signboards, beautiful bungalows, military quarters, markets, and gardens when Kanpur was in its prime. Europeans spent their days enjoying picnics, dinner parties, and ballroom dances. But those days are gone, leaving only the roads behind. Now, only abandoned houses without doors, windows, or roofs of European bungalows can be seen. Everything has been destroyed since the Sepoy Mutiny.
At Shah Biharilal Ghat, where a cluster of beautiful temples and fifty steps once existed, these have now become heaps of garbage. The guns the sepoys brought to destroy the boat bridge were hidden in those temples. Sir Colin had to blow them up with bombs for security reasons to save the bridge of boats. (Sir Colin Campbell was the Commander-in-Chief in India during the Sepoy Mutiny.)
Kanpur was most affected by the storm of the Sepoy Mutiny, for Nana Saheb. The author now describes various events of the Sepoy Mutiny and the destruction in Kanpur, but these are deemed unnecessary in a travel narrative and thus omitted.
The author visited Sati Choura Ghat, where sati was practiced and where many English people were killed during the Sepoy Mutiny.
While wandering through Kanpur, the author saw a Durga idol established by a Bengali man. He did not find any other idols in the city. The author believes Bengalis are much more interested in idol worship compared to others. This Bengali man must have brought artisans from Bengal to make the Durga idol because the locals could not create a statue of this goddess with ten arms seated on a lion.
Next, they traveled by mail cart from Kanpur to Agra. The Doab region is flat and has loamy soil like Bengal, but the soil of Doab is not as fertile. The climate here is dry, lacking the humid environment of Bengal. Diseases are more prevalent in Bengal due to its climate. The people here work hard to sustain their livelihoods, unlike the lazier folks in Bengal.
They arrived at Meera Ka Sarai, a charitable establishment run by a Muslim individual, where both Hindu and Muslim travelers and traders could find a refined atmosphere.
After traveling three miles, they reached Kannauj. The place once full of palaces and minarets of the Rathore Empire (11th to 13th century) have now lost its former glory. The Manusmriti first mentions Kannauj as Kanyakubja, the capital of the Panchala kingdom. Lord Buddha visited here and preached. To preserve this memory, Emperor Ashoka erected a 200-foot-high stupa here. Ptolemy mentioned this place in his writings. Faxian and Xuanzang visited this location in the 5th and 7th centuries, respectively. During Xuanzang’s time, the king was Harshavardhana. Abu Zayd, a 9th-century Persian traveler, praised this city in his writings. In 915 AD, Masudi (an Arab traveler) mentioned this place in his writing. The Hindu kingdom came to an end in Kannauj due to the invasions of Muhammad Ghori. Gradually, the city lost its glory and became a small town by the time of Ibn Battuta.
British archaeologist Alexander Cunningham discovered the existence of the Buddhist stupa built by Emperor Ashoka and the palaces of Hindu kings. He attempted to excavate these sites from beneath the soil, but it was unsuccessful. Ancient Hindu temple remnants have been found in the Jumma Mosque of Kannauj. Old coins and statues of Hindu deities were also unearthed.
From Kannauj, five Brahmins were brought to Bengal by the Sena king, and their descendants became the Kulina Brahmins such as Bandopadhyay and Chattopadhyay, while the five Shudras who accompanied them gave rise to Kulina Kayasthas like Ghosh and Bose. According to the Kulin tradition, elderly Kulina Brahmins would marry Brahmin girls even on their deathbeds.
The journey resumed from Kannauj, passing through various unknown villages and mango orchards. The author saw bullock-drawn trains here. A train made up of 50-60 wagons carries goods. Three bullocks pull the train, while another serves as a backup. These bullock trains travel hundreds of miles, resting somewhere at night and operating throughout the day. Sometimes, lines of camels and donkeys can also be seen carrying goods along the roadside.
Rain has been scarce. A drought has begun around. Well water has dropped sixty to seventy feet. Food prices have risen by nearly 50%. Famine occasionally strikes, but due to the government’s benevolence and improved communication, there hasn't been a famine for some time. However, irrigation from canals and wells cannot combat the lack of rain.
Occasionally, remnants of houses, bungalows destroyed by the Sepoy Mutiny, and even deserted villages can be seen along the roads. However, overall, peace and normalcy have returned to village life.
Surrounded mostly by fields of crops and mango orchards, there is not much else in sight. Near Bhogaon, the road splits; the main road heads towards Delhi, and the other towards Agra.
Next came Mainpur. An old Hindu king's fort still stands here, primarily inhabited by Rajputs. The long-standing practice of female infanticide has been abolished under British rule.
The next morning, the author's mail cart arrived at Shikohabad, a Muslim-majority area. From being a large city, Shikohabad has now turned into a small village.
In the Doab region, there is no land that is not cultivated at present. Cities in Bengal have only emerged along the banks of the Bhagirathi River, whereas the Doab has towns like Fatehpur, Kanpur, and Mainpuri. Compared to the shops in Bengal’s villages, those in Doab’s villages offer a wider variety of goods. While the villages in Doab may lack the natural beauty of Bengal, the incidence of disease is significantly lower. The poor in Doab eat better food and wear better clothes than the poor in Bengal. People here use not only bullocks but also camels, buffaloes, donkeys, and horses to reduce their labour, while those in Bengal rely solely on bullocks. The author even compares the attire and ornaments of women in Bengal and Doab, stating that the taste of Doab’s women is superior. Fifty years ago, people in Doab would travel with shields, swords, and muskets. Now, due to improved law and order, that practice has ceased. Mughal-era copper coins are still in circulation in the Doab region, just as cowrie (shells) are still used in Bengal. The practice of idol worship is less common here than in Bengal. Unlike every village in Bengal, villages here do not have Shiva or Shashti temples.
On the road, the author saw two Europeans in a European mail cart overtaking them. The speed of the Europeans’ cart underscored the backwardness of the locals in every aspect.
As they entered Firozabad, the author saw a board that read "Agra Police Station." Chandwar of the 12th century is now Firozabad. Here, Chandela heroes Alha and Udal were defeated by Prithviraj Chauhan. In 1194 AD, with the defeat of Jaichand by Ghori, the end of Hindu rule in the country occurred here. Jaychand, seeking revenge for his daughter's abduction, defeated Prithviraj Chauhan with the help of Muhammad Ghori, which is why he is considered a traitor. Now, Firozabad holds no significance. There are no remnants of the walls that once surrounded the city. People live in small huts.
After Firozabad, neem trees lined both sides of the Grand Trunk Road, providing shade. A herd of deer was spotted by the roadside.
Near Mahomedabad, they saw a beautiful yet unknown mausoleum adorned with intricate carvings. The craftsmanship indicated that Agra was not far away. Under the light of the full moon, everything was clearly visible. As they gazed at distant people and the market, they reached a secluded valley with uneven terrain, an ideal place for wolves to reside. Shortly after, they glimpsed the Yamuna River. A luminous boat bridge was visible over the river, guarded by police. This bridge is opened and closed daily for the passage of cargo boats. When they arrived, the bridge was open, so they could not cross the river to reach Agra that night. They had to spend the night in the cart, passing the time admiring the river’s beauty in the moonlight.
(To be continued)
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