The travels of Bengalis in the past
Sumana Dam
The author of the book "Bharat Bhraman" (Travels in India), Bardakanta Sengupta, remains largely unknown. Only a few other titles written by him are known: Amar Gaan o Kobita (My Songs and Poems), Sarada (novel), Chander Biye (The Moon’s Marriage) (novel), Haemprabha (novel), and Pratibha (novel). He wrote for magazines like Sanjibani and Sandarbha. There is some ambiguity regarding the travel date in his book because the author mentions that the journey began on the 5th of Shrabana, 1288 Bengal year, i.e., July 19, 1881. However, in the dedication part of the book, he mentions the date as Magh 1284, which corresponds to 1878 CE. Since the dedication section could not have been written before the travel itself, it is assumed that the date in the dedication was printed incorrectly. Therefore, the journey is believed to have started on July 19, 1881.
At the beginning of the book, the author mentions that there are almost no travel accounts in Bengali. The experiences gained from his travels across various places in India over three years are written in this book. To collect details, he relied on the works of a few foreign travelers and popular literature. He also mentions that a second volume of this book would be published, which would include accounts of travels in Malwa, Central India, Bombay, and so on. However, the second volume was either not published or properly preserved. Therefore, this blog is based solely on the first volume.
The author had a thirst for travel since childhood, which intensified with age. Finally, on July 19, 1881, he secretly left his home for a journey across the country, accompanied by a young enthusiast named 'Sh _'. They informed their relatives of their departure through a letter left in a postbox at Howrah Station, before boarding a train. Thus began the real journey of the author.
There are many similarities between the travel destinations and stories of Bardakanta Sengupta and Bholanath Chandra's Travels of a Hindu. If any new subject matter arises, it will only be discussed.
The first travel locations mentioned in the train journey include: Shrirampur, Mahesh, Baidyabati, Chandannagar, Chuchura, Hooghly Imam Badi, Saptagram, Pandua, and Bardhaman. Among the new details provided by the author in this section are: (first) Mohammad Mohsin, sympathizing with his unfortunate sister, established the Imam Badi and arranged scholarships for poor Muslim students, while leading a life akin to that of a hermit with his sister; (second) the account of how they escaped from Bardhaman after being caught at a relative’s house.
After Bardhaman, they proceeded to Kanu Junction Station (Khana Junction), where they boarded a train to Rajmahal. Along the way, they passed through the Three Hills Station, a scenic location where the railway had been cut through the mountains. They then changed trains at this station to reach Rajmahal. There, they had cooked hilsa fish and slept at a shop. From Rajmahal, they traveled by train via Lakshisarai and Mokama to Barighat (Bardaghat, Nepal), planning to travel to Nepal. However, they changed their minds and extended their tickets to Banaras (Varanasi).
The train passed through places like Bankipur, Danapur, Ara, and the Son river bridge, eventually reaching Mughalsarai. From there, they took another train to Rajghat (a ghat in Varanasi), crossed by boat, and explored Varanasi. They visited the Kashi Vishwanath Temple, Annapurna Temple, Gyanvapi, and Beni Madhav's flag. They also saw the Trilanga Swami at the Manikarnika Ghat, where local people shared many miraculous tales about him, though the author didn’t witness them firsthand. They later visited the Man Mandir, Til Bhandeshwar, and Sarnath.
Next, they boarded a train on the Oudh and Rohilkhand Railway to Ayodhya, where they spent a night at a sarai (inn), enduring the discomfort of a cot and bedbugs, though they had a meal of luchi and curry earlier. The author remarked that there was nothing significant left to see in Ayodhya as the temples there appeared modern. Among the temples, Hanuman Garh (also known as Mahabir Garh) was the most important, followed by the birthplace of Lord Ram. The ghats on the Sarayu River, including Ram Ghat, Sita Ghat, and Lakshman Ghat, were also noted.
They then walked for 5-6 miles to reach Faizabad, a city described as clean and founded by a Muslim king, filled with mosques and grand buildings. It also had a British military cantonment. The author also recalled an event when Hastings had wrongfully persecuted and robbed the widow and relatives of the late Nawab Suja-ud-Daula.
At Faizabad, after a long period of craving for proper rice after eating luchis and puris, the author finally had rice made of paddy and potatoes, served on a sal leaf. Despite the rice being half-boiled, he found it immensely satisfying, something he hadn't experienced in his life before.
In the evening, they boarded a train to Lucknow. Upon arrival, the author overcame his hesitation and fear to take shelter at the home of a Bengali Assistant Surgeon. In Lucknow, they visited the Chauk, Kella, and heard stories about the manners and etiquettes of the people there. The Kaisarbagh, once magnificent during the time of Wajid Ali Shah, was now in ruins under British control. The area now housed the Canning College, government offices, and military prisons. The author also visited the Residency and saw the tombs of famous British soldiers, including those who had died during the Sepoy Rebellion. He visited a memorial church, where scenes of the rebellion were depicted on the walls, including one of a sepoy pleading for mercy and another of a British officer raising his sword to strike.
In the southern part of Kanpur, the author visited Yajmou, an area on the banks of the Ganges River, once said to be the residence of King Yajati. The area had ancient mounds, but little to see in terms of significant ruins, although excavation work later uncovered evidence from around 1300-1200 BCE.
North of Kanpur, they visited Bithur, a holy site for Hindus and said to be the hermitage of Valmiki. The author drew a comparison between the exile of Lord Rama’s wife Sita in the Treta Yuga and the exile of Peshwa Baji Rao by the British, which ultimately led to the uprising of the Sepoys.
The author continued his journey by train to Agra, where he stayed with a Bengali family. The European belief that the Taj Mahal was designed by a European draftsman named Austin de Burdiaux was refuted by the author, who noted that the inscription on the Taj Mahal’s entrance mentions the name Amanat Khan Siraji, the actual builder.
The author also visited the Agra Fort and several other places, but the details and historical discussions have been omitted to avoid repetition.
The author visited places such as the Zenana, Moti Masjid, Nagda Masjid, Sheesh Mahal, and others. He then went to visit Itimad-ud-Daula, Ram Bagh, Agra College, and the military cantonment before heading to Sikandra to visit Akbar's tomb. Near the mosque in Sikandra, the tomb of Akbar's Portuguese wife, Mariam-uz-Zamani, is located. Much like in Ayodhya, the author observed the nuisance caused by monkeys in Agra as well.
(To be continued)
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