The travels of Bengalis in the Past
---- Sumana Dam
Mirza Sheikh Iteshamuddin's book Shigurf Nama i Velayet is the first travelogue written by a Bengali. Additionally, the first educated Bengali known to have traveled abroad was Mirza Sheikh Iteshamuddin. Although the book is written in Persian, he was Bengali, and thus, his book is included in the discussion of this blog. Mirza Sheikh Iteshamuddin's book was translated into English by James Edward Alexander as Travels of Mirza Iteshamuddin in Great Britain and France and published in 1825. Iteshamuddin's travels occurred between 1766 and 1768.
Mirza Sheikh Iteshamuddin was born around 1730 in the village of Chakda Panchunur in the Nadia district of Bengal. He was skilled in the Persian language and worked as a munshi (clerk) for the English East India Company. In January 1766, he traveled to London as the assistant envoy of Captain Archibald Swinton, the ambassador of Mughal Emperor Shah Alam of Delhi. After the Battle of Plassey, the East India Company signed the Treaty of Allahabad with Emperor Shah Alam. The treaty required the British to station troops near Delhi to provide security for the emperor. To fulfill this condition, the emperor sent a Persian letter to the British court along with a gift of one lakh rupees. The emperor sent Iteshamuddin to deliver the letter, providing him with an allowance of four thousand rupees. However, Iteshamuddin learned that the money had been intercepted by Robert Clive, which ruined his mission from the start. After returning to India in October 1768, he was known as "Bilayat Munshi" (the Persian clerk of Britain). He probably passed away in 1800.
Despite being written in Persian, his book reveals many elements of Bengali culture. For instance, although he used the Islamic Hijri calendar, he also referenced Bengali months like Magh and Kartik. His love for fish, a significant part of Bengali cuisine, also appears in his writings.
When he embarked on his journey in January 1766, leaving behind his homeland and loved ones, he was overwhelmed with sorrow. Four days later, his ship reached the sea, where he observed the sea foam glowing at night (likely due to bioluminescence).
Upon arriving in Mauritius, he met people from Bengal, including those from the Hooghly region, who were working and living there permanently. Mauritius, with its central mountains and forests, also had fertile agricultural land and small towns in the east. The French had forts and factories there. French aristocrats owned both houses and agricultural land, where slaves worked. He described large, delicious mangoes that were green on the outside and blue on the inside. Unlike in Bengal, copper coins were not used in Mauritius, but paper money circulated. The houses were made of wood and mounted on wheels, allowing them to be moved a short distance.
The ship was damaged in a violent storm, and they had to wait for repairs. After enduring strong winds, the ship reached the Cape of Good Hope, a region inhabited by African tribes such as the Hottentots and Bushmen. These tribes lived semi-nomadic lives, wore animal skins, and hunted wild animals like boars and deer. The Dutch used to buy slaves from Bengal, and Iteshamuddin met some of these people, who had forgotten their native languages like Bengali and Hindi. They communicated with gestures.
In the Atlantic Ocean, near Ascension Island, the ship's crew encountered abundant marine life, including large sea turtles and various fish. Iteshamuddin marveled at the sea's wonders, describing flying fish with silk-paper-like wings that allowed them to fly as long as their wings remained wet. Once the wings dried, the fish fell into the ship. He also mentioned seeing a whale and wrote about mythical mermaids, claiming that encountering them or hearing their calls would lead to the death of sailors.
After nearly six months at sea, the ship finally anchored in Nantes, France, where poor people came to sell fruits, bread, and fresh fish. After so long at sea, Iteshamuddin felt as if he had been reborn upon reaching land. He observed the poor in France, noting that they wore wooden shoes instead of leather. Many of his fellow passengers brought silk fabric and Kingkhwab (a type of silk fabric) from Bengal, and they managed to avoid customs checks and bring it home.
After spending sixteen days in Nantes, they traveled by sea for another week to reach the port of Calais, France. Iteshamuddin spent two weeks in Calais, where he admired the city's stone houses and churches. He marveled at St. Paul's Cathedral, noting that it was the most impressive cathedral he had seen. He observed how the English had adopted French culture in areas like music, science, and horseback riding. In Calais, he also compared the cultural differences between the French and English. He noticed that the French considered themselves superior to other nations and often insulted them without cause.
From Calais, they reached Dover, England, where the locals were fascinated by Iteshamuddin's exotic Indian attire, which they had never seen before. They surrounded him, touching his clothes and speculating whether they were part of a dance or theatrical performance. Soon, he became the center of attention.
He traveled to London, where he stayed at Captain Swinton's brother's house. The English treated him with respect, though some were still wary of him due to his appearance. After some time, English women began to approach him warmly, even jokingly asking for a kiss.
There is no city in the world as large and beautiful as London. A river flows through the city, with a strong black stone fortress beside it, known as the Tower. This fortress houses countless weapons, cannons, and other such items. There are many brick houses and churches here. St. Paul's Cathedral is the most magnificent in both size and beauty. From its dome, one can see for miles around. Except for the dome of Bijapur, no other dome in India is as tall as this one.
A king from Denmark had built Westminster Abbey (currently, no such information is available). There are some statues here that seem to be almost alive. The royal palace from the outside is not beautiful, and it is even unplastered. However, it is said that the interior of the royal palace is beautifully decorated. The queen's palace, on the other hand, is beautiful and dazzling. (The current royal palace of England, Buckingham Palace, was built by the Duke of Buckingham in 1703. King George III acquired this private property in 1761 and gave it to Queen Charlotte. Since then, it has been known as the Queen's Palace. From 1837, Buckingham Palace has been recognized as the primary royal palace. At the time the author visited London, St. James's Palace was identified as the royal palace. It is located in Westminster.)
The houses in London are mostly three to five stories tall. The rooms are not very high. The floors are wooden, and the walls are covered with colored paper. When the wind blows strongly, the walls shake, making one fear that they might collapse, though in reality, they do not. Women, like fairies, walk around everywhere, making the place feel like heaven. The poet, seeing this place for the first time, exclaimed that if heaven exists anywhere, it is here, here, here. The streets are wide, with houses on both sides. The houses resemble the military barracks in Kolkata, lined up in straight rows. To avoid confusion, the name of the house owner is written on a brass plaque at the door, along with a symbol of their profession, like a shoe on the cobbler's house. Some houses are rented as shops on the ground floor, with goods displayed in glass counters. The wealthier people live on the second and third floors, and domestic workers reside on the fourth floor. The streets are paved with stones, and there are beautiful sidewalks for pedestrians.
Near the queen’s palace (Buckingham Palace) is a park (St. James Park), with shady paths between rows of walnut trees. Many deer are kept here. On Sundays, both men and women, rich and poor, come here to enjoy themselves.
There is a significant difference between the dance, music, and theater of Europe and India. In India, a singer and dancer might come to someone's house for a one-night performance, costing that person millions of rupees. Here, however, a troupe of dancers, singers, actors, and so on is organized, and they perform together at a single house. Many people come to watch the performance, sitting according to their financial ability. The king and princes sit in the front, while the poor can enjoy the same performance from the back for a small fee. After a one-night performance, the artists make a lot of money. The type of dance performed here with violins and guitars is beyond description, according to the author. During theater performances, no words are allowed to be spoken. Even complimentary words cannot be uttered. Applause is given by stamping feet or clapping hands. The author had seen many plays.
The circus is another place of entertainment. A horse rider shows horsemanship, and for one shilling, one can watch the performance. There are also juggling acts. On the southern-western edge of the city, along the riverbank, there is another large garden. In the center of this garden, there are music and dance performances. In England, there are no tigers, lions, cheetahs, bears, or wolves. However, animals like elephants and camels are brought from India and kept in large houses (zoos). People from far and wide come in groups and pay one or two rupees to enter and see these animals. This is one way of raising money. However, there are various breeds of dogs found here. The author was astonished to see these novelties in London, but as a colony, India had adopted almost every characteristic of it later.
After three months in London, Iteshamuddin traveled to Oxford with Captain Swinton. He was struck by the city's beauty and the intellectual atmosphere of the university, where he found many Arabic and Persian books. He reflected on how England's advancement in arts and sciences was supported by patronage, in contrast to India, where scholars and artists were not given the same recognition.
During the winter, Iteshamuddin traveled with Captain Swinton to Scotland. There, he observed people skiing across snow-covered fields and was amazed at their ability to cover up to 100 miles in a single day. The Scots, who considered themselves superior to the English, wore distinctive clothing and carried two-edged swords. Iteshamuddin found the Scots brave and disciplined, though the English looked down on them due to their poverty.
In Scotland, he stayed at Captain Swinton's father's house in Edinburgh. The Scots were used to harsh weather, with constant rain and snowfall in the highlands. They wore specific types of hats and jackets, but not pants or boots, opting instead for long jackets and cotton socks that left their knees exposed. They wore shoes with laces and carried swords.
Captain Swinton and some other Englishmen were learning Persian from Iteshamuddin. They asked him to stay in England longer, but when they criticized his religious beliefs and values, Iteshamuddin decided he no longer wanted to stay in England. Meanwhile, in London, Lord Clive, using the one lakh rupees sent by Shah Alam, gained favor with the queen, but Iteshamuddin's mission was ignored. Eventually, after spending two years in Europe, Iteshamuddin returned to India in October 1768.
No comments:
Post a Comment