Sayeb mem Samachar by Nikhil Sur [Hardcover]

"The British in Colonial Calcutta: Life and Society in the Company Era"

From the early 18th century to the 1840s, Calcutta held an irresistible allure for British expatriates. Following the Battle of Plassey, young Englishmen were drawn to the city with the promise of fortune, akin to shaking a money-laden pagoda tree. However, this enthusiasm waned before the century’s end.

The pre-Plassey and post-Plassey eras present contrasting yet sometimes overlapping portraits of British life in Calcutta. The Company era was not a monolithic experience for the British community—there were class distinctions, a clear divide between the “big” and “small” Englishmen, and an evolving social landscape.

In the early 18th century, the scarcity of Englishwomen led many British men to form liaisons with Indian “bibis” (mistresses). By the later half of the century, however, a wave of unmarried Englishwomen arrived in search of husbands—some returning home disappointed, others forced into marriages with much older men.

While some British women despised Calcutta, others fell in love with the city, enduring the arduous sea voyage multiple times or even choosing to remain for life.

This book paints a rich and intricate picture of British men and women in colonial Calcutta, offering both colorful and starkly contrasting glimpses into their lives, struggles, and social dynamics during the Company era.