https://ir.vidyasagar.ac.in/jspui/handle/123456789/1321 2026-04-27T17:54:50Z https://ir.vidyasagar.ac.in/jspui/handle/123456789/6266 Title: Trade and trading centres of South West Bengal: 1753-1790 Authors: Ali, Quazi Aktar Abstract: The East India Company entered in Bengal through South West Bengal by following the footsteps of different indigenous and foreign invaders from the remote past. The East India Company as a commercial organisation became the full-phase state by acquiring power gradually in entire Bengal in the second half of the 18 th century. They gained different forms of power in different periods to control and regulate the affairs of certain areas. In that period the Company intended to dominate its supremacy through reformations. It affected the society, economy and politics of the then South West Bengal as well as entire Bengal. It has been pointed out, in my research work, how it affected trade and trading centres in South West Bengal. Also light has been flashed on the change of economy of South West Bengal in the context of the state. Thus thesis attempts to set up the general framework of the Company’s internal trade in South West Bengal. In the eighteenth century the Indian Ocean linked the unknown regions of India through the European ships. Their arrival connected the hinterland of South-West Bengal with the larger world. A stable network was formed with the trade of various goods even in the internal trade. As an administrator, the Company attempted to control the regional landlords and also the petty traders. In this case it is seen that the Company had control the producers in different ways. Initially it was convinced that the producers would protect from the oppression by the local landlords but the condition of the producers got changed not so much. The Company emphasized the markets free from undue exactions and oppressions for their own benefit. The Company intended to execute the trading operated freely by the local traders in the regional fields. Productions and its consumption opened a new era in the field of trade over markets and its transaction got increased. It changed the production system and developed the communicative network of the then South West Bengal as well as entire Bengal. The Company’s attempted regulatory management system appeared to have met with partial success and evoked a mixed response. 2021-08-10T00:00:00Z https://ir.vidyasagar.ac.in/jspui/handle/123456789/5912 Title: Vaishnavism in 19th Century Bengal: A New Interpretation (1801-1899) Authors: Ghosh, Ashoke Abstract: While researching about Vaishnava religion at first one must take the name of eminent linguist Sukumar Sen, his work was advanced in the field by another scholar,Ramakanta Chakraborty. Following their footsteps, I have choose my area of research. Before the advent of Chaitnyadev Vaishnavism did not expand nor did it achieve status of a revolution. For that reason, in my thesis, I kept Chaitnyadev and Vaishnavism in the same ground and analyzed it. I have mentioned the condition of the Bengali Hindus in pre Chaitanya time as well as their social and religious discriminations while describing the cause of Chaitanyadev’s arrival and his works. In that time how religious narrowness created social distance from man to man has been mentioned in my research. While describing the cause of Chaitanyadev’s arrival in the light of Vaishnava books itis said that he primarily came to earth to enjoy three types of rasa. The thesis has looked into a detail analysis of three types of rasa. Though, without enjoying rasa, spreading of ‘Harinam’ is another main reason of his arrival the first important work he did in this country after his arrival is the creation of a democratic atmosphere in religious and social sphere. His main aim was to bring all the lowcaste people to the same scale which has been described as ‘Spiritual Democracy’ by Kamil V. Zvlebil (The smile of Murugan) which has also been mentioned by scholar Ramakanta Chakraborty in his essay, Madhya Kalin Bharate Bhakti O Santamat: Akti Samikha which was published in‘ItihasAnusandhan, Volume 5’. Karl Marx in his writing said that Chaitanyadev was a true social reformer. Lawrence Crader’s book The Ethnological Notebooks of Karl Marx has detailed description about it. Besides, the book Ami Vivakananda Bolchi by Shankar,claims that many words of Chaitanyadev has been followed by Vivekananda. How the works of Chaitanyadeva and moreover thoughts of Vaishnavism has influenced the social life of nineteenth century Bengal is the key theme of this thesis.My thesis has tried to show how thoughts of Vaishnavism has influenced the writings of Rabindranath Tagore. Along with it a comparative discussion of the thoughts and advices of the fifteenth century eminent personality, Sri Chaitanyadev, and the nineteenth century eminent personality of Bengal, Sri Ramakrishnadev has been made. Influence of Vaishnavism on the nineteenth century education, especially on the education of women and music study, has been discussed. During the time when women of the family had seldom any chance to get out of the house, at that time how Vaishnava tried to educate them inside the house also has been described. The influence of Vaishnavism in the world of music education and the lack of ‘Bhakti’ of the kirtan singers and listeners of today’s time has been analyzed. Along with it the baul community, their prayers and the relation between the bauls and Vaishnavas has been thoroughly searched here. The influence of Vaishnavism on folk literature,poetry, and the style of recitation has been shown. Besides, it also exposes the entry of Vaishnava thoughts in jhumur songs and its relationship with ‘Rasik’ and ‘Nachni’. Some jhumur songs are so similar with Vaishnava Padabali that it is difficult to find any difference between them. Moreover, the present thoughts of baul and kirtan singers, reasons for entitling themselves as ‘Das’;reason for mentioning the term ‘Hari’ in official documents and in temple curving has been discussed in this research along with theinfluence and relevance of Vaishnavism Vaishnavism in the present time. This thesis includes the source of the use of kirtan in Hindusraddha ceremony and after anyone’s death, the composition of Brahmasongs in imitation of kirtan and a few aspects of the composition of Shyama songs. Krishna-kali puja or Durgapuja of Goswami tradition of Hindu society is the result of Vaishnava influence and through such subjects the relevance of Vaishnava religion has seen analysed. 2021-02-26T00:00:00Z https://ir.vidyasagar.ac.in/jspui/handle/123456789/5593 Title: Urbanization of North Bengal in Colonial Period Authors: Mandal, Madhumita Abstract: Urbanization of North Bengal in Colonial Period 2020-10-19T00:00:00Z https://ir.vidyasagar.ac.in/jspui/handle/123456789/5349 Title: Evolution of Public Libraries in Colonial Bengal: 1800-1947 Authors: Jana, Bhakti Pada; Sarkar, Sujaya; Jana, Pijush Kanti Abstract: Colonial rulers were almost indifferent to spread mass education in the country. Public libraries were established in town and villages in Bengal by the active initiative of common people to spread mass education. Evolution of 275 public libraries in Colonial Bengal during 1800-1947 have been taken in the study. It has framed to trace the genesis of public libraries in Colonial Bengal, to trace the gradual development of public libraries in Bengal, to trace the role of secret societies to develop public libraries, to trace the role of colonial public libraries in preservation as well as dissemination of knowledge, to trace the role of public libraries in social welfare activities, to trace the role of Bengal Library Association to create library awareness among people. A comprehensive list of primary as well as secondary sources used to trace the development of public libraries and community information need of the period. The study in its six chapters observed that most of the libraries during the period were the product of voluntary effort. Since approach of twentieth century public libraries were appearing as strong media to preach nationalism attaching themselves as a branch of secret societies. Rare books, journals, patriotic history and local history are found in their collection. In order to attract mass- base to the library, social services used to perform from the library. Present public library system of both west Bengal and Bangladesh are found as successor of Colonial Public library system in Bengal in many aspects. 2020-02-06T00:00:00Z