EPISODE · May 25, 2026 · 7 MIN
The Black Hole Tragedy: Myth, Memory, and the British Empire
from The Hidden History of Bengal: Kingdoms, Empires, and Revolution — Fexingo History · host Fexingo
In June 1756, the Nawab of Bengal Siraj-ud-Daulah captured Calcutta from the East India Company. The next morning, British prisoners emerged from a tiny guardroom claiming 123 of their number had died overnight in what became known as the 'Black Hole of Calcutta.' But how many actually died? Was it an atrocity or a fabrication? In this episode of The Hidden History of Bengal, Lucas and Luna dig into the controversy behind one of British imperial history's most famous stories. They examine the sole eyewitness account by John Zephaniah Holwell, the missing contemporary corroboration, and the later debunking by historians. The Black Hole was used to justify the Battle of Plassey and Company expansion — but the evidence suggests the death toll was wildly exaggerated. This episode explores how a colonial myth was born, why it persisted in British textbooks for two centuries, and what it reveals about the politics of memory in Bengal's history. Featuring Siraj-ud-Daulah, John Zephaniah Holwell, Fort William, the East India Company, and the debate over numbers that still divides historians. #BlackHoleOfCalcutta #SirajUdDaulah #Holwell #FortWilliam #BattleOfPlassey #BritishEmpire #ColonialMythology #BengalHistory #Calcutta #EastIndiaCompany #Historiography #MythBusting #ImperialPropaganda #18thCentury #SouthAsia #History #FexingoHistory #Podcast Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo
What this episode covers
In June 1756, the Nawab of Bengal Siraj-ud-Daulah captured Calcutta from the East India Company. The next morning, British prisoners emerged from a tiny guardroom claiming 123 of their number had died overnight in what became known as the 'Black Hole of Calcutta.' But how many actually died? Was it an atrocity or a fabrication? In this episode of The Hidden History of Bengal, Lucas and Luna dig into the controversy behind one of British imperial history's most famous stories. They examine the sole eyewitness account by John Zephaniah Holwell, the missing contemporary corroboration, and the later debunking by historians. The Black Hole was used to justify the Battle of Plassey and Company expansion — but the evidence suggests the death toll was wildly exaggerated. This episode explores how a colonial myth was born, why it persisted in British textbooks for two centuries, and what it reveals about the politics of memory in Bengal's history. Featuring Siraj-ud-Daulah, John Zephaniah Holwell, Fort William, the East India Company, and the debate over numbers that still divides historians. #BlackHoleOfCalcutta #SirajUdDaulah #Holwell #FortWilliam #BattleOfPlassey #BritishEmpire #ColonialMythology #BengalHistory #Calcutta #EastIndiaCompany #Historiography #MythBusting #ImperialPropaganda #18thCentury #SouthAsia #History #FexingoHistory #Podcast Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo
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The Black Hole Tragedy: Myth, Memory, and the British Empire
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