The Zamindars of Bengal: Land, Power, and the Permanent Settlement

In this episode of Fexingo History, Lucas and Luna explore the Zamindari system of Bengal, from the Mughal era's revenue farming to the British East India Company's Permanent Settlement of 1793. They trace the rise of powerful families like the Debs of Shobhabazar and the Tagores of Jorasanko, and the zamindars' role as cultural patrons — financing the construction of temples, Durga Puja festivals, and the revival of Bengali literature. The conversation sheds light on the social costs: the crushing of peasant revolts, the exploitation of indigo cultivators, and the devastating impact of the 1943 Bengal famine, when many zamindars prioritized profit over relief. The episode also examines the abolition of the zamindari system in the 1950s and its long-term effects on rural Bengal. Through vivid stories and specific details, listeners learn how this landholding class shaped the political, cultural, and economic landscape of Bengal for over two centuries. #Zamindars #PermanentSettlement #BengalHistory #MughalRevenue #EastIndiaCompany #LordCornwallis #Shobhabazar #TagoreFamily #NatoreRaj #DurgaPuja #BengalFamine #IndigoRevolt #LandRevenue #BritishRaj #SouthAsia #ColonialIndia #History #FexingoHistory Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo