In political terms, Calcutta went through the same experience
as any other Indian city in the 1920s and the 1930s. This
was the period of Gandhian mass-mobilization. The city saw
its share of protests, demonstrations and strikes. The four
or five years immediately preceding Independence in 1947 were
of profound significance for the development of Calcutta,
leaving an indelible mark on its culture and ambience.
In 1943, Bengal experienced a devastating famine. Historical
research has verified that it was actually the result of human
mismanagement, with the government exporting rice while there
was a food shortage in the state. The inevitable result was
mass migration from the villages to the city. The streets
and pavements were overflowing with dying and undernourished
men, women and children. It was the first time the citizens
of Calcutta had heard people begging not for rice but for
the starched water in which it had been cooked. It was also
the first time the citizens of Calcutta had seen death on
such a mammoth scale. It was an apocalyptic experience. The
aftermath manifested itself in a heightened and attenuated
consciousness among the literati. In literature, painting,
poetry and theatre the event left its mark with a new experimentation.
The reality of such devastation had heralded the end of a
golden age for Bengal. The city has never been the same since. |
