Kolkata: Difference between revisions
(New page: Kolkata or Calcutta is the biggest city in India and is the capital city of West Bengal. It is connected by rail, road and air with all important cities of the country. It is also a seapor...) |
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Kolkata | Kolkata the city long known as Calcutta is the biggest city in India and is the capital city of West Bengal. It is connected by rail, road and air with all important cities of the country. It is also a seaport of great significance. | ||
The city of Calcutta | The British were responsible for developing the city of Calcutta long after the time Guru Nanak Dev, who perhaps visited the ancient Hindu temple at Kali Ghat centuries before. Two Sikh Sangats, called Bari Sangat and Chhoti Sangat, have certainly existed for a long time in Calcutta. | ||
It was near here that one of the most notorious "incidents" in the history of early 20th century exclusion laws of Canada saw its final bloody chapter played out. The [[Kamagata Maru]] was a Japanese steam liner that had sailed from China and Japan headed for western Canada in 1914. The yellow journalism of the day had played the story up that hundreds of Hindus were set to Invade Canada. The mostly 'white' Anglo-Sazon Christians citizens and their political leaders, who saw the chance to make their careers, pulled out all stops to stop what was billed as a Hindu invasion. Laws with precise wording had been inacted so that only wealthy Asians could afford to meet the requirements for immagration. Similar laws in America kept Asian immigration low untill well into the 20th century. | |||
The passenger list consisted of 340 Sikhs, 24 Muslims, and only 12 Hindus, nevermind that they were all British subjects. | |||
The ship was never allowed to land and was finally forced back with all but 24 of its passengers to Asia. Many of the passengers wanted to debark in Shanghai or Hong Cong, but the British forced the ship to head for Calcutta. | |||
The Komagata Maru arrived in Calcutta on September 26. Upon entry into the harbour, the ship was forced to stop by a British gunboat and not allowed to dock. The passengers were placed under guard. The ship was then diverted approximately 17 miles to Budge Budge, where the British intended to put them on a sealed train bound for Punjab. The passengers wanted to stay in Calcutta, and they managed to march to the city in protest, but they were forced to return to Budge Budge and reboard the ship. The passengers protested, some refusing to reboard, and the police opened fire, killing 20 and wounding nine others. This incident became known as the [[Budge Budge Riot]]. | |||
A Sikh named Gurdit Singh managed to escape living in hiding till 1922. He was urged by Gandhi ji to give himself up as a true patriot. He was imprisoned for five years. | |||
[[category:cities]] | [[category:cities]] | ||
Revision as of 14:10, 11 July 2008
Kolkata the city long known as Calcutta is the biggest city in India and is the capital city of West Bengal. It is connected by rail, road and air with all important cities of the country. It is also a seaport of great significance.
The British were responsible for developing the city of Calcutta long after the time Guru Nanak Dev, who perhaps visited the ancient Hindu temple at Kali Ghat centuries before. Two Sikh Sangats, called Bari Sangat and Chhoti Sangat, have certainly existed for a long time in Calcutta.
It was near here that one of the most notorious "incidents" in the history of early 20th century exclusion laws of Canada saw its final bloody chapter played out. The Kamagata Maru was a Japanese steam liner that had sailed from China and Japan headed for western Canada in 1914. The yellow journalism of the day had played the story up that hundreds of Hindus were set to Invade Canada. The mostly 'white' Anglo-Sazon Christians citizens and their political leaders, who saw the chance to make their careers, pulled out all stops to stop what was billed as a Hindu invasion. Laws with precise wording had been inacted so that only wealthy Asians could afford to meet the requirements for immagration. Similar laws in America kept Asian immigration low untill well into the 20th century.
The passenger list consisted of 340 Sikhs, 24 Muslims, and only 12 Hindus, nevermind that they were all British subjects.
The ship was never allowed to land and was finally forced back with all but 24 of its passengers to Asia. Many of the passengers wanted to debark in Shanghai or Hong Cong, but the British forced the ship to head for Calcutta.
The Komagata Maru arrived in Calcutta on September 26. Upon entry into the harbour, the ship was forced to stop by a British gunboat and not allowed to dock. The passengers were placed under guard. The ship was then diverted approximately 17 miles to Budge Budge, where the British intended to put them on a sealed train bound for Punjab. The passengers wanted to stay in Calcutta, and they managed to march to the city in protest, but they were forced to return to Budge Budge and reboard the ship. The passengers protested, some refusing to reboard, and the police opened fire, killing 20 and wounding nine others. This incident became known as the Budge Budge Riot.
A Sikh named Gurdit Singh managed to escape living in hiding till 1922. He was urged by Gandhi ji to give himself up as a true patriot. He was imprisoned for five years.
