Latest / The Hidden History of Bengal: Kingdoms, Empires, and Revolution — Fexingo History
Bengal's Silk Revolution: The Weavers Who Built an Empire
Before the industrial looms of Manchester reshaped global trade, Bengal’s handloom weavers were the envy of the world. This episode traces the intricate history of the Tantubaya community and the gomasta system that connected rural artisans in Dacca and Malda to markets from London to Batavia. We explore how the British East India Company’s aggressive procurement policies initially fueled a golden age of textile production, only to systematically dismantle the industry through discriminatory tariffs and forced credit systems. By examining the lives of weavers like those in Shams-ud-Daulah’s…
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