Latest / The Hidden History of Bengal: Kingdoms, Empires, and Revolution — Fexingo History / The Murshidabad Silk Trade and Bengal's Global Luxury
Transcript
- Lucas: So we've covered a lot of Bengal's political and military history — the battles, the famines, the rebellions. But there's one thread that runs through much of it that we haven't really touched on yet, and that's the story of Bengal's silk. Luna: Silk? I know Bengal had textiles, but I always think of cotton when it comes to Indian fabrics. Lucas: Right, and that's partly because the colonial narrative emphasized cotton — but in the Mughal period, Bengal's silk was world-famous. In fact, the silk produced around Murshidabad was considered among the finest in the world, alongside Chinese and Persian silks. It was a key export that drew European traders to Bengal long before the Battle of Plassey. Luna: So when did Bengal's silk industry really take off? Lucas: It goes back centuries, but it really flourished under the Mughals, especially after Murshid Quli Khan made Murshidabad the capital in the early 1700s. He was the first nawab of Bengal under Mughal suzerainty, and he actively promoted silk cultivation and weaving. The region along the Bhagirathi River had just the right soil and climate for mulberry trees, which feed the silkworms. And the silkworms themselves — there was a local breed, Bombyx mori, that produced a particularly fine, strong thread. Luna: What made Murshidabad silk so special compared to other silks? Lucas: A lot of it was the craftsmanship. The weavers, known as tanti, had techniques passed down for generations. They produced fabrics like the famous Baluchar silk, which had intricate woven patterns, often depicting scenes from court life or nature. And then there was Jamdani, which is technically a cotton-silk blend, but it's so fine it was called 'woven air.' These weren't just fabrics — they were wearable art. The Mughal court and the nobility prized them, and they were also exported to Europe, Persia, and the Ottoman Empire. Luna: Wait, so Europeans were buying Bengal silk before they colonized Bengal? Lucas: Absolutely. The Dutch East India Company, or VOC, was heavily involved in the silk trade from the 17th century. They established factories in Murshidabad and elsewhere to procure raw silk and finished textiles. The English East India Company followed suit. By the mid-18th century, Bengal was the largest supplier of raw silk to Europe. In fact, the company's profits from silk were a major reason they were so keen to gain political control in Bengal. They wanted to bypass the local intermediaries and directly control production. Luna: So the silk trade was part of the economic motivation behind the colonization of Bengal. Lucas: Exactly. And it didn't stop with Plassey. After the company gained the diwani in 1765, they started imposing policies that directly harmed the silk industry. They forced weavers to work for lower wages, they restricted who could buy silk, and they introduced new taxes. The quality began to decline as the weavers lost their autonomy. And then, in the 19th century, the British actively promoted the cultivation of raw silk in India but imported cheaper machine-made silk from Britain — essentially destroying the handloom sector. By the end of the 19th century, Murshidabad silk was a shadow of its former self. Luna: It's a classic story of colonial deindustrialization. Lucas: Yes, and it had deep cultural consequences. Weaving was not just a job — it was a community identity. The tanti weavers were often organized into guilds, and they had their own customs and festivals. There's a famous poem from the 19th century, 'The Song of the Weavers,' that laments the decline. So when we talk about Bengal's hidden history, the story of silk is a reminder that the region was a global hub of luxury production — and that was deliberately dismantled. Luna: Is there any trace of that legacy today? Lucas: A little. Murshidabad still produces silk, and you can find Baluchar weaves in some collections. But it's a niche craft now, not the global industry it once was. Interestingly, the Jamdani tradition has survived better, partly because it was recognized by UNESCO as an Intangible Cultural Heritage. But the scale is nothing compared to what it was. So next time you see a silk scarf, think about the centuries of skill and the political forces that shaped its journey. Luna: I will. Thanks, Lucas. Lucas: Thanks for listening. That's all for this episode of The Hidden History of Bengal.