Latest / The Hidden History of Bengal: Kingdoms, Empires, and Revolution — Fexingo History / The Black Hole of Calcutta: Myth, Memory, and Empire
Transcript
- Lucas: So we've talked a lot about the Battle of Plassey, the conspiracy, the betrayal. But there's an episode that happened just before that, in 1756, that the British used to justify everything that came after — the Black Hole of Calcutta. Luna: The Black Hole — I've heard that name, but I don't actually know what happened. Lucas: It's one of those stories that feels almost too horrifying to be true — and that's because it probably isn't, at least not the way it's been told. The basic narrative goes like this: In June 1756, the young Nawab of Bengal, siraj ud daulah, attacked and captured the British settlement at Fort William in Calcutta. He was angry about the British fortifying the city without his permission, among other grievances. The British governor and many officials fled down the river, leaving behind a small garrison and about 146 prisoners, mostly Europeans but also some Indians. Luna: So what happened to them? Lucas: According to the sole surviving account — written by John Zephaniah Holwell, a surgeon and temporary governor — the prisoners were crammed into a small room in the fort, originally meant to hold maybe two or three people. It was about 18 feet by 14 feet — roughly the size of a modern living room. He claimed they were locked in overnight, and by morning, only 23 emerged alive. The rest had died from suffocation, heat, and crushing. Luna: That's horrific. But you said 'sole surviving account' — so it's just one guy's story? Lucas: Exactly. Holwell wrote a letter that was published in London and became an instant sensation. It was used to whip up outrage against siraj ud daulah and justify the East India Company's military response — culminating in the Battle of Plassey the following year. But almost immediately, there were skeptics. Some British officers who were in Calcutta at the time doubted the numbers. And later historians, both British and Indian, have pointed out inconsistencies. Luna: Like what? Lucas: For one thing, the dimensions of the room. Holwell said it was 18 feet by 14 feet — but other contemporary descriptions of Fort William suggest the room he referred to was actually a guardroom that was much larger, maybe 24 by 18 feet. Also, the total number of prisoners: Holwell claimed 146, but the official garrison strength at the fort was about 170, and many of those escaped or were killed during the assault. So where did 146 come from? Luna: He might have exaggerated to make the British look more victimised. Lucas: That's the most common interpretation — that Holwell saw an opportunity to turn a military defeat into a propaganda victory. There's also the question of why the Nawab would order such a cruel punishment. siraj ud daulah was young and hot-headed, but he wasn't a monster. He had previously treated captured prisoners reasonably well. And he had no motive to incite British revenge — he was trying to assert his authority, not provoke a war. Luna: So what actually happened that night? Lucas: We'll never know for sure, but a more plausible version is that some prisoners were held overnight in a room that was overcrowded — maybe 60 or 70 people — and that a number died from heat and panic. But not 123. The story then grew in the retelling. And it's worth noting that Holwell himself had a reputation for being unreliable. He was the one who had surrendered Fort William, and he was desperate to shift blame. Luna: But the British public ate it up. Lucas: Absolutely. Pamphlets, engravings, even a stage play — the Black Hole became a household horror story. It was used to depict Indians as barbaric and the British as martyrs for civilisation. That narrative helped the Company justify not just the conquest of Bengal but also the heavy-handed rule that followed. It's a classic example of how a single, unverified story can shape the course of empire. Luna: It's amazing — and scary — how a story can be so powerful even if it's mostly made up. Lucas: And it persisted for centuries. Even after historians started poking holes, the Black Hole remained a staple of British schoolbooks until well into the 20th century. It's only in recent decades that the scholarly consensus has shifted to 'probably exaggerated, possibly fabricated.' Luna: So what about Holwell himself? Did he profit from this? Lucas: He did quite well. He returned to England a hero, became a director of the East India Company, and even served as a member of Parliament. He also wrote extensively about Indian culture and religion, claiming to have discovered the true meaning of the Vedas — which scholars later dismissed as nonsense. So he was a complex figure: part surgeon, part propagandist, part amateur orientalist. Luna: It's like a cautionary tale about history written by the victors. Lucas: Exactly. And it connects to a broader point: when you look at the British Empire in India, so many of its founding myths are built on shaky evidence. The Black Hole, the 'Mutiny' of 1857 — stories that were used to justify violence and control. Luna: It makes you wonder what other accepted histories might be built on shaky ground. Lucas: That's the kind of curiosity that keeps this show going. And if today's episode was useful to you — if it made you think twice about a story you'd heard — that's exactly the kind of thing that makes listener support so meaningful. This show stays ad-free because people like you chip in at buy me a coffee dot com slash fexingo. It's a small way to keep these conversations going. Luna: Yeah, and it really does make a difference. Every bit helps us dig deeper into topics like this. Lucas: Alright, back to the Black Hole. One more layer: the site itself became a sort of pilgrimage spot. The British built a monument to the victims in Calcutta, which stood until 1940, when it was moved to a cemetery. The original site is now marked by a small plaque, but most people walking past have no idea what happened there — or what might not have happened. Luna: So it's become a kind of invisible history. Lucas: Which is fitting. Because the Black Hole of Calcutta isn't just a story about a single night — it's about how empires create their own truths, and how those truths can outlast the empire itself. Even today, you'll find the story repeated as fact in some places. But once you know the doubts, you can't unsee them. Luna: It's a good reminder to always question the narrative, especially when it comes from the powerful. Lucas: Exactly. And with that, we'll leave you to ponder. Next time, we'll look at another controversial episode — the trial of Maharaja Nandakumar, which also has more than a few skeletons in the closet. Luna: Looking forward to it. Thanks, Lucas. Lucas: Thanks, Luna. And thanks to all of you for listening.