On this day in 1698, the Sabarna Roy Chowdhury family, zamindars in Mughal Bengal who controlled vast stretches of land, was persuaded by prince Azim-us-Shan, grandson of Aurangzeb, to transfer the zamindari rights of the three villages of Sutanati, Dihi Kalikata and Gobindapur to the East India Company for Rs 1,300.
Negotiations for the transfer had begun earlier in the year and the Roy Chowdhurys had reservations about it, but the Mughal prince was insistent.
Sutanati, Dihi Kolikata and Gobindapur, along the banks of the Hooghly, were three small villages then, which went on to become the city of Calcutta and the seat of British power.
The date mentioned in the bainama (transfer deed) has also been interpreted as November 9 or November 8.
The East India Company’s interest in the area began with company official Job Charnock landing at Sutanati on August 24, 1690.
