Job Charnok And Calcutta .
The name of Kolkata is closely associated with Job Charnock. Regarded as the founder of Kolkata, Charnock came to India around 1655. In early 1657, he joined the East India Company as a junior employee.
In 1663, he was appointed as the head of the Company’s factory at Patna. According to a popular legend, while in Patna, Charnock rescued a beautiful widow from being burned on her husband’s funeral pyre (sati). He later married her and named her Maria. Soon after their marriage, Charnock was transferred from Patna to Hooghly, where he spent nearly twenty years. During this period, Maria passed away.
Towards the end of his stay in Hooghly, Charnock faced several difficulties. On one hand, he had disputes with the Company regarding his promotion; on the other hand, he came into conflict with the local Muslim authorities. Eventually, he was forced to leave Hooghly.
In 1686, the Company promoted him to the position of Governor of Bengal. He then began searching for a suitable place to establish a new trading center. After visiting the area twice, he finally chose Sutanuti on his third visit and set up a factory there. From his long experience in Bengal, he understood the requirements of an ideal trading post. Sutanuti was naturally well-protected—on the west flowed the Ganges River, to the east lay vast marshlands, and to the south stretched the dense forests of the Sundarbans. Thus, the only accessible land route was from the north. Moreover, Sutanuti was closer to the sea than Hooghly. After the decline of Satgaon, many merchants settled in this region and engaged in trade, especially in textiles and yarn.
Three years after settling in Sutanuti, Charnock died in 1693. His tomb is now located in the premises of St. John's Church. It is considered one of the earliest examples of brick-built structures in the architectural history of Kolkata.
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