The Armenian settlement was formed in one of the suburbs of Murshidabad, the then capital of Bengal. This was during the rule of the Mughal Emperor, Aurangazeb. Armenians were a vibrant & active merchant community in Bengal. They helped the British to establish their position in Bengal & make Calcutta a pivotal point for their trade & commerce.
A few churches, cemeteries and less than 200 Armenians are all that’s left of the once powerful Armenian colonies. The number of Armenians have dwindled to a mere 150 now. Yet in Kolkata we still have a street named after them, the Armenian Street.
The sketch depicts one of the churches in Armenian Street, Kolkata. A must visit street to soak into the bygone history.
Artish- Avidip Kundu