The Bengal Holocaust: A Graphic Reimagining of "Chhiattor-er Monnontor" or The Great Bengal Famine of 1770
The Bengal Holocaust: A Graphic Reimagining of "Chhiattor-er Monnontor" or The Great Bengal
Famine of 1770
This paper explores the historical representation of the Great Bengal Famine of 1770, a
catastrophe that led to the death of millions in Bengal, as depicted in the graphic tale “Drawing
Disaster: A Lost Sketchbook” by artists Debkumar Mitra and Argha Manna. Featured in the
anthology Famine Tales from India and Britain by Professors Ayesha Mukherjee and Amlan
Dasgupta, the narrative intertwines the historical account of William Wilson Hunter’s Annals of
Rural Bengal (1868) with a metafictional dialogue between Hunter and Debdulal Mitra, a
fictionalized character based on the painter Debkumar Mitra. While the famine is traditionally
attributed to environmental factors like poor monsoon, the paper argues that it was a result of a
complex interplay of socio-political and colonial forces. The East India Company’s policies
including systemic exploitation, forced taxation, and the destruction of Bengal’s agrarian and
industrial systems, exacerbated the crisis. Additionally, colonial racism, socio-economic
disparities, and the role of local elites, such as Zamindars and Nawabs, were critical factors in
shaping the famine. This analysis sheds light on the famine as not just a natural disaster, but a
man-made catastrophe, with long-lasting effects on Bengal’s landscape and society.