History of Kolkata (Calcutta)

The inspiration of our restaurant's name "Kolkata Lounge" relates to Calcutta, India's cultural capital. The following text provides a background history to the city of Calcutta.

In the year 1690 Job Charnock, an agent of East India Company came to the bank of the river Hooghly. Earlier he had various disputes with officials of Mughal empire at the port of river Hooghly and was forced to abandon his plan of establishing his settlement. His repeated attempts to establish his plan at other places down the river also turned futile. However, Mughal empire finally did not want to lose the benefit they had gained from the British company's commerce and at last decided to permit him to return once again.

Job Charnock carefully choose a site which was being protected by the river Hooghly on the West, a creek to the north and by lakes (presently called Salt Lake) about few miles to the east. He also took lease of three villages Sutanuti, Govindapur and Kalikata in pursuit of establishing a trading post of the British East India Company.  

In 1756 the city became famous when Siraj-Ud-Dullah, the last independent nawab of Bengal captured the city. The British regained power of Bengal and the city was recaptured in 1757 by Robert Clive. 

Thereafter, General Warren Hastings was chosen as the first Governor General of India and Calcutta became the capital of British India in 1772.