Gobindram Mitter

Infobox Person
name = Gobindram Mitter


image_size =
caption =
birth_date = ?
birth_place = Chanak, North 24 Parganas
death_date = 1776
death_place = Kolkata
occupation = Tax collector
spouse =

Gobindram Mitter (also spelt Govindram Mitra, Gobindaram Mitra, Gobinda Ram Mitra) was one of the earliest Indian officials under the British rule and earned a reputation for his tyranny, wealth and extravagance. Sengupta, Subodh Chandra and Bose, Anjali (editors), (1976/1998), "Sansad Bangali Charitabhidhan" (Biographical dictionary) Vol I, Bn icon, p 144, ISBN 81-85626-65-0 ]

Early life

He was born in Chanak village near Barrackpur, now in North 24 Parganas district. When the English bought the three villages of Kalikata, Sutanuti and Gobindapur from the Sabarna Roy Choudhury family in 1698 and established their zemindary (estate) or presidency in Kolkata, they appointed an Indian deputy collector to assist the English collector in the collection of rent. The first Indian deputy collector was Nandaram Sen. After his discharge, the second Indian to step into that position was Gobindram Mitra.

Success

Extravagance

Mitter earned fabulous amounts of money by fair and unfair means. He had become so powerful that his boss Holwell could not remove him.

He is credited by some as being the first Bengali to drive a coach. His celebration of the Hindu festivals was marked with lavishness and extravagance. The entire image of goddess Durga was wrapped in gold and silver leaf. Thirty to fifty maunds (one maund is about 37 kg) of rice was offered to the deity, a thousand Brahmins were fed and given gifts, and there was dancing by the nautch girls. It was he who fired the urge for conspicuous consumption in the society of his time. Mitter had a sprawling house at Kumortuli spread on 50 bighas (around 16 acres) of land. He also had a villa, Nandan Bagan, where he housed his three favourite mistresses. [ Deb, Chitra, "The Great Houses of Old Calcutta" in "Calcutta, the Living City", Vol I, edited by Sukanta Chaudhuri, pp 58-59, Oxford University Press, ISBN 0-19-563696-1.]

Legend

Mitter became a legend in his life time. He was famous as black deputy and the words “Gobindramer chhari” (Gobndram’s stick) was celebrated in a Bengali rhyming proverb:

:Banamali Sarakrer bari:Gobindram Mitrar chhari:Umichander dari:Huzoorimaler kori: Ke na jane? [ Cotton, H.E.A., p 298. ]

:::Banamali Sarkar’s house:::Gobindram Mitter’s stick:::Umichand’s beard:::Huzoorimal’s money:::Who does not know of these?

Banamali Sarkar’s grand house was built in Kumartuli during the period 1740 to 1750, the Sikh merchant Umichand with his beard was famous for his dealings and another Sikh merchant Huzoorimal was noted for his money, with a long list of acts of public beneficence. [ Nair, P. Thankappan in "The Growth and Development of Old Calcutta" in "Calcutta, the Living City", Vol I, edited by Sukanta Chaudhuri, p 16, Oxford University Press, ISBN 0-19-563696-1.]

Temple

Mitter built a nine-turreted or nabaratna temple of goddess Kali on the banks of the Ganges at Kumortuli in 1725 (some say, it was in 1731). Its 165-feet spire was a navigational aid for sailors. They called it the ‘pagoda’. [ Gupta, Bunny and Chaliha, Jaya, "Chitpur", in "Calcutta, the Living City", Vol I, edited by Sukanta Chaudhuri, p 16, Oxford University Press, ISBN 0-19-563696-1.] The ruins of the temple can be seen near the Siddheswari Kalimandir in Bagbazar. http://www.siddheswaribaghbazar.org

Descendants

His son, Roghoo (Raghu) Mitter had a Ganges bathing ghat (stairs) named after him (it was possibly built by him). It later became popular as Baghbazar ghat. [ Cotton, H.E.A., p281 ] Roghoo Mitter’s grandson Abhay Charan Mitter was the dewan of the collector of 24 Parganas and is reputed to have given a lakh of rupees to his guru or spiritual preceptor. A street in Kumartuli is named after him. [ Cotton, H.E.A., p292 ] Jorabagan, a Kolkata neighbourhood was so named because the road through it led to the garden houses of Gobindram Mitter and Umichand. [ Cotton, H.E.A., p104 ]

References

See also

* Legendary personalities in Bengal

Persondata
NAME= Gobindram Mitter
ALTERNATIVE NAMES=
SHORT DESCRIPTION= Tax collector
DATE OF BIRTH=
PLACE OF BIRTH= Chanak, North 24 Parganas district
DATE OF DEATH=1776
PLACE OF DEATH=Kolkata