COSSIPORP-CHITPUR
53
1757, when the Nawab Siraj-ud-daula resolved to drive the English out
of Bengal, Cossimbazar felt the first effects of his anger. The factory
was taken without resistance, and the Englishmen, including Mr. Watts,
the Resident, and Warren Hastings, his assistant, were sent in custody
to Murshidabad. After the battle of Plassey, Cossimbazar regained its
commercial importance ; but the political power formerly held by the
Resident was transferred to the English Agent at the court of the
Nawab, who lived at Murshidabad.
The decay of Cossimbazar dates from the beginning of the nine-
teenth century, when its climate, which had previously been celebrated
for salubrity, underwent an unexplained change for the worse, so that
the margin of cultivation receded and wild beasts increased. In ISTI
Cossimbazar town is described as noted for its silk, hosiery, koras, and
inimitable ivory work, while the surrounding country was ` a wilderness
inhabited only by beasts of prey.' In 1813 the ruin of the town was
effected by a change in the course of the Bhagirathi, which suddenly
deserted its ancient bed and, instead', of following its former bend to
the east, took a sweep to the west; it now flows 3 miles from the site
of the old town. The channel in front of the warehouses of Cossim-
bazar became a pestiferous marsh, a malarious fever broke out, and the
place gradually became depopulated. The Company's filatures, how-
ever, continued to work, and weaving ceased only when it became
impossible any longer to compete with the cheaper cotton goods of
Manchester. In 1829 a census returned the population at 3,538. The
town is the seat of the Maharaja of Cossimbazar, a descendant of
Kanta Babu, banian of Warren Hastings. His palace is a fine
building, portions of which were constructed of beautiful carved stone
taken from the palace of Chet Singh, the Maharaja of Benares. Apart
from this, ruins of huge buildings and broad mounds of earth alone
remain to attest the former grandeur of the place. The first wife of
Warren Hastings is buried here, and her tomb with its inscription is
still in existence.
Cossipore-Chitpur (hdsipur).--Northern suburb of Calcutta, in
the District of the Twenty-four Parganas, Bengal, situated in 22° 37′ N. and 88° 22′ E., on the left bank of the Hooghly river. population
(190T), 40,740, including 29,056 Hindus, T1,346 Musalmans, and
338 Christians. Cossipore-Chitpur is a thriving industrial suburb,
containing the Government Gun Foundry and Shell Factory, and a
number of jute-presses, sugar and other factories. The town is within
the jurisdiction of the Calcutta police. The municipality was separated
in 1889 from the South Suburban municipality. The income during
the decade ending 1901-2 averaged R.s. 1,36,ooo, and the expenditure
Rs. 1,3r,ooo. A reserve is being accumulated to carry out a drainage
scheme which is under contemplation. In 1903-4 the income was.
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