Interpreting 18th Century: History of Anga Janpad 1707-1803

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This book is basically a history of a region of Bengal subah during the 18th century but with a difference. It has been written in historiographical perspectives keeping in view the old debate on the nature of 18th century. There has been a continuous debate on the issue-whether 18th century was a dark century or not? Conventional historiography depicts the century as 'dark'. However, Revisionists and Neo-Imperialist historians like C.A. Bayly, Frank Perlin and D. A. Washbrook argue otherwise. They argue in a circuitous way and deny the objective existence of colonialism and exploitation, In this monograph, we have put their arguments in prologue and on the basis of historical data of the region of Anga, we have tested them in Epilogue. It is to be recalled here that Bayly and Perlin have also taken up one region for their discussion.

We have reached the conclusion that the conventional historiography is nearer the truth and 18th century was definitely a dark century. It is for the readers to judge and re-open the debate.

Born in village Rajpur, P.S. Belhar, District Banka (Bihar) in January 1953, Dr. Surendra Jha has passed all examinations from matriculation to M.A. in first Division I Class. He topped the list of successful candidates in B.A. previous in 1970 from old Bhagalpur University in 1972-74 session. He obtained his Ph.D. degree from Bhagalpur University.

He has successfully supervised ten candidates for Ph.D. degree. He has published many articles in standard research journals, presently he is engaged in researches in regional history of Bihar and Jharkhand. He has been teaching in S.P. College, Dumka (Jharkhand) since 1976. Presently he is Associate Professor, Post- Graduate Department of History, S.K.Μ. University Dumka (Jharkhand). Hisother published books are :-

(1) Readings in Regional History of Bihar and Jharkhand the Sarkar of Monghyr (1556-1765).

(2) The Colonial Economy of Jungle Terai - Santal Pargans (1793-1947).

(3) Synthesis of Buddhist, Saiva and Sakta Tantras-An Unknown Siddhapitha Maluti,

(4) Co-edited with Dr. Chittabrata Palit, Jadavpur University Kolkata - "Situating the Tribals in Indian History".

The debated on the nature of 18th century is a very old and long drawn debate. The debate revolves around two specific issues.

i. Whether the 18th century in Indian history was a period of decay or growth?

ii. Whether the changes made in the century amounted to a change in continuity or was it a sharp disjuncture? As a matter of fact this debate was the construct of colonial Historiography. The late 18th -19th century discourse has been distorted by Free Traders, Philosdphical Radicals, Evangelists, Paternalists and the colonial ethnographers and administrators. They all pretended that they were working for the welfare of India and thus they created a historical Myth. This new creed was crystallized in the "theory of progressive imperialism". This theory reflected the inebriated vision of the powerful over the weak whom they conceptualized as the "other" of the world the orients.

Such view of 18th century was naturally contested by nationalist historians who depicted 18th century as a dark century. The conventional historiography on 18th century India may be summarized as follows - the decline of the Mughal Empire resulted in a set back to the strength of Indian Political, Social and Economic structure which enabled the Britishers to establish themselves as the ruler and the British rule eliminated all the internal factors of the growth which the previons regimes might have contained.