Скачать или смотреть West Bengal: ‘THE RICHEST PLACE ON EARTH’ At One Point of Time!

Once upon a time, long before colonial plunder and industrial empires, a city in eastern India was known to be richer than London—that city was Murshidabad, the capital of Bengal Subah under the Mughal Empire and later the Nawabs of Bengal. Located in present-day West Bengal, Murshidabad wasn’t just a regional capital—it was the beating economic heart of the world.

By the early 18th century, Murshidabad was one of the richest cities on the planet. It was the center of silk, muslin, and precious metal trade, bustling with merchants from Europe, the Middle East, and Asia. Ships from the Dutch, French, and British East India Companies crowded its ports, all desperate to tap into Bengal’s unmatched wealth.

The region of Bengal itself contributed more than 25% of the world’s textile exports at the time. India was 24 percent of the world GDP, and if we break down that 24 percent, 50 percent came from BENGAL! The city was known for its opulent palaces, intricate architecture, and cultural grandeur. Nawabs lived in unimaginable luxury, and the treasury overflowed with gold, silver, and jewels. British officers and records even admitted that Murshidabad’s wealth rivaled, and at times surpassed, that of London.

But everything changed after the Battle of Plassey in 1757, when the British East India Company defeated Nawab Siraj-ud-Daulah through betrayal and manipulation. It was the beginning of economic looting on a scale never seen before. The British drained Bengal’s wealth, de-industrialized its economy, and redirected its profits to London—fueling the rise of the British Empire while Bengal fell into poverty.

What remains today are ruins and fading memories—but the legacy of Murshidabad as the once-richest place on Earth is a powerful reminder of a time when India wasn’t just a land of snake charmers or spices—but of global power, artistry, and unmatched prosperity.

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