ICalcutta—Idolobha Eselisimeme Elinezinto Ezinhlobonhlobo

Ngumlobeli we-Phaphama! eNdiya

KUMLOBI waseBrithani uRudyard Kipling, ‘kwakuyidolobha elesabekayo ebusuku,’ “idolobha eliminyene nelinezifo ezibulalayo.” Kodwa kuMīrzā Ghālib oyimbongi edumile engumUrdu, ‘kwakuyidolobha elaliqabula ngempela,’ “lelo dolobha eliyizulu elincane.” Umlobi uDominique Lapierre wathola ukuthi njalo uma evakashela kuleli dolobha “wayeba nesikhathi esimnandi,” kuyilapho uPeter T. White, lapho ebhala kuyi-National Geographic, acaphuna abanye njengabayibiza ngokuthi “iyesabeka, iyashaqisa, iyethusa. Indawo eyifuku kunazo zonke ezweni.” Ngokungangabazeki iCalcutta, (ngesiBengali, iKalikata) idolobha elinezinto ezinhlobonhlobo.

Ukuqala Kwaleli Dolobha

ICalcutta, esogwini lwaseNdiya olusenyakatho-mpumalanga ezweni laseNtshonalanga yeBengal, kuqala yayingeyona ingxenye yelaseNdiya lasendulo. Iyidolobha elincane uma iqhathaniswa namadolobha anjengeDelhi neThanjavur. Njengoba kujwayelekile ngamadolobha, iCalcutta yaba khona ngenxa yomfula iGanges enkulukazi. Uma isiya ngaseBay of Bengal, iGanges ihlukana ibe imingenela emibili, nayo leyo mingenela ephinde ihlukane ibe imingenela eminingi, bese iba umfula onezizalo eziningi kunayo yonke emhlabeni. Isizalo esingasentshonalanga, umfula owawaziwa ngokuthi iBhagirathi-Ganga, kamuva owaziwa ngokuthi iHooghly, ogelezela eningizimu yolwandle.

Ngekhulu le-15 nele-16 leminyaka, abahwebi abangamaPutukezi, amaDashi, nabaseBrithani bahamba ngomkhumbi bakhuphukela eHooghly, bathola imvume kubabusi bendawo base bemisa izikhungo zezohwebo. UJob Charnock, isikhulu se-British East India Company, sakhetha idolobhana laseSutanuti njengesikhungo sezohwebo. Ngemva kwezithiyo ezithile, wahamba ngomkhumbi waya eSutanuti, waheha amadolobhana aseGovindpur naseKalikata ngokwenza isisekelo sokusungulwa kwendawo yokuhlala yabantu baseBrithani kunokuba kumane kube isikhungo sezohwebo nje. Kwakungu-August 24, 1690. ICalcutta yaqala ukuba khona!

Ilungelo lokuqasha latholakala ngokomthetho ngo-1698, futhi kwaze kwaba ngo-1757 abaseBrithani bekhokha imali yokuqasha kubabusi abangamaMogul. AbaseBrithani bakha iFort William ukuze ivikele leli dolobha elalisathuthuka empini. Abadayisi, bezizwa bevikelekile ngenxa yeFort William, baqala ukwakha odedangendlale bezindlu zikanokusho. Ngaleso sikhathi inani labantu kuleli dolobha kuhlanganise namadolobhana azungezile lase lifinyelele ku-400 000, futhi ukuhwebelana kwabangela ukuba imikhumbi ebalelwa ku-50 ngonyaka iye eHooghly.

Ifu Elimnyama ECalcutta

Ngo-1756, umbusi wendawo ongakaqini nowayesemusha, uSirāj-ud-Dawlah waseBengal, wahlasela iCalcutta. Izakhamuzi eziningi zabaleka, kodwa abanye baseYurophu, ababethembele kuyiFort William, bazinikela ezitheni futhi bavalelwa ejele elincane ekushiseni okucinanisayo kwango-June. Ngosuku olulandelayo, kwatholakala ukuthi abaningi bafa ngenxa yokungawutholi umoya. Leli jele labe selibizwa ngokuthi Ifu Elimnyama LaseCalcutta.

Lesi senzakalo sathukuthelisa i-East India Company, futhi ngo-1757, uRobert Clive wahola ibutho lamasosha aseBrithani ukuba aphinde athumbe leli dolobha. Kuthiwa iMpi YasePlassey eyalandela yaphawula ukuqala kokubusa kweBrithani eNdiya. Waba yini umphumela eCalcutta? Ngo-1773 yaba inhloko-dolobha yeBritish India, kwaze kwaba ngu-1911.

ICalcutta Iyalungiswa

Njengoba umnotho wawanda kuleli dolobha, kwakhiwa izakhiwo ezinkulu, okwenza iCalcutta yabizwa ngokuthi iDolobha Lezigodlo. Kwasungulwa imigwaqo emikhulu, amamnyuziyamu nemitapo yezincwadi. Izakhiwo eziningi ezinhle ezisekhona namanje ziyakufakazela lokhu.

Ngemva kweminyaka engu-190 yokubuswa iBrithani, elaseNdiya lazimela ngo-1947, liholwa uMohandas Gandhi noJawaharlal Nehru, kwase kuqala ukuhlukaniswa ngezigaba. Ngaphansi kokubusa kukaMohammed Ali Jinnah, kwaba khona imibuso yamaSulumane yasePakistan (eMpumalanga naseNtshonalanga Pakistan). Kwase kuthi-ke ngo-1971, iMpumalanga Pakistan yaba iBangladesh. Lezi zenzakalo zenza ukuba inqwaba yababaleki ithuthelekele eCalcutta; namuhla leli dolobha elikhulu linabantu ababalelwa ngaphezu kuka-12 000 000.

Ukuthutheleka kwenqwaba engaka ngokuphazima kweso ingenakho okokuziphilisa kwaholela ezinkingeni ezinkulu. Ukuntuleka kwezindlu kwenza ukuba izigidi zabantu zihlale ezindaweni ezingamafuku ngempela, emijondolo, engenaso isimiso sokukhuculula indle, ugesi namanzi. Ezinye izinkulungwane zazihlala ezitaladini. Ngo-1967, abahleli bamadolobha abangu-9 bezizwe zonke babikela uhulumeni wezangaphakathi eCalcutta ukuthi “kwakusondela ngokushesha ukuwohloka kwezomnotho, ezezindlu, ukukhucululwa kwendle, ezokuthutha, nezinto ezibalulekile ekuphileni komuntu.” Ikusasa labonakala lifiphele.

Ukuze kwandiswe izindlu, ikakhulukazi zalabo abahola imali encane, kwalungiswa indawo enkulu engamaxhaphozi anamanzi anosawoti. Futhi ngokukhipha udaka emfuleni ukuze kugcwaliswe izigodi, imikhumbi yakwazi ukuhamba kahle.

Ngasekuqaleni kwawo-1990 izizwe zomhlaba zatshala izimali eNdiya, futhi iCalcutta ayifunanga ukusalela emuva. Ngakho-ke kwaqalwa umkhankaso omkhulu wokuhlanza. Labo ababehlala emafukwini banikwa izindawo ezintsha ngaphandle kwedolobha, inkucunkucu yasetshenziselwa ukwenza ugesi nomanyolo, futhi izimoto ezinentuthu engcolisayo zavinjelwa kanjalo nezitofu ezikhipha intuthu. Kwandiswa imigwaqo, kwakhiwa nezikhungo zezitolo. Amaqembu ezakhamuzi akhuculula futhi akhuhla abe eseyapenda. ICalcutta yenyulwa onqenqemeni lwenhlekelele futhi yanikwa elinye ithuba lokusimama—kangangokuthi idolobha elake laba ‘elifayo,’ ‘nelisenhlekeleleni’ laphinde laqhakaza. Ngo-1997 umbiko ngentuthuko yezwe nesimo sezenhlalo, wawuwudlula kude owamanye amadolobha amakhulu aseNdiya.

Idolobha Lezohwebo

Leli dolobha seliye laba nengxubevange yezilimi, amasiko, izinkolo nokudla ngenxa yokuthi ligcwele ababaleki basemazweni angomakhelwane, abantu abavela kwamanye amazwe aseNdiya, abasuka eBengal ekhona lapha nabebeyizakhamuzi ezindala zaseChina nezase-Armenia. Yini eyadonsela zonke lezi zigidi zabantu eCalcutta? Ezohwebo! Imikhumbi evela kulo lonke izwe yayifikela kuleli chweba lapho kwakuhlangana khona iMpumalanga neNtshonalanga. Okwakuthunyelwa kwamanye amazwe kwakuhlanganisa i-saltpeter, isitshalo okwelukwa ngaso amasaka, itiye, ushukela, udayi oluhlaza, ukotini nosilika. Inqwaba yezimpahla yayiphuma ingena eCalcutta ngezimoto, izitimela nemikhumbi. Ngemva kokuzimela, kwakhiwa izimboni ezinkulu zokukhiqiza insimbi, futhi kwambiwa amatshe ayigugu ayezosetshenziswa kuleli lizwe noma athunyelwe kwamanye amazwe.

Ichweba laba nengxenye eyinhloko ekuthuthukiseni ezohwebo. Ekuqaleni, abaseBrithani babefaka amahange emikhumbi yabo engxenyeni ejulile ye-Hooghly bese bethumela izikebhe ezincane zihambise izimpahla. Ngo-1758 kwamiswa indawo eyinhloko eCalcutta, ngokuhamba kwesikhathi eyayizoba ichweba elikhulu laseNdiya. Ukuthuthukiswa okuqhubekayo nokwanda kwamanzi agelezayo avela edanyini leGanges kuye kwasiza iCalcutta ukuba yandise ukuhwebelana ngomzila wamanzi nezwe lonke, nezindawo ezisogwini nezingaphakathi.

Ezokuthutha—Zasendulo Nezanamuhla

Ezokuthutha ziyinkinga enkulu edolobheni elinabantu abangaphezu kwezigidi ezingu-12. ICalcutta inazo zonke izinhlobo zezinto zokuhamba ezivame ukutholakala edolobheni elithuthukile—ngisho nezinye! Izivakashi zikhexa imilomo uma zibona urisho odonswa ngezandla njengoba amadoda asheshayo enqamula phakathi kwezimoto eziningi—ngokuvamile ephuthumisa abagibeli lapho beya khona ukudlula ibhasi noma itekisi okusalibazisekile. Urisho waqala ukusetshenziswa ngo-1900 ukuze uthuthe izimpahla, ngokushesha wasetshenziselwa ukuthutha abantu; kukholelwa ukuthi cishe kunorisho abangu-25 000 emigwaqeni yaleli dolobha! Nakuba bebambezela izimoto, banikeza amadoda acishe abe ngu-50 000 umsebenzi futhi bathutha abantu abaningi.

Nsuku zonke, izikebhe ezincane zithwala izinkulungwane zabagibeli abasuka esiteshini esiyinhloko sesitimela saseCalcutta baye endaweni eyinhloko yamabhizinisi ziphinde zibabuyise. Kwandiswa izinto zokuthutha zasemanzini ukuze kuncishiswe izinkinga zesiminyaminya emigwaqweni, njengoba usuku ngalunye izimoto ezingaphezu kuka-50 000 nezinkulungwane zamaloli zizama ukuwela ibhuloho elisetshenziswa kakhulu kunawo wonke emhlabeni, iHowrah Bridge.

Mhlawumbe izinto zokuthutha abantu ezithandwa kakhulu kuleli dolobha izimoto zikagesi. Ziyisimiso esihle kakhulu sezimoto ezingangcolisi umoya, ezikwazi ukugibelisa inqwaba yabantu nezinamandla ezithutha amakhulu ezinkulungwane zabantu nsuku zonke, zibayisa edolobheni zibuye zibabuyise, nakuba zinganethezekile. Ukukotela emotweni kudinga amakhono akhethekile! Izinto zithuthuke kakhulu ngeZitimela ZeMetro Rail ezisanda kusungulwa, ezithwala abagibeli abangaphezu kuka-60 000 ngehora zibayisa futhi zibabuyisa edolobheni ngokukhulu ukunethezeka.

Amasiko Ahlukahlukene AseCalcutta

Amathuba ezemfundo eCalcutta aholele abaningi ekuthatheni izifundo zesayensi nezomthetho, futhi ezobuciko ziyachuma kule ndawo esiye yaba isikhungo samasiko ezwe lalapha. Abafundi abangaphezu kwengxenye yesigidi bafunda e-University of Calcutta esineminyaka engu-140 yaba khona, engenye yamanyuvesi amakhulu emhlabeni.

Uma iMumbai iyisikhungo saseNdiya samabhayisikobho okuzijabulisa, iCalcutta yona ngokuqinisekile ingumuzi ophambili wamabhayisikobho obuciko. Amagama oSatyajit Ray noMrinal Sen adume umhlaba wonke ngenxa yokubamba kwabo iqhaza kwezobuciko. ICalcutta inezimbongi eziningi ukudlula ezaseRome naseParis zihlanganisiwe, nomagazini abaningi ukudlula iNew York neLondon, kanti kuCollege Street inenye yezimakethe zezincwadi esezisetshenzisiwe enkulu kunazo zonke emhlabeni.

Izinto Ezingavamile Ongazibona

Izindawo ezingokomlando eziyingqayizivele zihlanganisa iVictoria Memorial, eyakhiwe ngemabula yohlobo lwangeNkathi Yempucuko YaseNtaliyane. Yavulwa ngo-1921, iwumnyuziyamu omkhulu oyisikhumbuzo sokubusa kweBrithani eNdiya. Amamnyuziyamu aseCalcutta ahlanganisa i-Indian Museum enkulu namanye angaphezu kuka-30. I-Indian Botanical Gardens enesihlahla se-banyan esesineminyaka engu-240 sikhona, esinobubanzi obungamamitha angaphezu kwangu-400, ifanelwe ukuvakashelwa, kanjalo neZoological Gardens. IMaidan—udedangendlale wendawo engamahektare angu-520—yaziwa njengenkaba yeCalcutta nanjengendawo evuleke kunazo zonke izindawo zaleli dolobhana kulo lonke elaseNdiya. ICalcutta futhi ineSikhungo Sokuhlola Izinkanyezi esibizwa ngokuthi iBirla, esingesinye sezikhungo ezinkulu kakhulu emhlabeni. Kubathandi bomdlalo wekhilikithi, izinkundla zekhilikithi zase-Eden Gardens bezigcwala zichichime izibukeli ezibalelwa ku-100 000 ezinomsindo nezigcwele umdlandla zizobuka imidlalo yamazwe.

Isakhiwo esihle ngempela iScience City, isikhungo sesayensi okucwaningelwa kuso esikhulu kunazo zonke e-Asia, esivumela izivakashi ukuba zizwe ukuzamazama komhlaba, zibone isiqhingi sicwila, zibone ukwakheka kwesiphepho, futhi zifunde amaqiniso athakazelisayo ngemvelo nangemikhuba yezidalwa eziningi. Kodwa kumaHindu, into ethakazelisa kunazo zonke eCalcutta umkhosi weDurga Puja, lapho leli dolobha lichitha izinsuku ezinhlanu emkhosini wenkolo wenjabulo eyeqisayo, ovame ukumisa yonke imisebenzi evamile.

Ungatholani uma uyothenga eCalcutta? Ungathola noma yini! Kodwa zimisele ukugudluzana nezixuku ezinomsindo futhi uqiniseke ukuthi uyababona abesifazane begqoke o-sari babo abahle abanemibalabala. Ungathenga izinto zesikhumba ngemali ekahle, kuhlanganise nezicathulo zesikhumba esithambile ezitolo zamaShayina. Izinto zensimbi engagqwali, izinto ezalukiwe, izitsha zobumba ezinhle nezinto ezinhle zokuhloba eziyigugu ezenziwe ngobuciko, uma sibala izinto ezimbalwa nje umthengi onesineke angazithola ezimakethe ezinkulu zaleli “pharadesi labathengi.”

Ukudla Kwezichizi

ICalcutta iye yachazwa nanjengepharadesi lezichizi zokudla, ngakho asinakuyishiya ngaphandle kokunambitha okunye kokudla kwayo okwehla esiphundu. Kuye kwathiwa abaseBengal bayakwazisa ukudla futhi bahlukanisa abantu ngamazinga ngokuthi banamakhono kangakanani ekuphekeni! Inhlanzi yinto okumelwe ibe khona nakanjani edilini laseCalcutta, futhi izimakethe ezinkulu zinezinhlobonhlobo zezinhlanzi, inyama nemifino. Izinongo ezisezintsha, ezixutshwe ngokucophelela, zinezela ngobuhlakani ukunambitheka kwemifino evamile. Ukudla kwamaShayina kuyinala. Futhi ngaphezu kwezidlo ezehl’esiphundu zaseCalcutta kukhona izibiliboco zokwehlisa ezidumile. I-rasagollas, izindilinga zobisi olomisiwe, ezinongiwe zase zifakwa kusulubha, ziwuphawu lwaseBengal. Futhi ungaphuthelwa i-mishti doi, i-yogurt enoshukela emnandi okuvame ukugcinwa ngayo ekudleni. Ingabe usuconsa amathe? Ungawezwa amanye amaphunga amnandi alezo zindawo zokudla? Yebo, ngempela iCalcutta iyidolobha eselisimeme, elithakazelisayo nelinezinto ezinhlobonhlobo!

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(Ukuze ubone ukuthi indaba ihlelwe kanjani, bheka encwadini)

SRI LANKA

INDIA

Calcutta

BANGLADESH

[Ibalazwe]

CALCUTTA

Indian Botanical Gardens

Maidan

Zoological Gardens

Birla Planetarium

Victoria Memorial

Indian Museum

Hooghly River

Salt Water Lake

Dum Dum International Airport

[Umthombo]

Mountain High Maps® Copyright © 1997 Digital Wisdom, Inc.

[Isithombe ekhasini 15]

Science City

[Isithombe ekhasini 16]

Victoria Memorial

[Isithombe ekhasini 17]

Imakethe ephithizelayo

[Isithombe ekhasini 17]

Indawo yokugunda izinwele eseceleni komgwaqo