Stories
Chorbagan Secrets: Unveiling the Dark History Behind North Kolkata's Name
- •Before the British era, Chorbagan was covered in dense forests and served as a notorious den for Thuggee dacoits and Thyangare robbers.
- •Robbers used to hide in the jungle to target and loot pilgrims and devotees heading to the Hooghly River for a holy bath.
- •Human settlement began in Chorbagan after Rajendra Mallick moved to the area following the death of his father Nilmani Mallick.
- •Prominent families like the Mallicks, Tagores, Seals, Seths, and Basaks eventually settled in the region, transforming it into a prosperous area.
- •Chorbagan later evolved into a thriving trade hub and played an important role during the Bengal Renaissance.
Key Questions Answered
During the pre-British era, the area that is now Chorbagan was covered in dense forests and served as a hideout for Thuggee dacoits and Thyangare robbers who targeted pilgrims heading to bathe in the Ganges. Because these groups of thieves used the jungle garden as their base, the locality verbally came to be known as Chorbagan, which translates to the garden of thieves.
The tragedy at the Chorbagan Sarbajanin Durga Puja pandal was triggered when a sudden rain shower occurred during Saptami evening and an announcement was made that the pandal could collapse at any moment, creating panic and a massive rush. Witnesses and disaster management experts noted that severe mob management issues, narrow entry lanes, improper crowd control announcements, and a lack of adequate exit pathways contributed to the deadly stampede.
Following the stampede incident that resulted in numerous deaths and injuries, Kolkata Police registered suo motu cases against the puja organizers under charges of attempt to commit culpable homicide. Additionally, Kolkata Police Commissioner Ajay Nand imposed a three-day prohibitory order under Section 163 of the BNSS, 2023, banning unlawful assemblies and processions in specific areas of Bowbazar from October 18 to October 20, 2026.
