Meera, a history student, is studying land records of Bengal from the years after the Permanent Settlement of 1793. In an old revenue file she finds long lists of estates put up for sale when their holders fell behind on payments. A Company letter in the same file explains what officials expected the new settlement to achieve in the countryside. She also notes that many great landholders in these papers carry a royal title, and she finds a later photograph of a grand mansion built by one such family. She now tries to connect these sources with what she has read about Bengal in the early years of Company rule.
The mansion in Meera's photograph is of the kind many rich zamindars of Bengal came to build. Which features did such city palaces have?
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 3
The correct answer is Option (3) → Ballrooms, large grounds and porches on Corinthian columns
Option (1) Inner courtyards, zenana wings and Mughal-style domes — Incorrect. Mughal-style domes and zenana wings belong to an older Indian court style. The zamindars' city palaces copied European features instead.
Option (2) Temple courtyards, bathing ghats and carved wooden gates — Incorrect. Many zamindars built temples and ghats, but these were separate buildings. The city palaces copied European features.
Option (3) Ballrooms, large grounds and porches on Corinthian columns — Correct. Rich zamindars built city palaces with ballrooms, large grounds and entrance porches on Corinthian columns. These European features showed their wealth and taste for city life.
Option (4) Watchtowers, high ramparts and moats around the house — Incorrect. Watchtowers, ramparts and moats belong to forts built for defence. City palaces in Calcutta were grand houses meant for display.
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