Author:

Koushik Chanda
Ph.D. Research Scholar
Department of History
Rabindra Bharati University
Kolkata,West Bengal,India

Email: koushikc631@gmail.com

Abstract:: Purulia, the then Manbhum, is rich in a variety of folk arts. Since ancient times, the people of Manbhum have been making a living by focusing on various forest and folk products. And based on that formula, Manbhum at that time became industrially prosperous. One of these folk industries was the lacquer industry of Manbhum. The people of Manbhum developed an industrial circle around this forest industry. In the latter half of the nineteenth century, an Armenian merchant named A. M. Arathun built a lacquer workshop in Jhalda and improved the lacquer industry of Manbhum and took it to the international level. From the first half of the twentieth century, non-Bengali dominance was gradually established in the lacquer industry of Manbhum. But surprisingly, no nationalist consciousness was awakened among the Bengalis to keep this ancient industry of Bengal alive. Except for the then communist leader Samar Roy, no other Bengali nationalist leadership of that time came forward to save this declining industry. This neglected and unexamined aspect of Bengali www nationalism is highlighted in the article under discussion.

Key Words:: Ain-I-Akbari, Communist Leader, Jaiswal Company, Manbhum etc.