224:, primarily for the purpose of identifying new plants of commercial value, such as teak, and growing spices for trade. In a written proposal to Governor-General John Macpherson to establish the garden, Kyd stated it was "not for the purpose of collecting rare plants as things of mere curiosity, but for establishing a stock for disseminating such articles as may prove beneficial to the inhabitants as well to the natives of Great Britain, and which ultimately may tend to the extension of the national commerce and riches." India was undergoing mass famine in the 18th century as a result of political turmoil, in addition to severe socio-economic crises. Robert Kyd's Garden proposal was motivated by the desire to increase agricultural revenue in an effort to end food scarcity and promote economic growth. Furthermore, Robert Kyd was accustomed to growing various plants (spices) from the East Indies, which were obtained from East India Company's voyages. The East India Company's Court of Directors supported Kyd's ambitions to establish cinnamon, tobacco, dates, Chinese tea, and coffee in the Garden due to its economic benefits. Tea, for example, was a highly commodified plant that was indispensable to the European economy. The indigenous tea plants of India were not able to be produced in mass quantities, leading to the kidnapping of Chinese gardeners and their tea plants. Chinese tea was first transplanted to the Calcutta Garden and larger tea plantations in Ooty and Nilgiris were established by forcing the people of Assam and Ooty to relocate. Additionally, Cacti such as Nopal were imported from Mexico and established in the Garden to produce textile dyes, an industry which Spain dominated.
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it did not have the qualities of a traditional
European garden. These qualities included "uniformity of design, adaptation of particular parts to particular purposes, including those of science and instruction." The ways in which the Garden was restructured from 1816 to 1846 reflected the demands of a rapidly growing scientific field that fueled European colonial influence. Key features of the 1816 map depict four nurseries, housing for laborers, a farm, and a small Linnaean Garden. The map titled "Plan of the Botanical Gardens December 1845" was developed in 1843 by Griffith and shows key differences compared to the 1816 plan created by Wallich. Major illustrations of natural features such as rivers and trees, which appeared alongside the nurseries, are either not included in the map or depicted using symbols. A large teak plantation replaces the native housing and the landscape is clearly divided into large divisions, indicating that science was used to categorize the natural landscape. An emphasis was placed on labelling plants and categorizing the different areas of the Garden which, according to Griffith, allowed it to be "gardens of science and instruction."
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The
Calcutta Botanic Garden played a significant role in the intersection of botanical science and colonial power in British India. As a center for plant research and cultivation, it became an important tool for scientific advancement and economic development. However, its functions were closely tied
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Griffith was instrumental in rearranging the
Calcutta Garden in a way that reflected scientific practice at the time, emphasizing the importance of scientific classification in the Garden's appearance. Griffith often criticized the layout of the Botanic Garden under Wallich's control as he believed
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to the political and economic goals of the
British East India Company. This section explores how the garden's scientific pursuits were intertwined with colonial expansion and governance, highlighting the complex relationship between botany and imperial power in the late 18th and 19th centuries.
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Although it was a trading company, the East India
Company had powers like a government, including collecting taxes. Its system kept officials separate from farmers. Both Indian and British officials were involved, and the Court of Directors watched over this to try to keep it fair.
280:... contributed more useful and ornamental tropical plants to the public and private gardens of the world than any other establishment before or since. ... I here allude to the great Indian herbarium, chiefly formed by the staff of the Botanic Gardens under the direction of Dr.
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414:) that is reckoned to be the largest tree in the world, at more than 330 metres in circumference. It partially inspired the novel Hothouse by Brian Aldiss. The gardens are also famous for their enormous collections of
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More and more plant scientists were able to study new areas in India, collecting lots of information. Important people who worked at the
Calcutta Garden were:
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says of this
Botanical Garden that "Amongst its greatest triumphs may be considered the introduction of the tea-plant from China ... the establishment of the
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after he became superintendent of the garden in 1793. Roxburgh brought in plants from all over India and developed an extensive
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and other useful plants for India. This shows how the Garden started to focus more on helping the country and its people.
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Hortus
Bengalensis or a catalogue of the plants growing in the Honourable East India Company's botanic garden at Calcutta
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of 1784 put the
Company under British rule, but it still had governing power. From 1786-1787, it ruled together with the
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Guinness World
Records holder, this 250 years old banyan tree with 3616 prop roots is spread across 1.6 Hectares
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The East India Company went through major political changes while developing its botanical work. The
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The Calcutta Botanic Garden was part of a large network of scientific institutions, including the
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for people to visit while still studying plants. In the 1970s, the Garden started growing better
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The Calcutta Botanic Garden changed a lot since it was first set up. It made beautiful
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Prakash, R.O. (2016) "Wallich and his contribution to the Indian natural history",
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799:"Calcutta Botanic Garden and the colonial re-ordering of the Indian environment"
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681:"The Plants of Empire: Botanic Gardens, Colonial Power and Botanical Knowledge"
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is almost entirely the work of the superintendents of the gardens of
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208:(BSI) of Ministry of Environment and Forests, Government of India.
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520:"Indian Botanic Garden, Howrah," BSI. Web. 28 February 2011. <
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Indian Institute of Engineering Science and Technology, Shibpur
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Indian Institute of Engineering Science and Technology, Shibpur
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William Roxburgh: Made important changes as the garden's leader
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368:: A well-known plant scientist who did research at the garden
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Animals seen inside the Botanic Garden include the Jackal (
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A major change in policy, however, was introduced by the
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To show why the Company should be involved in governing
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625:"Early History of the Royal Botanic Garden, Calcutta"
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To estimate how much money valuable plants could make
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Acharya Jagadish Chandra Bose Indian Botanic Garden
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Acharya Jagadish Chandra Bose Indian Botanic Garden
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780:Himalayan Journals, or Notes of a Naturalist ...,
727:Himalayan Journals, or Notes of a Naturalist ...,
563:Banglapedia: National Encyclopedia of Bangladesh
308:Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Botanic Gardens
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1462:Cities, towns and locations in Howrah district
874:Royal Botanic Garden, Calcutta Index, ca. 1830
861:225 years of Botanic History by Shakunt Pandey
522:http://164.100.52.111/indianBotanicgarden.shtm
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743:. No. The Telegraph. ABP. Archived from
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741:"Sussex help for Indian heritage in Shibpur"
216:The gardens were founded in 1787 by Colonel
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402:The best-known landmark of the garden is
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441:), Indian mongoose and the Indian Fox (
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599:from the original on 30 September 2007
573:from the original on 13 September 2018
461:Outside View of Shibpur Botanic Garden
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348:Key Figures and Scientific Exploration
257:Old bridge inside the Botanical Garden
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192:. They are commonly known as the
146:(5 AM – 7 AM for Morning Walkers
27:Botanic garden in Calcutta, India
884:ENVIS Centre on Floral Diversity
843:from the original on 9 June 2016
837:"Brian Aldiss - Literary Legend"
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739:Basu, Anasuya (9 August 2017).
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797:AXELBY, RICHARD (April 2008).
389:Calcutta Botanic Garden layout
198:Royal Botanic Garden, Calcutta
18:Royal Botanic Garden, Calcutta
1:
1303:Institutes of higher learning
697:10.1080/00472336.2016.1185796
679:Baber, Zaheer (25 May 2016).
623:CHATTERJEE, D. (March 1948).
567:Asiatic Society of Bangladesh
685:Journal of Contemporary Asia
104:; 237 years ago
1467:People from Howrah district
1439:Vidhan Sabha constituencies
1346:Vidhan Sabha constituencies
1208:East Indian Railway Company
803:Archives of Natural History
553:Mukherjee, Abhijit (2012).
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1498:Botanical gardens in India
1233:Howrah–Bardhaman main line
1218:South Eastern Railway zone
561:; Jamal, Ahmed A. (eds.).
362:: Took over after Roxburgh
298:Colonial Botanical Network
879:Botanical Survey of India
815:10.3366/e0260954108000144
782:Kew (1854), vol. I, p. 4.
729:Kew (1854), vol. I, p. 5.
555:"Calcutta Botanic Garden"
318:East India Company's Role
304:Singapore Botanic Gardens
274:Botanical Survey of India
220:, an army officer of the
206:Botanical Survey of India
194:Calcutta Botanical Garden
148:9 AM – 5 PM for Visitors)
135:Botanical Survey of India
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1223:Kolkata Suburban Railway
1051:Howrah Sadar subdivision
94:109 hectares (270 acres)
1203:Martin's Light Railways
174:Calcutta Botanic Garden
35:Calcutta Botanic Garden
1513:Tourism in West Bengal
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1228:Howrah–Delhi main line
1011:Municipal corporations
778:Joseph Dalton Hooker,
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542:Rheedea 26(1): 13-20.
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1213:Eastern Railway zone
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1089:Uluberia subdivision
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228:Joseph Dalton Hooker
960:Sarat Chandra Kuthi
765:Roxburgh, W (1814)
641:1948Natur.161..362C
565:(Second ed.).
527:3 July 2011 at the
445:). Many species of
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863:(PDF, 2.0 MB)
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412:Ficus benghalensis
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222:East India Company
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747:on 13 August 2017
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469:Great Water Lilly
373:Changes Over Time
360:Nathaniel Wallich
282:Nathaniel Wallich
246:and Seharunpore (
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289:Botany and Power
266:William Roxburgh
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157:Official website
131:Operated by
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