Adam's Reports on Vernacular Education in Bengal and Behar/Report 1/Section 5

SECTION V.

The District of Burdwan.

Population.—Burdwan, in proportion to its extent, is considered the most productive and populous territory of India. It is surrounded by the jungles of Midnapore, Pachete, and Birbhoom, appearing like a garden in a wilderness. In the year 1813-14, Mr. Bayley, then Judge and Magistrate of Burdwan, endeavored to ascertain the exact number of inhabitants within his jurisdiction. His first object was to obtain returns of the population of numerous villages and towns situated in the western parts of Bengal, with a view of ascertaining the general average proportion of inhabitants to a dwelling, and from the returns of ninety-eight towns and villages, situated in various parts of the districts of Burdwan, Hugly, Midnapore, Birbhoom, and Jungle Mehals, an average was deduced of five and a half inhabitants to a house, Mr. Bayley next proceeded to ascertain the actual number of dwelling-houses in the district of Burdwan, distinguishing them as occupied by Hindoos and Mahomedans respectively; and the result was that the district contained 262,634 dwelling-houses, of which 218,853 were occupied by Hindoos, and 43,781 by Mahomedans. Allowing five and a half inhabitants to each dwelling, the total population was thus estimated at 1,444,487 persons, of whom the proportion of Hindoos to Mahomedans is as five of the former to one of the latter. Another statement exhibited the total Hindoo population of 26 villages in the district of Burdwan amounting to 40,238, of whom 7,382 males were below sixteen years of age, and 5,208 females were below twelve years of age. Part of the district of Jungle Mehals has recently been united to that of Burdwan, but the population of the former district, which was formed in modern times by sections from the districts of Burdwan, Midnapore, Ramghur, &c., does not appear to have been even conjecturally estimated.

Indigenous Elementary Schools.—Mr. Bayley did not extend his enquiries to the state of education, but Hamilton states that there are few villages in this district in which there is not a school where children are taught to read and write; and that the children of Mahomedan parents receive their education in the common branches from the village school-masters. No detailed account is given of the system of village-schools, but there is no doubt that it is substantially the same as that which has already been described.

Elementary Schools not Indigenous.—Under the superintendence of the Missionaries of the Church Missionary Society, there were in 1834 nine schools, five of which were supported by the Society, and four by the subscriptions of residents at the station of Burdwan, who contribute rupees sixty monthly for this object. In these schools there were 754 boys receiving daily instruction, half of whom read the scriptures, Pearson’s geography, catechisms, bible history, &c. The Natives in the vicinity of Burdwan are said to be fully convinced of the beneficial effects of these schools, and to show a great desire every where to have them established for their children. In several instances the chief men in the village have offered to build a school-house.

At Bancoora in connection with the same Society, there were seven schools, but in consequence of the departure of the gentlemen in the Civil Service, occasioned by the junction of the Jungle Mehals to the district of Burdwan, the subscriptions in behalf of the schools were mostly withdrawn, and three schools were necessarily discontinued. A new subscription has been opened, and four schools, with about 350 children, are kept up under the care of a catechist. The gospels and other useful books are read and geography is taught. Petitions are stated to have been presented by the inhabitants of some of the neighboring villages, begging that new schools might be established among them.

At Culna is a circle of schools in an improving state, also under the superintendence of a Missionary of the same Society. In 1834, the number of boys was greater than was reported the preceding year, but the actual number is not mentioned in the report before me. More than half of the boys are conversant with the scriptures. One of the schools at this station kept on the premises of a respectable Brahman, is stated to have generally in attendance from 90 to 100 boys daily.

There is also an elementary school for Native boys, or a circle of such schools, at Cutwa in connection with the Baptist Missionary Society, but I have not met with any detailed account of them.

Indigenous Schools of Learning.—Hamilton says that in this district there are no regular schools for instruction in the Hindoo or Mahomedan law, and that the most learned professors of the former are procured from the district of Nuddea on the opposite side of the Hugly. The same remark may be applied to this statement that has already been made with reference to the state of learning in Midnapore. All that can be fairly understood from it is not that there are no Native schools of learning in the district, but that there were none known to the writer, or to the public officer on whose authority the author relied. It is exceedingly improbable, from the analogy of other districts, that there are not some of those domestic schools of Mahomedan learning already described, and still more improbable that in a population of which five-sixths are Hindoos, there should not be a still greater number of schools of Hindoo learning.

The following references to institutions of learning in this district were extracted from the proceedings of the Board of Revenue at Calcutta, and first published in the memoir prepared at the India House, which I have mentioned as one of my authorities:—

In September 1818, the Collector of Burdwan was required to report upon a pension of rupees 60 per annum, claimed by Rambullubh Bhattacharjya, for the support of a religious institution and seminary. The Collector deputed his ameen to the spot, to enquire whether the institution on which the pension was claimed was still maintained. The ameen reported that the institution appeared to be kept up, that the number of scholars generally entertained was about five or six, and that the allowance had been sanctioned by the Government during the joint lives of Rambullubh Bhattacharjya and his deceased brother. Under these circumstances, the Revenue Board considered the claimant entitled to the full amount of the pension during his life, or as long as he should continue to appropriate it faithfully to the purposes for which it was originally granted. They accordingly authorized the future payment of this pension to Rambullubh Bhattacharjya, and the discharge of all arrears which had accrued subsequently to the decease of the claimant’s brother.

In March 1819, the Collector of Burdwan applied to the Revenue Board for instructions respecting certain payments to a musjid and madrasa in the district, respecting which a suit had been instituted in the Calcutta Court of Appeal, and the question ordered by that Court to be determined by the Collector under Regulation XIX. of 1810. The establishment in question was in the hands of Mussil-ud-deen, who was called upon to produce his accounts, which he appears not to have done satisfactorily. The Collector, therefore, sent his ameen to the place to ascertain to what extent the establishment was kept up. That officer reported favorably of the establishment on the authority of the inhabitants of the village in which the madrasa was situated, but without any documents to corroborate his statements. Under these circumstances, the Revenue Board desired the Collecor to take an opportunity of visiting the spot, in order that he might himself ascertain the grounds on which a decision might be come to. Nothing further appears relating to this madrasa.

In July 1823, the Revenue Board reported an endowment for a College in Burdwan of 254 sicca rupees per annum, which was communicated to the General Committee of Public Instruction.

Native Female Schools.—The European ladies at Burdwan, in connection with the Calcutta Ladies’ Society, support a school which has from 60 to 80 girls in attendance. The Superintendent is an able teacher who had been employed in the Calcutta Central School, and besides her there are three sircars and three monitors employed with the different classes. The instruction appears to be exclusively religious. The progress of the children is slow and the attendance irregular.

There was a girls’ school at Bancoora, which, in consequence of the removal of all its supporters from the station, has been discontinued.

At Culna there is a girls’ school attended by 51 scholars. The instruction is of the same character as in the school at Burdwan.

At Cutwa, in connection with the Calcutta Baptist Female School Society, there is a girls’ school with about 30 scholars who, after learning the alphabet, &c., are instructed to write, commit to memory different catechisms and portions of scriptures, and read the gospels, parables, history of Joseph, geography, &c., &c. The attendance is very irregular.