Dutch Cemetery - Cemetery in Berhampore - Murshidabad, India

This is a Cemetery for 47 Dutch people who worked in a the then Dutch factory (18th century) and died here at Murshidabad during its heydays long back when Nawabs / Britishers ruled. Although its a protected site and declared as a Monument of National importance by ASI, its maintenence needs to be improved. Specially some writeups should be made available at the place detailing the historical importance of the site and other related information. Strange to see with so many historical places to see and enjoy Murshidabad has still not developed into a prime tourist location of WestBengal. Its located near a railway level crossing near Cossimbazar railway station. Worth visiting if time permits.

A scene from Dutch cemetery, Cossimbazar, India where deposited the remains of Dutch residents who departed their lives during service for "Dutch East India Company" in India. The Dutch Cemetery is located next to the Cossimbazar railway station at Murshidabad District in West Bengal where the Dutch owned huge factories in the year 1666 AD were based. The legacy of the Dutch has been ruined and small tombs of 43 in number remain to this day. Most of the monuments were built between 1721 and 1792 AD. The oldest monument at the Dutch cemetery belongs to Daniel van der Muyl who died in 1721. Most of the monuments are pyramidal in shape with cenotaphs mentioning the names. The cemetery is maintained by the Archaeological Survey of India. The "Dutch East India Company" was a chartered company established in 1602, when the States General of the Netherlands granted it a monopoly to carry out trade activities in Asia. This was the first true multinational corporation. Their initial goal was to develop trade links for precious commodities such as pepper and as time progressed they became increasingly involved in the control and development of their respective territories. Between 1602 and 1796 the "Dutch East India Company" sent almost a million Europeans to work in the Asia trade on 4,785 ships. By contrast, the rest of Europe combined sent only 882,412 people from 1500 to 1795. Their nearest competitor was "British East India Company". The "Dutch East India Company" remained an important trading concern for almost two centuries. Bengal was a directorate of the "Dutch East India Company" in Bengal between 1610 until the company's liquidation in 1800 due to Bankruptcy. From 1615 onwards, the "Dutch East India Company" traded with Bengal. In 1635 a settlement was established at Chinsurah adjacent to the Ganges river in Hooghly district of Bengal to trade in opium, salt, muslin and spices. Cossimbazar & Chinsurah were the main places where the Dutch traded.

It is a historical place. In the 18th century, the bodies of 47 people who lived in Kalikapur as Dutch traders are buried in this place.

The place is under the archaeological society of India and is really well maintained but no guide was avialable so I have to google it . Located just beside the cossimbazar railway station. Here we saw tomb of forty seven persons who served in the Dutch Factory that exists in the 18th century AD are seen in this cemetery.

It's near Cossimbajar Railway Station. This place is having 47 tombs of Dutch Factory employee. Different architectural style of tomb can be seen here.

When you are going to visit Murshidabad you should include this place in Cossimbazar area. except this place there are many other point of historical attraction at cossimbazer.

Cossimbazar was one of the most important commercial towns in Bengal from the 16th century to the early 19th century, when it experienced a decline in its wealth and population. Though the history of the place cannot be traced back earlier than the 17th century, it was of great importance long before the foundation of Murshidabad. From the first European traders set up factories here, and after the ruin of Satgaon by the silting up of the mouth of the Saraswati river it gained a position, as the great trading centre of Bengal, which was not challenged until after the foundation of Calcutta. The English, Dutch and French East India companies all maintained factories at Cossimbazar. In 1658 the first English agent of the East India Company (EIC) was established there, and in 1667 the chief of the factory there became an ex officio member of council. In English documents of this period, and till the early 19th century, the Hooghly River was described as the "Cossimbazar river", and the triangular piece of land between the Hooghly, Padma and Jalangi, on which the city stands, as the island of Cossimbazar. The proximity of the factory to Murshidabad, the capital of the Nawabs of Bengal, while it was the main source of its wealth and of its political importance.Only a few graves amongst the 45 odd graves in this cemetary are in good shape and is now maintained by the Archaeological Survey of India.

Very historical but proper care should be taken, u can barely see the writings.