Saturday, June 23, 2012

Gomastahs



Gomastahs were the agents of the East India company. As the agent of the East India company, they moved around inner side of the country and procure the goods which the East India Company then exported to London. In company records and the writings of the British officers on the history of the East of India, they are generally referred as native agents. The term was generally used in Bengal Presidency or the Calcutta government as the Bengal Presidency is referred to in the accounts of the British Officer history. Such agents were authorized after 1757 to undertake monetary transactions and commitments. They enjoyed protection of the Calcutta government as it gradually acquired political power in Bengal Suba. As a result, the native agents overlooked the authority of the officers of the Bengal government or the native government as the British records would like to account in their published works. It is a view among historians, that the later days Indian capitalists were at one time gomastahs which had provided them opportunity to earn private wealth while working for the company government. Raja Ram Mohan Roy had also acted as a gomastah if that interpretation is to be adopted. It was in that capacity, that he earned wealth.


Itihasik Khoj


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