Armenians
in Dhaka
Dhaka has been one of the main commercial cities in Bengal, which was an important
centre for jute trade. Thus, Armenian traders settled there. The first
Armenian traders came to Dhaka in 1613, and from the first half of the 18th
century till the end of the 19th century there was a flourishing Armenian settlement
there. In 1781 the Armenian Church of Holy Resurrection was erected on the site
of the old chapel. This church is located on the Armenian Street, Armanitola.53
On the territory of Bangladesh there are the remains of almost twelve Armenian
churches. After the partition of India most of the Armenian families left Dhaka.
Majority settled in Calcutta, the rest left for England. Now only eight Armenian
families live in Dhaka.
Archive documents, tombstone inscriptions and many facts show that in the 18th
century there were Armenian colonies also in Adoni, Arcot, Bangalore,
Bihar, Cochin, Chittagong, Hughly, and other cities.
We cannot provide any specific figure on Armenians in India. On this question
opinions of scholars differ from each other. Reverend Aramais Mirzaian
in his book A Short Record of Armenian Churches in India and Far East which
was published in Calcutta in 1958, brings the number of 18-20 thousand of Indo-Armenians,
who permanently resided in India till the 19th century and says that by
1950s Armenians were not more than 2 thousand. French author Doloriere gives
the number of the Indo-Armenians as 25,000, Alishan as 5000, Shahnazaryan as
1500.54 In our opinion,
till the 19th century the number of Indo-Armenians was not less than 10,000
without counting those who were coming temporarily for trade or other works
to India and then going back.
There is a wrong assumption about the Armenian colonies among many scholars
who are not really aware of the social structure of the colony. They think that
Indo-Armenians were only wealthy traders. However, there were petty traders,
workers and artisans as well. Many Armenians were coming to India, losing here
their health, wealth, becoming disabled and returning, others died and
were buried in unknown places.
Last but not the least, it should be stated again that Indo-Armenian relations
bear a few thousand years old history. From the fact that Armenian King Valarsaces
welcomed the Hindu princes so warmly, it can be assumed that this kind
of visit was not the first.
The journeys were mutual. However the first permanent Armenian settlements appeared
on the Indian subcontinent in the 7th century. From the 16th century the number
of Armenian migrants increased significantly and they settled in the main commercial
centres of Indian subcontinent such as Surat, Bombay, Agra, Calcutta, Dhaka
etc. Wherever the Armenians formed their settlements, they also erected churches
or chapels. There had been only several cases when the Jesuit Fathers could
persuade Armenians to join the Catholic Church.55
According to the inscriptions on the Armenian tombstones, the population of
Armenian colonies consisted of state and military officials, warriors, artisans,
armourers, traders, architects, petty merchants, day-workers, caravan guides
and the like.
By the end of the 19th century, the Armenian colonies decreased in number. At
present one can find Armenians only in Calcutta, Delhi, Chennai, Mumbai and
Bangalore.
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