Primus Books

The early modern period witnessed a great expansion in the world economy. At this time, the Indian subcontinent was integrated into this wider system and became a hub for commerce. The connection of the hinterland with ports, which were linked to Indian Ocean trade networks, existed prior to the coming of European maritime powers. Thus, when European traders reached India, they stepped into a pre-existing framework of trade routes and complex multilateral networks of exchange. The resultant consequences of this incursion have been understood from different viewpoints in 'Merchants, Markets, and Hinterlands in Early Modern India'. Merchants, both Asian and European, flooded the markets and ports of India, which acted as gateways leading both to the interior and to the sea. The chapters in this volume explore the worlds of commerce, the links between markers and hinterlands, and the many connections that existed, expanded, or ceased in the early modern period.

The EDITORS

Radhika Seshan retired as Professor and Head of the Department of History, Savitribai Phule Pune University (formerly
the University of Pune).

Ruby Maloni is former Head and Professor of the Department of History, Mumbai University.

Ishrat Alam is former Chairman and Coordinator, Centre of Advanced Study, Department of History, Aligarh Muslim
University, Aligarh.

To procure a copy, please click on the link below:

https://www.amazon.in/Primus-Books-Merchants-Markets-Hinterlands/dp/937452693X/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2XI14F409R9OF&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.GDpGm6w0wN8_NyLEvo8Icg.SKmSN0POzKa0RX0NDFlBA0GuOq4TrYl2aOCxZGiZifk&dib_tag=se&keywords=Merchants%2C+Markets%2C+and+Hinterlands+in+Early+Modern+India&nsdOptOutParam=true&qid=1776942230&sprefix=merchants%2C+markets%2C+and+hinterlands+in+early+modern+india%2Caps%2C453&sr=8-1

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Primus Books is glad to announce its new title, 'Caste and Lineage in Colonial Calcutta: The Subarnabanik Ancestry of the Seals and the Laws' by Supriya Law.

Caste and Lineage in Colonial Calcutta provides an in-depth study of the Subarnabanik caste in Bengal. It delves into the myths, legends and historical origins of the Subarnabaniks and traces how they rose to prominence in the commercial world of mid-nineteenth to early twentieth-century Calcutta. The dichotomy of being low in the caste hierarchy yet financially well-positioned and business-minded greatly shaped the ethos and outlook of this caste. With a focus on two prominent businessmen, Mutty Lall Seal (1792–1854) and Prawn Kissen Law (1790–1853) and their families, this work also explores the role of Subarnabanik women in this milieu. The book juxtaposes archival sources with oral narratives and memories to share unique insights into the world of the Subarnabaniks, tracing linkages of caste, commerce and kinship.

The author, Supriya Law is currently pursuing her doctoral degree at the University of Calcutta. Her research interest lies in the history of colonial Calcutta with a focus on the mercantile families of that era. She is the author of Living with the Past: The Law Family of Calcutta (2025).

To procure a copy please click on the link below:
https://www.amazon.in/dp/9371793627/ref=sr_1_2?crid=1KCO9DEW6HBC5&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.LZgoRN7Ry0V5UIXLtgzUoHsIDYxPe_vLACTcmzRpUYo.CTARr4EmZWp1k2xT2i8sek6WBQcAePWmdr-oiwd7it0&dib_tag=se&keywords=Primus+Books-+Supriya+Law&qid=1775112414&sprefix=primus+books-+supriya+la%2Caps%2C409&sr=8-2

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