| Maratha Ditch | |
|---|---|
| Kolkata,West Bengal,India | |
 The Maratha Ditch is on the boundary of Calcutta city, circlingOmichund's andGobindram Mitter's mansions | |
| Site information | |
| Type | Entrenchment |
| Controlled by | British East India Company (1757–1858) |
| Site history | |
| Built | 1793 |
| Battles/wars | Maratha invasions of Bengal |
TheMaratha Ditch was a three-mile-long[1] deep entrenchment constructed by the EnglishEast India Company aroundFort William inCalcutta. It was built to protect the surrounding villages and forts from the Maratha attacks.[2][3][4][5] The ditch marked the outer limits ofCalcutta city in the nineteenth century.[6][2]
During theMaratha invasions of Bengal, the mercenaries employed by theMarathas of Nagpur. In 1742, the president of theEast India Company inBengal petitioned thenawabAlivardi Khan to create an entrenchment intended to circle the landward sides ofCalcutta.[7] This request was immediately granted byAlivardi Khan, and in 1743 the Indians and Europeans co-operated to excavate a 3-mile-long ditch north ofFort William, which came to be known as the Maratha Ditch.[1]
However, the threat ofMaratha invasions ceased before the ditch could be completed and it was left unfinished.[2] Subsequently, it marked the outer limits of Calcutta during the 19th century.[6] After that, it became more or less useless as a defensive work, since the deteriorated ditch could only make the movement of troops and artillery significantly difficult.[7]
The ditch was partly paved in 1799 for theCircular Road of Calcutta and was completely filled in 1893 for construction of theHarrison Road.[2]Today, a road in NorthKolkata by the name of Maratha Ditch Lane marks where the entrenchment once stood.[3]