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What happens when a distant colonial power tries to tame an unfamiliar terrain in the world's largest tidal delta? This history of dramatic ecological changes in the Bengal Delta from 1760 to 1920 involves land, water and humans, tracing the stories and struggles that link them together. Pushing beyond narratives of environmental decline, Bhattacharyya argues that 'property-thinking', a governing tool critical in making land and water discrete categories of bureaucratic and legal management, was at the heart of colonial urbanization and the technologies behind the draining of Calcutta. The story of ecological change is narrated alongside emergent practices of land speculation and transformation in colonial law. Bhattacharyya demonstrates how this history continues to shape our built environments with devastating consequences, as shown in the Bay of Bengal's receding coastline.

Climatic changes --- Human ecology --- Changes, Climatic --- Changes in climate --- Climate change --- Climate change science --- Climate changes --- Climate variations --- Climatic change --- Climatic fluctuations --- Climatic variations --- Global climate changes --- Global climatic changes --- Climatology --- Climate change mitigation --- Teleconnections (Climatology) --- Environmental aspects --- Ganges River Delta (Bangladesh and India) --- India --- Bengal (India) --- Kolkata (India) --- Brahmaputra River --- Brahmaputra River Delta (Bangladesh and India) --- Ganges-Brahmaputra Delta (Bangladesh and India) --- Ganges Delta (Bangladesh and India) --- Ganges River (India and Bangladesh) --- History. --- History --- Delta --- Environmental sciences --- Bengal, Bay of --- Great Britain --- Colonies --- Politics and government --- Environmental science --- Science --- Ecology --- Environment, Human --- Human beings --- Human environment --- Ecological engineering --- Human geography --- Nature --- Social aspects --- Effect of environment on --- Effect of human beings on --- Baṅgopasāgara --- Bay of Bengal --- Bingala Aw