Keywords
Disaster and Capitalism
Disaster Politics
Environmental History
Categories
How to Cite
Abstract
This paper explores the intersection of disaster, colonialism, and capitalism in Darjeeling, using the 1934 Bihar-Nepal earthquake as a critical lens to understand historical processes of urbanisation and vulnerability. Drawing on the framework proposed by Aguilar, Pante, and Tugado (2016), it argues that disasters are not isolated ruptures but deeply embedded in long-term socio-environmental transformations. The essay traces the colonial development of Darjeeling as a hill station, its strategic significance, and the disastrous impact of British resource extraction and urban planning on indigenous Lepcha populations. Through the case of the 1934 earthquake, this paper reveals how disasters become opportunities for state intervention, political manoeuvring, and the propagation of capitalist logics, often exacerbating existing class, caste, and gender inequalities. The study critiques the hegemonic and linear narratives of development, highlighting the persistent environmental and social consequences of commodifying nature in vulnerable regions.
References
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