In 1838, Sambad Prabhakar, the first Bengali daily founded by Ishwar Chandra Gupta, made a historic voyage to Ceylon with Governor General George Eden. The journey led not only to remarkable reporting — but the unexpected spread of Indian flavors in colonial Sri Lanka.
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The Newspaper That Took India’s Flavor to Ceylon
In the annals of early Indian journalism, Sambad Prabhakar holds a revered place. Founded in 1831 by the visionary Ishwar Chandra Gupta, it was the first Bengali-language newspaper and a platform for Bengal’s intellectual and cultural renaissance. While the paper began as a weekly publication, its rise in popularity led to a daily edition by 1889, with many prominent Bengali thinkers contributing to its pages.
But beyond its literary and political impact, Sambad Prabhakar was also part of a fascinating diplomatic and cultural journey. In 1838, George Eden, the then Governor General of India (later the first Earl of Auckland), embarked on an official visit to Ceylon (present-day Sri Lanka). Among his entourage was Sambad Prabhakar — specially invited to document the tour. This unprecedented opportunity gave the newspaper an international platform and a front-row seat to colonial diplomacy.
The delegation was warmly received by Sir Edward Barnes, a former Governor of Ceylon and the proud builder of Barnes Hall — his hill-station retreat nestled in the misty highlands of Nuwara Eliya. Eager to showcase the colonial progress of Ceylon, Barnes welcomed Eden’s entourage and encouraged them to record their experiences for readers back in India.
But the journey wasn’t all politics and prose. Traveling with the group was an Indian cook — entrusted with keeping the delegation well-fed with flavors of home. The culinary skills of this cook so impressed Sir Edward Barnes that he made a unique request: that the cook remain in Ceylon, so that the taste of India could become a fixture at Barnes Hall — especially when hosting British and foreign dignitaries.
When Sambad Prabhakar returned to India, it reported not only on the landscapes and politics of Ceylon but also on this unexpected cultural exchange. The cook stayed behind, and with him, the aromas and secrets of Indian cuisine — some of which continue to influence the island's culinary heritage even today. Thus, the journey of Sambad Prabhakar to Ceylon wasn’t just a milestone in Indian journalism — it was a symbol of how stories, flavors, and people can transcend borders.
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