113-648: The Kamboja-Pala dynasty ruled parts of Bengal in the 10th to 11th centuries CE, after invading the Palas during the reign of Gopala III . The last Kamboja ruler of the Kamboja-Pala Dynasty Dharmapala was defeated by the south Indian Emperor Rajendra Chola I of the Chola dynasty in the 11th century. During the last centuries BCE, many clans of the Kambojas entered India in alliance with
226-479: A Siva temple that was built by the king but removed to Bangar, about 40 miles east of Gauda, during the period of Muslim rule. During the 18th century, the Pillar was further moved to Dinajpore by Maharaja Ram Nath and as a result, the inscription came to be known as Dinajpore Pillar Inscription. The Dinajpore Pillar Inscription dates to the second half of the 10th century. The Irda Copper plate ( Irda Tamarapatra )
339-612: A Siva devotee . It may however be possible that Kambojanvaya Gaudapati is same as Kamboja king Nayapala of the Irda Copper plate since king Nayapala also claims to be a Saivite (Siva devotee) in the Irda Copper plate. The last known ruler of the Kamboja Pala dynasty is stated to be king Dharmapala who ruled in Dandabhukti in first quarter of the 11th century. The Kambojanvaya Gaudapati of Dinajpore Pillar Inscriptions
452-472: A Smriti Granth in honour of this Kamboja king: This shows that the Kamboja rule in some parts of Bengal must have continued, as late as the 16th century. Indo-Scythians Indo-Parthians References Sources Bengal Bengal ( / b ɛ n ˈ ɡ ɔː l / ben- GAWL ) is a historical geographical , ethnolinguistic and cultural term referring to a region in the eastern part of
565-769: A former prime minister of the Bengal Sultanate. By the 17th century, the Mughals were able to fully absorb the region to their empire. Mughal Bengal had the richest elite and was the wealthiest region in the subcontinent. Bengal's trade and wealth impressed the Mughals so much that it was described as the Paradise of the Nations by the Mughal Emperors . A new provincial capital was built in Dhaka . Members of
678-921: A part of it. There are four World Heritage Sites in the region, including the Sundarbans , the Somapura Mahavihara , the Mosque City of Bagerhat and the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway . Other prominent places include the Bishnupur, Bankura temple city, the Adina Mosque , the Caravanserai Mosque , numerous zamindar palaces (like Ahsan Manzil and Cooch Behar Palace ), the Lalbagh Fort ,
791-659: A prosperous part of the Mughal Empire . The last independent Nawab of Bengal was defeated in 1757 at the Battle of Plassey by the East India Company . The company's Bengal Presidency grew into the largest administrative unit of British India with Calcutta as the capital of both Bengal and India until 1911. As a result of the first partition of Bengal , a short-lived province called Eastern Bengal and Assam existed between 1905 and 1911 with its capital in
904-620: A severe jolt from the invasions of the Chandella king Dhanga & the Chandra king of East Bengal Kalyanachandra . This political scenario enabled the Pala king Mahipala I to re-conquer Gauda from the Kambojas. The last king of the Kambojas was Dharamapala who continued to rule Dandabhukti in the first quarter of the 11th century. The Kamboja ruler Dharamapala of Dandabhukti was defeated by
1017-473: A site noted in the travelogues of Faxian and Xuanzang . Later Chaitanya passed through the area on his way from Puri to Varanasi as documented in the Chaitanya Charitamrita . After the fall of last independent Hindu dynasty of Kalinga - Utkala , Gajapati Mukunda Deva in the 16th century, this region came under one of the five Sarkars of Mughalbandi Odisha i.e. Jaleswar Sarkar which
1130-656: A tributary state. The ruler of the Jaunpur Sultanate also sought refuge in Bengal. The vassal states of Bengal included Arakan, Tripura, Chandradwip and Pratapgarh . At its peak, the Bengal Sultanate's territory included parts of Arakan, Assam, Bihar, Orissa, and Tripura. The Bengal Sultanate experienced its greatest military success under Alauddin Hussain Shah , who was proclaimed as the conqueror of Assam after his forces led by Shah Ismail Ghazi overthrew
1243-525: Is a former district in the Indian state of West Bengal , headquartered in Midnapore . On 1 January 2002, the district was bifurcated into two separate districts namely Purba Medinipur and Paschim Medinipur . It was the largest district of West Bengal by area and population at the time of bifurcation. There are conflicting accounts of how the name Medinipur came to be. One account claims that Medinipur
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#17327731708671356-669: Is another source on the Kamboja-Pala dynasty and was discovered in 1931. It is written in Sanskrit and has 49 lines of text in ancient Bengali script . The Vamsa or the tribal identity of the rulers mentioned in the Irda Copper Plate is specifically stated to be Kamboja-Vamsha-Tilaka (i.e. Ornament of the Kamboja family or Glory of the Kamboja tribe). Like the Dinajpore Pillar Inscriptions,
1469-596: Is divided into Terai and Dooars regions. North Bengal is also noted for its rich cultural heritage, including two UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Aside from the Bengali majority, North Bengal is home to many other communities including Nepalis, Santhal people , Lepchas and Rajbongshis. Northeast Bengal refers to the Sylhet region, which today comprises the Sylhet Division of Bangladesh and Karimganj district in
1582-605: Is estimated to have caused the deaths of between 1 million and 10 million people. In 1862, the Bengal Legislative Council was set up as the first modern legislature in India . Elected representation was gradually introduced during the early 20th century, including with the Morley-Minto reforms and the system of dyarchy . In 1937, the council became the upper chamber of the Bengali legislature while
1695-473: Is home to the longest natural sea beach in the world with an unbroken length of 120 km (75 mi). It is also a growing surfing destination. St. Martin's Island , off the coast of Chittagong Division, is home to the sole coral reef in Bengal. Bengal was a regional power of the Indian subcontinent. The administrative jurisdiction of Bengal historically extended beyond the territory of Bengal proper. In
1808-596: Is no information on the Kamboja ruler Dharamapala, but it appears likely that he may have also been a Vedic follower i.e. either Saivite or a Vishnu devotee. The Irda Copper plate has references to Hindu gods, high rising temple buildings as well as to the sacred smokes rising from the Yagya fires into the skies. This again alludes to the Hinduism of the Pala Kambojas. Irda Copper plate also makes special references to
1921-556: Is noted for its thalassocratic and seafaring heritage. The area was dominated by the Bengali Harikela and Samatata kingdoms in antiquity. It was known to Arab traders as Samandar in the 9th century. During the medieval period, the region was ruled by the Chandra dynasty , the sultanate of Bengal , the kingdom of Tripura , the kingdom of Mrauk U , the Portuguese Empire and the Mughal Empire , prior to
2034-778: Is on the extreme south, while the Sundarbans mangrove forests form a remarkable geographical landmark at the Ganges delta. At least nine districts in West Bengal and 42 districts in Bangladesh have arsenic levels in groundwater above the World Health Organization maximum permissible limit of 50 μg/L or 50 parts per billion and the untreated water is unfit for human consumption. The water causes arsenicosis, skin cancer and various other complications in
2147-681: Is present in an inscription in the Brihadisvara Temple at Thanjavur , which is one of the oldest references to Bengal. The term Vangaladesa is used to describe the region in 11th-century South Indian records. The modern term Bangla is prominent from the 14th century, which saw the establishment of the Sultanate of Bengal , whose first ruler Shamsuddin Ilyas Shah was known as the Shah of Bangala . The Portuguese referred to
2260-571: Is so, then this Kambojanvaya Gaudapati is the fourth known Kamboja king of Kamboja dynasty of Bengal. Some scholars however believe that the Kambojanvaya Gaudapati of the Dinajpore Pillar Inscriptions is same as Kambojavamshatilaka Rajyapala of the Irda Copper plate. This does not seem to be true since Rajyapala of the Irda Copper plate is described as devotee of Buddha ( Parama-saugata ) whereas Kambojanvaya Gaudapati of Dinajpore Pillar Inscriptions claims in his own inscription to be
2373-437: Is stated to be a builder of Siva temple and therefore was devotee of Siva. He is said to be a great bestower of the charities. Kambojavamsatilaka Rajayapala , the first king of the Irda Copper plate is referred to as Parama-saugata (devotee of Buddha). The third ruler Narayanapala Kamboja is stated to be a devotee of god Vishnu . King Nayapala Kamboja, the author of Irda Copper plate is known to have practised Siva cult. There
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#17327731708672486-470: Is the third very important ancient source of Kamboja rule in Bengal. The charter asserts that Mahipala had re-conquered nearly the whole of north and east Bengal "after defeating the usurpers who had seized his ancestral kingdom" . The same verse has been repeated in the Aamgaachhi Charter of Vigrahapala-3. But who were the usurpers the inscription does not tell, but other evidences indicate that
2599-1076: The Austrian East India Company , the Ostend Company , and the Dutch East India Company . The Nawabs were also suspicious of the growing influence of these companies. Under Mughal rule, Bengal was a centre of the worldwide muslin and silk trades. During the Mughal era, the most important centre of cotton production was Bengal, particularly around its capital city of Dhaka, leading to muslin being called "daka" in distant markets such as Central Asia. Domestically, much of India depended on Bengali products such as rice, silks and cotton textiles. Overseas, Europeans depended on Bengali products such as cotton textiles, silks and opium; Bengal accounted for 40% of Dutch imports from Asia, for example, including more than 50% of textiles and around 80% of silks. From Bengal, saltpetre
2712-603: The Bay of Bengal allowed for maritime trade with distant lands in Southeast Asia and elsewhere. The ancient geopolitical divisions of Bengal included Varendra , Suhma , Anga , Vanga , Samatata and Harikela . These regions were often independent or under the rule of larger empires. The Mahasthan Brahmi Inscription indicates that Bengal was ruled by the Mauryan Empire in the 3rd century BCE. The inscription
2825-686: The Bengal Legislative Assembly was created. Between 1937 and 1947, the chief executive of the government was the Prime Minister of Bengal . The Bengal Presidency was the largest administrative unit in the British Empire . At its height, it covered large parts of present-day India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Burma, Malaysia, and Singapore. In 1830, the British Straits Settlements on the coast of
2938-498: The British Raj . Assam and Bengal were often part of the same kingdoms, including Kamarupa , Gauda and Kamata . Large parts of Assam were annexed by Alauddin Hussain Shah during the Bengal Sultanate. Assam was one of the few regions in the subcontinent to successfully resist Mughal expansion and never fell completely under Mughal rule. Midnapore district Midnapore (Pron: mad̪aːniːpur), or sometimes Medinipur ,
3051-486: The Constituent Assembly of Pakistan . At a separate meeting of legislators from West Bengal , it was decided (58 votes to 21) that the province should be partitioned and West Bengal should join the Constituent Assembly of India . At another meeting of legislators from East Bengal , it was decided (106 votes to 35) that the province should not be partitioned and (107 votes to 34) that East Bengal should join
3164-597: The Great Backerganj Cyclone of 1876 in the Barisal region. About 50 million were killed in Bengal due to massive plague outbreaks and famines which happened in 1895 to 1920, mostly in western Bengal. The Indian Rebellion of 1857 was initiated on the outskirts of Calcutta, and spread to Dhaka, Chittagong, Jalpaiguri, Sylhet and Agartala, in solidarity with revolts in North India. The failure of
3277-1079: The Great Caravanserai ruins , the Shaista Khan Caravanserai ruins , the Kolkata Victoria Memorial , the Dhaka Parliament Building, archaeologically excavated ancient fort cities in Mahasthangarh , Mainamati , Chandraketugarh and Wari-Bateshwar , the Jaldapara National Park , the Lawachara National Park , the Teknaf Game Reserve and the Chittagong Hill Tracts . Cox's Bazar in southeastern Bangladesh
3390-417: The Indian subcontinent at the apex of the Bay of Bengal . The region of Bengal proper is divided between the modern-day sovereign nation of Bangladesh and the Indian state of West Bengal . The ancient Vanga Kingdom is widely regarded as the namesake of the Bengal region. The Bengali calendar dates back to the reign of Shashanka in the 7th century CE. The Pala Empire was founded in Bengal during
3503-569: The Karrani dynasty . The Battle of Raj Mahal and the capture of Daud Khan Karrani marked the end of the Bengal Sultanate during the reign of Mughal Emperor Akbar . In the late 16th-century, a confederation called the Baro-Bhuyan resisted Mughal invasions in eastern Bengal. The Baro-Bhuyan included twelve Muslim and Hindu leaders of the Zamindars of Bengal . They were led by Isa Khan ,
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3616-748: The Khen dynasty and annexed large parts of Assam. In maritime trade, the Bengal Sultanate benefited from Indian Ocean trade networks and emerged as a hub of re-exports . A giraffe was brought by African envoys from Malindi to Bengal's court and was later gifted to Imperial China . Ship-owing merchants acted as envoys of the Sultan while travelling to different regions in Asia and Africa. Many rich Bengali merchants lived in Malacca. Bengali ships transported embassies from Brunei , Aceh and Malacca to China. Bengal and
3729-508: The Kingdom of Mrauk U was heavily influenced by Bengal. Bengali Muslims served in the royal court as ministers and military commanders. Bengali Hindus and Bengali Buddhists served as priests. Some of the most important poets of medieval Bengali literature lived in Arakan, including Alaol and Daulat Qazi . In 1660, Prince Shah Shuja , the governor of Mughal Bengal and a pretender of
3842-736: The Malacca Straits was made a residency of Bengal. The area included the erstwhile Prince of Wales Island , Province Wellesley , Malacca and Singapore . In 1867, Penang , Singapore and Malacca were separated from Bengal into the Straits Settlements . British Burma became a province of India and a later a Crown colony in itself. Western areas, including the Ceded and Conquered Provinces and The Punjab , were further reorganised. Northeastern areas became Colonial Assam . In 1876, about 200,000 people were killed in Bengal by
3955-402: The Maldives had a vast trade in shell currency . The Sultan of Bengal donated funds to build schools in the Hejaz region of Arabia. The five dynastic periods of the Bengal Sultanate spanned from the Ilyas Shahi dynasty , to a period of rule by Bengali converts, to the Hussain Shahi dynasty , to a period of rule by Abyssinian usurpers; an interruption by the Suri dynasty ; and ended with
4068-425: The Meghna River . Bengal was probably used as a transit route to China by the earliest Muslims. Abbasid coins have been discovered in the archaeological ruins of Paharpur and Mainamati . A collection of Sasanian, Umayyad and Abbasid coins are preserved in the Bangladesh National Museum . In 1204, the Ghurid general Muhammad bin Bakhtiyar Khalji began the Islamic conquest of Bengal. The fall of Lakhnauti
4181-444: The Nawab of Bengal from 1757 after the Battle of Plassey, thus signalling the start of British influence in India. British control of Bengal increased between 1757 and 1793 while the Nawab was reduced to a puppet figure. with the Presidency of Fort William asserting greater control over the entire province of Bengal and neighbouring territories. Calcutta was named the capital of British territories in India in 1772. The presidency
4294-517: The Pala Empire . The first Pala emperor Gopala I was chosen by an assembly of chieftains in Gauda. The Pala kingdom grew into one of the largest empires in the Indian subcontinent. The Pala period saw advances in linguistics, sculpture, painting, and education. The empire achieved its greatest territorial extent under Dharmapala and Devapala . The Palas vied for control of Kannauj with the rival Gurjara-Pratihara and Rashtrakuta dynasties. Pala influence also extended to Tibet and Sumatra due to
4407-523: The Peacock Throne of India, was forced to seek asylum in Arakan. Bengali influence in the Arakanese royal court persisted until Burmese annexation in the 18th-century. The modern-day Rohingya population is a legacy of Bengal's influence on Arakan. The Rohingya genocide resulted in the displacement of over a million people between 2016 and 2017, with many being uprooted from their homes in Rakhine State. The Indian state of Assam shares many cultural similarities with Bengal. The Assamese language uses
4520-433: The Sakas , Pahlavas , Yavanas and spread into Sindhu , Saurashtra , Malwa , Rajasthan, Punjab and Surasena. An offshoot of the Meerut Kambojas moved eastwards and entered the Pala domains and in the 10th century, conquering north-west Bengal. Kamboja tribes were employed by the Palas following Devapala 's conquests due to the lack of native cavalry in Bengal . The Kambojas might have declared their independence from
4633-436: The deindustrialisation of its pre-colonial economy. Company policies led to the deindustrialisation of Bengal's textile industry. The capital amassed by the East India Company in Bengal was invested in the emerging Industrial Revolution in Great Britain , in industries such as textile manufacturing . Economic mismanagement, alongside drought and a smallpox epidemic, directly led to the Great Bengal famine of 1770, which
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4746-439: The mountains in Bangladesh . Most parts of Bangladesh are within 10 metres (33 feet) above the sea level, and it is believed that about 10% of the land would be flooded if the sea level were to rise by 1 metre (3.3 feet). Because of this low elevation, much of this region is exceptionally vulnerable to seasonal flooding due to monsoons. The highest point in Bangladesh is in Mowdok range at 1,052 metres (3,451 feet). A major part of
4859-429: The 8th century. The Sena dynasty and Deva dynasty ruled between the 11th and 13th centuries. By the 14th century, Bengal was absorbed by Muslim conquests in the Indian subcontinent . An independent Bengal Sultanate was formed and became the eastern frontier of the Islamic world . During this period, Bengal's rule and influence spread to Assam, Arakan , Tripura, Bihar, and Orissa. Bengal Subah later emerged as
4972-408: The 9th century, the Pala Empire of Bengal ruled large parts of northern India. The Bengal Sultanate controlled Bengal, Assam, Arakan, Bihar and Orissa at different periods in history. In Mughal Bengal, the Nawab of Bengal had a jurisdiction covering Bengal, Bihar and Orissa. Bengal's administrative jurisdiction reached its greatest extent under the British Empire, when the Bengal Presidency extended from
5085-454: The Andaman and Nicobar Islands; as well as in Myanmar's Rakhine State. Arakan (now Rakhine State , Myanmar ) has historically been under strong Bengali influence. Since antiquity, Bengal has influenced the culture of Arakan. The ancient Bengali script was used in Arakan. An Arakanese inscription recorded the reign of the Bengali Candra dynasty . Paul Wheatley described the "Indianization" of Arakan. According to Pamela Gutman , "Arakan
5198-415: The Bengali society and therefore were left outside the ritual Caste Classification of ancient Bengal. [1] Compare also : Part-II: VI. Ancient peoples of Bengal: [2] . There is a literary evidence which attests one Kamboja king known as Jagan Nath ruling in Bengal as late as the 16th century. King Jagan Nath is stated to have patronised a Brahmana scholar Sura Mishra who had composed Jagannathaprakasa ,
5311-433: The British Raj began with the rebellion of Titumir , and reached a climax when Subhas Chandra Bose led the Indian National Army against the British. Bengal was also central in the rising political awareness of the Muslim population—the All-India Muslim League was established in Dhaka in 1906. The Muslim homeland movement pushed for a sovereign state in eastern India with the Lahore Resolution in 1943. Hindu nationalism
5424-460: The Constituent Assembly of Pakistan if Bengal was partitioned. On 6 July, the Sylhet district of Assam voted in a referendum to join East Bengal . The English barrister Cyril Radcliffe was instructed to draw the borders of Pakistan and India. The Radcliffe Line created the boundary between the Dominion of India and the Dominion of Pakistan , which later became the Bangladesh-India border . The Radcliffe Line awarded two-thirds of Bengal as
5537-400: The Dinajpur Pillar inscriptions refer just to one Kamboja ruler with the appellation of "Kambojanvaya Gaudapati", the Irda Copper plate, mentions generation after generation of the Kamboja-Pala kings of Bengal i.e. Rajyapala, Narayanapala and Nayapala etc. The Kamboja-Pala kings of the Irda Copper plate had ruled north-west Bengal in the tenth or eleventh century. Bangar Charter of Mahipala I
5650-436: The Gauda country also formed parts of Kamboja-Pala kingdom. But as long as we do not include northern Ladha (Radha or W. Bengal) in Kamboja-Pala empire, the region does not constitute one viable political entity. Hence it appears likely that northern parts of Radha may also formed parts of Kamboja-Pala kingdom. Dr R. C. Majumdar says that Gauda and Radha both formed parts of Kamboja-Pala empire. The Kamboja power in Bengal received
5763-483: The Great was deterred by the accounts of Gangaridai's power in 325 BCE, including a cavalry of war elephants . Later Roman accounts noted maritime trade routes with Bengal. 1st century Roman coins with images of Hercules were found in the region and point to trade links with Roman Egypt through the Red Sea . The Wari-Bateshwar ruins are believed to be the emporium (trading centre) of Sounagoura mentioned by Roman geographer Claudius Ptolemy . A Roman amphora
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#17327731708675876-411: The Indian state of Assam . The region is famous for its fertile land terrain, many rivers, extensive tea plantations, rainforests and wetlands. The Brahmaputra and Barak river are the geographic markers of the area. The city of Sylhet is its largest urban centre, and the region is known for its unique regional Sylheti language . The ancient name of the region is Srihatta and Nasratshahi. The region
5989-433: The Irda Copper plate is also thought to belong to the second half of tenth century (Dr N. G. Majumdar, Dr R. C. Majumdar). Hence the academic community believes that the Kambojanvaya Gaudapati of Dinajpore Pillar Inscriptions and the Kambojavamshatilaka Paramasaugata Maharajadhiraja parameshvara paramabhattaraka Rajyapala of Kamboja-Pala dynasty of Irda Copper Plate Inscriptions refers to the same Kamboja family. But whereas
6102-405: The Kamboja lineage . The second king is Narayanapala who was son of Rajayapala. Narayanapala was succeeded by his younger brother Nayapala, the author of the Irda Copper plate. Dr R. C. Majumdar states that the expression Kunjarghatavarshan of the Dinajpore Pillar Inscription indicates that Kunjarghatavarshan was personal name of Kambojanvaya Gaudapati of the Dinajpore Pillar Inscription. If this
6215-400: The Kamboja, Varman and Sena kings of Bengal. It indicates the great importance was attached to religious and social aspects of administration during rules of these dynasties which were all followers of orthodox Hinduism." Dr B. N. Sen says that the Buddhism which had followers in the early Pala and Candra rulers was probably on the decline in Bengal during the 10th century. On the other hand,
6328-470: The Kamboja-Pala kingdom of Bengal. According to Irda Copper plate evidence, the Kamboja-Pala kingdom definitely comprised Varadhmana-Bhukti Mandala (modern Burdman division) and Dandabhukti Mandala within the Kamboja empire. The Dandabhukti division is believed to have comprised southern and south-western parts of Midnapore district as well as the lower parts of river Suvaranrekha in district Balasore . Evidence from Dinajpore Pillar Inscription attests that
6441-425: The Mauryans and the Gupta Empire . The region was a centre of artistic, political, social, spiritual and scientific thinking, including the invention of chess , Indian numerals , and the concept of zero . The region was known to the ancient Greeks and Romans as Gangaridai . The Greek ambassador Megasthenes chronicled its military strength and dominance of the Ganges delta . The invasion army of Alexander
6554-426: The Mughal emperor. The wealth of Bengal was vital for the Mughal court because Delhi received its biggest share of revenue from the Nawab's court. The Nawabs presided over a period of unprecedented economic growth and prosperity, including an era of growing organisation in textiles, banking, a military-industrial complex, the production of fine quality handicrafts , and other trades. A process of proto-industrialisation
6667-468: The Mughals in 1666. In the 18th-century, the Mughal Court rapidly disintegrated due to Nader Shah's invasion and internal rebellions, allowing European colonial powers to set up trading posts across the territory. The British East India Company eventually emerged as the foremost military power in the region; and defeated the last independent Nawab of Bengal at the Battle of Plassey in 1757. The British East India Company began influencing and controlling
6780-425: The Pala e rule, due to it being weakenend by the invasions of the Kamarupa king Ratna Pala & the Chandela ruler Yashovarman . There are several ancient inscriptions which attest Kamboja rule in Bengal . The most important sources are: The Dinajpur Pillar Inscription records to a Kamboja king called the Kambojanvaya Gaudapati (i.e. lord of Gauda ).. The Pillar Inscription was originally established in
6893-401: The Purohits, Kritivajyas, Dharmagyas and other holy officials. Thus we find that the Kamboja kings of Bengal were mostly Vedic Hindus, of course, with the exception of king Rajyapala. Mention is made of grants of lands and villages to the Purohits in the Burdwan district of east Bengal. According to Prof R. C. Majumdar: "More significant, however, is the inclusion of Purohits in the land grants of
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#17327731708677006-429: The Straits of Malacca in the east to the Khyber Pass in the west. In the late-19th and early-20th centuries, administrative reorganisation drastically reduced the territory of Bengal. Several regions bordering Bengal proper continue to have high levels of Bengali influence. The Indian state of Tripura has a Bengali majority population. Bengali influence is also prevalent in the Indian regions of Assam, Meghalaya, Bihar and
7119-416: The Vedic religion was on the rise. Since the Kamboja Pala kings of Bengal were mostly Vedic Hindus, hence they must have got full support from their subject which must have helped them raise a powerful empire in Bengal. In the ancient caste classification in Bengal, there are references to people who came as invaders from northwest or accompanied the invaders. These people have been described as Mlechchas in
7232-412: The advent of British rule. The Chittagonian language , a sister of Bengali is prevalent in coastal areas of southeast Bengal. Along with its Bengali population, it is also home to Tibeto-Burman ethnic groups, including the Chakma , Marma , Tanchangya and Bawm peoples. Southeast Bengal is considered a bridge to Southeast Asia and the northern parts of Arakan are also historically considered to be
7345-514: The advent of the Iron Age , people in Bengal adopted iron-based weapons, tools and irrigation equipment. From 600 BCE, the second wave of urbanisation engulfed the north Indian subcontinent as part of the Northern Black Polished Ware culture. Ancient archaeological sites and cities in Dihar , Pandu Rajar Dhibi , Mahasthangarh , Chandraketugarh and Wari-Bateshwar emerged. The Ganges , Brahmaputra and Meghna rivers were natural arteries for communication and transportation. Estuaries on
7458-404: The annual output of Bengal at 223,250 tons, compared with 23,061 tons produced in nineteen colonies in North America from 1769 to 1771. Since the 16th century, European traders traversed the sea routes to Bengal, following the Portuguese conquests of Malacca and Goa. The Portuguese established a settlement in Chittagong with permission from the Bengal Sultanate in 1528 but were later expelled by
7571-652: The body. North Bengal is a term used for the north-western part of Bangladesh and northern part of West Bengal. The Bangladeshi part comprises Rajshahi Division and Rangpur Division . Generally, it is the area lying west of Jamuna River and north of Padma River , and includes the Barind Tract . Politically, West Bengal's part comprises Jalpaiguri Division and most of Malda division (except Murshidabad district ) together and Bihar's parts include Kishanganj district . Darjeeling Hilly are also part of North Bengal. The people of Jaipaiguri, Alipurduar and Cooch Behar usually identify themselves as North Bengali. North Bengal
7684-420: The book (1200-1431). He is said to have built the fort called "Kornelgola" situated in the city. In ancient times the region seems to be highly influenced by Jainism and Buddhism. The kingdom of Shashanka and Harshavardhana also included part of undivided Midnapore in their kingdom. However, the most significant archaeological site in the region is the bustling port of Tamralipta near present-day Tamluk ,
7797-438: The brahmanical Caste System in Bengal. Ancient Sanskrit and Pali texts and inscriptions profusely attest the Kambojas as a tribe of Uttarapatha or Udichya division belonging to Indo-Iranian or Scytho-Aryan and not to the Mongolian stock. The north-westerners including the Kambojas, Sakas , Hunas , Yavanas , Abhiras , Khasas , Sabaras , Turushkas , Suhmas etc. have all been labelled as outsiders or foreigners within
7910-428: The city with the highest per capita income level in British India, the region is today a leader in South Asia in terms of gender parity , the gender pay gap and other indices of human development . The name of Bengal is derived from the ancient kingdom of Vanga (pronounced Bôngô), the earliest records of which date back to the Mahabharata epic in the first millennium BCE . The reference to 'Vangalam'
8023-473: The coastline comprises a marshy jungle , the Sundarbans , the largest mangrove forest in the world and home to diverse flora and fauna, including the royal Bengal tiger . In 1997, this region was declared endangered. West Bengal is on the eastern bottleneck of India, stretching from the Himalayas in the north to the Bay of Bengal in the south. The state has a total area of 88,752 km (34,267 sq mi). The Darjeeling Himalayan hill region in
8136-468: The eastern wing of Pakistan, although the historic Bengali capitals of Gaur , Pandua , Murshidabad and Calcutta fell on the Indian side close to the border with Pakistan. Dhaka's status as a capital was also restored. Most of the Bengal region lies in the Ganges-Brahmaputra delta , but there are highlands in its north, northeast and southeast. The Ganges Delta arises from the confluence of
8249-410: The elevated Madhupur tract with a large Sal tree forest . The Padma River cuts through the southern part of the region, separating the greater Faridpur region. In the north lies the greater Mymensingh and Tangail regions. South Bengal covers the southwestern Bangladesh and the southern part of the Indian state of West Bengal.The Bangladeshi part includes Khulna Division , Barisal Division and
8362-511: The first Muslim army enter Nepal and stretched from Varanasi in the west to Orissa in the south to Assam in the east. The Delhi army continued to fend off the new Bengali army. The Bengal-Delhi War ended in 1359 when Delhi recognised the independence of Bengal. Ilyas Shah's son Sikandar Shah defeated Delhi Sultan Firuz Shah Tughluq during the Siege of Ekdala Fort. A subsequent peace treaty recognised Bengal's independence and Sikandar Shah
8475-529: The forest with his followers. The overthrow of the Sena king has been described as a coup d'état, which "inaugurated an era, lasting over five centuries, during which most of Bengal was dominated by rulers professing the Islamic faith. In itself this was not exceptional, since from about this time until the eighteenth century, Muslim sovereigns ruled over most of the Indian subcontinent. What was exceptional, however,
8588-562: The former Mughal capital Dhaka . Following the Sylhet referendum and votes by the Bengal Legislative Council and Bengal Legislative Assembly , the region was again divided along religious lines in 1947 . Bengali culture, particularly its literature , music , art and cinema, are well known in South Asia and beyond. The region is also notable for its economic and social scientists, which includes several Nobel laureates . Once home to
8701-529: The fullest height of their stature, a land that will truly be plentiful. It will be rich in agriculture, rich in industry and commerce and in course of time it will be one of the powerful and progressive states of the world. If Bengal remains united this will be no dream, no fantasy". On 2 June 1947, British Prime Minister Clement Attlee told the US Ambassador to the United Kingdom that there
8814-477: The imperial family were appointed to positions in Mughal Bengal, including the position of governor ( subedar ). Dhaka became a centre of palace intrigue and politics. Some of the most prominent governors included Rajput general Man Singh I , Emperor Shah Jahan 's son Prince Shah Shuja , Emperor Aurangzeb 's son and later Mughal emperor Azam Shah , and the influential aristocrat Shaista Khan . During
8927-493: The last Prime Minister of Bengal Huseyn Shaheed Suhrawardy held a press conference in New Delhi where he outlined his vision for an independent Bengal. Suhrawardy said "Let us pause for a moment to consider what Bengal can be if it remains united. It will be a great country, indeed the richest and the most prosperous in India capable of giving to its people a high standard of living, where a great people will be able to rise to
9040-659: The main successor of the Palas by the 11th century. The Senas were a resurgent Hindu dynasty which ruled much of Bengal. The smaller Deva dynasty also ruled parts of the region. Ancient Chinese visitors like Xuanzang provided elaborate accounts of Bengal's cities and monastic institutions. Muslim trade with Bengal flourished after the fall of the Sasanian Empire and the Arab takeover of Persian trade routes. Much of this trade occurred with southeastern Bengal in areas east of
9153-425: The northern extreme of the state belongs to the eastern Himalaya. This region contains Sandakfu (3,636 m (11,929 ft))—the highest peak of the state. The narrow Terai region separates this region from the plains, which in turn transitions into the Ganges delta towards the south. The Rarh region intervenes between the Ganges delta in the east and the western plateau and high lands . A small coastal region
9266-532: The proposed Faridpur Division The part of South Bengal of West Bengal includes Presidency division , Burdwan division and Medinipur division . The Sundarbans , a major biodiversity hotspot , is located in South Bengal. Bangladesh hosts 60% of the forest, with the remainder in India. Southeast Bengal refers to the hilly-coastal Chittagonian -speaking and coastal Bengali-speaking areas of Chittagong Division in southeastern Bangladesh. The region
9379-516: The rebellion led to the abolition of the Company Rule in India and establishment of direct rule over India by the British, commonly referred to as the British Raj . The late 19th and early 20th century Bengal Renaissance had a great impact on the cultural and economic life of Bengal and started a great advance in the literature and science of Bengal. Between 1905 and 1911, an abortive attempt
9492-459: The region as Bengala in the Age of Discovery . Neolithic sites have been found in several parts of the region. In the second millennium BCE, rice-cultivating communities dotted the region. By the eleventh century BCE, people in Bengal lived in systematically aligned homes, produced copper objects, and crafted black and red pottery. Remnants of Copper Age settlements are located in the region. At
9605-432: The rivers Ganges , Brahmaputra , and Meghna rivers and their respective tributaries. The total area of Bengal is 237,212 square kilometres (91,588 sq mi)—West Bengal is 88,752 km (34,267 sq mi) and Bangladesh 148,460 km (57,321 sq mi). The flat and fertile Bangladesh Plain dominates the geography of Bangladesh . The Chittagong Hill Tracts and Sylhet region are home to most of
9718-576: The ruler of Satgaon, Shamsuddin Ilyas Shah , unified the region into an independent state. Ilyas Shah established his capital in Pandua . The new breakaway state emerged as the Bengal Sultanate , which developed into a territorial, mercantile and maritime empire. At the time, the Islamic world stretched from Muslim Spain in the west to Bengal in the east. The initial raids of Ilyas Shah saw
9831-477: The rulers belonging to the Kamboja family were in possession of the north and west Bengal. Scholars believe that Mahipala's Charter alludes to the seizing of the northern parts of Bengal by Kamboja dynasty from the Gopala II or Vigrahapala II of the Pala dynasty, which the great king Mahipala I claims to have won back by the force of his arms No definite information is available on the precise geographical area of
9944-538: The same script as the Bengali language. The Barak Valley has a Bengali-speaking majority population. During the Partition of India , Assam was also partitioned along with Bengal. The Sylhet Division joined East Bengal in Pakistan, with the exception of Karimganj which joined Indian Assam. Previously, East Bengal and Assam were part of a single province called Eastern Bengal and Assam between 1905 and 1912 under
10057-540: The south Indian Emperor Rajendra Chola I who invaded Bengal and Bihar in the 11th century. The Capital of the Kamboja Pala kingdom is stated to be Priyangu which has not been identified yet, though some scholars tend to identify the same with an old village known as Pingvani located in Garbeta Thana. We know the names of three Kamboja rulers of the Kamboja Pala family for sure viz. Rajyapala , Narayanapala and Nayapala . The Charter (Copper Plate Inscription)
10170-558: The tenure of Shaista Khan, the Portuguese and Arakanese were expelled from the port of Chittagong in 1666. Bengal became the eastern frontier of the Mughal administration. By the 18th century, Bengal became home to a semi-independent aristocracy led by the Nawabs of Bengal . Bengal premier Murshid Quli Khan managed to curtail the influence of the governor due to his rivalry with Prince Azam Shah. Khan controlled Bengal's finances since he
10283-412: The travels and preachings of Atisa . The university of Nalanda was established by the Palas. They also built the Somapura Mahavihara , which was the largest monastic institution in the subcontinent. The rule of the Palas eventually disintegrated. The Chandra dynasty ruled southeastern Bengal and Arakan . The Varman dynasty ruled parts of northeastern Bengal and Assam . The Sena dynasty emerged as
10396-554: Was a "distinct possibility Bengal might decide against partition and against joining either Hindustan or Pakistan". On 3 June 1947, the Mountbatten Plan outlined the partition of British India . On 20 June, the Bengal Legislative Assembly met to decide on the partition of Bengal. At the preliminary joint meeting, it was decided (126 votes to 90) that if the province remained united, it should join
10509-484: Was also mounted by Bakhtiyar. Bengal was under the formal rule of the Delhi Sultanate for approximately 150 years. Delhi struggled to consolidate control over Bengal. Rebel governors often sought to assert autonomy or independence. Sultan Iltutmish re-established control over Bengal in 1225 after suppressing the rebels. Due to the considerable overland distance, Delhi's authority in Bengal was relatively weak. It
10622-637: Was also shipped to Europe, opium was sold in Indonesia , raw silk was exported to Japan and the Netherlands, cotton and silk textiles were exported to Europe, Indonesia, and Japan, cotton cloth was exported to the Americas and the Indian Ocean. Bengal also had a large shipbuilding industry. In terms of shipbuilding tonnage during the 16th–18th centuries, economic historian Indrajit Ray estimates
10735-663: Was also strong in Bengal, which was home to groups like the Hindu Mahasabha . In spite of a last-ditch effort by politicians Huseyn Shaheed Suhrawardy , Sarat Chandra Bose to form a United Bengal , when India gained independence in 1947, Bengal was partitioned along religious lines. The western joined India (and was named West Bengal) while the eastern part joined Pakistan as a province called East Bengal (later renamed East Pakistan , giving rise to Bangladesh in 1971). The circumstances of partition were bloody, with widespread religious riots in Bengal. On 27 April 1947,
10848-566: Was an administrative order instructing relief for a distressed segment of the population. Punch-marked coins found in the region indicate that coins were used as currency during the Iron Age. The namesake of Bengal is the ancient Vanga Kingdom which was reputed as a naval power with overseas colonies. A prince from Bengal named Vijaya founded the first kingdom in Sri Lanka . The two most prominent pan-Indian empires of this period included
10961-847: Was annexed in 1760 along with Burdwan and Chittagong both handed over to the East India Company by Mir Qasim . The last free king of Dhalbhum was imprisoned in Midnapore. Some of the Malla kings of Mallabhum in the Bankura district held land in northern Midnapore district, while the Raj rules of Narajole, Jhargram , Lalgarh , Jamboni, and Chandrakona held sway in their local areas. The Raj rulers in Rajasthan would pay homage to Jagannath but carves out their own territories under
11074-703: Was found in Purba Medinipur district of West Bengal which was made in Aelana (present-day Aqaba, Jordan ) between the 4th and 7th centuries AD. The first unified Bengali polity can be traced to the reign of Shashanka . The origins of the Bengali calendar can be traced to his reign. Shashanka founded the Gauda Kingdom . After Shashanka's death, Bengal experienced a period of civil war known as Matsyanyayam. The ancient city of Gauda later gave birth to
11187-629: Was gifted a golden crown by the Sultan of Delhi. The ruler of Arakan sought refuge in Bengal during the reign of Ghiyasuddin Azam Shah . Jalaluddin Muhammad Shah later helped the Arakanese king to regain control of his throne in exchange for becoming a tributary state of the Bengal Sultanate. Bengali influence in Arakan persisted for 300 years. Bengal also helped the king of Tripura to regain control of his throne in exchange for becoming
11300-531: Was in charge of the treasury. He shifted the provincial capital from Dhaka to Murshidabad . In 1717, the Mughal court in Delhi recognised the hereditary monarchy of the Nawab of Bengal. The ruler was officially titled as the "Nawab of Bengal, Bihar and Orissa ", as the Nawab ruled over the three regions in the eastern subcontinent. The Nawabs began issuing their own coins but continued to pledge nominal allegiance to
11413-431: Was issued by Kamboja king Nayapala wherein he and his father are given the imperial titles like Parameshevara, Paramabhattacharya and Maharajadhiraja . The Copper Plate Inscription also attests that the founder of the Kamboja Pala dynasty was king Rajyapala . He has been referred to as Kambojavamshatilaka Paramasaugata Maharajadhiraja parameshvara paramabhattAraka-Rajyapala . This proves that this line of kings belonged to
11526-586: Was left to local governors to expand territory and bring new areas under Muslim rule, such as through the Conquest of Sylhet in 1303. In 1338, new rebellions sprung up in Bengal's three main towns. Governors in Lakhnauti, Satgaon and Sonargaon declared independence from Delhi. This allowed the ruler of Sonargaon, Fakhruddin Mubarak Shah , to annexe Chittagong to the Islamic administration. By 1352,
11639-653: Was made to divide the province of Bengal into two: Bengal proper and the short-lived province of Eastern Bengal and Assam where the All India Muslim League was founded. In 1911, the Bengali poet and polymath Rabindranath Tagore became Asia's first Nobel laureate when he won the Nobel Prize in Literature . Bengal played a major role in the Indian independence movement , in which revolutionary groups were dominant. Armed attempts to overthrow
11752-409: Was named after a local deity "Medinimata" (literally "mother of the world", a Shakti incarnation). According to Sri Hari Sadhan Das, the district got its name from "Medinikar", the founder of the city in 1238, who was the son of "Prankara", the feudal king of "Gondichadesh". He was also the writer of "Medinikosh". Hara Prasad Shastri thinks that the city Medinikar established it around the time he wrote
11865-608: Was part of his campaign to regain Odisha and thwart the Maratha attacks on Bengal. Mir Habib came up from Balasore and was joined by the Marathas, but Mir Jafar fled to Burdwan , leaving Mir Habib to retake Midnapore with ease. Alivardi Khan defeated Janoji Bhosle, a Maratha chieftain, in a severely contested battle near Burdwan in 1747 and Janoji fled to Midnapore. The Marathas held on to Odisha including Midnapore until 1749 when it
11978-560: Was reconquered by Alivardi Khan. The Marathas continued to raid Midnapore, which proved disastrous for the residents. In 1756, Alivardi Khan died and his successor was Siraj-ud-daulah . On 20 June 1757, he was betrayed by Mir Jafar to the East India Company under the command of Lord Robert Clive at Plassey . This consolidated the company's hold on Bengal and Odisha (along with Midnapore). The district of Midnapore which included Dhalbhum or Ghatshila , now in Singhbhum , Jharkhand
12091-475: Was recounted by historians circa 1243. Lakhnauti was the capital of the Sena dynasty. According to historical accounts, Ghurid cavalry swept across the Gangetic plains towards Bengal. They entered the Bengali capital disguised as horse traders. Once inside the royal compound, Bakhtiyar and his horsemen swiftly overpowered the guards of the Sena king who had just sat down to eat a meal. The king then hastily fled to
12204-485: Was ruled by kings who adopted Indian titles and traditions to suit their own environment. Indian Brahmins conducted royal ceremonies, Buddhist monks spread their teachings, traders came and went and artists and architects used Indian models for inspiration. In the later period, there was also influence from the Islamic courts of Bengal and Delhi". Arakan emerged as a vassal state of the Bengal Sultanate . It later became an independent kingdom. The royal court and culture of
12317-526: Was ruled by the Kamarupa and Harikela kingdoms as well as the Bengal Sultanate . It later became a district of the Mughal Empire . Alongside the predominant Bengali population resides a small Garo , Bishnupriya Manipuri , Khasia and other tribal minorities. The region is the crossroads of Bengal and northeast India . Central Bengal refers to the Dhaka Division of Bangladesh. It includes
12430-671: Was ruled by the Subehdar of Odisha . The north boundary of Jaleswar was Tamluk and south was Soro and Dhalbhumgarh in the west to the Bay of Bengal in the east. Bahadur Khan was the ruler of Jaleswar Sarkar or Hijli (including Midnapore) during the time of Shah Jehan . He was defeated by Shah Shuja , the second son of Shah Jehan, then the subahdar of Bengal. During the era of the Muslim rulers of Bengal nawab , Alivardi Khan 's general Mir Jafar fought successfully against Mir Habib 's lieutenant Sayyid Nur near Midnapore in 1746. This
12543-656: Was run by a military-civil administration, including the Bengal Army , and had the world's sixth earliest railway network. Between 1833 and 1854, the Governor of Bengal was concurrently the Governor-General of India for many years. Great Bengal famines struck several times during colonial rule (notably the Great Bengal famine of 1770 and Bengal famine of 1943 ). Under British rule, Bengal experienced
12656-602: Was that among India's interior provinces only in Bengal—a region approximately the size of England and Scotland combined—did a majority of the indigenous population adopt the religion of the ruling class, Islam". Bengal became a province of the Delhi Sultanate . A coin featuring a horseman was issued to celebrate the Muslim conquest of Lakhnauti with inscriptions in Sanskrit and Arabic. An abortive Islamic invasion of Tibet
12769-708: Was underway. Under the Nawabs, the streets of Bengali cities were filled with brokers, workers, peons, naibs, wakils, and ordinary traders. The Nawab's state was a major exporter of Bengal muslin , silk, gunpowder and saltpetre . The Nawabs also permitted European trading companies to operate in Bengal, including the British East India Company , the French East India Company , the Danish East India Company ,
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