Bengal which is a region in the north-east part of the Indian sub continent has a rich historical heritage. Previously it constituted of the East Bengal and West Bengal as a whole until it was divided in the recent past. Bengal is one of the most densely populated parts of the world and its history which dates back to four millennia can be divided into ancient, medieval and modern. The history of Bengal played an important role in shaping the history of India.
There are historic references to the state that are found in the Vedic annals as well as the chronicles of the Murayan, Gupta and Mughal eras and the musty archives of the Pala and Sena dynasties. The first traces of West Bengal’s history are recorded to belong to the Vedic era when the state was inhabited by myriads of people of varying origin and ethnicity. The state was ruled by several chieftains during the epic Mahabharata period and was inhabited by the Aryans in the post-Vedic period that soon followed.
¤ Ancient History
Vedic age
West Bengal, the cultural hot seat of India that basks in the glory of the splendid Bengali culture is noted for its age-old history. The history of this ancient land dates as far back as the Vedic age and readers find ample mention of the triumphs and tribulations of its former monarchs in the chronicles of history. West Bengal was known as Vanga during the bygone eons of the venerable Vedas. Etymological studies suggest that the term Bengal, locally known, as Bangla owes its connotation to the name of a certain Dravidian tribe “Banga”. The hospitable state was inhabited by a multitude of people of mixed ethnicity and varying roots, which was responsible for the cultural diversity.
It is supposed that the Vedic era culminated with the settlement of the Aryans in West Bengal. This was followed by the glorious Mauryan rule and the triumphs and tribulations of the Palas, Pundras and Senas, the Islamic anarchy while the flourishing Mughal Empire led to the stunning climax of the oppressive British rule during India’s tragic days as a British colony.
Post Vedic Period
West Bengal’s pride lies in its rich cultural legacy that testifies the state’s age-old history. The annals of history contain evidences that date as far back as the Vedic era. It is generally supposed that the post Vedic period comment from the time when the Aryans settled on Bengal’s terrains. The chronicles of the Greek foreign travelers of 400 BC to 100 AD refer to an area known as Gangaridai, which has been supposed to be none other than the present Bengal. The etymological significance of Gangahrd is a Land with the Ganges in its heart. Thus according to mythology, Gangaridai is supposed to be the inception point of the world.
The post Vedic period gradually culminated in the glorious rule of the Pala and the Sena rulers under whose rule trade, commerce, religion and culture flourished in Bengal. Ancient Buddhist texts refer to the 16 Maha Janapadas that were the seat of Buddhist religion and culture.
¤ Medieval History
Palas
Chronicles of history indicate that the state of West Bengal flourished under the glorious rule under the monarchs of the Pala, Pundra and Sena dynasty. The Pala rulers played a momentous role in shaping history. The 400-year old Pala rule that continued almost up to 800.A.D. saw West Bengal as an established center of flourishing internal as well as maritime trade. Their trade links extended up to Taxila, Cambodia, Burma, Sri Lanka, the Deccan and the Persian Gulf.
The sudden rise of the Chandra dynasty escalated the downfall of the Pala dynasty whose last ruler, Madanapala breathed his last in 1611.A.D. Although the Pala rulers were Buddhists, they were patrons of Sanskrit Literature. Bhattanarayana’s Venisanghara, Vishakhadatta’s Mudraraksasa, Abhinanda ‘s Ramacharita and Bodhipradipa of Atisha Dipankara are some of the literary masterpieces produced during their tenure.
Pundras
The Pundra dynasty that ruled the territories of West Bengal and Bangladesh in the ancient times is shrouded in age-old history and mythology. Pundra, also recognized as Paundra or Paundraya is one of the renowned empires that established control over eastern India. Pundra dynasty is claimed to be the genesis of several renowned warrior tribes like the Pundir Rajputs of Telangana.
The Pundra dynasty and its rulers find adequate mention in the chronicles of the epic Mahabharata. The kingdom suffered defeat against Karna, Bhima and Arjuna. There are mythological references to Bhima’s conch that supposedly originated from Pundra and the Pundra rulers being one of the elite few to be called for the Pandava’s benefit by King Drupada prior to the battle of Kurukshetra.
Mauryan Empire
The state was a significant part of the empire of several eminent emperors of widespread territories. The renowned land of Magadha is one such kingdom in Bengal that was ruled by the monarchs of the Mauryan Empire. The obscure haze of ancient Indian history starts to fade from the 3rd century B.C. when we find records of the glorious Mauryan Empire ruled by the likes of legendary monarchs like Chandragupta Maurya and Ashoka. From around 6th century B.C., a large portion of Bengal was a part of the Magadha kingdom. Magadha was also one of the 16 Maha Janapadas that gained prominence as an established center of Buddhist learning and culture.
Alexander the Great along with his massive army invaded India in 326. B.C. Prior to his invasion, the great Mauryan emperor Chandragupta Maurya established the Mauryan dynasty around Magadha. Chanakya (kautilya), the famed advisor of Chandragupta Maurya records that the emperor’s conquests of the territories of the Nanda Empire and the Macedonian Seleucid Empire lead to the formation of the Mauryan Empire. Another noted Mauryan emperor, Ashoka, famed for his humanitarian philanthropy and attempts to propagate Buddhism throughout the country, was responsible for the empire’s tremendous expansion to cover South Asia, Persia and Afghanistan.
Senas
The province was once upon a time ruled by several ancient dynasties of which the Senas or the Sens deserves special mention. The rulers of the Sena dynasty spearheaded the administration of Bengal from 1097 to1225.A.D. The Sena rulers were a worthy successor of the Palas and their rule was a landmark of Bengal’s history. Vijayasena who founded the Sena dynasty is credited with the foresight and acumen of seizing the opportunity that presented itself during the revolt of the Samantachakra in Mahipala II’s reign. Gradually, the Senas became dominant in the Western fringes of Bengal and set up their independent kingdom during Madanapala’s tenure.
It is the descendents of the Sena monarch Samantasena who ruled over the territorial expanse of Bengal. His son Hemantasena, a feudal lord was accorded the honor of Maharajadhiraja and Rajaraksasudaksah for his ability to take care of the welfare of his people with ease. Vijayasena, who exploited the weak spots that marred the strength of the Pala kingdom and established the autonomous Sena rule within the state, succeeded Hemanatsena. His successor Vallalasena was responsible for the final blow to the glorious Pala Empire, which crumbled during his tenure. Vallalasena is also credited with the establishment of Kulisnism in Bengal. The reign of Lakshmanasena, a staunch believer of the Vaishnava teachings blossomed in cultural effervescence when several literary masterpieces were produced. Keshav Sena is said to be the last Sena ruler following which Muslim anarchy engulfed Bengal.
Mughals
It was under the Mughals that Bengal became a recognized commercial hub in the country. The Muslims established control of the domicile of Bengal during early 13th century. Three centuries down the line, the disorderly lawlessness that prevailed in the state during the anarchic Muslim rule gave way to the flourishing Mughal rule. The Muslim rulers established strong trading ties with the rest of the country as well as abroad and under their reign internal trade and commerce as well as maritime trade flourished in the state. It was a brainchild of the Mughal emperors who permitted the East India Company to establish trade links with India, a consequence of which was the nation’s subsequent colonization.
The ruling Mughal emperor granted his permission to the East India Company to conduct business at their own discretion provided they paid a yearly sum of Rs. 3000 to the Mughal government. It is an unfortunate tragedy, that as soon as the Mughals started gaining prominence in Bengal, the state was taken over the Portuguese, followed by the Dutch, Francha nd British traders.
¤ Modern History
Portuguese
The foreign traders who arrived in Bengal found its location conducive to trade and commerce and thus tried to establish control over the province. May 1578 was a landmark occasion in the history of Hugli, an erstwhile ganj. A team of foreigners led by Peodro Tavares sought Emperor Akbar’s permission to establish a Portuguese colony in Bengal. Akbar being a benevolent believer in all religions readily agreed and even conceded to their desire for practicing their own religion and building their own churches and cathedrals. As corollary to this, Hugli came up as a Portuguese colony in 1579 AD.
Dutch
The Dutch traders arrived in the Indian subcontinent and established their colony in the country’s premises. The first Dutch colony in India came up in the year 1608. The Dutch conquests began with their occupying Pulicat. This was followed by their rapid capture of Tuticorin, Negapatna, and Coromandel Coast. However, very soon the Dutch suffered a serious blow during the period spanning between 1795-1818 AD when the British took over all the established Dutch colonies. As a consolation prize, the territories bordering the Coromandel Coast were restored to Netherlands in 1818 AD.
French
The French like the other foreigners arrived in India to further their commercial interests and set up their industrial enterprises in the bustling lands of Bengal. In the year 1673, the French established their colony at Chandernagore or as the current name goes Chandannagar, having sought permission from Nawab Shaista Khan, the erstwhile Mughal governor of Bengal. Those were the French days of glory when all they touched turned to gold. In 1816, after the remarkable French victory against the renowned Napoleon Bonaparte, the five former colonies of Chandranagore, Puducherry, Karaikal, Mahe and Yanam and the loges at Machilipattnam, Kozhikode and Surat were restored to France.
In the year 1948, the French and Indian governments concurred to stage an election that would decide the political future of the French in India. On 2nd May 1950, Chandergore breathed the refreshing air of freedom as it was handed over to the Indian subcontinent. Five years hence, Chandernagore was consolidated with West Bengal on 2nd October 1955.
British
The East India Company arrived in India to set up a trading center in a country noted for its business potential. The efficacy of the East India Company’s rule in Bengal is questionable considering the number of deaths that occurred following the cataclysmic famine of 1770. The control of Bengal was passed on to the hands of British crown from that of the East India Company after the disaster following the Sepoy Mutiny of 1857, a rather unfortunate affair that sprung up at a Sepoy Mangal Pande’s initiative in Bengal’s Barrackpore.
When Queen Victoria was conferred the title of “Empress of India”, in the year 1877, Kolkata, formerly known as Calcutta was declared to be the capital of the British Raj. The oppressive British Rule in India prompted Bengal’s young revolutionaries to launch the Swadeshi movement where many young lives were sacrificed at the altar of freedom. However it is this path breaking movement of these martyr’s that eventually won India its much-desired freedom in 1947.
Independence
The Bengali youths and revolutionaries were actively involved in India’s freedom movement. Guided by the able leadership of visionaries of the likes of Chittranjan Das, S. N. Bannerjee, Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose, Prafulla Chaki, Khudiram Bose and Rashbehari Bose, the people of Bengal were stirred up in patriotic fervor and were unified in the cause of liberating their country from the tyrannical British Raj.
Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose played a vital role in challenging the British authority. He formed the Indian National Army and established a liaison with the axis powers lead by Adolph Hitler to free India. Muslim leaders like A. K. Fazlul Huq and Huseyn Shaheed Suhrawardy were noted for their active participation in liberating India. The Swadeshi movement commenced in Bengal and was a triumphant strategy to free India of the British Rule and boost the country’s fiscal profile. This movement found tremendous support and approval from the Father of the Nation, Mahatma Gandhi.
The political unrest within Bengal was a threat to the British government and this prompted Lord Curzon to take the initiative and partition Bengal. His plans however were met with great resistance and thus were abandoned. However India’s independence in 1947 was achieved at the cost of Bangladesh being snatched from Bengal and the Indian subcontinent and handed over to the newly formed Pakistan. The second partition of Bengal occurred in the 20th century in the year 1947. Bengal was divided into West Bengal in India and a Muslim region of East Bengal under Pakistan and it was renamed as East Pakistan in 1958. However, Bangladesh, too earned its freedom after the battle of 1971.
Post Independence
The post independence days in Bengal were in no way a smooth sailing affair for the state. However, the City of Joy, Kolkata is invincible. The state soon rose like a phoenix from the embers and tried to restore the state’s economy and industry with grace. The charming city has warmth of its own that can be felt while strolling down the streets. Although there is still a lot left to achieve, the urban metropolis has made tremendous headway in the economic front.
West Bengal’s administration is spearheaded by the Marxist Leninist group, the Communist Party of India (Marxist) from as early as the 60’s and 70’s. The party played a pivotal role in shaping Bengal’s future with their able rule and tolerant practices. The second partition of Bengal occurred in the 20th century in the year 1947. Bengal was divided into West Bengal in India and a Muslim region of East Bengal under Pakistan and it was renamed as East Pakistan in 1958.
There are historic references to the state that are found in the Vedic annals as well as the chronicles of the Murayan, Gupta and Mughal eras and the musty archives of the Pala and Sena dynasties. The first traces of West Bengal’s history are recorded to belong to the Vedic era when the state was inhabited by myriads of people of varying origin and ethnicity. The state was ruled by several chieftains during the epic Mahabharata period and was inhabited by the Aryans in the post-Vedic period that soon followed.
¤ Ancient History
Vedic age
West Bengal, the cultural hot seat of India that basks in the glory of the splendid Bengali culture is noted for its age-old history. The history of this ancient land dates as far back as the Vedic age and readers find ample mention of the triumphs and tribulations of its former monarchs in the chronicles of history. West Bengal was known as Vanga during the bygone eons of the venerable Vedas. Etymological studies suggest that the term Bengal, locally known, as Bangla owes its connotation to the name of a certain Dravidian tribe “Banga”. The hospitable state was inhabited by a multitude of people of mixed ethnicity and varying roots, which was responsible for the cultural diversity.
It is supposed that the Vedic era culminated with the settlement of the Aryans in West Bengal. This was followed by the glorious Mauryan rule and the triumphs and tribulations of the Palas, Pundras and Senas, the Islamic anarchy while the flourishing Mughal Empire led to the stunning climax of the oppressive British rule during India’s tragic days as a British colony.
Post Vedic Period
West Bengal’s pride lies in its rich cultural legacy that testifies the state’s age-old history. The annals of history contain evidences that date as far back as the Vedic era. It is generally supposed that the post Vedic period comment from the time when the Aryans settled on Bengal’s terrains. The chronicles of the Greek foreign travelers of 400 BC to 100 AD refer to an area known as Gangaridai, which has been supposed to be none other than the present Bengal. The etymological significance of Gangahrd is a Land with the Ganges in its heart. Thus according to mythology, Gangaridai is supposed to be the inception point of the world.
The post Vedic period gradually culminated in the glorious rule of the Pala and the Sena rulers under whose rule trade, commerce, religion and culture flourished in Bengal. Ancient Buddhist texts refer to the 16 Maha Janapadas that were the seat of Buddhist religion and culture.
¤ Medieval History
Palas
Chronicles of history indicate that the state of West Bengal flourished under the glorious rule under the monarchs of the Pala, Pundra and Sena dynasty. The Pala rulers played a momentous role in shaping history. The 400-year old Pala rule that continued almost up to 800.A.D. saw West Bengal as an established center of flourishing internal as well as maritime trade. Their trade links extended up to Taxila, Cambodia, Burma, Sri Lanka, the Deccan and the Persian Gulf.
The sudden rise of the Chandra dynasty escalated the downfall of the Pala dynasty whose last ruler, Madanapala breathed his last in 1611.A.D. Although the Pala rulers were Buddhists, they were patrons of Sanskrit Literature. Bhattanarayana’s Venisanghara, Vishakhadatta’s Mudraraksasa, Abhinanda ‘s Ramacharita and Bodhipradipa of Atisha Dipankara are some of the literary masterpieces produced during their tenure.
Pundras
The Pundra dynasty that ruled the territories of West Bengal and Bangladesh in the ancient times is shrouded in age-old history and mythology. Pundra, also recognized as Paundra or Paundraya is one of the renowned empires that established control over eastern India. Pundra dynasty is claimed to be the genesis of several renowned warrior tribes like the Pundir Rajputs of Telangana.
The Pundra dynasty and its rulers find adequate mention in the chronicles of the epic Mahabharata. The kingdom suffered defeat against Karna, Bhima and Arjuna. There are mythological references to Bhima’s conch that supposedly originated from Pundra and the Pundra rulers being one of the elite few to be called for the Pandava’s benefit by King Drupada prior to the battle of Kurukshetra.
Mauryan Empire
The state was a significant part of the empire of several eminent emperors of widespread territories. The renowned land of Magadha is one such kingdom in Bengal that was ruled by the monarchs of the Mauryan Empire. The obscure haze of ancient Indian history starts to fade from the 3rd century B.C. when we find records of the glorious Mauryan Empire ruled by the likes of legendary monarchs like Chandragupta Maurya and Ashoka. From around 6th century B.C., a large portion of Bengal was a part of the Magadha kingdom. Magadha was also one of the 16 Maha Janapadas that gained prominence as an established center of Buddhist learning and culture.
Alexander the Great along with his massive army invaded India in 326. B.C. Prior to his invasion, the great Mauryan emperor Chandragupta Maurya established the Mauryan dynasty around Magadha. Chanakya (kautilya), the famed advisor of Chandragupta Maurya records that the emperor’s conquests of the territories of the Nanda Empire and the Macedonian Seleucid Empire lead to the formation of the Mauryan Empire. Another noted Mauryan emperor, Ashoka, famed for his humanitarian philanthropy and attempts to propagate Buddhism throughout the country, was responsible for the empire’s tremendous expansion to cover South Asia, Persia and Afghanistan.
Senas
The province was once upon a time ruled by several ancient dynasties of which the Senas or the Sens deserves special mention. The rulers of the Sena dynasty spearheaded the administration of Bengal from 1097 to1225.A.D. The Sena rulers were a worthy successor of the Palas and their rule was a landmark of Bengal’s history. Vijayasena who founded the Sena dynasty is credited with the foresight and acumen of seizing the opportunity that presented itself during the revolt of the Samantachakra in Mahipala II’s reign. Gradually, the Senas became dominant in the Western fringes of Bengal and set up their independent kingdom during Madanapala’s tenure.
It is the descendents of the Sena monarch Samantasena who ruled over the territorial expanse of Bengal. His son Hemantasena, a feudal lord was accorded the honor of Maharajadhiraja and Rajaraksasudaksah for his ability to take care of the welfare of his people with ease. Vijayasena, who exploited the weak spots that marred the strength of the Pala kingdom and established the autonomous Sena rule within the state, succeeded Hemanatsena. His successor Vallalasena was responsible for the final blow to the glorious Pala Empire, which crumbled during his tenure. Vallalasena is also credited with the establishment of Kulisnism in Bengal. The reign of Lakshmanasena, a staunch believer of the Vaishnava teachings blossomed in cultural effervescence when several literary masterpieces were produced. Keshav Sena is said to be the last Sena ruler following which Muslim anarchy engulfed Bengal.
Mughals
It was under the Mughals that Bengal became a recognized commercial hub in the country. The Muslims established control of the domicile of Bengal during early 13th century. Three centuries down the line, the disorderly lawlessness that prevailed in the state during the anarchic Muslim rule gave way to the flourishing Mughal rule. The Muslim rulers established strong trading ties with the rest of the country as well as abroad and under their reign internal trade and commerce as well as maritime trade flourished in the state. It was a brainchild of the Mughal emperors who permitted the East India Company to establish trade links with India, a consequence of which was the nation’s subsequent colonization.
The ruling Mughal emperor granted his permission to the East India Company to conduct business at their own discretion provided they paid a yearly sum of Rs. 3000 to the Mughal government. It is an unfortunate tragedy, that as soon as the Mughals started gaining prominence in Bengal, the state was taken over the Portuguese, followed by the Dutch, Francha nd British traders.
¤ Modern History
Portuguese
The foreign traders who arrived in Bengal found its location conducive to trade and commerce and thus tried to establish control over the province. May 1578 was a landmark occasion in the history of Hugli, an erstwhile ganj. A team of foreigners led by Peodro Tavares sought Emperor Akbar’s permission to establish a Portuguese colony in Bengal. Akbar being a benevolent believer in all religions readily agreed and even conceded to their desire for practicing their own religion and building their own churches and cathedrals. As corollary to this, Hugli came up as a Portuguese colony in 1579 AD.
Dutch
The Dutch traders arrived in the Indian subcontinent and established their colony in the country’s premises. The first Dutch colony in India came up in the year 1608. The Dutch conquests began with their occupying Pulicat. This was followed by their rapid capture of Tuticorin, Negapatna, and Coromandel Coast. However, very soon the Dutch suffered a serious blow during the period spanning between 1795-1818 AD when the British took over all the established Dutch colonies. As a consolation prize, the territories bordering the Coromandel Coast were restored to Netherlands in 1818 AD.
French
The French like the other foreigners arrived in India to further their commercial interests and set up their industrial enterprises in the bustling lands of Bengal. In the year 1673, the French established their colony at Chandernagore or as the current name goes Chandannagar, having sought permission from Nawab Shaista Khan, the erstwhile Mughal governor of Bengal. Those were the French days of glory when all they touched turned to gold. In 1816, after the remarkable French victory against the renowned Napoleon Bonaparte, the five former colonies of Chandranagore, Puducherry, Karaikal, Mahe and Yanam and the loges at Machilipattnam, Kozhikode and Surat were restored to France.
In the year 1948, the French and Indian governments concurred to stage an election that would decide the political future of the French in India. On 2nd May 1950, Chandergore breathed the refreshing air of freedom as it was handed over to the Indian subcontinent. Five years hence, Chandernagore was consolidated with West Bengal on 2nd October 1955.
British
The East India Company arrived in India to set up a trading center in a country noted for its business potential. The efficacy of the East India Company’s rule in Bengal is questionable considering the number of deaths that occurred following the cataclysmic famine of 1770. The control of Bengal was passed on to the hands of British crown from that of the East India Company after the disaster following the Sepoy Mutiny of 1857, a rather unfortunate affair that sprung up at a Sepoy Mangal Pande’s initiative in Bengal’s Barrackpore.
When Queen Victoria was conferred the title of “Empress of India”, in the year 1877, Kolkata, formerly known as Calcutta was declared to be the capital of the British Raj. The oppressive British Rule in India prompted Bengal’s young revolutionaries to launch the Swadeshi movement where many young lives were sacrificed at the altar of freedom. However it is this path breaking movement of these martyr’s that eventually won India its much-desired freedom in 1947.
Independence
The Bengali youths and revolutionaries were actively involved in India’s freedom movement. Guided by the able leadership of visionaries of the likes of Chittranjan Das, S. N. Bannerjee, Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose, Prafulla Chaki, Khudiram Bose and Rashbehari Bose, the people of Bengal were stirred up in patriotic fervor and were unified in the cause of liberating their country from the tyrannical British Raj.
Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose played a vital role in challenging the British authority. He formed the Indian National Army and established a liaison with the axis powers lead by Adolph Hitler to free India. Muslim leaders like A. K. Fazlul Huq and Huseyn Shaheed Suhrawardy were noted for their active participation in liberating India. The Swadeshi movement commenced in Bengal and was a triumphant strategy to free India of the British Rule and boost the country’s fiscal profile. This movement found tremendous support and approval from the Father of the Nation, Mahatma Gandhi.
The political unrest within Bengal was a threat to the British government and this prompted Lord Curzon to take the initiative and partition Bengal. His plans however were met with great resistance and thus were abandoned. However India’s independence in 1947 was achieved at the cost of Bangladesh being snatched from Bengal and the Indian subcontinent and handed over to the newly formed Pakistan. The second partition of Bengal occurred in the 20th century in the year 1947. Bengal was divided into West Bengal in India and a Muslim region of East Bengal under Pakistan and it was renamed as East Pakistan in 1958. However, Bangladesh, too earned its freedom after the battle of 1971.
Post Independence
The post independence days in Bengal were in no way a smooth sailing affair for the state. However, the City of Joy, Kolkata is invincible. The state soon rose like a phoenix from the embers and tried to restore the state’s economy and industry with grace. The charming city has warmth of its own that can be felt while strolling down the streets. Although there is still a lot left to achieve, the urban metropolis has made tremendous headway in the economic front.
West Bengal’s administration is spearheaded by the Marxist Leninist group, the Communist Party of India (Marxist) from as early as the 60’s and 70’s. The party played a pivotal role in shaping Bengal’s future with their able rule and tolerant practices. The second partition of Bengal occurred in the 20th century in the year 1947. Bengal was divided into West Bengal in India and a Muslim region of East Bengal under Pakistan and it was renamed as East Pakistan in 1958.
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