SOURCES FOR WRITING HISTORY OF

ANCIENT BENGAL
•
“History is based on sources”
•Constructing/re-constructing history of
ancient Bengal is very difficult mainly
because of the paucity of sources
•Available sources mainly focuses on
King and/or religion
•Society and/or people are missing???
MAJOR SCHOOL OF THOUGHTS

Before addressing sources of history, we need to know

some major school of thoughts of history of India in
general and Bangladesh in particular. These are:
 Nationalist Historiography

 Marxist Historiography

 Subaltern Historiography

 Cambridge / British Historiography

NATIONALIST HISTORIOGRAPHY
 Nationalist approach in Indian and Bangladesh History
was taken to means as a motivating force of national
awakening and made use of to inspire patriotic feelings;
 National pride played a big role in providing inspiration
to common people and historical consciousness began to
grow steadily as never before;
 Reinterpretation(s) of History: ‘The Revolt of 1857’
renamed as the first ‘Indian War of Independence’; Siraj
ud Daula: A hero?
NATIONALIST HISTORIOGRAPHY

 Methodological weakness
 “In order to prove his thesis Jayaswal employed a large
range of sources, but used them in a manner of a
barrister trying to win a favourable judgment,
emphasizing every passage which tended to support his
case, and interpreting it in the most favourable light,
while virtually ignoring the evidence which went against
him.”
MARXIST HISTORIOGRAPHY

 The centrality of social class and economic constraints in

determining historical outcomes are the key aspects of
Marxist Historiography.
 Analysis of explanation in terms of economic production
and social classes have become basic tenets in historical
construction.
 It also known as Historical Materialism.

 Far less narrative and descriptive and more explanatory

and interpretative;
 Interdisciplinary methods are widely used
MARXIST HISTORIOGRAPHY

 Broadening the scope of history (from the state to

society; from statesmen and soldiers to the people)
 Critique of Western understanding
SUBALTERN HISTORIOGRAPHY
 Subaltern Historiography focuses more on what happens
among the masses at the base levels of society than
among the elite.
 A historiography of protest???

 It challenges of both a) colonial or British Imperialist

Historiography b) Indian nationalist historiography; and
termed as elitist approach
 Guha asserts that parallel to elite politics, there was a
domain of people’s politics in which the principle actors
were the subaltern classes and groups constituting the
mass of the population.
CAMBRIDGE/BRITISH
HISTORIOGRAPHY
 The main tenets of the Cambridge School of
Historiography is to study British Empire using the
imperialist point of view.
Previously,
 Indology and the recovery of Indian history

 Study of ancient text and documents : Colebrooke and

Max Muller
 Discovery and study of old inscriptions, monuments and
coins: Prinsep and Cunningham
 British Imperialist Historians

 The British Imperialist administrator historian

KEY CHARACTERISTICS
 Western assumption regarding India’s past is that
 A static, unchanging society

 Oriental despotism

 Justification for the continuance of British rule

 Dominance of the political element (not social or

cultural; benevolence of British conquest and
benevolence should continue)
PERIODIZATION OF THE HISTORY OF
BANGLADESH

Mainly three categories:

 Ancient Bengal (upto 1204)
 Medieval Bengal (1204-1757)
 Modern Bengal (1757- )
WHY IS THERE LACK OF HISTORICAL
CHRONICLES IN ANCIENT BENGAL??

 The absence of historical chronicles in ancient Bengal

can not be explained by stating that later invaders
destroyed them wholesale.

 It was more than that...

 Are we interested to preserve our own history even

today?
TWO TYPES OF SOURCES:
1. Archaeological sources
2. Literary sources
ARCHAEOLOGICAL SOURCES

 Due to lack of literary sources, archaeological sources

are vital for historians in reconstructing our ancient
history;
 Archaeological sources include:

 Inscriptions

 Ruins of cities

 Monasteries

 Sculptures

 Terracotta plaques, other terracotta objects, and

pottery
ARCHAEOLOGICAL SOURCES:
 “Inscription have been given the first place in the list
because they are on the whole the most important and
trust worthy source of our knowledge.” - Vincent Smith

 The copper plate inscriptions and prasastis (eulogies)

composed by royal court poets, archivists and
genealogists are piece of historical writings;
ARCHAEOLOGICAL SOURCES

 A large number of inscriptions are found

 Written in Sanskrit

 Divided in two broad categories: official and private

 The official records are mostly Prassastis of kings or

land grants
 Deopara inscription of VijayaSena is such an example
ARCHAEOLOGICAL SOURCES

 Deopara inscription was written by court poet

Umapatidhara;
 Land grants

 Copper plate and in rare instances also found on

stone pillars
 What does it tell us?
ARCHAEOLOGICAL SOURCE

 The Khalimpur Copper Plate is another famous

inscription that tells us about several Pala such
as:
A) Devapala
B) Rampala
C) Dharmapala
D) Mahipala I
ARCHAEOLOGICAL SOURCE

Coins
 The symbol of sovereignty ????
 Very basic information such as the name of a
king, place, date, religion, relationship with other
king/emperor;
 Trade; basically economic history...
COINS
 Punch marked coins
 Cast copper coins

 Imitation coins
ANCIENT BENGAL
 Maurya Period (3rd Century BC)
 -- Mahasthangarh, Bogra

 -- Brahmi inscription suggests strong administration,

relief system (distribution of paddy and money)
 -- First urban settlement

 -- Arthasastra of Kautilya: fine cotton fabric

 -- Thus famous muslin of Dhaka in 16th and 17th

century is datables to Maurya period.
MATERIAL REMAINS

 Ithelps to understand everyday life (mostly elite

people???)
 Economic and military strength of a kingdom

 Religious belief

 Material remains can be found in the shape of

the ruins of ancient cities, terracotta plaques,
sculptures and articles of everyday use.
MATERIAL REMAINS
Some archaeological
sites in Bangladesh
are:
 Mahasthangarh

 Paharpur

 Mainamoti

 Somapura vihara
and the like.
WRITTEN SOURCES
 Literature
 Overseas account

 Documents

Literature:
a) Vedas, Mahabharata and Ramayana
b) Kautilya’s Arthasastro
c) Kalahan’s Rajatarangini
ARTHASHASTRA OF KAUTILYA

 Written in 3rd century BC

 Refers to the fine cotton fabric of Vanga (south-
eastern Bengal); beauty of women; and climate
LITERATURE
 Shandhyakaranandi’s Ramcharitam (1159 AD)
 Aryamanjusrimulakalpa (8th Century AD)

 Subhashita-ratna-kosa (the treasury of well-turned

verses); edited by Biddakar/Sen
 Saduktikarnamatra (Excellent sayings which are nectar
for human hearing)/ edited by Sri Dhar Das/Sen
 AryaSaptasati of Goverdhana Acharya
LITERATURE
Overseas Account:

Greek and Latin Sources (3rd century BC - 1st century AD)

 Gangaridae (Greek)
 Gangaridai' (Latin)
 located in parts of southern and southeastern Bengal,
adjacent to the mouths of the Ganges (Bhagirathi and
Padma )
PTOLEMY

 Greek Astronomer, Mathematician and

Geographer

 His book was Indica

 Refersto a rich port named Tamralipti now in

present Tamluk of West Bengal
DETAIL OF EAST AND SOUTHEAST ASIA IN PTOLEMY'S WORLD
MAP. GULF OF THE GANGES (BAY OF BENGAL) LEFT, SOUTHEAST
ASIAN PENINSULA IN THE CENTER, SOUTH CHINA SEA RIGHT,
WITH "SINAE" (CHINA).
LITERATURE
Overseas Account
 Fa-Hien (399 AD)

 Hiuen- Tsang (c 630-638 AD)

 Ibn Batuta (1338-1349 AD)

 Lama Taranath (c 1608 AD)

Fairy tales/Hearsay/Strories
HOW DID WE GET THE NAME BANGLADESH ?

Earliest References to Bengal :

1. Bangladesh

2. Bangla

3. Bengal

4. Bengala

5. Bangala

6. Vanga

7. Vangal

Names of same geographical location as of present

Bangladesh
ANCIENT BENGAL
 Maurya Period (3rd Century BC)
 -- Mahasthangarh, Bogra

 -- Brahmi inscription suggests strong administration,

relief system (distribution of paddy and money)
 -- First urban settlement

 -- Arthasastra of Kautilya: fine cotton fabric

 -- Thus famous muslin of Dhaka in 16th and 17th

century is datables to Maurya period.
ANCIENT BENGAL
 Gupta Period (4th century AD)
-- Imperial rulers e.g., Samudragupta
-- Benevolent government and political stability.
-- Bengal became an imp. Province
-- Sea trade within India and outside India,
shipbuilding.
-- Fa-Hsien visited Bengal.
-- Brahmin rulers patronised Buddhism.
ANCIENT BENGAL
Janapadas :
For 1000 years between 600 BC - 400 AD Bengal was
politically divided into several Janapadas or
principalities

 Pundravardhana : Mahasthangarh – Bogra

 Varendra : Rajshahi - North Bengal

 Vanga : Mymensingh - Dhaka - Faridpur - Barisal

up to the Brahmaputra river
ANCIENT BENGAL

Vangal : Probably southern part of Vanga

near the sea
Samatata : Lalmai - Comilla including
Tripura & Noakhali
Harikel : Chittagong – Sylet up to Comilla
Gaur : South of Murshidabad - Maldaha --
probably it included Birbhum & Burdwan
too
Sumha - Radh : West Bengal
ANCIENT BENGAL

 Sasanka

-- First independent king of Gaur

-- Capital at Karnasubarna (Murshidabad)
-- Ruled from end of 6th / beginning of 7th century
to 650.
-- Hsuen Tsang depicted Sasanka as anti-Buddhist.
-- Invaded Magadha (Southern Bihar) and
forerunner of aggressive policy followed by
Dharmapala.
ANCIENT BENGAL

Matsanayam
 period of anarchy between 650 – 750;

 Following the century, after the death of Sasanka, Bengal

saw very little of stable government and the whole
country was torn by internal strife and disturbed by
invasions from outside.
 This found mention in the Pala records as state of
matsyanyaya
MATSANAYAM

 Matsanayam denotes, according to Kautiliya, “When the

law of punishment is kept in abeyance, it gives rise to
such disorder as is implied in the proverb of fishes, i.e.,
the larger fish swallows a small one, for in the absence
of a magistrate, the strong will swallow the weak.”

 Sources to construct history: Khalimpur copper plate and

the account of Lama Taranatha
ANCIENT BENGAL
Pala Dynasty (750-1097)

-- Founder Gopala,18 kings ruled for 400 years.

-- End of Matsanyayam
-- Golden age of Buddhism
-- Invasion towards North India by Dharmapala
-- Somepur Mahabihara,Paharpur, Rajshahi
-- Religious tolerance, art and sculpture
PALA DYNASTY
1. Gopala-I (c 756-781 AD)
2. Dharmapala(781-821)
3. Devapala (821-861)
4. Vigrahapala-I (861-866)
5. Narayanpala (866-920)
6. Rajyapala(920-952)
7. Gopala-II9952-969)
8. Vigrahapala-II (969-995)
9. Mahipala-I (995-1043)
10. Nayapala-I (1043-1058)
PALA DYNASTY
11. Vigrahapala-III (1058-1075)
12. Mahipala-II (1075-1080)
13.Surepala (1080-1082)
14. Ramapala (1082-1124)
15. Kumarapala (1124-1129)
16. Gopala III (1129-1143)
17. Madanpala (c.1143-1162AD)
GOLDEN AGE ???
 The long reign of the Palas form a glorious period in the
history of ancient Bengal.
 The dynasty ruled for about four hundred years, a rarity
in the annals of dynastic history.
 The achievements of Bengal during this long period are
indeed the glories of the Palas. Widespread empire,
organised administrative system, ruling policy oriented
towards welfare of the people, unprecedented excellence
in the field of arts and cultivation of knowledge and
literatureall these are the achievements and glories of the
Pala dynasty.
 “In the beginning of the ninth century the Palas
succeeded in spreading their sphere of influence up to
Kanauj, if not over the whole of northern India, and this
was Bengal’s first successful involvement in the politics
of northern India. Though their hegemony in northern
India did not last long, but it must be said that the power
and strength that was generated during the early years of
Pala rule, allowed them to hold their own against the
aggressions of the northern Indian powers in the 10th
and 11th centuries AD.”
PALA EMPIRE (DHARMAPALA)
 “The brightest aspect of Pala glories was manifest in the
field of different arts. Distinctive achievements are seen
in the arts of architecture, terracotta, sculpture and
painting. The SOMAPURA MAHAVIHARA at
PAHARPUR, a creation of Dhamapala, proudly
announces the excellence of the architectural art
achieved in the Pala period. It is the largest Buddhist
Vihara in the Indian subcontinent and the plan of its
central shrine was evolved in Bengal. In the Nalanda
inscription of Vipulasrimitra it has been described as
jagatam netraikavishrama bhu (pleasing to the eyes of
the world).”
PALA ART WORKS
SOMAPURA MAHAVIHARA, PAHARPUR
 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dBgdvipHmn4
ANCIENT BENGAL

Sena Dynasty (1097-1225)

-- Founder Vijayasena defeating Palas.5 generation
of kings e.g.,Vallalsena, Laksmansena
-- Sanskrit literature (Gitagovinda by Joydeb)
-- Caste system by Vallalsena.
-- Religious intolerance,Hindu orthodoxy, decline
of Buddhism
ANCIENT BENGAL
Dynasties of Southeastern Bengal

-- Maintained separate political entity despite attempts to

intrusion.
-- Bhadra, Khadga dynasties existed in 7th century.
-- Deva dynasty was established in Mainamati-
Lalmai area in 8th century.
-- Harikela was ruled by Chandra rulers in 9th
century, evidence of sea trade, boat building etc
found.
THE SEN RULERS

 Hemanta Sen (c. 1070–1096 AD)

 Vijay Sen (c. 1096–1159 AD)

 Ballal Sen (c. 1159–1179 AD)

 Lakshman Sen (c. 1179–1206 AD)

 Vishwarup Sen (c. 1206–1225 AD)

 Keshab Sen (c. 1225–1230 AD)

Thank you

Farhana Afroz
Senior Assistant Professor
Bangladesh Studies Course