The History of Early Bengal

The exact origin of the word ‘Banga’ is not known, but it is believed to be derived from the Dravidian speaking tribe Bang that settled in the area around 1000BCE. The history of Bengal dates back to Stone Age, about 20,000 years ago. Also, the remnants of Copper Age settlements in Bengal are found that dates back to 4000 years.   The people of Bengal are not Indo-Aryan but Dasyus.

According to Mahabharata and a number of Puranas, Harivamsha Vanga, one of the adopted sons of King Vali founded the Vanga Kingdom. Mahabharata also suggests that ancient Bengal was divided among various tribes and kingdoms, including the Nishadas and the kingdoms called ‘Janapadas’ like Vanga (south Bengal), Pundra (north Bengal), Suhma (west Bengal), according to their respective totems. 

Bengal was also part of the Magadhan Empire under the Mauryans. After the Mauryans dynasties such as Gupta, Kanvas, Shunga and Mahameghavahanas ruled Bengal or part of it from time to time. Before the conquest of Samudragupta, Bengal was divided into two kingdoms – Pushkarana and Samatata. Gupta ruler Chandragupta II had defeated a confederacy of Vanga kings resulting in Bengal becoming part of the Gupta Empire. 

By the 6^th Century Gupta Empire had broken up. One of their Vassals, Shashanka proclaimed independence, unified the smaller principalities of Bengal Gaur, Vanga and Samatata and formed the Gauda Empire (590CE). He established a grand capital at Karnasubarna, present days Murshidabad.

By 750 the Gauda Empire was disintegrated paving the way for the formation of the first Buddhist dynasty led kingdom of Bengal by the Palas. Gopala I was the founder of the dynasty. He consolidated the whole of west and east Bengal, Assam and some neighbouring areas into a powerful kingdom by 750 CE.  He was succeeded by Devapala in 810CE whose rule along with the rule of his successor Dharmapala is considered to be the Golden Age of Bengal History.

The Pala Dynasty was succeeded by Senas. They brought Bengal under Oone rule after a long period of chaos in 12^th Century CE. Lakhshman Sena was the greatest among all Sena rulers. After this, Bengal came into the control of the Islamic rule.

In the present Bankura district, there rose a powerful kingdom of the Mallas from 7^th Century CE that continued even after the independence in 1947. The area was called Mallabhum. Their last king Kalipada Singha Thakur ascended the throne in 1930 and remained king until his death in 1983. 

Islam made its first appearance in Bengal during the 12^th Century CE, when Sufi missionaries arrived. In 1202, Bakhtiar Khalji conquered Bihar and Bengal after defeating Lakshman Sena, who turned into a Vassal of the Khiljis. It was during the 14^th Century CE that the Gauda kingdom was fully brought under the Delhi Sultanate. 

After this, before Bengal again passed into the hands of Delhi rulers, there was a rule of two dynasties in quick succession Illyas Shahi and Hussain Shahi. They were not able rulers and the governance was at stake and the socio-political integrity of Bengal was under severe crisis. By the time Hussain Shahi dynasty collapsed, Bengal passed into the hands of Sher Shah Suri and then permanently under the Mughal Empire from the times of Akbar. Mughal emperors Akbar, Jahangir, Shah Jahan and Aurangzeb placed high regards for the Bengal Province. 

During the rule of Bahadur Shah I, the Mughal Subehdar of Bengal Murshid Quli Khan led Bengal drift away from the control of Delhi rulers. He founded an independent kingdom in Bengal and took the title of Nawab. He renamed the capital Karnasubarna as Murshidabad. 

Thus started the rule of the Bengal Nawabs, who were ultimately defeated by the British in 1757 at Plassey and again at Buxar to establish their first colony in Bengal.