A Comprehensive History of India
Lecture – 7
January 22, 2012
History of Ancient Bengal
Maharaj Mukherjee
© 2012 Maharaj Mukherjee
Where is Bengal??
© 2012 Maharaj Mukherjee
Bengal and its Neighborhood States
BANGA:
West Bengal, Bangladesh, Tripura,
Part of Assam
ANGA:
Bihar, Part of West Bengal
KALINGA
Orissa,
© 2012 Maharaj Mukherjee
Bengali Language
Sanskrit - A reformed version of original Aryan Language
Magdhi – A Language Derived from Sanskrit
Bengali: Language
spoken in West
Bengal, Bangladesh
and Tripura (BANGA)
Bihari, Maithili,
Bhojpuri: Languages
spoken in Bihar
(ANGA)
Oriya: Language
spoken in Orissa
(KALINGA)
© 2012 Maharaj Mukherjee
Bengal Geography
• Bengal is formed by the two largest rivers of the world: Ganges and Bramhaputra
• Ganges Delta is the Largest River Delta in the World.
• The whole Bengal is interspersed with many rivers
• The rivers greatly influenced both the history and culture of Bengal
© 2012 Maharaj Mukherjee
Who are the Original Inhabitants of Bengal?
• The original inhabitants of Bengal are the
hunter gatherers
– They are living in Bengal for more than
20,000 years
– Many tribes (Santhal, Orao, Bheel, Munda)
living in Bengal, Bihar and Orissa belong to
the original hunter gatherers.
© 2012 Maharaj Mukherjee
The People of Bronze/Copper Age
• About 4000 years ago people in Bengal
started making weapons and artifacts in
bronze and copper
– They were possibly related to the Indus Valley
People
– As the Aryans pressed along from the North
Western India, Indus valley people started
moving east and possibly settled in Bengal.
© 2012 Maharaj Mukherjee
Bengal and Aryans
• For a long time Bengal was outside the part of
Aryan India or the Aryavarta.
• Aryans could not dominate the people in Bengal
for a long time.
• They called them by all kind of bad names
– Danava – Giants
– Dasyu – Thieves
– Pakshi Jati – The race of birds (People who talk a lot
??)
• Eventually Aryan influence spread to Bengal at
the end of age of Epics (Ramayana and
Mahabharata)
© 2012 Maharaj Mukherjee
Where did the word “Banga” come form?
• The exact origin is not known:
• Most reliable story:
– Banga is a race of the Dravidians
– Dravidians lived in India before the Aryans came in
– They are related to the people who lived in the Indus
Valley
– As the Aryans started coming in they slowly moved
East and South of India
– This story is supported by the Aryan Mythology that
Anga (Bihar), Banga and Kalinga (Orissa) were three
sons of the Vali, the king of the Danavas (Giants).
© 2012 Maharaj Mukherjee
Where did the word “Banga” come form?
• According to Islamic/Jewish Texts:
– Banga is a descendant of Nu-Ah or Noah
Noah’s Ark or Boat
• The word Noah is related to the word Nao (Bengali) or Nou (Sanskrit)
• The word itself mean “Boat”
• The Bengalis are known in the ancient history as “The Boat People”
• The Rivers and the Boats shaped the Bengali Life and History
• Aryans did not know how to use boats for a long time.
•
The Bengalis held against the Aryans and Other Indian Empires by
their knowledge of boats
© 2012 Maharaj Mukherjee
Bengal in the time of Epics
Bengal was divided into many kingdoms:
• Pundra Vardhana – King Vasudeva
• He claimed that he is Krishna
• Krishna from Mathura fought and killed him
• PragJyotisha – King Bhagadatta
• Fought on the side of the Kauravas
• Had many elephants in his force
• Magadha – King Jarasandha
• Also sided with the Kauravas
• Bhima killed him in a wrestling match
© 2012 Maharaj Mukherjee
Naval Exploits of Bengal
• Around 550 BC King Vijay Singha conquered
Lanka and Named it Sighala after his own name
• Many Bengali expeditions were sent to Eastern
Asia along Bay of Bengals and helped form East
Indian Countries such as Burma (Bramha), Siam
(Shayam), Kamboj (Kambu Dwipa), Java (Java
Dwipa).
• Most of these expeditions happened after 500
BC – when Aryans are well established
© 2012 Maharaj Mukherjee
Expansion of Indian Culture
Through Bengal after 500 BC
© 2012 Maharaj Mukherjee
Buddhism and Jainism in Bengal
• Similar to the Aryan Culture – Buddhism and
Jainism had to face a lot of initial resistance in
Bengal
• According to Jain stories – Mahavira faced a lot
of local resistance in Bengal.
• According to Buddhist stories – Emperor
Shashanka of Bengal uprooted the Bodhi tree
• However slowly Buddhism became part of the
Bengali identity
• Buddha became same as Shiva in many rural
Bengali temples
© 2012 Maharaj Mukherjee
Buddha and Shiva
The story of Buddha-Shiva or Bura-Shiva
© 2012 Maharaj Mukherjee
Temple of Buddha Shiva
• Temple of Buddha-Shiva or
Bura-Shiva, Burdwan district
• There are many such temples
all over rural Bengal
• Typically these temples
celebrate Buddha’ s Birthday
with a lot of fan fare.
• The first Full Moon Day in
April
© 2012 Maharaj Mukherjee
In Short:
• Bengali culture is a mixture of original huntergatherers, Dravidian and Aryan culture
• Boats and Rivers have a strong influence in
Bengali History and identity
• Though influenced by the rest of the India,
Bengali culture has come out to have its own
identity
• Next – We will start how Bengal started
influencing the rest of the Indian history.
© 2012 Maharaj Mukherjee
Review for the Mid Term
© 2012 Maharaj Mukherjee
Quiz
• What does the word History mean?
– His Story
• When did history happen?
– It is still happening
• Why do we study Indian History?
– To understand our culture as well as US history
• What is the address of India?
– The country that is south of the Himalayas and the North of the
Ocean is called India
• What is the most important month in Indian History?
– November
© 2012 Maharaj Mukherjee
Quiz
• Where did the first human come from?
– Africa
• What kind of people were the first inhabitants of India?
– Hunter Gatherers
• Where did the first human civilization start?
– The Fertile Crescent in Turkey/Iraq
• Where did the first civilization start in India?
– The Indus Valley
• When did the first human civilization start in India?
– About 5000 years back
• Give One Reason why People Migrate
– Basic Needs and Pursuit of Happiness
© 2012 Maharaj Mukherjee
Quiz
• Did the Aryans called themselves as
Hindus?
– No – the other Aryans/Iranians called them
Hindus
• What were the four division of labors?
– Priests, Soldiers, Traders, Farmers
• Name one important Aryan literature
– Vedas, Upanishads
© 2012 Maharaj Mukherjee
Quiz
• What are the main epics of India
– Ramayana and Mahabharata
• Where did the Aryans lived at the time of
Ramayana
– Mostly in Northern India
• When did the concept of India develop:
Ramayana time or Mahabharata time?
– Mahabharata time
• What is the style of writing for Mahabharata
– Prose style
© 2012 Maharaj Mukherjee
Quiz
• Name two religions of peace in India
– Jainism and Buddhism
• What brought in the religions of peace
– Ritualism and Untouchability
• Who was the main leader of Buddhism
– Buddha
• Name one leader of Jainism
– Mahavira
• How many vows are there in Jainism? Name one.
– Five
• How many basic tenets are in Buddhism? Name One
– Eight:
© 2012 Maharaj Mukherjee
Quiz
• What was the first empire of the World?
– The Persian Empire
• Who vanquished the Persian Empire and Built a Greek
Empire in its Place?
– Alexander
• How far did the Persian and the Greek Empire extend
to?
– From the Indus Valley to Greece
• Who founded the Maurya Empire?
– Chandra Gupta Maurya
• Who is the most influential emperor of Indian History?
– Ashoka Priya Darshi
• What is the grand seal of India?
– Ashoka Stambha or the Piller of Ashoka
• What is in the Center of the Indian Flag?
– The Dharma Chakra or the Ashoka Chakra
© 2012 Maharaj Mukherjee
Quiz
1.
When did the Golden Age Happen?
•
2.
0 – 400 AD
Why is it called the Golden Age?
•
3.
Because of developments in science, art, literature, engineering
What was the contribution of Arya Bhatta in Science?
•
4.
Show that Earth moves around the Sun
Who wrote Shakuntala?
•
5.
Kalidasa
Where did the Shaka-s come from?
•
6.
Caucasian regions
What is the Silk Route?
•
7.
Ancient trade route extending from China to Europe through Asia
Name one of the Shaka Emperor
•
8.
Kanishka
Name One of the Gupta Emperors
•
9.
Chandra Gupta, Samudra Gupta, Kumara Gupta
How did the Golden Age end
•
Outside attacks by Huns
© 2012 Maharaj Mukherjee
Quiz
• Where is Bengal?
– In Eastern India
• Where is the world’s largest river delta?
– Ganges Delta in Bengal
• Who are the original inhabitants of Bengal?
– Hunter Gatherers
• What shaped the Bengali history and culture?
– Rivers and the Boats
• What does the word Banga mean in Islamic and Jewish
books?
– Children of Noah
• Where did the word Banga come from?
– An ancient Dravidian tribes.
© 2012 Maharaj Mukherjee