Cooch Behar, 22 slides

1. A journey to CITY OF BEAUTY (
COB.). Part III
Tusar Kanti Ghosal M.Sc Ph.D Email: drtkghosal@gmail.com
Published: 09.01.2019
COOCH BEHAR was a Princely
State ruled by the feudal
Koch Kings until 20th
August, 1949;
Thereafter, COOCH BEHAR
was merged with INDIA in
19th January, 1950, and
was identified as a
district of West Bengal, India.

2. Evolution of KOCH dynastry
KOCH BIHAR
MECH KOCH
KOCH HAJO KHASPUR
BELTOLA
BIJNI DARRANG

3. GEOGRAPHY OF Koch HAJO
After the death of king Nara Narayan in 1584, the Koch kingdom was divided into Koch
Behar and Koch Hajo. Koch Behar was ruled by Naranayan's son Lakshmi Narayan and Koch
Hajo, which covers large parts of present-day Assam, was ruled by Chilarai's son Raghu
Narayan.
Capital Hajo

4. The vast Koch Kingdom included Goalpara, North Kamrup, a
portion of the former Darrang district and also the present
Mangaldoi subdivision of Assam. However, the dynasty came under
the occupancy of the Mughals from 1639 to 1658.
The ancient town of Hajo is around 24 km from Guwahati. It was
once the capital of the Koch Dynasty, established by Raghudev (the
son of legendary Koch hero Chilarai and nephew of the Kochbehar
king, Narayana).

5. Presently in Sibsagar, Assam a mighty dynasty of rulers known as
the Ahoms (Tai) reigned supreme as an invincible power for 600
years, until the British annexed the region in 1826. The then 129-
acre artificial tank called the Sibsagar Lake are the archaeological
remains, palaces, and temples of the Ahoms, now being preserved
as national protected monuments.

7. RAJBARI OF KHAPUR AT SILCHOR, A ROYAL KOCH HERITAGE

9. Synonyms of Cooch Behar
Pragjotish : Ref: “Ramayana”, “Mohabharata”, “Haribangsa”, “Brahma”,”Brahmanda”, “Bayu o
Matso”.
Kamrup : Ref: “Joginitantra”, “Kalikapuran”.
Koch-badhupur : Ref: “Brahmabaibarto Puran”, “Melbidhi” by Debibor Misra.
Koch-bhumi : Ref: “Kamrup Sasonaboli”
Koch : Ref: Ralf Fitch 1558; Partugrisee Tourist Stefen Casila
Kamta : Ref: “Markendeyo Puran” of Pitambar Sidhanta Bagis; King Prano
Narayan and King Modh Narayan referred them as “kamtewar”).
Koch-Bihar or Koch-Hajo : Ref: “Batsahonam”a and “Sahojahanama”.
Bihar: Ref: “Rajopakhan” of Biswanath Das; map of Major James Renol.
Behar : Ref: W.W.Hunter.
Koch-Behar or Cooch Behar : Ref: “Biswakosh”; Declaration of Koch Behar
Dianastry,1896; Histotorian Ramesh Chandra Majumder, “Rajkahini” of Biswanath Das,1999.

10. Koch Kingdom
The huge Koch Kingdom was divided as Koch Behar (Koch Kamata)
and Koch Hajo (Kamrup) between Biswa Singha’s sons and
grandsons in 1581. Koch Hajo became Bijni (Assam) along with two
more small Koch principalities namely, Darang and Beltola (both in
Assam). The Raikot family, descendant of Biswa Singha’s brother
Siva Singha, continued to rule Baikunthpur (Jalpaiguri in West
Bengal). Two more Koch States emerged parallel to the main Koch
state, Panga (now in Bangladesh) and Sidli (Assam).

11. Cooch Behar (Koch Bihar) was ruled by Rajbanshi. The eastern
portion, Koch Hajo, was absorbed by Ahom. The western portion,
Koch Bihar, formed a separate unit that came under direct
challenge by the Mughal Empire. After that, a new foe emerged in
the form of an expansionist Bhutanese kingdom. After a series of
wars with the Bhutanese and Tibetans, the Koch Bihar court
decided to invite British intervention. This came in the form of
military assistance that acting in concert with Koch Bihar forces
ended the Northern challenge once and for all.
Old Cooch Behar Palace damaged New Cooch Behar Place

12. Rajbongshi language
Chilaroy
Rajbongshi language it is also known as desi bhasa, or bhuwia language. In Goalpara they
call it goalparia bhasa. They believe in sacred hood where by foreign elements does not
have access to observe the rituals and customs being practiced from ancient times.
The term ‘Rajbanshi’ came into
existence from Biswa Singha’s period as
a section of the common Koches
started calling themselves Rajbanshi or
the royal descendents. Once Biswa
Singha consolidated power, a strong
wave of Brahminical Hinduism entered
the Koch administration and royal
families. With this, their Tibeto-Burman
tongue and traditions were mostly lost.
Noticeably, majority of the Koches had
decided to shift from a matrilineal
tradition to a patriarchal set up.

13. Chilarai was the third son of Maharaja Biswa
Singha (1523-1554 A.D.). His mother Padmavati
was from the country called Gour.
Chila Roy was the younger brother of Nara narayan, the king of the
Kamta Kingdom the 16th century. He was Nara Narayan's
commander-in-chief and he got his name Chilarai because his
movement as a general was as fast as a chila ( Kite).
© T K Ghosal

14. Chilarai was instrumental in
giving Srimanta
Sankardev protection and
shelter, as well as marrying
his niece Kamalapriya (alias
Bhubaneswari).
His son and grandson were
responsible for breaking
away of Koch Hajo from the
parent Kamta kingdom.
Chilarai died in 1577 of small
pox on the bank of Ganges.
Shukladhwaj or Chilarai (1510 – 1571 AD)
© T K Ghosal

15. The homelands of Koch Rajbongshi people community is
one of the primitive community of the Koch Rajbongshi Kingdom being
ruled by the prises their ancient Kamtapur Kingdom, Koch Kingdom,
Kamarupa Kingdom. They inhibit in entire Assam, northern parts of West
Bengal, Nepal, Meghalaya and Bangladesh.
They speak rajbongshi language it is also known as desi bhasa, or
bhuwia language, in Goalpara they call it goalparia bhasa. They believe in
sacred hood where by foreign elements does not have access to observe
the rituals and customs being practiced from ancient times.
Koch Rajbongshi people stay very close to the nature. Usually every Koch Rajbonshi
House have Mango Tree, Jackfruit tree and a Small Kitchen Garden, with a small Pond. It is
a Tradition for Koch Rajbonshi Men to go for Hunting in the wild. They have there ancient
tradition of treatment which is not very well know to the modern medicine world.

16. Nara Narayan was son of Biwa Singha. The huge Koch
Kingdom was divided as Koch Behar (Koch-Kamata) and
Koch-Hajo (Kamrup) between the rule of Biswa Singha’s
sons and grandsons till 1581. Perhaps all kings after Nara
Narayan used their title as Narayan.

17. Nilkuthi Palace was damaged and ruined. Nilkuthi 2 is preently residence of D.M.
Nilkuthi House No 1
Maharajkumar Indrajit Palace

18. Gate No 2 of Rajbari Palace
(Near Sagardighi North-West side)
© T K Ghosal

19. Judicial Secretariat of Koch Behar
• Judicia
Old, during British era
New, re-constructed after 1971
© T K Ghosal

21. REFERENCES
• Barma Sukhobilas. 2006. Lokosangite Cooch Behar. Paschim
Bango. 39(12):303-308.
• Sanyal Soven. 2006. Cooch Behar kichu katha, kichu itihas.
Alipurduar Nature Club. Alipurduar Court. W.B. India
• Pal Nripendranath .1987. Coochbeharer itihas (History of Cooch
Behar).
• Das Biswanath.1985. Coochbeharer Purakirtee Sangraho. Nath
Publishing, Kolkata.
• Durgadas Majumder.1977. West Bengal District Gazetteer- Koch
Bihar.
• Khan Chowdhury Amanatullya.1936. Cooch Beharer Itihas (Part I).
• Choudhury Harendra Narayan . 1903. The Cooch Behar State and
its Land revenue Settlements.
• www.coochbehar.nic.in

22. Dedicated to my didi (sister in law)
Sushree Mitra (Dasgupta)
Her contribution in the field of home science and Psychology will ever remain.
Type locality: Jalpaiguri, India Habitat: Garia, Kolkata
Education: Jalpaiguri Govt. School, P.D. Women's College,
University of North Bengal, Jadavpur University
Profession: Psychological counselor
Entrance in the Earth: 1963
Heavenly abode: 20th Nov.2018