This document summarizes the historical formation and geographic impacts on the ancient region of Dinajpur in Eastern Bengal. It discusses how the region was known by different names over historical periods under different rulers, including Kirat-bhumi, Pragjyotishpur, Pundravardhana, Kotivarsha, Mahasthangarh, Barind, Kamrupa-Kamta. Many cities were built and destroyed over time as the geography and boundaries changed. Dinajpur city was established in the late 18th century after the British defeated the last Muslim ruler and established their rule, making Dinajpur the headquarters of the new district they formed in Eastern India.

1. Histro-Geographic Impact and the Formation process of Ancient Dinajpur:
A Brief Historical Appraisal.
Kartick Chandra Barman
Assistant Professor in History
Krishna Chandra College
Hetampur * Birbhum
Email:barmankc@gmail.com
Mob: 9002218201
Abstract: Histro-geographical study for research has been started a long time ago.
Recently, the studies on regional history have started. Yet, most of the geographical
region remained out of research, especially in the North-Eastern India. Dinajpur is a
famous historic place in Eastern Bengal and it founds several ancient texts by different
historic names. The general history of Dinajpur has discussed by different scholars. But
the impacts of the historical geography of the region were not focused by any researcher.
The state and society are changes in accordance with the change of historical
geographical evaluation. Those reformative identities are not marked in historical
research. Any region of the world may be changed its area and bounday during the
historical timelines by some rulers. As a result, histro-geographical sources of the certain
region will be changed as well as the history of the region. The regional history creates
by the activities of the local people but often those are not getting in position in the study
of national history. But it is true that as the trends to increase for searching the regional
history, so the national history of a country will be fulfilled.
There were so many problems for urbanization during the ancient times.
So, the sign of cities has not found nearly a thousand years after the urbanization the
Indus valley civilization in the country. And from the second to the sixth century BC was
the beginning of urbanization. In the fourth century BC to the fourth century AD, was the
final stage of urbanization. Once upon a time, many of the cities were built under the
patronage of the ruler in different parts of present Dinajpur area. Most of those cities
were destroyed by any reason and the area has changed in geographically, but historical
names of those cities remains today. Gradually the culture and society of the region
became changed by the impact of histro-geographical evolution.

2. The Northern part of the region known as ‘Kirat-bhumi’ during the age of
Mahabharata. Subsequently, the north-eastern part of this region was known as
Pragjyotishpur and Pundravardhana, during the age of the Gupta Empire. Kotivarsha and
Mahasthangarh were two famous business centre of the Gupta period. Those old cities
were destroyed and there builds some new cities. Dinajpur area was known as Barind
during the Pala period and northern part of the region was known as Kamrupa-Kamta.
Some of the moving cities were originated during the Pala period and those were
destroyed. The region came to be known as the names of the cities instead of the vast
land. This sequence continues until the era of the Sultanate.
Bakhtyar Khilji captured the Barind land in 1206 and established his
capital at Devkot. Devkot was the first Muslim capital in eastern India. Riyaz-uddin
Giyash had transferred the Muslim capital from Devkot to Pandua. The geographical
changes have occurred in the region, with the historical changes. Sometimes the
geographical importance of that region had increased and sometimes reduced its
importance, as well as the changes of socio-cultural environment. The Greater Bengal
became divided into 24 Parganas of Sarkar s or Governments after the conquest of
Bengal by the Mughals. A person named Dinaraj, known as a descendents of the king,
Ganesh, took shelter near Ghorghat area during the reign of Akbar. Before his death, he
willed or powers of attorney all his properties in favour of Srimanta Dutta Choudhury.
After death of Srimanto Dutta Choudhury, all properties handed over to his grandson,
named Sukhdev Roy, who captured a vast area including Rangpur, Bagra, Malda,
Dinajpur and Thakurgaon Parganas etc. Aurangazeb, the Mughal Emperor had given to
him the title, ‘king’ as the vastness of his Zamindary Estate in 1677. His youngest son,
named Prannath had established Big Zamindary in wide area of Eastern Bengal.
In the subsequent, the region came to be known as Dinajpur by the name
of Dinaraj. Dinaraj was the founder of Dinajpur city. The British commander, named
Mr.Kottril during his East Bengal expedition, defeated to Karam Ali, the last Muslim
Fauzdar of Dinajpur and conquered the land of Dinajpur. He had soon established British
rule there in 1965 after took the Grand of Dewani by the Mughal Emperor. The British
Government had formed a new district to facilitate the better government in Eastern India

3. at the same time. The head-quarter of the new district was established at Dinajpur in
1793. From that time Dinajpur became flourished as an independent city in Eastern
Bengal. Later period, Dinajpur became more fragmented, during the rule of British in
India and after the partition of Bengal.

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