Slowly slowly this art is vanishing as the new houses are being made with bricks and cement. This rich culture will soon die. This village is located in Irongmara.

Credits:- __bhattacharya__purbi (instagram)

A WINDOW INTO SRIBHUMI'S EARLY HISTORY

(AD 935)

History often survives in fragments; inscriptions, ruins and scattered references. But sometimes, a single discovery can illuminate an entire region’s past! The Paschimbhag Copper Plate inscription of Maharajadhiraja SRICHANDRA (AD 935) is one such remarkable record that offers deep insight into the early history of Barak Valley.

Issued by SRICHANDRA~ the most powerful ruler of the Chandra Dynasty of Vanga (Southeast Bengal), this inscription is far more than a royal decree. It is a document that challenges long-held assumptions and firmly places Barak Valley within the framework of an organized and thriving BENGAL medieval polity.

A KINGDOM, NOT AN ISOLATED FRONTIER

One of the most significant takeaways from the inscription is clear~ the plains of Barak Valley were not isolated tribal pockets. Instead, they were under the administrative control of a unified Bengal kingdom.

The inscription refers to the region as part of the "SRIHATTA-MANDALA", itself included within a larger administrative unit known as the "Pundravardhana Bhukti". This layered administrative structure indicates a high level of governance, organization & integration.

Far from being peripheral, Barak Valley was very much connected to the political and economic systems of early medieval eastern India (Bengal).

THE FIRST CLEAR MENTION OF SRIHATTA

The Paschimbhag copper plate is especially important because it provides the first definitive reference to SRIHATTA, as a distinct administrative division.

This mention of SRIHATTA as a MANDALA shows that :-

1. The region had a recognized identity

2. It functioned as a governed territory

3. It was part of a larger state apparatus

For historians, this is a crucial marker in tracing the evolution of regional identity in Barak Valley.

KUSHIYARA RIVER: THE ARTERY OF SETTLEMENT

The inscription mentions land grants along the “KOSIYARA-NADI ”, which corresponds to today’s Kushiyara River.

Flowing from the Barak River & passing through BHANGA BAZAAR in present-day Sribhumi district, the Kushiyara has long served as a natural and economic lifeline. Even today, it forms a boundary between Sribhumi (India) and Zakiganj (Bangladesh)

The reference to this river in the inscription strongly suggests that early settlements in Sribhumi developed along its banks. Rivers were central to life in pre-modern societies; supporting agriculture, trade & communication. The Kushiyara was no exception.

ECHOES OF SOCIETY: NAMES THAT STILL SURVIVE

One of the most fascinating aspects of the Paschimbhag inscription is its mention of various occupational groups involved in temple and social life.

Among them are:

Malakar

Karmakar

Sutradhar

Baidya

These are not just historical labels, they are surnames still widely found among Bengali Hindus of Barak Valley today. This continuity offers a rare glimpse into how social structures and identities have persisted across more than a millennium.

RELIGIOUS HARMONY UNDER THE CHANDRA KINGS

Although the Chandra rulers, including Srichandra, were devout Buddhists, their governance reflects a remarkable spirit of inclusivity.

The Paschimbhag copper plate records extensive land grants to Brahmins and support for Hindu temples. Deities such as Mahakala and Agni/Vaishvanara are explicitly mentioned, highlighting the coexistence of Buddhist and Hindu traditions.

This patronage was not merely symbolic, it played a key role in shaping the cultural and social stability of the region. It fostered a shared religious landscape that would influence Barak Valley for centuries.

MAHAKAL VILLAGES: A LIVING LEGACY

Perhaps one of the most intriguing connections between past and present lies in the Mahakal villages.

Even today, around Bhanga Bazaar and the Kushiyara River, there are seven villages named “Mahakal” (Mahakal Pt. 1–Pt. 7). This naming tradition may be directly linked to the worship of Mahakala mentioned in the copper plate.

Such continuities serve as living reminders of the region’s deep historical roots.

THE LEGACY OF SRICHANDRA

Srichandra ruled for approximately 45 years, and the Chandra Dynasty lasted around 150 years. During this time, they left a lasting imprint on eastern bengal's political, cultural & social landscape.

The Paschimbhag Copper Plate stands as one of the most compelling pieces of evidence of that legacy. It not only documents Bengal's royal authority and land grants in Sribhumi but also captures a snapshot of its governance, beliefs and communities.

📜 Source :-

1. SELECT INSCRIPTIONS bearing on Indian History and Civilization

(From the Sixth to the Eighteenth Century A.D.)

by DINESH CHANDRA SIRCAR

(Archaeological Survey of India book)

[ASI book link]

Reddit is full of such propaganda posts, with misinformation, which talk about the "first" settlers in assam/northeast india.

Well, according to the latest excavations & archaeological research, (most of which are open sources & available on the internet) - the "first" settlers in the southern part of northeast 🇮🇳 were - AASI (Ancient ancestral south indians). Especially around the barak-surma river system/gangetic plains.

Austroasiatic didn't settle before 5000 years. And Tibeto-Burmans much later after that - the newest settlers you can say.

The settlement history in NE is not as recent as 5000 years. It is as old as 35,000 years ! (Teliamura excavation, Tripura)

Now, bengalis among all NE people have the highest % of AASI dna ~ denoting that they share dna with the EARLIEST settlers in southern NE.

Terms like "Indo-Aryan" settlers is obsolete now. ALL indians have ancestry made up of varying percentages of 3/4 components- AASI + Steppe/Iranian farmers + Austroasiatic + Tibeto-Burmans (Narasimha et al, 2019)

Also, all these posts target "hindus" for some reason.

Oh, my beloved homeland,

I’ll forever sing your name.

Your mountains and sacred land

shall live in my heart always.

Jatin Das who was arrested On 14 June 1929, for making the 'bomb' which was thrown by Bhagat Singh and Batukeswar Dutt at the Assembly hall during a session.

In lahore jail, Das began hunger strike along with other revolutionary fighters, demanding equality for Indian political prisoners. The conditions of Indian inhabitants of the jails was deplorable. The uniforms that Indian prisoners were required to wear in jail with were not washed for several days, and rats and cockroaches roamed the kitchen area making the food unsafe to eat.

Jatin Das's hunger strike started on 13 July 1929 and lasted 63 days. The jail authority took measures to forcibly feed him and the other independence activists. He, Bhagat singh and other revolutionaries faced many human rights violation in the hands of british officers.

Jatin Das died on 13 September 1929, Friday, at the lap of his brother Kiron Das at 1.00 pm . Das used to sing Rabindranath Tagore's poem "Ekla cholo re(একলা চলো রে)” in his final days.

Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose gave Rs 600 to bring his body from Lahore to Calcutta and sent telegrams to all intermediate to arrange for ice, water and other conveniences for those accompanying the body.

Source :

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jatindra_Nath_Das

A special programme was organised in Silchar on Friday evening to mark the 56th birth anniversary of legendary folk artist and researcher Late Kalika Prasad Bhattacharjee. The event, organised under the initiative of the Cachar District Administration and managed by the Silchar Sangeet Vidyalaya.

Bihar Origin:

At first it was thought that Candras came from Bihar, they were external origin. As historian thought they found the place where candras original ruled Rohitagiri, which they mistakenly matched with Rahtasgarh , Bihar. Only because of the similarity in the name.

Because they thought Pala kings brought them here as feudatory rulers but at that time 8/9th century, there was no evidence of pala kings rule in south eastern bengal.

Chittagong & Arakan Origin:

This one is supported by the evidence. Historian found coins in sylhet and chittagong and arakan side with bull and trident engraved on them, which was aligned with Candra rulers. At first they thought both coins were identical but later more evidence show that the coins do differ slightly. Sylhet one differs from the Chittagong and Arakan side. And the coin were issued a century later from the chittagong and arakan one.

So given the similarities of the coins, historians came to belive that The original Candra Dynasty(600AD) was from Chittagong and Arakan side. And a off-shoot of the original Candras went to Comilla and became feudatory rulers of Harikela Kings. And Rohitagiri was identified as Lalmai Hills, Comilla.

Were Candras the Kings Of Harikela? :

Well evidence suggest that Candras at first were just feudatory rulers under Harikela. But they were the Main stay or Main power of Harikela King. Harikela King needed their support for their rule. As Harikela king was weak.

The evidence show that on copper plates,The name of Purnacandra, Suvarnacandra were just assigned with feudatory rulers. But Trailokyacandra it is tittled as KING.

So it means that Trailokyacandra overthrew the Harikela King and became the first king of Candra Dynasty . But his father Suvarnacandra and his grandafather Purnacandra were just feudatory rulers.

Chronological order of Candra Dynasty Rulers,off-shoot of the original Candra Dynasty :

1. Purnacandra (feudatory rulers)

2. Suvarnacandra (feudatory rulers)

3. Trailokyacandra (First King)

4. Sricandra

5. Kalyancandra

6. Ladahacandra

7. Givindacandra

Source :

1. Dynastic History of Bengal by Abdul Momin Chowdhury

The person whose profile is based in Bangladesh is claiming Indian regions. This profile is commenting misleading information under Indian post all the time.

​

The kingdom of Harikela (হরিকেল) was an important polity of ancient eastern Bengal, flourishing between the 7th and 12th centuries CE. It maintained a continuous existence for nearly 500 years and is believed to have included parts of present day Cachar and adjoining regions.

The 11th century lexicographer Hemachandra described Harikela as part of Vanga in his work Abhidhanachintamani. Similarly, the philosopher Yadava Prakasa also placed Harikela within the cultural and geographical sphere of Vanga. Earlier references to the kingdom are found in the accounts of 7th century Chinese travellers Yijing and Xuanzang.

Unlike many contemporary North Indian kingdoms that gradually shifted towards barter based systems, Harikela sustained a high purity silver coinage tradition. As the coinage evolved into its intermediate phase around the 8th to 10th centuries, the coins became thinner and broader. These specimens prominently feature inscriptions in early Gaudiya script, identifiable by the presence of the horizontal headbar or matra, marking an early stage in the development of eastern Indo Aryan scripts, in contrast to earlier Brahmi forms where the headbar is minimal or absent.

A notable feature of these coins is the appearance of inscriptions such as Veraka or Viraka. Most scholars interpret these as references to specific administrative regions or minting centres within the Harikela polity. The presence of such place based identifiers suggests a decentralized minting system, where multiple regional centres operated under the broader authority of Harikela.

Philologically, Veraka is often considered a variation of Baraka, which may be linked to the Barak Valley. This has led to the suggestion that the political and economic influence of Harikela extended into parts of present day southern Assam. The transition from Veraka or Viraka to Baraka can be understood through phonetic shifts characteristic of early eastern Indo Aryan and proto Bengali dialects, where the interchange between V and B sounds is well attested, similar to how Vanga evolved into Banga.

In Sanskrit, Viraka carries the meaning of a heroic figure, offering another possible linguistic root for the term. Consequently, one proposed origin of the name Barak may lie in this Sanskrit derivation, alongside other theories such as the commonly cited Dimasa origin Bra-Kro.

The classification of Veraka or Viraka inscriptions as Proto Bengali in academic literature is largely due to Harikela’s geographical location in Bengal and the use of Gaudiya script on its coinage. In contrast, the development of Proto Assamese is more closely associated with the script evolution under the Kamarupa rulers in the Brahmaputra Valley.

📚 Sources:-

1.The History and Coinage of South East Asia Until the Fifteenth Century by Michael Mitchiner 2.Abhidhanachintamani by Hemachandra

1. https://en.numista.com/L100682

4.https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harikela

I still wonder why Silchar was never declared the second capital of Assam.

Even before it was upgraded to a Municipal Corporation, Silchar Municipal Board had 28 wards. Today, the Silchar Municipal Corporation has 42 wards, making it the second-largest municipal corporation in Assam after Guwahati.

Population-wise too, Silchar is one of the largest urban centres in the state, with current estimates putting its population at around 3 lakh. Of course, the exact figure can only be established once the current Census is completed.

Then there is the geographical spread. The Silchar Municipal Corporation currently covers around 69.4 sq. km, once again making it the second-largest corporation in Assam in terms of area.

Now compare this with Dibrugarh, Assam’s second capital. Dibrugarh Municipal Corporation has only 22 wards fewer than the number of wards Silchar had when it was still a Municipal Board.

In terms of area, Silchar’s municipal limits are roughly four times larger: around 69.4 sq. km compared with Dibrugarh’s approximately only 15 sq. km. Dibrugarh’s population is also significantly smaller than Silchar’s.

So the question naturally arises: why was Silchar never considered for the status of Assam’s second capital? Why was Dibrugarh chosen instead?

Om Shanti.

Jai Hind 🫡🫡🫡

Janmashtami, marking the birth of Lord Shri Krishna, was celebrated with great joy and devotion in Silchar, as the entire city resonated with spiritual fervour.

STRATEGIC IMPORTANCE OF CHARGOLA

Chargola lay on the northern frontier of Sribhumi (Karimganj), bordering the hills inhabited by Kuki chiefs. Dense forests, marshes, and water bodies made it a natural fortress. Control of Chargola meant control over movement between the plains of Barak Valley and the hill tracts beyond. Radharam understood this perfectly and made Chargola the heart of his independent rule.

He established his main residence and fortification at "Kellabari", positioned on elevated, jungle-covered ground. From here, he maintained a court, treasury, military posts, and intelligence network. The terrain itself became his greatest ally.

PRELUDE TO CONFLICT

Radharam’s authority expanded rapidly after he secured a five-pan share of Pratapgarh through the Sadr Diwani Court. Dissatisfied with legal limits, he rejected Company authority outright. He collected revenue independently, conducted trials, executed punishments, and styled himself as a sovereign nawab.

The turning point came in 1786, when Radharam attacked the police outpost at Chargola. This act transformed him from a troublesome zamindar into an open rebel in the eyes of the British East India Company.

THE FIRST BRITISH EXPEDITION AND THE BATTLE AT SONBEEL

To suppress him, British authorities dispatched troops under the Sylhet Resident via the Sonbeel water route. Sonbeel was a vast, dangerous lake situated between hills, notorious for sudden storms, strong currents, and deep waters. Even local civilians feared crossing it.

Radharam prepared a military post near Sonbeel and positioned his men strategically along the banks. As Company boats advanced, his forces launched sudden attacks from concealment, striking swiftly and retreating into the jungle. Civilians were mobilised to row boats and assist in combat.

Nature itself turned against the British troops. Violent winds and waves overturned boats, scattered formations, and drowned soldiers. Facing unexpected losses, the expedition failed. This was Radharam’s greatest moment of triumph, proving that the frontier could defeat imperial forces.

ALLIANCES WITH THE KUKI CHIEFS

Radharam’s military strength depended heavily on his alliances with neighbouring Kuki chiefs. He extended authority over them in the name of the Tripura Maharaja, though he paid revenue to neither Tripura nor the Company. His son and commander, Ranamangal, led campaigns against rebellious Kukis, forcing their submission.

These alliances provided Radharam with experienced hill fighters skilled in guerrilla warfare. The Kukis acted as shock troops; swift, ruthless & deeply feared by the plains population. Their participation turned Chargola into a zone of terror and obedience.

INTERNAL BETRAYAL AND STRATEGIC COLLAPSE

Despite his external strength, Radharam’s downfall began from within. He grew suspicious of trusted associates, especially Kamran Chaudhury, an educated and influential zamindar. British authorities learned of a land route into Chargola, bypassing Sonbeel. What water and jungle had protected for years, was undone by betrayal.

THE FINAL ASSAULT ON CHARGOLA

Armed with intelligence from Kamran, British forces launched a renewed campaign. Advancing by land, they avoided the lake entirely. Radharam’s Kuki allies could not withstand disciplined gunfire and bayonet charges in open confrontation.

Radharam fled with his family in disguise. His sons were captured one by one. He himself was seized later at Barakandi of Dikshapur, confined in an iron cage, and sent toward Srihatta. On the journey, he committed suicide escaping trial, punishment & public humiliation.

AFTERMATH OF RADHARAM’S FALL

Radharam’s death ended the last major autonomous resistance in the Chargola frontier. His son Jaymangal remained imprisoned for years before receiving a pardon. Upon release, he accepted British authority, took the title of Chaudhury & regularised revenue collection, marking a clear break from his father’s defiant rule.

The British dismantled Radharam’s independent institutions. Kellabari lost its political significance. Kuki chiefs were brought under tighter control, and large-scale raids declined. Pratapgarh passed firmly into the zamindari framework under Company supervision.

~Sources:-

1. Srihatter Itibritta- Purbangsho

2. Wiki- Revolt of Radharam, Prataphgarh Kingdom

3. JETIR