When we think of Bengal, the first things that usually come to mind are the Partition of Bengal by the British in the early twentieth century (1905), the zamindars and their grand lifestyles, the revolutionaries, and great icons like Rabindranath Tagore, Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay, Swami Vivekananda, Sri Aurobindo, Subhas Chandra Bose, and Syama Prasad Mookerjee. Later, post-independence, the eastern part of Bengal became East Pakistan and, eventually, Bangladesh.
But the history of Bengal is not limited to this recent past. It dates back to an ancient era, around 20,000 years ago, during the Stone Age. Remnants have been found in the region that date back to this period. The indigenous population of Bengal consisted of tribes of Austric and Austro-Asiatic origin, such as the Kols, Bhils, Santhals, Shabaras, and Pulindas.
The civilization of Bengal can only be truly understood as the single, unified entity that prevailed in unpartitioned Bengal. Colonial powers could partition the land, but they could not change the flow of life that defines a civilization. Across the borders, there remain massive similarities in lifestyle, language, social customs, and, above all, a shared pride in Bengali asmita (identity).
Much like Lahore in West Pakistan, several areas in East Pakistan originally had large, thriving Hindu communities. Today, what remains within Bharat is what was known as West Bengal; hence, rather than calling it West Bengal, it should simply be addressed as Bengal.
Bengal is a 4,000-year-old civilization that thrived between the banks of the Ganga and the Brahmaputra, sustaining itself on the riches of the fertile Gangetic Delta. Remnants of the earliest cities in the state date back to the Vedic period. The oldest archaeological site in Bengal is Mahasthangarh (now in Bangladesh), which dates back to 700 BCE. Interestingly, the culture and ethnicity of early Bengal were quite distinct from those of the Vedic people, who initially referred to the inhabitants of Bengal as dasyus (bandits) or demons.
The Greek traveler and chronicler Megasthenes referred to Bengal as Gangaridai in his famous book, Indica (around 300 BCE). When Alexander the Great invaded Bharat and defeated Porus, he dreamed of conquering the entire subcontinent. However, as he moved eastward, he learned of the mighty forces of the Gangaridai warriors. According to ancient Greco-Roman writers, Gangaridai referred to the people of this specific geographical region.
The Greek historian Diodorus Siculus (writing between 90 BCE and 30 BCE) noted that the river Ganges (Ganga), with a width of thirty-two stadia, was deeper than any other river in Bharat. Beyond this mighty river lay the dominions of the Prasioi and the Gangaridai. Their king, Xandrammes, commanded a massive army of 20,000 cavalry, 200,000 infantry, 2,000 chariots, and 4,000 war-trained elephants. The river Ganges at this spot was nearly thirty stadia wide, emptying into the part of the Bay of Bengal that we refer to as Gangasagar today. It was the formidable reputation of these powerful Gangaridai warriors that ultimately compelled Alexander to choose retreat.
Bengal also finds mention in the Mahabharata, which names Chitrasena and Samudrasena as kings of the region who were defeated by the Pandava prince, Bhima. Popular folklore narrates that Bhima was later injured by a poisoned arrow and traveled to the southernmost part of Bengal, called Patratal, to heal. This southernmost region points to the modern-day Sundarbans. Corroborating this ancient connection, a recent excavation in the Patharpratima Block of the Sundarbans discovered a third-century CE civilization beneath the surface of Gobardhanpur. The remains of vessels and pots used to manufacture herbal medicines were unearthed at the site.
Geographically, Bengal has always been the gateway to the eastern parts of the Indian subcontinent. It offers the shortest and easiest route to the Himalayas, an advantage that transformed Bengal into a highly equipped commercial hub connecting maritime trade routes with the ancient Silk Road.
Recognizing the power of the ocean, Bengali rulers paid significant attention to naval expansion. Thriving trade links between Bengal and regions like Java, Sumatra, and Siam (modern-day Thailand) existed since antiquity. In fact, according to the Sri Lankan chronicle Mahavamsa, a prince from Bengal named Vijaya Simha conquered the island of Lanka in 544 BCE and gave it the name Sinhala.
To be continued…
Source :
History of Bengal, from Ancient to British Rule by Pinaki Bhattacharya
Banglapedia – National Encyclopedia of Bangladesh