Скачать или смотреть Ancient Bengal Janapadas II প্রাচীন বাংলার জনপদ

পটভূমি জানা যায় যে, সর্বপ্রাচীনকালে বাংলায় বিভিন্ন জনগোষ্ঠীর লোক বসবাস করত এবং যে অঞ্চলে যে জনগোষ্ঠী বাস করত সে অঞ্চল সেই জনগোষ্ঠীর নামে পরিচিত হতো। এভাবে বঙ্গ, পুন্ড্র, রাঢ় ও গৌড় নামক প্রাচীন জনপদসমূহ অনার্য জনগোষ্ঠীর দ্বারা এ সব নামের অধ্যুষিত অঞ্চল হিসেবে স্বীকৃত হয়। বাংলাদেশের দক্ষিণ-পূর্ব অংশে মেঘনার ওপারে সমতট (কুমিল্লা-নোয়াখালী অঞ্চল) ছিলো একটা গুরুত্বপূর্ণ জনপদ। এ জনপদের নাম পুরোপুরি বর্ণনাত্মক এবং জনগোষ্ঠীর সংশ্লিষ্টতা বর্জিত। চট্টগ্রাম ও তৎসন্নিহিত অঞ্চল হরিকেল নামে পরিচিত ছিলো। পরবর্তী বৈদিক সাহিত্য থেকে অনার্য জনগোষ্ঠী অধ্যুষিত অঞ্চল হিসেবে এ সকল জনপদের কথা জানা যায়।
Archaeological discoveries at pandu rajar dhibi in the valley of the Ajay river (near Bolpur) in Burdwan district and in several other sites on the Ajay, Kunar and Kopai rivers have thrown fresh light on Bengal's prehistory. Pandu Rajar Dhibi represents the ruins of a trading township, which carried on trade not only with the interior regions of India, but also with the countries of the Mediterranean world. The history of ancient Bengal from the 4th century AD onwards, which appears to us in a more or less clear light, is the history of gradual Aryanisation and Aryan domination, both from the political and cultural points of view.

Greek and Latin sources (3rd century BC - 1st century AD) refer to an eastern Indian nation/state called 'Gangaridae' (Greek)/'Gangaridai' (Latin) which was very strong militarily. Scholars have located 'Gangaridai' in parts of southern and southeastern Bengal, adjacent to the mouths of the Ganges (Bhagirathi and Padma).

The mahasthan brahmi inscription, found in an excavated site of the old pundranagar, now represented by the ruins at mahasthan in Bogra district, bear testimony to Maurya rule (3rd century BC) in parts of Bengal. Archaeological excavations prove the existence of this urban administrative and cultural centre throughout the ancient period, up to the 12th century AD.

The Arthashastra of Kautilya (3rd century BC) refers to the fine cotton fabric of Vabga (south-eastern Bengal) as an important item of her trade throughout India. The Greek and Latin writers (more or less of the same period) also mention it. Thus it may be emphasized that the tradition of weaving fine cotton cloth goes back to a very early period. It may also be mentioned here that the making of terracotta plaques is also a very old art tradition in Bengal. Terracotta plaques have been found in the excavations at Pandu Rajar Dhibi, which prove the antiquity of this art in Bengal.

Gupta Rule The history of Bengal from the fall of the Mauryas (2nd century BC) to the rise of the Guptas (4th century AD) is obscure. The discovery of some beautiful terracotta figurines at Mahasthana, tamralipti and chandraketugarh, datable in the 2nd and 1st centuries BC, proves that Bengal continued to flourish in the Subga and Kusana periods. It appears from the accounts of The Periplus of the Erythrean Sea and Ptolemy that in the first two centuries of the Christian era the whole of deltaic Bengal was organised into a powerful kingdom with its capital at Gabge, a great market town on the banks of the Ganges. We have evidence of widespread trade between Bengal and China as well as other countries. The Milinda-Panho mentions Vanga in a list of maritime countries where ships congregated for trade.

It is likely that on the eve of Gupta expansion under Samudragupta (4th century AD) Bengal remained divided into independent states. By about the middle of the 4th century AD most independent states came under Samudragupta's rule. samatata (The trans-Meghna region comprising the Comilla-Noakhali area) was outside his empire, but was reduced to the status of a tributary state. Samudragupta's son and successor, Chandragupta II consolidated his possessions in the east and had to wage wars against the Vangas. Gupta suzerainty over Samatata might have come at a later stage and by the end of the 6th century AD this area appears to have been ruled by a king with his name ending with Gupta (Vainyagupta). Several copperplates of 5th century Gupta emperors (Kumaragupta- Budhagupta) found in northern Bengal prove that Gupta rule was then well established in that area. They also testify to the existence of a well-structured local administration, in which the representatives of the local people had the opportunity of playing an important part. This is undoubtedly the earliest instance of local self-government in Bengal and its significance cannot be overestimated.