Bengal UnfoldedA Bilingual Gazette
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Battle of Plassey, 1757
1757 · Plassey
Language Movement, 1952
1952 · Language
Liberation War, 1971
1971 · Liberation
Partition of Bengal and Swadeshi movement, 1905
1905 · Partition
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Discover Bengal · Unfolded

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c. 800-1100 — Chandra-Deva-Mainamati Regional Polity

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Southeastern Bengal’s Buddhist and regional state formation expands beyond the Pala heartland.

Between roughly the eighth and eleventh centuries, the Chandra and Deva dynasties shaped southeastern Bengal around Samatata, Harikela, and the Mainamati-Lalmai zone. Their inscriptions, monasteries, and regional political networks show that Bengal’s pre-sultanate history was not only centred on the Pala-Sena heartland.[1][2][3]Evidence: Medium

Est. 1947 · Bengal✺A Bilingual Archive

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Overview

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Southeastern Bengal’s Buddhist and regional state formation expands beyond the Pala heartland.

Importance: HighAncient and Pre-Sultanate BengalMovement: Colonial capture and resistancePlace: Comilla-Tripura Frontier

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Quick Answer

Between roughly the eighth and eleventh centuries, the Chandra and Deva dynasties shaped southeastern Bengal around Samatata, Harikela, and the Mainamati-Lalmai zone. Their inscriptions, monasteries, and regional political networks show that Bengal’s pre-sultanate history was not only centred on the Pala-Sena heartland.[1][2][3]Evidence: Medium

Timeline Context

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Related chapters

c. mid-8th century

Foundation of the Pala Dynasty

8th century

Construction of Somapura Mahavihara

Historical Relationships

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Read in parallel

c. mid-8th century

Foundation of the Pala Dynasty

The Pala dynasty emerged in the mid-8th century, with Gopala's rise during a period of political disorder. Under Dharmapala and Devapala, the dynasty expanded significantly, made Bengal a central actor in wider South Asian politics, and supported Buddhist institutions that tied the region to major intellectual networks.

8th century

Construction of Somapura Mahavihara

Somapura Mahavihara at Paharpur emerged in the 8th century as one of the largest monasteries south of the Himalayas and an important intellectual center in pre-Islamic Bengal.

Timeline

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Key Figures

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Srichandra

LeaderPerson

Chandra ruler of southeastern Bengal

“He broadens the pre-sultanate map of Bengal by foregrounding eastern Bengal’s political and monastic networks.”

A Chandra dynasty ruler associated with southeastern Bengal’s regional state formation.

His reign helps represent Samatata-Harikela politics and Buddhist institutional patronage outside the Pala heartland.

He broadens the pre-sultanate map of Bengal by foregrounding eastern Bengal’s political and monastic networks.

bengalregional-historycontent-gap
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Bhavadeva

LeaderPerson

Deva ruler linked to southeastern Bengal

“His inclusion strengthens coverage of pre-sultanate eastern Bengal and its Buddhist-archaeological landscape.”

A ruler associated with the Deva dynasty and the Mainamati-Lalmai regional context.

He represents the regional political formations that shaped southeastern Bengal after and alongside larger imperial traditions.

His inclusion strengthens coverage of pre-sultanate eastern Bengal and its Buddhist-archaeological landscape.

bengalregional-historycontent-gap
Details→
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Claim-level citations

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Between roughly the eighth and eleventh centuries, the Chandra and Deva dynasties shaped southeastern Bengal around Samatata, Harikela, and the Mainamati-Lalmai zone. Their inscriptions, monasteries, and regional political networks show that Bengal’s pre-sultanate history was not only centred on the Pala-Sena heartland.

[1][2][3]Evidence: Medium

This cluster gives Bengal Unfolded a stronger eastern Bengal frame for Buddhist institutions, regional kingship, and cross-Bay connections before the Sultanate period.

[1][2][3]Evidence: Medium

Why This Event Matters Today

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This cluster gives Bengal Unfolded a stronger eastern Bengal frame for Buddhist institutions, regional kingship, and cross-Bay connections before the Sultanate period.[1][2][3]Evidence: Medium