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CHANAKYA NATIONAL LAW

UNIVERSITY

PATNA

RISE OF SASANKA IN

GAUDA

SUBJECT- HISTORY INZMAMUL HAQUE

RESOURCE PERSON- Dr. PRIYADARSHNI 933 (1ST YEAR)

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

I owe a great many thanks to a great many people who helped and supported me

during the compiling of this project. I owe my gratitude to Dr. Priyadarshni,

Assistant Professor (History) under whose regular guidance this project was

successfully completed by me.

I am heartily thankful to the C.N.L.U. library . I would also thank my friends

without whom this project would have been a distant reality. I also extend my

heartfelt thanks to my family and well wishers. Lastly, I offer my regards and best

wishes to all of those who supported me in any respect during the completion of

the project.

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CONTENTs

CHAPTERS PAGE NO.

1) Introduction 4

2) Rise of Gauda 5-6

3) History of Gauda/Gaur 7

4) Historical measurement and statistics in Gauda/Gaur 8

5) Architecture style of Gauda/Gaur 9

6) Notable structure at Gauda/Gaur 10

7) Shashanka/Sasanka 11

8) Extent of Shshankas kingdom 12

9)Extending political influence of Shashanka 13

10) Contemporary sources 14

11) Shashankas war with Harshvadhana 15

12) Art and architecture of Shashankas dynasty 16

13)Conclusion 17

14)Bibliography 18

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INTRODUCTION

Gauda the city is better known under its ancient name , gaur. Its first recorded reference is by

the gramarrian Panini , and its location may be inferred to have been in eastern India .

Shashank is often attributed with creating the first separate political entity in a unified Bengal

called Gauda and as such is a major figure in Bengali history. He reigned in 7th century AD, and

some historians place his rule approximately between 590 AD and 625 AD. He is the

contemporary of Harshvardhana. His capital was called Karnasuvarna and is located in

modern Murshidabad. The development of the Bengali Calendar is also often attributed to

Shashanka as the starting date falls squarely within his reign.

Shashanka has been described both in the inscriptions and literary accounts as the ruler of

Gauda. In the narrower sense Gauda is the territory between the river Padma and Bardhaman

region. But in course of time it embraced much wider area. In the Satpanchasaddeshavibhaga,

the seventh patala of Book III, Shaktisangama Tantra Gauda is said to have extended from the

vanga country up to Bhuvanesha (ie Bhubaneshwar in Orissa). It is not unlikely that the author

had described the extension of Gauda country keeping in mind the kingdom of Shashanka,

which also embraced a part of Orissa.

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Rise of Gauda

Gauda (Janapada) an important geographical entity in ancient and medieval Bengal.

The Arthashastra refers to it along with vanga, pundra and kamarupa. Though the geographical

limit of the Gauda country is not mentioned, the fact that it is linked with Vanga and Pundra

definitely indicates its location in eastern India. Vatsayana (3rd - 4th century AD) was familiar

with this country. This geographical idea continues even in the Puranas as it is regarded as one

of the janapadas of the eastern quarter. Varahamihira (c 6th century AD) was also aware of

Gauda janapada. In his Brhat Sanghita he mentions six distinct janapadas viz: Gaudaka,

Paundra, Vanga,samatata, Vardhamana and tamralipta. It appears from his narration that

Murshidabad, Birbhum, and western Burdwan formed the territory of ancient Gauda.

The earliest epigraphic evidence referring to the territory of the Gauda people is the Haraha

inscription of the Maukhari ruler Ishanavarman and is datable to 554 AD. It is stated in the

inscription that Ishanavarman defeated the Gaudas who live near the sea (Gaudan

samudrashrayan). This statement finds corroboration in the undated Gurgi inscription of

Prabodhashiva (c 11th century AD) which describes the Lord of Gauda as 'lying in the watery fort

of the sea' (jalanidhi jaladurggam Gauda rajo dhishete). The evidence of these two epigraphs

drives home the fact that the Gaudas, at least at one point of history, lived in the coastal region.

With the passage of time and change in the political scenario the connotation of Gauda,

however, underwent changes. The rise of shashanka, the ruler of Gauda, as a formidable power

in the early part of the 7th century AD definitely led to the extension of the territorial limits of

Gauda. From the accounts of hiuen-tsang we learn that he travelled from the country

of karnasuvarna to a region in coastal Orissa, and the area was ruled by Shashanka. Obviously,

the territory of Karnasuvarna stretched up to littoral West Bengal. Interestingly, this king

Shashanka is described in Banabhatta's Harsacharita as the Lord of Gauda whose capital was at

Karnasuvarna. In fact, Bana castigates him as Gauda bhujanga (the dangerous Gauda snake).

Thus in the early part of the 7th century Gauda and Karnasuvarna were co-terminous. On the

basis of Hiuen Tsang's itinerary and the archaeological remains of raktamrittika mahavihara,

Karnasuvarna, the capital city of Gauda kingdom has been located near Chiruti in Murshidabad

district of West Bengal. Hence Murshidabad formed the core area of Gauda.

The political limits of the geographical name Gauda further extended to the region of north

Bengal, ie Pundravardhana. From the Aryamanjushri Mulakalpa we learn that Pundravardhana

was ruled by Shashanka. This statement finds corroboration in the allusion to a struggle in the

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Dubi plates between Susthitavarman and Bhaskarvarman of Kamarupa on the one side and the

king of Gauda on the other. As a ruler Bhaskarvarman's contemporary was Shashanka. The

struggle might have taken place in north Bengal. We know from Hiuen Tsang that

Pundravardhana and Kamarupa were contiguous territories. Thus Gauda under Shashanka

embraced parts of west Bengal, including its coasts, and north Bengal (at least for a short time).

The appellation Gauda was applied even to areas outside Bengal. It was used in a political sense

in the Gaudavaho of Vakpati. In Vakpati's account Magadha was included within the realm of

the Gauda ruler.

In the early medieval period, the term Gauda had a wider connotation. The Rastrakuta and the

Pratihara records styled the Pala rulers as Gaudeshvara,Gaudendra, Gaudaraja etc. This

obviously implies that the name Gauda, which originally denoted parts of West Bengal, became

so diffused that during the 8th and 9th centuries it was sometimes synonymous with the entire

Pala kingdom.

We come across the term Pancha Gauda for the first time in the famous historical chronicle of

Kashmir, the Rajatarangini of Kalhana. This indicates the widest diffusion of the name

Gauda. Pancha Gauda referred to Gauda in association with Sarasvata, Kanyakubja, Mithila,

and Utkala.

It thus appears that originally Gauda janapada lay to the west of Bhagirathi and that its core

area was Murshidabad. Gradually, with the increase of the political might of Shashanka, the

first independent ruler of Gauda, in the early part of 7th century AD, the political limits of Gauda

extended stretching in the south to coastal Orissa and the north to Pundravardhana. The term

sometimes even denotes the entire Pala empire. In the 13th century gaur under the Bengal

Sultans denoted the entire area of the sultanate. Its capital, also called Gaur, stood at the site

previously known as Laksmanavati, and renamed lakhnauti by the Muslim sultans.

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History of gauda/gaur

It is said to have been founded by the mythic figure Lakshmana, and its most ancient name

was Lakshmanavati, corrupted into "Lakhnauti". The area was known as Gauda (Gauka, of

Gau/Cow) at the time was under the rule of famous Bengali kings such asSasanka. In the 7th

century Gopala by a democratic election in Gaur became the first independent Buddhist king

of Bengal and founded the Pala Empire. The Pala dynasty ruled for nearly four centuries

between the mid to late 8th century to 12th century CE. The Palas were often described by

opponents as the Lords of Gauda. It was also a prosperous city during the Sena dynasty's rule in

Bengal. However, its most well documented history begins with its conquest in 1198 by the

Muslims, who retained it as the chief seat of their power in Bengal for more than three

centuries. Around the year 1350, the Sultans of Bengal established their independence, and

transferred their seat of government to Pandua (qv.), also in Malda district. To build their new

capital, they plundered Gaur of every monument that could be removed. When Pandua was in

its turn deserted (1453), Gaur once more became the capital under the name of Jannatabad; it

remained so as long as the Muslim kings retained their independence. In 1565 Sulaiman Khan

Karrani, a Pashtun ruler, abandoned it for Tanda, a place somewhat nearer the Ganges. Gaur

was sacked by Sher Shah in 1539, and was occupied by Akbar's general Munim Khan in 1575,

when Daud Khan Karrani, the last of the Afghan dynasty, refused to pay homage to

the Mughal emperor. This occupation was followed by an outbreak of the plague and course

changeof river Ganges, which completed the downfall of the city. Since then it has been little

better than a heap of ruins, almost overgrown with jungle

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Historical Measurements and Statistics in gauda/gaur

The city in its prime measured 7 1/8 m. from north to south, with a breadth of 1 to 2 m. With

suburbs it covered an area of 20 to 30 m., and in the 16th century

the Portuguese historianFaria y Sousa described it as containing 1,200,000 inhabitants. The

ramparts of this walled city (which was surrounded by extensive suburbs) still exist; they were

works of vast labor, and were on the average about 40 ft (12 m) high, and 180 to 200 ft (61 m)

thick at the base. The facing of masonry and the buildings with which they were covered have

now disappeared, and the embankments themselves are overgrown with dense jungle. The

western side of the city was washed by the Ganges, and within the space enclosed by these

embankments and the river stood the city of Gaur proper, with the fort containing the palace in

its south-west corner. Radiating north, south and east from the city, other embankments are to

be traced running through the suburbs and extending in certain directions for 30 or 40 m.

Surrounding the palace is an inner embankment of similar construction to that which surrounds

the city, and even more overgrown with jungle. A deep moat protects it on the outside. To the

north of the outer embankment lies the Sagar Dighi, a great reservoir, 1600 yd. by 800 yd.,

dating from 1126.

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Architecture style of gauda/gaur

Fergusson in his History of Eastern Architecture thus describes the general architectural style of

Gaur: "It is neither like that of Delhi norJaunpur, nor any other style, but one purely local and

not without considerable merit in itself; its principal characteristic being heavy short pillars of

stone supporting pointed arches and vaults in brick whereas at Jaunpore, for instance, light

pillars carried horizontal architravesand flat ceilings. Owing to the lightness of the small, thin

bricks, which were chiefly used in the making of Gaur, its buildings have not well withstood the

ravages of time and the weather; while much of its enamelled work has been removed for the

ornamentation of the surrounding cities of more modern origin. Moreover, the ruins long served

as a quarry for the builders of neighboring towns and villages, till in 1900 steps were taken for

their preservation by the government. The finest ruin in Gaur is that of the Great Golden

Mosque, also calledBara Darwaza, or twelve doored (1526). An arched corridor running along

the whole front of the original building is the principal portion now standing. There are eleven

arches on either side of the corridor and one at each end of it, from which the mosque probably

obtained its name. These arches are surmounted by eleven domes in fair preservation; the

mosque had originally thirty-three."

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Notable structures at gauda/gaur

Eunuchs' mosque, in the ancient suburb of Firozpur, has fine carving, and is faced with stone

fairly well preserved. The Tantipar mosque (14751480) has beautiful moulding in brick, and the

Lotan mosque of the same period is unique in retaining its glazed tiles. The citadel, of the

Muslim period, was strongly fortified with a rampart and entered through a magnificent

gateway called the Dakhil Darwaza (14591474). At the south-east corner was a palace,

surrounded by a wall of brick 66 ft (20 m) high, of which a part is standing. Near by were the

royal tombs. Within the citadel is the Kadam Rasut mosque (1530), which is still used, and close

out side is a tall tower called the Firoz Minar (perhaps signifying tower of victory). There are a

number of Muslim buildings on the banks of the Sagar Dighi, including, notably, the tomb of the

saint Makhdum Shaikh Akhi Siraj (died 1357), and in the neighborhood is a burning ghat,

traditionally the only one allowed to the use of the Hindus by their Muslim conquerors, and still

greatly venerated and frequented by them.

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SHASHANKA/sasanka

Shashanka was the first important king of ancient Bengal, who occupied a prominent place in

Indian history. It was generally believed that Shashanka ruled approximately between 600 CE

and 625 CE, and two dated inscriptions, issued in his 8th and 10th ruling years from Midnapore,

and another undated inscription from Egra near Kharagpur have been discovered. The copper

plate from Shashanka's subordinate king of Ganjam (Odissi) Madhavavarma, Harshavardhana's

Banskhera and Madhuvan copper plates and the Nidhanpur copper plate of the Kamarupa king

Bhaskaravarman contain information about Shashanka.

King Shashanka also issued gold and silver coins. Between the decline of Guptas and the rise of

Shashanka, a number of independent rulers flourished in Bengal in the intervening period and

their existence is known from a few inscriptions and gold coins. The seal-matrix of Shri

Mahasamanta Shashanka from Rohtasgarh, the contemporary literary accounts of Banabhatta

and the Chinese pilgrim Xuanzang (also known as Hiuen Tsang) as well as the Buddhist text

Aryamanjushrimulakalpa are important sources of information on him. In the inscriptions and

literary accounts also Shashanka is described as the ruler of Gauda. In the narrower sense

Gauda is the territory between the river Padma and Bardhaman region, however in course of

time it embraced much wider area.

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Extent of shshankas Kingdom

While Shashanka was known and referred to as the Lord of Gauda, his kingdom included more

than just the region of Gauda. By the end of his reign, his domain stretched

from Vanga to Bhuvanesha while in the east, his kingdom bordered Kamarupa. Prior to

Shashanka, Bengal was divided into three regions, Banga, Samatata and Gauda and was ruled

by a feeble ruler belonging to the later Gupta dynasty, Mahasengupta. Shashanka was one of

his chieftains who rose to power taking the advantage of the weak ruler. After the death of

Mahasengupta, Shashanka drove the later Guptas and other prominent nobles out of the

ground to establish his own kingdom Gauda with the capital Karnasubarna.

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EXTENDING POLITICAL INFLUENCE OF SHASHANKA

The ruler Shashanka first established himself in Gauda, the north-western region of Bengal, and

made Kornosubora in Murshidabad his capital. Then he gradually extended his rule in Odissi,

parts of Central Provinces as well as in Bihar, though his attempts to establish his authority

further north lasted for only a short period. The contribution of Shashanka in the history of

Bengal was that he defended the independence of the Gauda empire against a very powerful

northern Indian adversary, Harsavardhana which became very important in Indian history. For a

king of Bengal, it was a great show of strength to have ventured into northern Indian politics. So

he can be seen as the first important king of Bengal, who for the first time brought her into

competition with other states for control of northern India. In this sense, he was the forerunner

of the aggressive northern Indian policy of the later Pala rulers such as Dharmapala and

Devapala.

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Contemporary Sources

There are several major contemporary sources of information on his life, including copperplates

from his vassal Madhavavarma (King ofGanjam), copperplates of his rivals Harshavardhana and

Bhaskarvarmana, and the accounts of the Chinese monk Xuanzang as well as coins minted in

Shashanka's reign. The informations provided by Bana and Xuanzang cannot be considered as

true or very reliable as both belonged to Buddhism and Shashanka was known to be a

staunch Hindu. Moreover the patron of Bana and Xuanzang was a sworn enemy of Shashanka.

So both were bound to be biased towards him. They have described Sasanka as the "vile Gauda

serpent". In his account Xuanzang has elaborated that Shashanka has destroyed the Buddhist

stupas of Bengal and declared an award of hundred gold coins for the head of every Buddhist

monk in his kingdom. Though the modern day historians have rejected these views as purely

biased ones. According to the other sources available Shashanka was an efficient and tolerable

ruler who ruled justly.

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shshankas War With harshavardhana

Shashanka and his allies fought a major war with the then Emperor of Thanesar,

Harshavardhana, and his allies. The result of the battle was inconclusive as Shashanka is

documented to have retained dominion over his lands. The king of Malwa, Devgupta had an

enmity with the ruler of Kannauj, Grahavarman who was also the brother-in-law of the Vardhan

princes, by his marriage with the princess of Thanesar, Rajyashri. Devgupta attacked Kannauj

and killed Grahavarman in the battle and imprisoned his wife Rajyashri. Hearing the news

Prabhakarvardhan, the king of Thaneswar dies of shock and his elder son Rajyavardhan is

crowned as the king. Rajyavardhan immediately marched towards Kannauj to avenge the death

of his brother-in-law. The battle was followed by sudden assassination of Rajyavardhan. Though

very conclusive proofs are not found, but a treachery is suspected on the part of Sasanka who

joined the battle as an ally of Devgupta. Only source available in this matter is the

"Harshacharita" by Banabhaata, who was a childhood friend and constant companion of

Emperor Harsha. But one thing should be kept in mind that neither Bana nor Harsha were

present at the site.

Harsha-Vardhan, then was crowned the ruler of Thaneswar and he once again gathered the

army and attacked Kannauj. Though the results are not known clearly, but it is evident that

Devgupta and Shashanka had to retreat from Kannauj. Sasanka continued to rule Gauda with

frequent attacks from Harsha which he is known to have faced bravely.

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art anD arChitECtUrE OF shshankas DYnastY

The archaeological site of Rajbaridanga is a pleasant 30-minute

walk as it has mustard fields spread out on both sides of the

metalled road. Rajbaridanga, also known as Raja Karnas Palace,

was first excavated by archaeologists of Calcutta University in 1962.

Their findings consisted of the ruins of a large Buddhist Vihar.

Terracotta seals and other artifacts helped identify the ruins as

those of Raktamrittika Mahavihar. Ruins of Shashankas citadel

were also excavated. The other structures unearthed include the

base of several square and circular stupas, remains of square rooms

(probably classrooms or rooms where the students put up),

remnants of two walls (possibly the boundary of the capital) and a

well (which might have been built later). The ruins were declared a

site of national importance.

The nearest railway station of Chiruti was thereafter re-christened

as Karnasubarna. Two other sites had been excavated close to

Rajbaridanga. They are Rakshashi (female demon) Dhipi and Nil

Kuthi (indigo bungalow) Dhipi. Not much structural evidence has

been unearthed at these sites, but both have thrown up interesting

artefacts from bygone times. Located within a couple of kilometres

of Rajbaridanga, the two sites are considered monuments of

national importance. Although declared a site of national

importance, the ruins lie in utter neglect. But there are the remains

of a temple and part of the Buddhist vihar, scattered over a wide

expanse, to be seen. And they do give you a feel of historical

nostalgia.

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CONCLUSION

Shashanka, the controversial Bengali monarch who ruled over the kingdom of Gaur from 600 to

638 and checked the eastward march of the imperial armies of Gupta king Harshavardhana,

had his capital here. Karnasubarna is now home to the ruins of the ancient Buddhist university

of Raktamrittika.

Following his death, Shashanka was succeeded by his son, Manava, who ruled the kingdom for 8

months. However Gauda was soon divided amongst Harshavardhana and Bhaskarvarmana, the

latter even managing to conquer Karnasuvarna.

It is also said that the death of Shashanka was followed by a period of plitical turmoil. In 750 AD

Gopala was elected as the King of Gaur. This led to the foundation of Pala dynasty in

Bengal.Gopala was succeeded by his son Dharmapala(775-810 AD) who in turn was succeeded

by Devapala(810-850 AD).Each of them consolidated the dynastys portion in Bengal and the

surrounding region making the Palas as one of the most powerful dynasties during that period.

The monuments of Gaur are now looked after by the Archaeological Survey of India. The brick

work of several monuments have been restored, though none to its early perfection or

completeness. The ASI is also carrying out excavations of a mound about a kilometer from

the Chikha building within the Baisgaji wall where remains of a palace are turning up.

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BIBLIOGRAPHY

Books

1) R. C. Majumdar, History of Bengal, Dacca, 1943, pp 5868

2) Sudhir R Das, Rajbadidanga, Calcutta, 1962

3) R. C. Majumdar, History of Ancient Bengal, Calcutta, 1971

4) P. K. Bhattacharyya, Two Interesting Coins of Shashanka, Journal of the Royal

Asiatic Society of Great Britain & Ireland, London, 2, 1979

External links

1) http://www.banglapedia.org/httpdocs/HT/G_0047.HTM

2) http://www.rangan-datta.info/Karnasubarna.htm

3)http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/524701/Shashanka

4) http://www.indiaheritage.org/history/history_bengal.htm

5)http://www.bengalgenocide.com/history02.php

6)http://www.indianmirror.com/dynasty/shashanakadynasty.html

EXTENDING POLITICAL INFLUENCE OF SHASHANKA