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<b>Bengal</b> became a political entity during the Bhuddist Pala kings of Bengal in the ]. The ] Sena rulers also ruled Bengal for a period of about a hundred years before the arrival of Muslim army in the 13th century. During the early ] period, the kingdom was known as the Sultanate of Bangala. ] rule came to Bengal in the sixteenth centuries. Bengal's trade and wealth was so vast that the Moghul's called it as the "Paradise of the Nations" in their times. Administration (]-]) by governors appointed by the court of the ] court gave way to four decades of semi-independence, until the victory of ] troops and their local allies at the ] (], ]) inaugurated a century of rule by the ], followed in ] by direct British government administration. | <b>Bengal</b> became a political entity during the Bhuddist Pala kings of Bengal in the ]. The ] Sena rulers also ruled Bengal for a period of about a hundred years before the arrival of Muslim army in the 13th century. During the early ] period, the kingdom was known as the Sultanate of Bangala. ] rule came to Bengal in the sixteenth centuries. Bengal's trade and wealth was so vast that the Moghul's called it as the "Paradise of the Nations" in their times. Administration (]-]) by governors appointed by the court of the ] court gave way to four decades of semi-independence, until the victory of ] troops and their local allies at the ] (], ]) inaugurated a century of rule by the ], followed in ] by direct British government administration. | ||
A centre of ] cultivation as well as fine cotton called ] and the world's main source of ] fibre, from the ] |
A centre of ] cultivation as well as fine cotton called ] and the world's main source of ] fibre, Bengal, from the ] became one of India's principal centres of industry, concentrated in the capital ] (known as ''Calcutta'' under the British, always called 'Kolkata' in the native tongue of ]) and its emerging cluster of suburbs. Most of the population nevertheless remained dependent on ], and despite its leading role in Indian political and intellectual activity, the province included some exceptionally undeveloped districts, especially in the east. | ||
India's most populous province, in ] |
India's most populous province (and one of the most active provinces in freedom fighting), Bengal was divided in ] by the British rulers for administrative purposes into an overwhelmingly ] west (including present-day ] and ]) and a predominantly ] east (including ]). Indian nationalists saw the move as a means of sowing disunity within the Bengali population united by language and history; and following a violent agitation, the partition was reversed in ]. | ||
As partition of British India into Hindu and Muslim |
As partition of British India into ] and ] ]s approached in ], Bengal was again split along much the same lines as in ], into the ] state of ] and region of ] under ] (later renamed ] in ]). East Pakistan (East Bengal) later rebelled against ]i military rule to become independent ] of ] or literally "Bengal Land" following a war of independence against the Pakistani army in ]. | ||
Bengal has experienced two devastating |
Bengal has experienced two devastating ]s costing millions of lives, in ] and ]. But the resilient people of Bengal have been able to rise above such disasters to rebuild their land in the fashion the Nobel Laureate Bengali poet Tagore described as the "Golden Bengal". | ||
See also: ] |
See also: ], ], ], ] |
Revision as of 12:05, 20 February 2004
The 'bengal' is also a breed of cat. See Bengal cat for further information.
Bengal (known locally as Bangala or Vanga) is a region in the northeast of the Indian subcontinent, today comprising the nation of Bangladesh and the Indian state of West Bengal.
History
Bengal became a political entity during the Bhuddist Pala kings of Bengal in the 6th century. The Hindu Sena rulers also ruled Bengal for a period of about a hundred years before the arrival of Muslim army in the 13th century. During the early Muslim period, the kingdom was known as the Sultanate of Bangala. Moghul rule came to Bengal in the sixteenth centuries. Bengal's trade and wealth was so vast that the Moghul's called it as the "Paradise of the Nations" in their times. Administration (1575-1717) by governors appointed by the court of the Mughal Empire court gave way to four decades of semi-independence, until the victory of British troops and their local allies at the Battle of Plassey (June 23, 1757) inaugurated a century of rule by the British East India Company, followed in 1858 by direct British government administration.
A centre of rice cultivation as well as fine cotton called Muslins and the world's main source of jute fibre, Bengal, from the 1850s became one of India's principal centres of industry, concentrated in the capital Kolkata (known as Calcutta under the British, always called 'Kolkata' in the native tongue of Bengali) and its emerging cluster of suburbs. Most of the population nevertheless remained dependent on agriculture, and despite its leading role in Indian political and intellectual activity, the province included some exceptionally undeveloped districts, especially in the east.
India's most populous province (and one of the most active provinces in freedom fighting), Bengal was divided in 1905 by the British rulers for administrative purposes into an overwhelmingly Hindu west (including present-day Bihar and Orissa) and a predominantly Muslim east (including Assam). Indian nationalists saw the move as a means of sowing disunity within the Bengali population united by language and history; and following a violent agitation, the partition was reversed in 1912.
As partition of British India into Hindu and Muslim dominions approached in 1947, Bengal was again split along much the same lines as in 1905, into the Indian state of West Bengal and region of East Bengal under Pakistan (later renamed East Pakistan in 1958). East Pakistan (East Bengal) later rebelled against Pakistani military rule to become independent republic of Bangladesh or literally "Bengal Land" following a war of independence against the Pakistani army in 1971.
Bengal has experienced two devastating famines costing millions of lives, in 1770 and 1943. But the resilient people of Bengal have been able to rise above such disasters to rebuild their land in the fashion the Nobel Laureate Bengali poet Tagore described as the "Golden Bengal".
See also: Bengali language, Bengali cuisine, West Bengal, Bangladesh