Importance of the sources for studying cultural history of Bengal and

 discuss on Greater  Rajshahi Region.

Introduction:
One need to go through the sources in order to understand the cultural history.Since there are
no contemporary historical writings of Bengal so, we need other sources for studying the
cultural history of Bengal.There are two types of sources 1. Primary sources 2. Secondary
sources . These two type of sourses plays an important role in the study of cultural history of
Bengal . Moreover, the Greater Rajshahi Region is located in the northern part of
Bangladesh. In Greater Rajshahi region there are so many archaeological sites. 
Let’s discuss the importance of sources for studying the cultural history of Bengal and the
greater Rajshahi Region in more details. 
Impotence of Sources for studying cultural history of Bengal:
1. Primary sources: primary sources are the first hand sources. Sources that are touched
or used by the contemporary people are called the primary sources . e.g. terracotta art,
dress, coiffure, ornaments , inscriptions and coins, sculpture, architecture, painting
etc. 

 Terracotta art: Terracotta art is one of the most important sources for
studying cultural history.Terracotta art is two types terracotta plagues and
terracotta figures. Most of the terracotta plagues that we have seen in Bengal
were used in the ancient period. Once upon a time 2500 terracotta plagues
were found in Paharpur Vihara.1 Terracotta Plaques found in Paharpur are
representing scenes from the Ramayana, Mahabharata and the Krishna
legend2. As Paharpur vihara is a Buddhist vihara but terracotta plaques
influenced by Hindu stories were used on it’s walls, which shows that the non-
Buddhists had a good relationship with the Buddhist rulers. There are two
terracotta mango trees on both sides of the mehrab of the Bagha mosque of
medieval period3. this terracotta indicates that there were mango orchards in
Rajshahi at that time. Again, the terracotta figures that we see in the terracotta
art, the ornaments, clothes ,hair style that we see in the terracotta figure gives
us the idea of contemporary people’s dressing, ornamentation, coiffure were
like. In Bharat Bhayna’s related pond a terracotta figure was found in which
shows dancing girls.4 From which it can be understood that at that time kings
used to organize cultural program for entertainment. Since we have no
contemporary writings, we were unable to know about the history without
these sources. So we can learn about the social, religious and cultural history
of the people of ancient and medieval Bengal from this terracotta art so the
sources are important.
 Inscriptions ,Copper-plates  and coins :
The political, social, and economic history of ancient Bengal can be 
reconstructed using inscriptions,copper-plates and coins source. In ancient
period copper plates was specially for the Majesty. In medieval period 
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 Contemporary inscriptions and coins have been discovered a large number.
Their chief importance lies in the fact that they help in building up the
chronology of sultans . The find-spot of inscriptions and names on coins help
us to trace  the gradual expansion of Muslim power and settlement of Muslim
population in different parts of Bengal . as the inscriptions and copper plates
gives us the exact correct information about the social cultural and economical
conditions so as primary resources inscriptions , copper plate and coins plays
an important role for studying cultural history of Bengal .

2. Secondary sources: Secondary sources are the second hand sources . Secondary
sources gives information about primary sources that means primary source based
sources are secondary sources. E.g. travelogues , articles , books , foreign accounts
etc. In ancient period three Chinese monks- fa-hein, Hiuen Tasang and Itsing left their
accounts from which we can know the cultural history . during the medieval period
Persian and Arabic works written outside Bengal , writings of Muslim scholars in
Bengal , Sufi literature, accounts of foreign travelers are the secondary sources .
secondary sources are also important for studying cultural history of Bengal because
they are written on the base of primary sources if we miss any information about the
history we can use the secondary sources to study the history of Bengal . 
The Greater Rajshahi Region: During the independent sultanate period the Bengal was
divided into four cluster Greater Rajshahi Region was one of them. It is the northern part of
Bengal consist of Rajshahi , Naogaon , Chapainawabganj . in Greater Rajshahi region there
are so many archaeological sites some of them are:
 Bagha mosque : Bagha mosque is located at Bagha, 40 kilometers southeast of
Rajshahi. Bagha mosque was built by Nasiruddin Nusrat Shah, son of independent
sultan of Bengal Alauddin Hussain Shah .The is  mosque made of  red bricks . There
are also innumerable terracotta handicrafts which include mango tree,  lily flower,
herbs and thousands of other handicrafts used in the persian carving industry. 

 Choto sona mosque: Choto sona mosque is located at Chapainawabganj . the mosque
is situated about 3kilomiters south of the Kotwali gate. Choto sona mosque is a stone
built mosque . the mosque was built during the reign of sultan of Bengal Alauddin
Hussain shah. The choto sona mosque was named after the boro sona mosque.

 Kushumba moaque : kushumba mosque is located at naogao district mandar upazila 

. it is also a stone built mosque like the choto sona mosque .kushumba mosque was
built under one of the last sufi rules nqamed giyasuddin bahadur shah. Stone curving
art (leaf, flower).

 Darash bari mosque and madrasha:  darashbari mosque is located in the shibganj
upazila of chapainawabganj. It is situated about one kilometer to the south west of
katwali gate. It was built by the sultan shamsuddin yusuf shah. The name darashbari
means educational institution . darashbasri madrasha was an excavated madrasha. 
Conclusion:
There are two types of sources primary and secondary in ancient Bengal we found so many
primary sources by excavation paharpur, maynamati, mahasthangarh and during medieval
period we found inscriptions and coins archaeological sites  From this sources we can see the
cultural history of Bengal what was the situation at that time period so we can say that to
know the culturan history of a county one need to go through the sources so sources are so
important for studying cultural history. Moreover in the greater rajshahi region we found so
many archaeological sites most of thrm are mosque architecture.