Mourya Rule in Bengal

AKM Khademul Haque

Department of Islamic History & Culture
University of Dhaka
Bengal during the Maurya Empire

 The first great and well-organised empire of the

Subcontinent was the Mauryan Empire (c. 320--180
BC). Mauryan rule was established in Bengal by
Emperor Asoka.
 During the time of the Mauryas, Bengal probably
continued to be divided into the different janapadas,
and the janapada called Pundra formed part of the
Empire's eastern province. Mahasthangarh of Bogra
was probably the provincial capital of the region.
 The Arthashastra includes references to the fine cotton
fabric of Vanga (south-eastern Bengal) as an important
item of trade throughout India
Mouryan Silver Karshapana Found
in different parts of Inidia including
Bengal

Kushana Copper coins

Mouryan Bengal
 Was under Central Mouryan Rule
 Had Urban settlements
 Had coinage system
 Had writing system
 Had Economic ties with North India
 Produced fine cotton Fabric
 Pundra and Suvarnakudya were the two
recognised parts
Before the Gupta Reign
 We know little about the history of Bengal
from the fall of the Mauryas (2nd century
BC) to the rise of the Guptas (4th century
AD).
 It is known from the accounts of Greek
scholars, such as Ptolemy, that in the first
two centuries AD there was a powerful
Bengal kingdom with its capital at Gange,
a great market town on the banks of the
Ganges.
 We know very little about what happened
during the Shunga (c. 187 BCE-73 BCE) or
Kushana (C. 1st Century-4th Cenrury CE)
period in Bengal
 Bengal remained divided into independent
states on the eve of Gupta expansion under
Samudragupta (4th century CE)
 Samatata remained outside his empire, but
was reduced to the status of a tributary state.