Varendra

2022-01-08T09:47:55Z

2402:3A80:164E:A950:C844:69B2:7342:EEDE:

[[File:LocMap Bangladesh Rajshahi.png|thumb|200px|Varendra region in Bangladesh]]
[[File:Kaivartas of the Varendras circa 640-730 CE.jpg|thumb|300px|Coin of a king of the [[Mahishya|Kaibarta]]s in Varendra, circa 640–730 CE.]]
'''Varendra''' ({{lang-bn|বরেন্দ্র|Borendro}}),also known as Barind ({{lang-bn|বারিন্দ}}), was a region of [[North Bengal]], now mostly in [[Bangladesh]] and a little portion in Indian state of [[West Bengal]].<ref name=":0">History of Ancient Bengal, Ramesh Chandra Majumdar, 1971</ref><ref name=":1">{{cite Banglapedia|author=AM Chowdhury|article=Varendra}}</ref>

It formed part of the [[Pundravardhana]] or [[Pundra Kingdom]] region currently part of [[Rangpur Division|Rangpur]] and [[Rajshahi Division]] of Bangladesh and included the districts of [[Bogra]], [[Rajshahi]], [[Pabna]] and [[Dinajpur]] of Bangladesh and [[West Dinajpur district|West Dinajpur]] of India. Some migrated to [[Sylhet]] district of Bangladesh. According to Cunningham, the boundary of Varendra was the [[Ganges River|Ganges]] and the [[Mahananda River|Mahananda]] on the west, the [[Karatoya River|Karatoya]] on the east, the [[Padma River]] on the south and the land between [[Cooch Behar State|Cooch Behar]] and the [[Terai]] on the north.<ref name=":1"/>

==Inscriptions==
The term Varendra-mandala first occurs in talcher grant of gayadatungadeva and [[Ramacharitam|Ramcharitam]]. The latter locates it between Ganges and Karatoya. It's inclusion with Pundravardhana is proved by Silimpur, Tarpandighi and Madhainagar inscriptions. The Tabaquat-i-nasiri mentions Barind as the wing of the territory of Lakhnawati on the eastern side of Ganges.<ref name=":0" />

==History==

Historical evidence attests significant presence of Brahmins in Bengal during the [[Maurya]] period. The [[Jain]] [[Acharya]] [[Bhadrabahu]], regarded to be the preceptor of [[Chandragupta Maurya]], is said to have been born in Brahmin family of [[Pundravardhana]] (or {{IAST|Puṇḍra}}, the region north of the [[Ganges]] and west of Brahmaputra in Bengal, later known as Vārendra).<ref name=":1" /> Such evidences suggest {{IAST|Puṇḍra}} or Vārendra and regions west of Bhagirathi (called Radha in ancient age) to be seats of Brahmins from ancient times;

According to HC Raychoudhuri the [[Gupta Empire|Gupta dyansty]] originated from the Varendri region.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Ganguly|first=Dilip Kumar|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Hud2_Ie3T94C&pg=PP1|title=The Imperial Guptas and Their Times|date=1987|publisher=Abhinav Publications|isbn=978-81-7017-222-2|language=en}}</ref> According to the Khalimpur copper plate inscription, the first [[Pala Empire|Pala]] Emperor Gopala was the son of a warrior named Vapyata. The ''Ramacharitam'' attests that Varendra (North Bengal) was the fatherland (''Janakabhu'') of the Palas.

==Ancient Empires and Rulers originated from Varendra Regnal==

*[[Gupta Empire]]
*[[Pala Empire]]
*Empire of [[Raja Ganesha]]
*[[Kalapahad]]
*[[Baro-Bhuyan]] (Bhati Rulers)
*[[Diwan Mohanlal]]

==Modern Day Prime Ministers, President and Chief Ministers originated from Varendra Region==

*[[Mohammad Ali Bogra]]
*[[Ziaur Rahman]]
*[[Hussein Muhammad Ershad]]
*[[Khaleda Zia]]
*[[Bidhan Chandra Ray]]
*[[Jyoti Basu]]

==Notable Varendra Brahmins==

* [[Raja Ganesha]], a [[Hindu]] ruler of [[Bengal]]
* [[Rani Bhabani]], a [[Hindu]] [[zamindar]] of Natore
* [[Nalini Kanta Bhattasali]], Bengali historian, archaeologist, numismatist, epigraphist and antiquarian.
* [[Gautam Sanyal]], Indian civil servant
* [[Nalinaksha Sanyal]], [[India]]n politician, economist and freedom fighter.
* [[Narayan Sanyal]], writer of modern [[Bengali literature]] as well as a civil engineer.
* [[Pahari Sanyal]], Indian actor and singer
* [[Sachindra Nath Sanyal]], an [[Revolutionary movement for Indian independence|Indian revolutionary]] and a founder of the [[Hindustan Republican Association]]
* [[Sanjeev Sanyal]], Indian economist and author.
* [[Jaya Bachchan]] (originally Bhaduri), Indian film actress, politician and a [[member of Parliament]]
* [[Amar Nath Bhaduri]], Indian molecular [[Enzymology|enzymologist]] and [[Chemical biology|chemical biologist]]
* [[Abhijit Bhaduri]], Indian author, columnist and management consultant
* [[Nrisingha Prasad Bhaduri]], Indian historian, writer and [[Indology|Indologist]]
* [[Sisir Bhaduri]], Indian stage actor and theatre founder
* [[Shibdas Bhaduri]], [[India]]n professional [[Association football|footballer]]
* [[Shanu Lahiri]], a painter and [[Art education|art educator]]
* [[Anirban Lahiri]], [[India]]n [[professional golfer]]
* [[Bappi Lahiri]], an Indian singer, composer.
* [[Jhumpa Lahiri]], American author
* [[Mahua Moitra]], Indian politician and a [[Member of parliament]]
*[[Shantanu Moitra]], Indian [[score composer]], [[musician]] and [[pianist]]
* [[Rupankar Bagchi]], [[Bengali language|Bengali]] singer-songwriter and playback singer.
* [[Jatindramohan Bagchi]], [[Bengali people|Bengali]] poet and editor.
* [[Subroto Bagchi]], Indian entrepreneur and business leader
* [[Tanishk Bagchi]], Indian music producer, composer and singer.
* [[Biman Bagchi]], Indian '''National Science Chair Professor'''

==Modern usage==
* [[Varendra Research Society]]
* [[Varendra Research Museum]]
* [[Varendra rebellion]]
* [[Varendra University]]
* [[Varendra tract]]

==See also==
* [[North Bengal]]
* [[Pundravardhana]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

[[Category:Bengal]]
[[Category:History of Bangladesh]]

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Varendra