BENGAL UNDER THE PALAS

BENGAL witnessed an unprecedented time of

peace and prosperity for 400 years
Kings - Gopala ( 759-781), Dharmapala(781-
821),Devapala (821-861),- Mahipala 1(995-
1043), Ramapala ( 1082-1142 )
ANCIENT INDIA
 Administration
• The evolution of a highly developed
administrative system
• Central –Kings , Prime Ministers – first time in
Indian History- High sounding Titles-
Maharajadhiraja
• Provincial-For administrative convenience
provinces were divided into Bhuktis, Vishayas,
Mandals and Patakas
 Society and Culture under the Palas
• That politically the Pala Age constituted a
glorious chapter of the history of Bengal, nay
of India, is agreed on all hands. Not only
political field but also in social, economic,
literary and cultural activities this period
registered a great development
 Nature of People & Prosperity of
Bengal
• Hiuen T-Sang ( 7th cen) describing the
prosperity of Bengal and the social habits of
the Bengalees one century before the rise of
the Palas, was full of praise about the
character, courage, honesty and culture of the
Bengalees. Hiuen T-Sang was specially pleased
at the amiability and love of education among
the Bengalees.
 Society
• From the literary sources of the time of the
Pala rule we come to know that characteristics
noted by the Chinese traveler were all present
among the Bengalees during the Pala rule.
From the literary sources we come to know
that the Bengalees of the Pala-period were
unostentatious, easy-going and simple in their
daily life and living.
 SOCIETY –EDUCATION-WOMEN
• From this it is presumed that conservatism in
caste system must have prevailed at that time
and marriage between different castes was not
permissible. The society then was divided mainly
into Brahmins, Baidyas, Kayasthas and Sudras.
Position of women was very high in society.
Holding women in high respect was the
traditional aspect of the Hindu culture. The praise
of the women of the Pala period is found in con-
temporary literature.
 DRESS -FOOD
• The Bengalees partook of food as they do at the
present day. Rice, pulses, vegetables, fish, meat, ghee,
curd, milk and various preparations from rice used to
be taken by them. Sugar and molasses used to be
produced in large quantities in Bengal at that time.
• In matter of dresses there was no ostentation. The
males used dhoti and chaddar as their dress while
women used sari. Bodices and a small orna were also
used. Sandal paste and camphor were used as
perfumes by women. Wooden sandales and sandles
made of hides were used by men.
FOOD & DRESS
 ORNAMENTS
• Both the males and the females used to wear
ornaments made of gold and silver. Kundala,
keyur, bangles, neck-laces, mekhala, rings,
nose-studs, anklets, etc., were the ornaments
of the time. Ladies of the rich families wore
ornaments with jewels-set on them. Married
women used vermilion on their forehead.
ORNAMENTS
 SONGS,DANCE,SPORTS
• In social and religious functions dance, songs,
music, etc., were a must. There were various
religious rites performed all throughout the
year as is done today. Games of various types,
chess, etc., were the pastimes of the people.
SPORTS
 Transport
• Bullock cart, horse, elephant, palanquin,
boats, etc., provided the means of transport at
that time. The women of the rich families
used to travel in boats and palanquins.
 ECONOMIC LIFE TOWNS CITIES
• During the Pala period the Bengalees lived in
villages. Agriculture was the very basis of the
economic life of the people. Small industries
and cottage industries as well as trade and
commerce also were highly developed. While
the men engaged in trade and commerce used
to live in cities the women of the family would
live in villages.
 CITIES TOWNS
• The royal palace would have a golden pitcher at
the top of the building. In Ramcharit by
Sandhyakar Nandi there is a nice description of
the Pala capital Ramabati which was studded
with temples, stupas, monasteries, gardens,
ponds and swimming pools, etc. Trees and
creepers of various kinds added to the beauty of
the capital city. It was not a speciality for
Ramabati. Every town and city had similar
decorative trees, ponds and gardens.
 International Trade- Textiles
• During the Pala-Sena period Bengal was
famous for small and cottage industrial
products. These were exported to Ceylon,
Burma, Champa, Cambodia, Java, Siam,
Sumatra, China, etc., through the ports of
Tamralipti and Saptagram. Bengal had also
trade relations with other parts of India and
caravans used to travel upto Tibet, Nepal and
Central Asian countries by land.
INDONESIA
 TEXTILES
• Fine cotton cloth produced in Bengal used to be
exported to the countries of East and West at
that time. In the account of an Arabian merchant
Khordadbaha we find how a dhoti made of finest
cotton yarn in Bengal could be passed through a
finger ring. From Suleiman, the Arab merchant,
we come to know that Bengal used to export
horns of rhinoceros to China. In Abhidhan
Rantnamala there is a reference that tin used to
be raised from tin mines in Bengal.
 Literature:
• Under the Palas and the Senas an
unprecedented expression of the Bengali
intellect and talent could be seen. The edu-
cation and literary development during this
period was the result of patronage of the Pala
and the Sena kings. Vedas, Dharmasastras,
Puranas, Ramayana, Mahabharata,
Mathematics, Economics, Ayurveda,
Grammar, Astrology, etc., were vastly read by
both men and women.
 charyapadas
• It was under the Palas that many Dohas and
folk songs called by the name of Charyapada
were composed. Lui Pa and Kanha Pa were the
most celebrated of the composers of the Doha
and songs called Charyapada. These were the
original form of the Bengali language.
Sandhyakar Nandi’s Ramacharit, Gauda
Abhinanda’s Kadambari Kathasagar, and
Halayudh’s Abhidhan Ratnamala were written
during this period.
 MEDICINE
• The author of Chikitsa Sangraha, Chakrapani
Datta, was the greatest authority in
Ayurvedasastra of that age. Srikar was one of
the greatest authors of Smritisastra of the
period. Jimutabahana, Sridharabhatta
enriched this period by their works
 Education:
• Gopala, founder of the Pala dynasty,
constructed the Odantapuri Mahavihara. The
Buddhist Philosopher Santi Rakshit enjoyed
the patronage of Gopala. He was the greatest
exponent of Tantrikism. During the reign of
Gapala’s son Dharmapala as many as fifty
Buddhist monasteries were built. Buddhist
philosopher Haribhadra used to teach
Buddhist philosophy in these monasteries.
 EDUCATION
• One of the greatest achievements of Dharmapala was the
establishment of the Vikramsila Mahavihara on the Ganges near
Patharghata in Bhagalpur district. There were 107 temples and 6
colleges in this Mahavihara and Buddhajnanpada was the
Chancellor of this University or Mahavihara. Prasasta Mitra,
Buddhasakti, Buddhajnanpada, Rahulabhdra and other Buddhist
philosophers taught Tantrik Buddhism in the colleges of this
University.
• Kamalsila was the greatest annotator of the Mahavihara. Kalyan
Rakshit, Prabhakar, Purnavardhan, etc., were the professors who
taught Nyaya in the University and there were other professors who
taught grammar, logic, and various other subjects. There were
altogether 108 professors engaged in teaching different subjects in
the Vikramsila University.
 Atish Dipankara
• Many Sanskrit books were translated into
Tibetan in this Mahavihara. Dipankar Srijnan
was a professor in Vikramsila. Under Devapala
another Vihara known as Sompuri Vihara was
constructed. The ruins of this University have
been discovered in the Paharpur area of
Rajshahi district Pala King Devapala was also
responsible for the establishment of a
monastery known as Traikutaka monastry.
 NALANDA
• It was a centre for the study of Buddhism. During
the Pala rule the Nalanda University again
became famous as a seat of learning and scholars
from far and wide used to come to this university
for study. The ruler of Sumatra Balaputradeva of
the Sailendra dynasty sent an emissary to
Devapala asking for the grant of five villages in
the vicinity of Nalanda for the residence of the
scholars from Sumatra. Balaputradeva’s request
was complied with. Devapala himself had
constructed a monastery at Nalanda. He was a
great patron of learning and the learned men.
NALANDA UNIVERSITY
 Art, Architecture and Sculpture:
• Under the Palas arts of painting, architecture
and sculpture were highly developed. Under
the Senas as well, architecture registered a
great improvement. The art, architecture and
sculpture that had developed under the
patronage of the Palas and the Senas have
been mostly destroyed during the Moslem
invasion.
• Yet some of the specimens that have been
found here and there give us a clear idea of
the excellence reached in art, architecture and
sculpture during that period. The Odantapuri
Vihara constructed by Gopala is an excellent
specimen of the architectural skill of the time.
The first Buddhist Vihara at Tibet was
constructed in imitation of the Odantapuri
Vihara.
 SOMAPURI VIHARA
• In the South-East Asian archipelago copy of
the Somapuri Vihara style is largely seen. The
Somapuri Vihara had a spacious courtyard and
all its four sides’ buildings, temples, dining
halls, etc., were constructed. The ruins of the
architectural works of the time of the Palas
and Senas have been discovered in many
places of Bengal.
ARCHITECTURE
 PAINTING
• In the art of painting and sculpture Dhiman and
his son Bitapal reached perfection under the
Palas. They knew the art of making images with
metal. The sculptural remains of the Pala period
force our admiration even today. The greatest
artist of the Sena period was Sulapani. During the
Pala rule many aqueducts were excavated and
some of them exist even today in the Dinajpur
district.
• Religion:
 RELIGION
• The Pala kings were Buddhists. Buddhism was on the wane in other
parts of India at that time, but it was lively in the domains of the
Palas. In those parts of India both Buddha and Mahavira were being
regarded as Hindu gods. The influence of Saivism and Vaishnavism
fell deeply on Buddhism and Jainism and both Buddha and
Mahavira Jina were being looked upon as incarnation of Siva and
Vishnu.
• The simplicity of worship in Buddhism which was formerly
characteristic of this religion gradually gave place to Hindu rites and
rituals as well as mantras in the worship of Buddha. As Tantrikism
made a deep influence on Buddhism it became easy for Hinduism
to gradually bring it under its fold. With the gradual introduction of
Mudra, Mandal, Rites, Brata, formalities, Mantras, Homa, etc., in
Buddhist worship, Buddhism gradually got merged into Hinduism.
• Manjusreemulakalpa sho
 ASSIMILATION TOLERANCE
• Manjusreemulakalpa shows how a good deal
of Hinduism had entered into the worship of
Buddha. In this way while in other parts of
India Buddhism was gradually being mixed up
with Hinduism, in Bengal under the Palas
Buddhism continued to exist in its real form.
Although the Pala kings were Buddhists, they
were tolerant of other religions. During the
Sena period Hinduism became predominant in
Bengal.
 Contact with the Outside World
under the Palas and the Senas
• Under the Palas and the Senas, particularly under the Palas
Bengal was regarded as the source of religion, industry,
literature, trade and Commerce. Bengal was the mistress of
Nepal, Tibet, China, Japan, Burma, Ceylon, Java, Sumatra,
etc. From Tamralipti and Saptagram a large number of
merchant vessels would carry on regular trade with Ceylon,
Burma, Java, Sumatra, etc.
• Many princes and merchants who for one reason or other
had lost their fortune would go to Suvarnadwipa, that is
Sumatra and other South-East Asian countries to repair
their fortune and would come back with ship loads of gold.
For this, the region generally came to be known as
Suvarnadwipa, particularly meaning Sumatra.
• ue to the patronage of the Palas Buddhism had spread to
South-East Asian countries like Sumatra, Java, Burma, Japan
and also to Tibet, China, etc. In Devapala’s royal rescript
there is mention of three kings of the Sailendra dynasty of
Sumatra, Java, etc. A Bengali called Kumara Ghosa was the
preceptor (guru) of the Sailendra Kings.
• The king of Sumatra, Balaputradeva, sent an emissary to
Devapala asking for five villages in the vicinity of Nalanda
for construction of a monastery for the scholars from
Sumatra. From all this, it may be presumed that in the
Suvarnabhumi, i.e., the South- East Asian archipelago
religion and culture of Bengal had spread. Buildings of the
style of Sompuri Vihara were constructed in this region.
 RELATIONS WITH CHINA
• During the Pala rule the religious and
commercial relations between Bengal and
China went on uninterrupted. In 973 a
professor from Nalanda went to China being
invited by the Chinese emperor. Many other
Buddhist monks from other parts of India also
had gone to China at that time. Likewise a
large number of Chinese Buddhist monies
came to visit India during the Pala rule; five of
them left an inscription at Bodhgaya
 CONCLUDING REMARKS
• From the above narrative it will be evident that
under the Palas and the Senas in the fields of
politics, religion, literature and culture there was
an unprecedented development in Bengal. The
Senas were last independent Hindu ruling
dynasty of Bengal. During the reign of Lakshman
Sen the last of the Sena rulers Ikhtiyar-ud-din
Mohammad bin Bakhtiyar Khalji defeated
Lakshman Sen and occupied his capital at Nadia
in 1197. Lakshman Sen withdrew to East Bengal
where he and his successor ruled for some time
more.