The travels of Bengalis in the past
Sumana Dam
(Continued from the last part)
The author Bhola Nauth Chunder states that no one can resist the temptation to see Gaur, a destination half a day's journey away, after coming to Suti by boat.
Gaur, a significant historical site in Bengal, is rich in the achievements of the Pal and Sena kings, as well as later Muslim rulers. The origins of Gaur remain unclear. According to cartographer and historian James Rennell, Gaur, also known as Lakhnauti or Lakshmanavati, is the Ganga Ridi described by the ancient Greek traveler Ptolemy. It was the capital of Bengal even 730 years before Christ. Humayun later beautified this place and named it Jannatabad (City of heaven). The author expresses doubt about the existence of Gaur 700 years before Christ, suggesting that if it existed, Buddha would have visited, and it would be mentioned in Buddhist literature. Gaur is also not mentioned in the Mahabharata. In the Puranas, Bengal is referred to as Banga, not Gaur, indicating that Ganga Ridi refers to another place, not Gaur. Chinese travelers Fa Hien in the 5th century and Hiuen Tsang in the 7th century did not mention Gaur. Wilford (Indologist Francis Wilford) suggested that Gaur was established in 648 AD, having separated from Magadha; this idea has considerable plausibility. The most glorious time for Bengalis was when the trade ships of Gaur sailed towards Kamrup in the east, Kamboja in the west, and Kalinga in the south. With the decline of the Pal era came the Sena dynasty, whose last king, Lakshman Sen, named Gaur after himself as Lakhnauti or Lakshmanavati. Bakhtiyar Khilji defeated Lakshman Sen, marking the beginning of Muslim or Sultanate rule in Gaur. Other than a few sculptures and Tamluk, little evidence of the Hindu era remains in Gaur. Many Muslim mosques were built using fragments of Hindu temples. Examples of 18th-century Muslim architecture include the Sona Mosque and Kadam Rasul. Enchanted by Gaur's beauty, Jahangir named it Jannatabad or Paradise City. From the late 16th century, Gaur's decline began, gradually transforming it into a jungle filled with ferocious animals. Marble from the ruins was used to construct buildings in Murshidabad, Malda, and elsewhere.
Now, the author's destination is Rajmahal. Founded by Raja Man Singh (the governor under Emperor Akbar) and a favorite city of Sultan Suja (son of Shah Jahan), Rajmahal was once as grand as Delhi but is now a humble town. Recently, remnants of Raja Man Singh's accomplishments were found in Rajmahal, including Shah Suja's beautiful palace, mosque, and gate. Many historical markers have been destroyed to make way for the railway. Rajmahal has also lost its tourism significance, but the beautiful green hills and the Ganga still preserve the area's charm. On the opposite bank of the Ganga, Siraj Doulah was captured after the Battle of Plassey.
The author then boarded a steamer from the India General Steam Navigation Company. He saw Moti jharna as it flowed beautifully down the mountain.
Next was Sakri Gali, where he observed a saint's shrine atop a hill. The steamer then passed under Teliagarhi Fort. Teliagarhi Fort was likely built by Sher Shah, with later renovations by Sultan Suja while they were repelling attacks from Humayun and Mir Jumla respectively. This area was previously referred to as Anga. The geography, people, and animals here are distinctly different from Bengal.
Soon, a range of hills appeared, where a saint named Pir Painti chose a peak by the Ganga as his place of meditation. A worship site was constructed there, which now intrigues modern tourists. The tomb of the Muslim saint after whom Pir Painti is named is located here. The Patharghata Cave is a noteworthy site due to its architecture. It is said that long ago a king entered the cave with a hundred thousand torchbearers and an equal number of oil measures, but he never returned. Locals believe the cave has no end. Later expeditions revealed the cave is 136 feet long and 24 feet wide, with no supporting pillars for the ceiling.
The next destination is Kahlgaon, a lovely picnic spot, where beautiful stone structures line the river. Locals refer to these as cooking stoves made by Bhima for the Pandavas.
Eighteen miles north is Bhagalpur, the capital of the ancient princely state of Anga, known as Champa. This area was home to Buddhists before the 11th century, as noted by Hiuen Tsang in his writings on several Buddhist monasteries. Due to dense vegetation and unhealthy saline soil, Bhagalpur is filled with mosquitoes and malaria, but it also has two ancient minarets nearly 70 feet tall. No one knows how old they are or their purpose.
The author then mentions the Cleveland monuments in Bhagalpur. Augustus Cleveland (1754-1784) was an administrator in the East India Company's Bengal Province, a revenue collector, and a judge in the Dewani court. The East India Company erected a monument in his memory. He was reportedly killed by rebels due to his anti-national sentiments according to Wikipedia. As per the writer of this book, Cleveland established a school for the hill tribes, and the second monument was erected by local Hindus in his honor. Its shape resembled a pagoda. (There is conflicting information about Cleveland from the author and Wikipedia).
The Mandar mountain, used as a rod in the churning of the ocean in the Samudra Manthan in Purana, lies south of Bhagalpur. While surrounding hills are made of limestone, Mandar is granite. There used to be a Buddhist pilgrimage site here, later taken over by Hindu Shaivites. The author presents a curious theory—that the churning of the ocean symbolizes a conflict between Buddhists and Hindus, with Hindu Brahmins representing the gods and Buddhists the demons, while the Naga community, represented by Vasuki, was depicted as snakes.
As the boat ascended the Ganga from Bhagalpur, the first sight was a solitary 100-foot-high granite hill called Jangira. Derozio, founder of the progressive group Young India, mentioned this place in his the Fakir of Jangira poem. At the hill's peak is a stone temple dedicated to Shiva called Gaibinath, visible from afar.
Eight miles from Jangira is Sultan Ganj. During railway construction, many ancient house ruins were discovered here, suggesting the existence of an ancient Buddhist monastery, with evidence found supporting this. (Currently, there is no information available online indicating any monastery has been excavated here, meaning no further excavations have occurred.) The large bricks used in these ruins date back to the 5th or 6th century, possibly even earlier. A seven-foot statue of Buddha was discovered here (now housed in the Birmingham Museum). It takes an hour to travel by train from Sultan Ganj to Jamalpur, where a half-mile-long tunnel has been built through the mountains.
The author traveled by river to Munger, passing through Kurukpur Hills. It is said that there was a hermitage of Rishya Sringa Muni on Kurukpur Hill, where an annual fair is held in his memory. In the Ganga stands a small hill with a hot spring called Sitakund, where it is said that Sita proved her chastity.
The Ganga flows around Munger city, surrounded by mountains and green valleys. Munger is an ancient city, formerly known as Maudgalpur.
The day the author visited Munger, the city was preparing for the arrival of Lord Canning during his journey to the North Province. Red carpets were laid out at the ghat in anticipation of the viceroy's arrival. Government and railway officers awaited him at the ghat. The viceroy was welcomed with salutes and honors as he descended from his barge.
Munger has no ancient buildings or ruins except for the fort. The fort, sitting on elevated land, is 4,000 feet long and 3,500 feet wide, surrounded by walls and a moat, with the Ganga on the fourth side. The fort has four gates, the main gate being the Red Gate. Next to the eastern gate, the author saw small Buddhist carvings on a column, realizing these were parts of an ancient Buddhist temple. Inside the fort, there is a beautiful mosque made of black marble. The mosque of Sultan Suja (son of Shah Jahan) has since been converted into a shop for Thomas & Co. The author also saw an ancient large well and the ruins of a passage for begums to reach the river.
The roads in Munger are well-maintained, with a moderate population. Many retired military pensioners live here. The houses here are small but different from Bengal's single-story, thatched-roof homes; they are two-story with flat roofs. Various iron products are manufactured and sold here. There is a deserted site with a temple dedicated to Chandi Mata (Chandika Sthan, a Shakti Peeth).
From the river, the next places are Surajgar, Barh, Fatwa, etc. Agriculture thrives in these areas, adorned with various fruit trees, making them incredibly picturesque. The author saw an innovative way of planting palm trees in the hollow trunks of dead peepal trees. In the afternoon, as the Ganga’s waters reflected the red glow of the setting sun, they reached Patna.
(To be continued)
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