Koch dynasty

2026-04-11T08:44:19Z

99.203.129.112:

{{Short description|Indian dynasty of Assam and Bengal (1515–1949)}}
{{distinguish|Koch family}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2018}}
{{Use Indian English|date=July 2018}}
{{Infobox country
| native_name = Koch Dynasty
| conventional_long_name = Koch Kingdom
| common_name = Koch dynasty
| era = Early modern period
| status = historical kingdom
| event_start = Established by [[Biswa Singha]]
| year_start = 1515
| date_start =
| event1 = Expansion
| date_event1 = 1510–1577
| event2 = Division into Koch Hajo and Koch Bihar
| date_event2 = 1587
| event3 = princely state of [[British India]]
| date_event3 = 1775
| event_end = Joined [[India|India Union]]
| year_end = 1949–1956
| date_end =
| p1 = Baro-Bhuyan
| flag_p1 =
| p2 =
| flag_p2 =
| s1 = Republic of India
| flag_s1 = Flag of India.svg
| s2 = Ahom kingdom
| flag_s2 = Ahom_insignia_plain.svg
| s3 = Mughal Empire
| s4 = Kachari kingdom
| image_flag = Drapeau Cooch Behar.png
| flag_type = Flag of [[Kamata Kingdom]]
| image_coat =
| image_map = Sketch map illustrating the extent of the Assamese kingdom in their zenith.png
| image_map_caption = Boundary (in blue) of the Koch dynasty in 1560
| capital = Chiknabari<br />Hingulabas<br />[[Bijni]]<br/>[[Dumuria]]<br/>[[Jogighopa]]<br/>[[Abhayapuri]]<br />Kamatapur {{small|(present-day [[Gosanimari]])}}<br />[[Cooch Behar]]
| common_languages = {{hlist|||[[Kamarupi_Prakrit|Kamrupic]] ([[Assamese language|Assamese]], [[Kamtapuri language|Kamtapuri]])<ref name="harvcol|Driem|2022|pp=507">{{harvnb|Driem|2022|pp=507}}: An early form of Assamese which like its sister language Bengali is derived from the Magadhi Apabhraṃśa, had established itself in western Assam by the 5th century, ... Kāmatā later gave rise to the Koch kingdom known as ‘Cooch Behar’ or Koch Bihar. During this period, the still predominantly Bodo populace underwent further Hinduisation and linguistic assimilation to Assamese.</ref><ref name="harvcol|Mahapatra|1989|pp=37">{{harvnb|Mahapatra|1989|pp=37}}: It received patronage and cultivation by the Koch rulers, as well as the Ahom kings, who... also considered Assamese as a convenient medium to govern the multilingual population under them.</ref><ref name="toulmin2009p13">"On sociohistorical grounds, this stage is termed ‘proto Kamta’ ... and assigned the chronology of approximately AD 1250–1550: sandwiched between the establishment of the Kamrupa capital at Kamtapur in 1250, and the political (and plausibly linguistic) expansion under Koch King Nara Narayana in 1550." {{harvcol|Toulmin|2009|p=13}}</ref>|[[Koch language|Koch]]<ref name="harvcol|Nath|1989|pp=23–24">{{harvcol|Nath|1989|pp=23–24}}</ref>|[[Garo language|Garo]]<ref name="harvcol|Nath|1989|pp=23–24">{{harvcol|Nath|1989|pp=23–24}}</ref>|[[Mech language|Mech]]<ref name="harvcol|Shin|2021|p=33">{{harvcol|Shin|2021|p=33}}</ref>|[[Sikkimese language|Sikkimese]]<ref name="harvcol|Shin|2021|p=33">{{harvcol|Shin|2021|p=33}}</ref>|Regional{{\}}local languages|[[Sanskrit language|Sanskrit]] (for religious and court usage) }}
| religion = [[Hinduism]]<br>Other [[ethnic religion]]<ref name="harvcol|Sheikh|2012|p=252">{{harvcol|Sheikh|2012|p=252}}</ref>
| government_type = [[hereditary monarchy]]
| leader1 = [[Biswa Singha]]
| year_leader1 = 1515–1540
| leader2 = [[Nara Narayan]]
| year_leader2 = 1540–1587
| leader3 = Raghudev
| year_leader3 = 1581–1603
| leader4 = Lakshmi Narayan
| year_leader4 = 1586–1621
| leader5 = [[Jagaddipendra Narayan]]
| year_leader5 = 1922–1947
| title_leader = [[Maharaja]]
| legislature =
| currency = Narayani
| today = [[India]]<br>[[Bangladesh]]<br>[[Bhutan]]
}}
{{Assam History}}
The '''Koch dynasty''' ({{IPAc-en|k|ɒ|tʃ}}; 1515–1949) ruled parts of eastern [[Indian subcontinent]] in present-day [[Assam]] and [[Bengal]]. [[Biswa Singha]] established power in the erstwhile [[Kamata Kingdom]] which had emerged from the decaying [[Kamarupa|Kamarupa Kingdom]].<ref>{{Harvcol|Nath|1989|pp=2–11}}</ref><ref>"[[Kamarupa]] was reorganized as a new state. 'Kamata' by name with Kamatapur as capital. The exact time when the change was made is uncertain. But possibly it had been made by Sandhya (c1250-1270) as a safeguard against mounting dangers from the east and the west. Its control on the eastern regions beyond the Manah (Manas river) was lax." {{harv|Sarkar|1992|pp=40–41}}</ref> The dynasty came to power by overthrowing the [[Baro-Bhuyan]]s of the region, who had previously ended the brief rule established by [[Alauddin Hussain Shah]].

The dynasty split into three among the descendants of Biswa Singha's three sons: two antagonistic branches [[Cooch Behar State|Koch Bihar]] and [[Koch Hajo]] and a third branch at Khaspur. Koch Bihar aligned with the [[Mughal Empire|Mughal]]s and the Koch Hajo branch broke up into various sub-branches under the [[Ahom kingdom]]. Koch Bihar became a [[princely state]] during [[British Raj|British rule]] and was absorbed after Indian independence. The third branch at Khaspur (Khaspur kingdom) was absorbed completely into the [[Kachari kingdom]]. [[Raikat]] is a collateral branch of the Koch dynasty that claim descent from the Sisya Singha, the brother of Biswa Singha.

==Etymology==
The name [[Koch people|Koch]] denotes a matrilineal ethnic group to which Biswa Singha's mother belonged;<ref name="nathp17">"(I)t becomes clear that Biswa Singha's father was a Mech and mother was a Koch and both the tribes were "rude" and "impure", hence non-Aryan or non-Hinduised." {{harvcol|Nath|1989|p=17}}</ref> and the king as well as most of the population of the kingdom ([[Kamata Kingdom]]) belonged to the Koch community.<ref> The Koches were of Dravidian-Mongoloid origin. "The dynasty was Koch and the name of kingdom was Kamata (Koch) because the king himself and most of the population belonged to the Koch community" {{harvcol|Das|2004|p=559}}</ref>

==History==
===Historical background===
{{main|Kamata Kingdom}}
After the fall of the [[Pala dynasty (Kamarupa)|Pala dynasty]] of [[Kamarupa]], the kingdom fractured into different domains in the 12th century. [[Sandhya (ruler of Kamarupa)|Sandhya]], a ruler of Kamarupanagara (present-day [[North Guwahati]]) moved his capital further west to present-day [[North Bengal]] in the middle of the 13th century and the domain he ruled over came to be called [[Kamata kingdom]].<ref>{{harv|Gogoi|2002|p=17}}</ref> The buffer region, between the eastern kingdoms and Kamata was the domain of the [[Baro-Bhuyan]]s chieftains. [[Alauddin Husain Shah]] of [[Gauḍa (region)|Gaur]] removed [[Nilambar of Kamata|Nilambar]] of the [[Khen dynasty]] in 1498, occupied Kamata and placed his son [[Danyal Husayn]] in charge. Within a few years the Baro-Bhuyans—led by one Harup Narayan of the [[Brahmaputra valley]]—defeated, captured, and executed Daniyal, and the region lapsed into Bhuyan confederate rule.<ref>{{Harvcol|Nath|1989|pp=21}}</ref>

====Emergence of the Koch power====
It was in this context that a number of independent [[Koch people|Koch]] tribes were united under a leader named Hajo, who occupied [[Rangpur Division|Rangpur]] and [[Kamrup region|Kamrup]].<ref>"The Koches 'who had a number of chiefs, at first independent, but who gradually united under the authority of one of themselves named Hajo, occupied Rangpur and Kamrup" {{harvcol|Nath|1989|p=17}}</ref> The Koches, spreading towards the southern plains, were able to ally with other tribal groups.<ref>"Having moved from the Himalayan terrain, probably following the courses of the Teesta and Dharla rivers, the Koches settled first in North Bengal and then spread gradually towards the east, south and west, thereby allying with other tribal groups like the Rabhas, Dhimals, Hajongs, Garos, and Meches (Nath 1989: 1-4)." {{harvcol|Shin|2021|p=30}}</ref> Among various factors, the shift from [[slash-and-burn]] cultivation to settled cultivation and the breakdown of tribal clan-based relations are given as factors that contributed to the growth of Koch power.<ref>" (I)t is clear that the centre of Koch power was gradually moving towards the southern plains of the region. This repeated transfer of capital was associated with a shift in their subsistence from jhum cultivation to settled agriculture (Ray 2002: 48). Simultaneously, there was a change in their political system from a clan-based chiefdom to a state with multiple agents involved in its functioning. Both the processes are commonly observed among rising local powers with indigenous origin in the northeast between the fourteenth and eighteenth centuries (Shin 2020: 49-75)." {{harvcol|Shin|2021|p=31}}</ref>

As part of these alliances Hajo's daughter Hira married Hariya Mandal, a member of the [[Mech people|Mech]] tribe from Chiknagram in present-day [[Kokrajhar district]],<ref>"[Hajo] had two daughters, Hira and Jira of whom Hira was married to Hariya, a member of the "impure tribe" called Mech."{{harvcol|Nath|1989|p=17}}</ref> though these ethnic identities are difficult to discern since there were frequent intermarriages.<ref>"Subject to differences of opinion, the progenitor of the Koch monarch was either a Koch or a Mech, Haria Mandal by name..." {{harvcol|Sarkar|1992|p=70}}</ref><ref>"Frequent intermarriage between the Koches and the Meches made them come close to each other, thereby making differentiation between the two groups difficult in both the historical and fictional narratives. The founder of Koch political power was Visva Sinha (1515-40), the son of Haria Mandal who was the head of twelve leading Mech families and inhabited Chiknabari in Mount Chikna near Bhutan hills."{{harvcol|Shin|2021|p=30}}</ref> Bisu, born to Hariya and Hira,<ref>"[Hajo] had two daughters, Hira and Jira of whom Hira was married to Hariya, a member of the "impure tribe" called Mech. Of them was born Bisu...it becomes clear that Biswa Singha's father was a Mech and mother was a Koch and both the tribes were "rude" and "impure", hence non-Aryan or non-Hinduised."{{harvcol|Nath|1989|p=17}}</ref> acquired the political legacy of his grandfather Hajo<ref>{{harvcol|Nath|1989|p=17}}</ref> and established himself as the chief of the eastern branch of the Koches in the Khuntaghat region (present-day [[Kokrajhar district]] of Assam).<ref>{{harvcol|Barman|2014|p=18}}</ref><ref>{{harvcol|Nath|1989|p=197}}</ref> It is thought that Bisu fought under the leadership of the Bhuyans as a landlord against the occupation of [[Kamata kingdom]] by [[Alauddin Husain Shah]] and thus learned their military tactics.<ref>"Bisu, who might have fought Alauddin Hussain Shah or his government in Kamrup under the leadership of the Bhuyans and had a knowledge of their (the Bhuyans') military tactics..." {{harvcol|Nath|1989|pp=22–23}}</ref>

[[File:COB_Palace8.jpg|right|thumb|250px|<div style="text-align: center;"><small>[[Cooch Behar Palace]] constructed during the reign of [[Nripendra Narayan]]</small></div>]]
[[File:OriginOfKochDynasty.png|thumb|right|450px|<div style="text-align: center;"><small>''Origin of the Koch dynasty, based on the Darrang Raja Vamsavali''</small><ref>{{Harvcol|Sarkar|1992|p=91}}</ref></div>]]

===Consolidation of power under Bisu===
He sought the alliance of tribal chiefs,<ref name="bs-alliance">"Visva placed considerable dependence on tribal force in warfare. Tribal militia, consisting of the Meches, Koches, Kacharis, Bhutias and so forth, continued to participate in aggressive warfare under Naranarayan, resulting in a great expansion of the Koch territory (Barman 2007: 83-87)"{{harvcol|Shin|2021|p=33}}</ref><ref>"...[[Dumuria|Dimarua]], Panbari, [[Beltola]], [[Rani, Kamrup|Rani]], Moirapur, Borduar, Bholagram, Pantanduar, [[Chaygaon|Chaigaon]], Bogaduar, Bongaon, Baku, Luki, [[Hengrabari|Hengerabari]]. Biswa Singha received the allegiance of these states including those of [[Darrang district|Darrang]], Karaibari, Atiabari, Kamtabari, and Balrampur. The ruling family of these states till the annexation of the lower Brahmaputra valley to the British in 1826 were Koch, Mech or Garo and some of them claimed the continuity of their rule since centuries back" {{Harvcol|Nath|1989|pp=23–24}}</ref> against the more powerful Baro-Bhuyans and began his campaign around 1509.<ref>{{Harvcol|Nath|1989|pp=28–29}}</ref> Successively, he defeated the Bhuyans of Ouguri, Jhargaon, Karnapur, Phulaguri, [[Bijni]] and [[Pandu, Guwahati|Pandunath]] (Pandu, in [[Guwahati]]).<ref>"It is stated that Biswa Singha subjugated the ''Bar Bhuyan'' then the ''Saru Bhuyan'' and then the Bhuyan of Ouguri. After this he defeated the ''Daivajnya Chuti Bhuyan'' and thereafter Kusum Bhuyan, Dihala Bhuyan, Kalia Bhuyan and the Bhuyans of Jhargaon, Kabilash Bhuyan, the Bhuyans of Karnapur, Phulaguri, and Bijni, and finally Pratap Rai Bhuyan of Pandunath, Guwahati. The ''Gurucaritas'' also mention Gandhanva Rai, the Bhuyan of Banduka and Sriram Khan of Sajalagram." {{harvcol|Nath|1989|p=24}}</ref> He was particularly stretched by the Bhuyan of Karnapur, and could defeat him only by a stratagem during [[Bihu]].

In some records Bisu moved his capital from Chikana to Hingulabas (near present-day [[Samuktala]]) and then finally to Kamatapur (now called [[Gosanimari]]) which is just a few miles southeast of the present-day [[Cooch Behar]] town<ref>"With his military and administrative ability, Viva crushed a number of Bhuyans, local chiefs with a huge estate and military strength, subjugated other hilly areas and set up a new polity about 1515. He shifted the political centre from Chikanbari, his native village close to Bhutan border, to Hingulabas, a village in the plains of western Duras, and then finally to Kamatapur, the fortified city occupied by the Khens about a century earlier"{{harvcol|Shin|2021|pp=30–31}}</ref>—but since these movements were recorded much after the events the dates and rulers associated with these movements are not expected to be accurate and these movements represent the gradual movement of Koch power towards the southern plains of the Brahmaputra Valley.<ref>"Since the sources are of a much later date than the events they record, the date of occurrence and the kings credited with each shift of the capital may not be accurate. But, as Ray points out, it is clear that the centre of Koch power was gradually moving towards the southern plains of the region." {{harvcol|Shin|2021|pp=30–31}}</ref> After subjugating the petty rulers, he announced himself the king of Kamata bounded on the east by [[Barnadi River]] and on the west by the [[Karatoya River]]<ref name="Nath1989">{{Harvcol|Nath|1989|pp=23–24}}</ref> in the year 1515.<ref>{{Harvcol|Nath|1989|pp=28}}</ref>

The Koch dynasty in Kamata was one of several tribal formations that developed into statehoods around 15th century in [[northeast India]]—[[Ahom kingdom|Ahom]], [[Chutia kingdom|Chutia]], [[Dimasa kingdom|Dimasa]], [[Twipra kingdom|Tripura]], [[Manipur kingdom|Manipur]], etc.<ref>{{harvtxt|Guha|1983|p=5}}</ref>

===Sanskritisation===
At his coronation Bisu adopted Hinduism and the name Biswa Singha.<ref>"(Bisu) adopted Hinduism and assumed the name Biswa Singha after his coronation (Barpujari 2007: 69–71; Gait 2008: 49–50)."{{harvcol|Roy|2020}}</ref><ref>{{harvcol|Shin|2021|pp=30,31}}</ref> Nevertheless, he retained the Koch identity of his mother discarding the ethnic identity of his father.<ref>"It is interesting to note that Bisu, the founder of the dynasty and son of Haria Mandal, a chieftain of the Tibeto–Burman origin, discarded the tribal affinity of his father, but retained Koch identity of his mother (Bisu’s mother, Hira belonged to the Koch origin) adopted Hinduism and assumed the name Biswa Singha after his coronation (Barpujari 2007: 69–71; Gait 2008: 49–50)."{{harvcol|Roy|2020}}</ref> Later, Brahman pundits created a legend that lord [[Shiva|Siva]] was the father of Biswa Singha to give [[legitimacy (political)|legitimacy]] to his rule<ref>"It is common to believe Biswa Singha's origin as son of Siva was nothing but creation of the Brahmans..The Brahmans needed royal patronage and the king wanted legitimacy which could be obtained through the universal religion to teach the people to be obedient, patient and submissive"{{harvcol|Sheikh|2012|p=250}}</ref> and conferred on him the status of the [[Kshatriya]] varna.<ref>{{harvcol|Gogoi|2002|p=18}}</ref> According to the legend constructed at the time of coronation, Bisu was son of Siva and his tribe either the Koch or Mech people were Kshatriyas who ran away from the fear of extermination by the Brahman sage [[Parashurama]] and took shelter in [[Western Assam]] and [[North Bengal|Northern Bengal]] and later disguised themselves as [[Mlechchas]].<ref>{{harvcol|Sharma|2009|pp=356–357}}</ref>

This process of hinduisation was much slower in the lower strata of the society,<ref>"So among the mass people the process of Hinduization was slower than in the folds of the royal family. With the embracing of Hinduism, they were left with a somewhat despised name 'Koch' and adopted the name Rajbansi, a Kshatriya status which means literally 'of royal race', confined predominantly within the cultivators and the respectable classes. The name Koch was used by the palanquin bearers. Thus Koch Behar was undergoing religious transformation and developing a caste hierarchy under an impact of Brahminical Hinduism though it was much slower in the lower strata of the society
"{{harvcol|Sheikh|2012|p=252}}</ref> the king Biswa Singha with his tribal origin claimed Rajbanshi kshatriya status,<ref>{{harvcol|Sheikh|2012|p=250}}:"(K)ing Biswa Singha with his tribal origin embraced Hinduism and claim Kshatriya status. He is also known as Bishu succeeded in establishing his authority, styling himself as Raja, he first claimed Rajbanshi Kshatriya status"</ref> the lower class Koch took this name after the 18th century.<ref>"But it is interesting to note that neither in the Persian records, nor in the foreign accounts, nor in any of the dynastic epigraphs of the time, the Koches are mentioned as Rajvamsis. Even the Darrang Raj Vamsavali, which is a genealogical account of the Koch royal family, and which was written in the last quarter of the 18th century, does not refer to this term. Instead all these sources call them as Koches and/or Meches."{{harvcol|Nath|1989|p=5}}</ref>

===Zenith===
Biswa Singha's two sons, Naranarayan and Shukladhwaj ([[Chilarai]]), the king and the commander-in-chief of the army respectively, took the kingdom to its zenith. During the reign of Nara Narayan, [[Cooch Behar State|Koch Behar]] saw the propagation of [[Ekasarana Dharma|eksarana-namadharma]] by [[Sankardev]] along with his two disciples [[Madhavdeva]] and [[Damodardev]],<ref>"The process of sankritisation was further advanced by the advent of Srimanta Sankardeva, along with his two disciples Madhavdeva and Damodardev in the mid sixteenth century. They introduced neo-vaishnavite movement in Koch Behar"{{harvcol|Sheikh|2012|p=251}}</ref><ref>"Democratic values and simplicity advocated by Sankardeva had profound influence on the heterogenous people of the [[Teesta River|Tista]]-[[Brahmaputra river|Brahmaputra]] basin. So all communities including the [[Koch people|Koch]], [[Kalita (caste)|Kalita]], [[Kayastha]], [[Chandala|Chandal]], [[Garo people|Garo]], [[Ahom people|Ahom]], [[Bhutia]], [[Mishing people|Miri]], Muslim and even the brahmins had embraced Sankardeva’s Vaishnavism. Madhavadeva and Damodar Deva, the disciples of Sankardeva also touched the hearts of the heterogeneous communities through their religious teachings and
transformed the neo-Vaishnavism into a popular cult of the region."{{harvcol|Barman|2014|p=21}}</ref> which helped brought a cultural renaissance to the kingdom.<ref>"Satra and namaghar of the neo-Vaishnavism appeared as two
powerful institutions with capacity for social control. So Naranarayan and Chilarai encouraged the foundation of satras in Sub-Himalayan Bengal and Lower Assam to popularize Koch rule among the follower of Vaishnavism. They not only established close relations with Sankardeva but also became great patron of the neo-Vaishnavism. Lakshmi Narayan (1587-1637), Raghudeva Narayan (1581-1618), Parikshit Narayan (1603-1618), Bir Narayan (1627-32) and Prana Narayan (1632-1665A.D.) also continued the state’s support to the building of the satras in the kingdom "{{harvcol|Barman|2014|p=22}}</ref> The spread of this new religious movement was initially resisted by the Koch, Mech and Kachari people residing in the Koch-Kamata kingdom,<ref>The rulers could not antagonize the tribals as they needed the tribal support in warfare. Hence, when the worship of Lord Shiva solely with the Vedic rituals was opposed by the tribals, King Naranarayan had to allow traditional ways of worship with animal sacrifice, offering of country beer (''chakat'') and colourful tribal music and dances. The Kacharis, Meches, Koches and other tribes of northern side of the [[Gohain Kamal Ali]] (from [[Cooch Behar]] to [[Narayanpur, Assam|Narayanpur]]) were allowed to maintain their own cultural form with their own priests and rituals"{{harvcol|Barman|2014|p=29}}</ref><ref name="harvcol|Sheikh|2012|p=252">{{harvcol|Sheikh|2012|p=252}}</ref> for which Nara Narayan made an official order to recognise the different religious practices of the people residing in the kingdom,<ref>"Naranarayan had to issue an edict by which the tribal form of religious practice prevalent among like Koches, Meches, and the Kacharis was recognised"{{harvcol|Sheikh|2012|p=252}}</ref> though by the end of the 18th century, the masses of the Koch population had absorbed considerable Hindu content.<ref>"From the seventeenth century onward, however, the Koch society absorbed considerable Brahmanical content. Their claim to kshatriya status emerged as a way of reflecting and extending the new economic status of landed magnates that had arisen in the Koch society during Mughal rule. By the end of the eighteenth century this claim was filtering down the ranks of the Koch society and gaining an increasing acceptability (Ray 2002:50)."{{harvcol|Shin|2021|p=34}}</ref><ref>"So among the mass people, the process of Hinduization was slower than in the folds of the royal family"{{harvcol|Sheikh|2012|p= 252}}</ref>

Later, Nara Narayan made Raghudev, the son of Chilarai, the governor of [[Koch Hajo]], the eastern portion of the country. After the death of Nara Narayan, Raghudev declared independence. The division of the Kamata kingdom into [[Cooch Behar State|Koch Bihar]] and [[Koch Hajo]] was permanent.

== Branches ==

=== Rulers of undivided Koch kingdom ===
*[[Biswa Singha]] (1515–1540)
*[[Nara Narayan]] (1540–1586)

=== Rulers of Koch Bihar ===
{{further|Cooch Behar State}}
[[File:Shri Sir Nripendra Narayan, Maharaja of Cooch Behar.jpg|right|thumb|[[Nripendra Narayan|Maharaja Nripendra Narayan]] of Cooch Bihar]]
* Lakshmi Narayan
* Bir Narayan
* Pran Narayan
* Basudev Narayan
* Mahindra Narayan
* Roop Narayan
* Upendra Narayan
* Devendra Narayan
* Dhairjendra Narayan
* Rajendra Narayan
* Dharendra Narayan
* Harendra Narayan
* Shivendra Narayan
* [[Narendra Narayan]]
* [[Nripendra Narayan]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.rvondeh.dircon.co.uk/cooch1.html|title=Princess Daisy of Pless: The Happy Years. An exhibition at Castle Pless|website=www.rvondeh.dircon.co.uk|access-date=24 December 2007|archive-date=25 April 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090425091442/http://www.rvondeh.dircon.co.uk/cooch1.html|url-status=live}}</ref>
* [[Rajendra Narayan|Rajendra Narayan II]]
* [[Jitendra Narayan]] (father of [[Gayatri Devi]])
* [[Jagaddipendra Narayan]] (brother of Gayatri Devi)
* Virajdendra Narayan

=== Rulers of Koch Hajo ===
{{further|Koch Hajo}}
* Raghudev (son of [[Chilarai]], nephew of Nara Narayan)
* Parikshit Narayan

=== Rulers of Darrang ===
The [[Mughal Empire|Mughal]] [[Bengal Subah|Subah]], in alliance with Lakshmi Narayan of Koch Bihar, attacked Parikshit Narayan of [[Koch Hajo]] in 1612. Koch Hajo, bounded by Sankosh River in the west and Barnadi river in the east, was occupied by the end of that year. Parikshit Narayan was sent to [[Delhi]] for an audience with the Mughal Emperor, but his brother Balinarayan escaped and took refuge in the [[Ahom kingdom]]. The region to the east of Barnadi and up to the Bharali river was under the control of some [[Baro-Bhuyan]] chieftains, but they were soon removed by the Mughals. In 1615 the Mughals, under Syed Hakim and Syed Aba Bakr, attacked the Ahoms but were repelled back to the Barnadi river. The Ahom king, [[Prataap Singha]], then established Balinarayan as a vassal in the newly acquired region between Barnadi and [[Bharali River|Bharali]] rivers, and called it [[Darrang district|Darrang]]. Balinarayan's descendants continued to rule the region as a tributary to the [[Ahom kingdom]] till it was annexed by the [[East India Company|British]] in 1826.<ref>{{Harvcol|Nath|1989|pp=102–104}}</ref>

* [[Balinarayan]] (brother of Parikshit Narayan)
* Mahendra Narayan
* Chandra Narayan
* Surya Narayan

=== Rulers of Beltola ===
{{Main|History of Beltola}}
{{HistoryOfSouthAsia}}
*Gaj Narayan Dev (brother of Parikshit Narayan, ruler of [[Koch Hajo]], brother of Balinarayan, first Koch ruler of [[Darrang district|Darrang]]).
*Shivendra Narayan Dev (Son of Gaj Narayan)
*Gandharva Narayan Dev (Son of Shivendra Narayan)
*Uttam Narayan Dev (Son of Gandharva Narayan Dev)
*Dhwaja Narayan Dev (Son of Uttam Narayan Dev)
*Jay Narayan Dev (Son of Dhwaja Narayan Dev)
*Lambodar Narayan Dev (Son of Jay Narayan Dev)
*Lokpal Narayan Dev (Son of Lambodar Narayan Dev)
*Amrit Narayan Dev (Son of Lokpal Narayan Dev)
*Chandra Narayan Dev (Son of Lokpal Narayan Dev) (died 1910 CE)
*Rajendra Narayan Dev (Son of Chandra Narayan Dev) (died 1937 CE)
*Lakshmipriya Devi (wife of Rajendra Narayan Dev) (reign:1937–1947 CE died: 1991 CE)

=== Rulers of Bijni ===
{{main|Bijni Raj Estate}}
The Bijni rulers reigned between the Sankosh and the Manas rivers, the region immediately to the east of [[Cooch Behar State|Koch Bihar]].
* Chandra Narayan (son of Parikshit Narayan)
* Joy Narayan
* Shiv Narayan
* Bijoy Narayan
* Mukunda Narayan
* Haridev Narayan
* Balit Narayan
* Indra Narayan
* Amrit Narayan
* Kumud Narayan
* Jogendra Narayan
* Bhairabendra Narayan

=== Rulers of Khaspur ===
The [[Barak valley]] was obtained by [[Chilarai]] in 1562<ref name="bhatta94begend">"The Khaspur state originated with Chilarai's invasion in 1562 AD and remained in existence till 1745 when it merged with the Dimasa state of Maibong." {{harvcol|Bhattacharjee|1994|p=71}}</ref> from the [[Twipra kingdom]] during his expedition when he subjugated most of the major rulers in [[Northeast India]] and established the Khaspur state with a garrison at Brahmapur, that eventually came to be called Khaspur (Brahmapur→Kochpur→Khaspur). The Koch rule began with the appointment of Kamal Narayan (step-brother of Chilarai and Naranarayan) as the Dewan a couple of years after the establishment of the garrison.<ref name="ReferenceA">{{harvcol|Bhattacharjee|1994|p=71}}</ref> Kamalnarayan established eighteen clans of Koch families that took hereditary roles in the state of Khaspur and who came to be known as Dheyans (after Dewan).<ref>{{harvcol|Bhattacharjee|1994|p=72}}</ref> The independent rule of the Khaspur rulers ended in 1745 when it merged with the [[Dimasa Kingdom|Kachari kingdom]].<ref name="bhatta94begend"/>

The rulers of the Koch kingdom at Khaspur were:<ref name="ReferenceA"/>
* Kamal Narayan (Gohain Kamal, son of Biswa Singha, governor of Khaspur)
* Udita Narayan (declared independence of Khaspur in 1590)
* Vijay Narayana
* Dhir Narayana
* Mahendra Narayana
* Ranjit
* Nara Singha
* Bhim Singha (his only issue, daughter Kanchani, married a prince of [[Kachari kingdom]], and Khaspur merged with the Kachari kingdom.)

==See also==
*[[Koch (caste)]]
*[[Rajbongshi people]]

==Gallery==
<gallery>
File:Shri Sir Nripendra Narayan, Maharaja of Cooch Behar.jpg|Shri Sir Nripendra Narayan, Maharaja of Cooch Behar.
File:H.H. Maharaja Shri Sir Jitendra Narayan Bhup Bahadur, Maharaja of Cooch-Behar, KCSI, 1913.jpg|Maharaja Shri Sir Jitendra Narayan Bhup Bahadur, Maharaja of Cooch-Behar, KCSI, 1913.
</gallery>

==Notes==
{{reflist}}

== References ==
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{{refend}}

{{Cooch Behar topics}}

[[Category:Kingdoms of Assam]]
[[Category:Dynasties of Assam]]
[[Category:History of Cooch Behar]]
[[Category:States and territories established in 1515]]
[[Category:Dynasties of India]]
[[Category:1515 establishments in Asia]]
[[Category:Kamtapur]]

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Koch dynasty