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{{distinguish|Bhangarh}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2018}}
{{Use Indian English|date=April 2018}}
{{short description|Ancient city in Dakshin Dinajpur}}
{{Infobox ancient site
|name = Bangarh
|native_name =
|alternate_name = Devkot, Kotivarsha, Devikota, Devakota, Diw-kot
|image = File:Bangarh,_Gangarampur.jpg
|alt =
|caption = Bangarh, Gangarampur
|map_type =India West Bengal#India
|relief=yes
|map_alt =
|coordinates = {{coord|25|24|45|N|88|31|50|E|region:IN_type:city|display=inline,title}}
|location = [[Gangarampur]], [[West Bengal]], [[India]]
|type = Historical Place
|part_of =
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|builder =
|material =
|built = Earlier than 200 BC
|abandoned =
|epochs =
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|event =
|excavations =
|archaeologists =
|condition =
|ownership =
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|public_access =
|website = 
|notes =
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}}

'''Bangarh''' is an ancient city situated in [[Gangarampur]], [[West Bengal]], [[India]]. Bangarh was the ancient city which was the administrative centre of Kotivarsha Vishaya (territorial division), itself part of the wider administrative unit of Pundravardhana Bhukti, which had [[Mahasthangarh]] as its capital<ref name=dilip>Chakrabarti, Dilip K. (2006, reprint 2007). ''Relating History to the Land'' in Patrick Oleville (ed.) ''Between the Empires: Society in India 300 BCE to 400 CE'', New York: Oxford University Press, {{ISBN|0-19-568935-6}}, p.9</ref> in the period of Chandras, Varmans and [[Sena dynasty|Senas]]. After the Senas were defeated by the Muslims under [[Muhammad bin Bakhtiyar Khalji|Bakhtiar Khilji]], Devkot was established as their capital where Bakhtiar died.<ref>M M Ali, History of Muslims in Bengal</ref>{{full citation needed|date=January 2019}}

==Geography==
{{OSM Location map
| width=350| height=250| zoom=9
| coord={{coord|25|20|20|N|88|39|10|E}}| float=left|caption='''Cities and towns in the Dakshin Dinajpur district'''<br/>M: municipal city/ town, CT: census town, R: rural/ urban centre, H: historical site <br/>Owing to space constraints in the small map, the actual locations in a larger map may vary slightly
|mark-coord1={{coord|25|14|22|N|88|46|57|E}} | label-pos1=right|label1=Balurghat | numbered1=M| mark-title1= [[Balurghat]] (M)|label-color1=#800000 |label-size1=13| mark-size1=13|shape1=l-circle|shape-color1=#800000|shape-outline1=white|label-offset-x1=2
|mark-coord2={{coord|25|25|43|N|88|31|55|E}} | label-pos2=left|label2=Gangarampur| numbered2=M| mark-title2= [[Gangarampur]] (M)
|mark-coord3={{coord|25|23|24|N|88|23|13|E}} | label-pos3=left|label3=Buniadpur| numbered3=M| mark-title3= [[Buniadpur]] (M)
|mark-coord4={{coord|25|21|43|N|88|16|3|E}} | label-pos4=right|label4=Harirampur | numbered4=CT| mark-title4= [[Harirampur, West Bengal]] (CT)|shape-color4=#A40000
|mark-coord5={{coord|25|21|49|N|88|31|30|E}} | label-pos5=right|label5=Gopalpur | numbered5=CT| mark-title5= [[Gopalpur, Dakshin Dinajpur]] (CT)|shape-color5=#A40000
|mark-coord6={{coord|25|21|4|N|88|45|24|E}} | label-pos6=top|label6= Par Patiram | numbered6=CT| mark-title6= [[Par Patiram]] (CT)|shape-color6=#A40000
|mark-coord7={{coord|25|14|19|N|88|45|11|E}} | label-pos7=left|label7= Dakra | numbered7=CT| mark-title7= [[Dakra]] (CT)|shape-color7=#A40000
|mark-coord8={{coord|25|12|43|N|88|45|1|E}} | label-pos8=left|label8= Chak Bhrigu | numbered8=CT| mark-title8= [[Chak Bhrigu]] (CT)|shape-color8=#A40000
|mark-coord9={{coord|25|16|53|N|88|58|25|E}} | label-pos9=left|label9=Hili Checkpoint| numbered9=R| mark-title9= [[Hili, Dakshin Dinajpur]] (R)| shape-color9=#C42222
|mark-coord10={{coord|25|19|7|N|88|44|59|E}} | label-pos10=right|label10=Patiram| numbered10=R| mark-title10= [[Patiram]] (R)| shape-color10=#C42222
|mark-coord11={{coord|25|26|1|N|88|43|36|E}} | label-pos11=right|label11=Kumarganj| numbered11=R| mark-title11= [[Kumarganj, Dakshin Dinajpur]] (R)| shape-color11=#C42222
|mark-coord12={{coord|25|18|31|N|88|33|59|E}} | label-pos12=right|label12=Tapan| numbered12=R| mark-title12= [[Tapan, Dakshin Dinajpur]] (R)| shape-color12=#C42222
|mark-coord13={{coord|25|23|0|N|88|25|32|E}} | label-pos13=right|label13=Bansihari| numbered13=R| mark-title13= [[Bansihari]] (R)| shape-color13=#C42222
|mark-coord14={{coord|25|31|49|N|88|21|55|E}} | label-pos14=top|label14=Kushmandi| numbered14=R| mark-title14= [[Kushmandi, Dakshin Dinajpur]] (R)| shape-color14=#C42222
|mark-coord15={{coord|25|27|48|N|88|31|55|E}} | label-pos15=left|label15=Bangarh| numbered15=H| mark-title15= Bangarh (H)| shape-color15=black| label-size15=14|label-color15=black 
|mark-coord16={{coord|25.5084|88.6052}}| label16=India| label-color16 = black| label-angle16=15| label-pos16=bottom| label-size16=10| mark-size16=0| mark-title16 =none
|mark-coord17={{coord|25.5404|88.6252}}| label17=Bangladesh| label-color17 = black| label-angle17=15| label-pos17=bottom| label-size17=10| mark-size17=0| mark-title17 =none
|}}

===Location===
Bangarh is located at {{coord|25|24|45|N|88|31|50|E|}}

<small>In the map alongside, all places marked on the map are linked in the full screen version.</small>

==History==
The earliest mentions about the Kotivarsha town are found in the [[Vayu Purana]] (XXIII,209) and the ''Brihat Samhita'' (XI, II). Lexicographers, Hemchandra (the ''Abhidhanachintamani'' IV,977) and Purushottama (in his ''Trikandashesha'') have mentioned the city by several names – Uma(Usha?)vana, Banapura, and Shonitapura. Sandhyakara Nandi in his [[Ramacharitam|Ramacharita]] described at length about the temples and the lakes of the city.<ref name=roy>Roy, Niharranjan (1993). ''Bangalir Itihas: Adiparba'' (in Bengali), Calcutta: Dey's Publishing, {{ISBN|81-7079-270-3}}, p.301</ref> The ruins of the city are found in Bangarh, which is located at [[Gangarampur]] city, about 45 km south of [[Balurghat]] city, in [[Dakshin Dinajpur district]] of [[West Bengal]] state in eastern [[India]]. It has variously thought of as part of [[Pundravardhana]] or [[Rarh region|Rarha]] regions.<ref>Majumdar, Dr. R.C., ''History of Ancient Bengal'', First published 1971, Reprint 2005, p. 10, Tulshi Prakashani, Kolkata, {{ISBN|81-89118-01-3}}.</ref> There was a Brahmin densities at Devikota.<ref>Majumdar, Dr. R.C., p. 457</ref>

Muslim rule was first established in Bengal in 1204 by [[Ikhtiyar Uddin Muhammad Bin Bakhtiyar Khalji|Bakhtiyar Khilji]]. The kingdom was called Lakhnawati or Lakhnauti. The capital was located sometimes at Lakhnawati and sometimes at Devkot. Bakhtiyar Khilji died at Devkot in 1205–06, possibly murdered by Ali Mardan, who was governor of Naran-Koh,<ref>Majumdar, Dr. R.C., ''History of Mediaeval Bengal'', First published 1973, Reprint 2006, pp. 3, 67, Tulshi Prakashani, Kolkata, {{ISBN|81-89118-06-4}}.</ref> although this account is deemed erroneous by most Historians and it is established that Bakhtiyar died as a result of the physical wounds and mental trauma he endured from his unsuccessful trip to Tibet which was essentially cut short in northern Assam.<ref>Muhiddin Khan, Islam in Bangladesh</ref>

== Excavations at Bangarh ==
The earliest excavations at Bangarh was carried out by a team led by K.G. Goswami during 1938–41. Located on the bank of the [[Punarbhaba River|Punarbhaba]], the excavated site reflects its urban character. The site has its core in the form of a citadel surrounded by mud ramparts (area about 25 hectares) which dates from the earliest phase of the site. The earliest phase remains uncertain, as the excavations could not reach the natural soil.<ref name="dilip"/> The citadel area revealed five cultural phases dating from the time of the [[Maurya Empire|Mauryas]] to the medieval period. The initial phase (the Mauryan period) indicates that the city had a modest beginning in which it had probably a mud rampart wall. It was only in the following phase (the [[Kushan Empire|Kushana]] period, 200 BCE - 300 CE) a brick built wide rampart wall is found with drains, cesspits and residential buildings made of burnt bricks of a very large size, showing distinct signs of prosperity and burgeoning urbanism. The excavated materials of the Gupta period are not comparable with the richness and diversity of those belonging to Kushana cultural phase. Though the late [[Gupta Empire|Gupta]] phase of Bangarh is marked by decadence, particularly in terms of building activities, the [[Pala Empire|Pala]] period (mid 8th century -12th century), in sharp contrast, indicates a picture of efflorescence. Rampart walls, compound walls, residential quarters, temples with ambulatory path and its enclosing walls, damp proof granaries, bathrooms, drains and ring wells suggest a prosperous condition of the city.<ref>{{cite news |title=Eight eras of Indian history unearthed in Bangarh |url=http://www.telegraphindia.com/1090514/jsp/siliguri/story_10954127.jsp |work=The Telegraph |location=Calcutta |date=14 May 2009 |access-date=2009-09-23}}</ref>

[[File:Broken Palace of Bangarh.jpg|thumb|300px|Ruins of the palace at Bangarh]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
{{Wikiquote}}
* {{Wikivoyage-inline|Balurghat}}

{{Non-extant Bengal places}}
{{Dakshin Dinajpur topics}}

[[Category:History of Bengal]]
[[Category:Gangarampur]]
[[Category:Indo-Aryan archaeological sites]]
[[Category:Archaeological sites in West Bengal]]

Bangarh - Revision history

imported>Hulged at 09:45, 23 February 2021