Roshni at 08:00, 7 May 2026

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{{short description|Indian merchant}}
{{Multiple issues|
{{Fan POV|date=April 2024}}
{{More citations needed|date=April 2024}}
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{{Infobox person
| name = Chand Sadagar<br />চান্দ সদাগৰ<br />চাঁদ সদাগর
| image = Chando Saudagarh.jpg
| alt =
| caption =
| birth_name = Chandradhar
| birth_date = 200–300 AD
| birth_place = Champaknagar, [[Eastern South Asia]]
| death_date = 
| death_place =
| occupation = Ancient merchant
| years_active =
| known_for =
| notable_works =
| spouse = Sanaka
| children = 7
| relatives = [[Behula]] (daughter-in-law)
}}
[[File:Merghar.jpg|thumb|Ruins of ''Merghar'' (মেৰঘৰ), Mathpara Village, Chhaygaon, Assam]]
'''Chand Sadagar''' ([[Assamese language|Assamese]]: চান্দ সদাগৰ, [[Bengali language|Bengali]]: চাঁদ সদাগর) or '''Chandradhar''' was a sea merchant of Champaknagar. This merchant has been claimed by both the [[Assamese people|Assamese]] and the [[Bengalis]]. Medieval Bengali poet [[Bipradas Pipilai]] mentioned in his ''"[[Manasamangal Kāvya]]"'' (or "Manasa Vijay") that merchant ship of Chand Sadagar used to proceed to the sea from ancient Champaknagar after passing through [[Tribeni, Hooghly|Tribeni]], situated at the junction of [[Saptagram]] and the confluence of [[Hooghly River|Ganges]], [[Saraswati River (Bengal)|Saraswati]] and [[Jamuna River (West Bengal)|Jamuna River]] of modern-day [[West Bengal]].<ref>Roy, Niharranjan, ''Bangalir Itihas, Adi Parba'', first published 1972, reprint 2005, p. 75, Dey's Publishing, 13 Bankim Chatterjee Street, Kolkata, {{ISBN|81-7079-270-3}}</ref> Narayan Dev in the scriptures gave an account in his ''Manasamangal'' about the merchant ship of the trader Chand Saudagar proceeding to the sea from ancient Champaknagar passing through [[Saptagram]] and Tribeni, the tri-junction of the Ganges, Saraswati and Jamuna River.{{citation needed|date=April 2024}} In the ''Padma Puran'' (Hindu Scripture), account of Chand Bania (Sadagar) is specifically mentioned.

==The location of Champaknagar==

=== Assamese version ===
According to Assamese folklore, Champaknagar is placed in [[Chaygaon]], [[Kamrup region|Kamrup]], about 30–40 km from Guwahati, Assam.<ref>Kanak Lal Barua, ''Early history of Kāmarupa'',1966 Kamarupi trader named Chand Sadagar whose home was in Chaygaon in modern Kamrup, on the south bank of the Brahmaputra</ref> Champaknagar is still there in Chaygaon area of [[Kamrup district|Kamrup]] dist in Assam. There are remains of ancient structures and also a statue of Devi Kali there, the structure is also known as Mer ghar. Locals believe that it is that house or place where Behula and Lakhindhar spent the first night after marriage and there Lakhindhar was bitten by a Snake sent my Manasa Devi. To escape from the plight of Ma Manasa, Lakhindhar and Behula escaped to a place called [[Gokul Medh]], 3 km south of [[Mahasthangarh]] and 9 km north of [[Bogra]] town, 1 km from the Bogra-Rangpur road of modern [[Bangladesh]] after Behula's Basarghar or Lakhinder's Medh. During excavations here in 1934–36, 162 rectangular abattoirs were found in a lined courtyard. It was built in the sixth or seventh century AD. According to local folklore, this place is associated with Behula and Lakhinder. The remains of a temple have been found 800 meters west of the north-west corner of the ruins at Chengispur village in Mahasthangarh. It is called Khullana mound. The Karatoya River, which flows through the region, is now narrow but is known to have been huge in the past.There is a region in [[Dhubri district|Dhubri]] district of Assam, much north of Bogra, the area is believed to be reminiscent of Mansa's companion leader Netai Dhubuni. Netai Dhubuni is known as the divine washerwoman who washed the cloths of Gods. There is also a rock associated to her near Netai Dhubuni park in [[Dhubri]] town. The name of [[Dhubri]] town is also named after Netai Dhubni. There is also a hillock named Chandardinga in Dhubri district of Assam the people there believe that the boat of Chand Sadagar crashed and sank down at that place.

=== Bengali version ===
According to the local folklore of [[Bengal]] ''Champaknagari'', or [[Kasba, Bardhaman|Kasba-Champainagari]], situated in the [[Purba Bardhaman district]] of [[West Bengal]] is the Champak Nagar of ancient Bengali merchant Chand Sadagar. The locals believe that the place is associated with Ma Manasa and Chand Sadagar. In "[[Ain-i-Akbari]]" also the name of Champainagari Pargana under Sarkar Madaran has been mentioned, which was located in the present Purba Bardhaman district of West Bengal. Kasba-Champainagari is located on the north bank of [[Damodar River]], approx. 32 miles west of [[Bardhaman]] city and south of [[Bud Bud|Budbud]]. We know from the story of Manasamangal that Chand Sadagar was a staunch Shaivite and he even built a Shiva temple in his house. According to the local folklore of this village, the two Shivalingas (one of which is Rameshwar Shivalinga) resting in two ancient Shiva Temples situated in this village of [[Purba Bardhaman]] were established by Chand Sadagar himself. There is a beautiful Shiva temple on a high mound situated to the south of the DVC canal. The Shiva temple, located next to a huge Ashwattha tree, has a huge Shivalinga (without the Gauri Patta), known as Rameshwar Shivalinga. There are also two high mounds in the village, one of which is believed to be the ruins of Behula's Basarghar (Sati-Tirtha) and Chand Sadagar's house.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Chowdhuri |first1=Jagyeswar |title=Bardhaman Itihas O Sanskriti Vol.3 |date=1994 |publisher=Pustak Bipani |location=Calcutta |page=239 |edition=1994}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last1=Bhattacharya |first1=Hansanarayan |author-link=Hansanarayan Bhattacharya |title=Paschimbanga Darshan-4 Bardhishnu Bardhaman |date=1998 |publisher=Farma K. L. M. Private Limited |location=Calcutta |page=263 |edition=1998}}</ref> Another place in [[Bengal]], associated with the bridal chamber of Behula and lakshindar is [[Gokul Medh]] in present-day [[Bogra district]], Bangladesh. The high mound of Bogura is popularly known in local [[folklore of Bangladesh|Bengali folklore]] as the Basarghar (bridal chamber) of Behula.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=Gokul Medh - Banglapedia |url=https://en.banglapedia.org/index.php/Gokul_Medh |access-date=2022-03-27 |website=en.banglapedia.org |language=en}}</ref>

Sundarban Tiger Reserve of West Bengal, is associated as the place where Neti, foster mother of Ma Manasha, lived and worked as a washerwoman. A temple at [[Howrah]], a [[Kolkata]] neighborhood, is believed to have been built by Chand Sadagar.

Between the citadel and the eastern embankment at [[Gaur, West Bengal|Gaur]], a ruined structure, is claimed to be the house of Chand Sadagar.<ref>{{cite book |last=Ray |first=Aniruddha |year=2012 |chapter=Gaur, City |chapter-url=http://en.banglapedia.org/index.php?title=Gaur,_City |editor1-last=Islam |editor1-first=Sirajul |editor1-link=Sirajul Islam |editor2-last=Jamal |editor2-first=Ahmed A. |title=Banglapedia: National Encyclopedia of Bangladesh |edition=Second |publisher=[[Asiatic Society of Bangladesh]]}}</ref>

==In popular culture==
* In 1927, [[Manmatha Roy]] wrote the mythological Bengali play ''Chand Saudagar'', portraying the title character.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://en.banglapedia.org/index.php?title=Roy,_Manmatha |title=Roy, Manmatha |accessdate=2007-12-12 |last=Ahsan |first=Nazmul |work=Banglapedia |publisher=Asiatic Society of Bangladesh}}</ref>
* In 1934, Prafulla Roy directed a Bengali film ''Chand Saudagar'' in which [[Dhiraj Bhattacharya]] played the role of Lakshmindara, Ahindra Choudhury that of Chand Sadagar, Devbala of Manasa, Sefalika Devi of Behula, Jahar Ganguli of Kalu Sardar, Indubala of a singer, Niharbala of Neta Dhobani, Padmabati of Sanaka and Usharani of Amala. It was written by Manmatha Roy. Film editing was by Akhil Neogi.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.citwf.com/film57950.htm |title=Chand Saudagar |accessdate=2007-12-12 |publisher=citwf.com |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120208163143/http://www.citwf.com/film57950.htm |archive-date=2012-02-08 |url-status=dead}}</ref>
* In 2010, [[STAR Jalsha]] created a Bengali serial "Behula", based on Chand Sadagar's daughter in law.
* [[Amitav Ghosh]]'s novel ''Gun Island'' deals with Chand Sadagar.
* 2022 Bangladeshi film ''[[Hawa (2022 Bangladeshi film)|Hawa]]'' is loosely based on this myth.

==References==
{{reflist}}
[[Category:Bengali folklore]]
[[Category:Assamese folklore]]
[[Category:Legendary Asian people]]

Chand Sadagar - Revision history

Roshni at 08:00, 7 May 2026