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Royal History : Koch dynasty & Muslim strength

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(p1) At that time (1470 - 1486 A.D.) Nasiruddin belonging to the Ilias Shahi dynasty was ruling Bangadesh and Kamrup. He was succeeded by Habsi (1486 - 1493 A.D.). During this period Maharaja Chandan defeated Turukh Kotwal and his soldiers and established the kingdom of Behar in 1472 A.D. Thus the Behar kingdom was established defeating Muslim strength and was ever busy repressing continued Muslim infliction.

Maharaja Viswa Singha was a valiant ruler. Muslims attacked the kingdom many times during his rule. In 1532 A.D. Turukh Khan was defeated while invading Kamrup. At that time Nasrath Shah, king of Gour, attacked the kingdom but was defeated. Maharaja Viswa Singha won over Kamtapur from the Muslim strength and incorporated within his kingdom. He rebuilt the temple of Goddess Gosanimari which was destroyed by Hossain Shah. next (p2)

(p2) Maharaja Nara Narayan invaded Gour two times. He helped Delhi Sultan Akbar during the invasion against Gourpasha. In that battle Gourpasha was defeated. Maharaja Nara Narayan got hold of Rajmahal, Ghoraghat and eastern part of Gour kingdom while Akbar retained the western part of Gour. In this way defeating.the Muslim strength Maharaja Nara Narayan captured the lands from Trihut - Rajmahal within Bihar to Ghoraghat in the south, north-eastern side to south-eastern side of Moimansingh,  Manipur - Tripura till the bank of the sea,  entire Assam in the east and Tibet in the north. This laid the boundaries of a vast empire whose sole emperor or "Raj Chakraborty" was Maharaja Nara Narayan. About ten Kings used to pay revenues under him. During his rule Ishakhan, Barbhuiyan of Bangadesh, invaded the kingdom but was defeated by Maharaja Nara Narayan.  next (p3)

(p3) During the rule of Maharaja Lakshmi Narayan Akbar's army commander invaded Behar. He captured the portion of Gour under Lakshmi Narayan and adjoining many lands. Maharaja Lakshmi Narayan waged war against him but could not defeat the Mughal power. At last Maharaja visited Delhi and having met Jahangir, the then Badshah, entered into an agreement which stated that neither of the two forces would invade the respective kingdoms.

It was then the turn of Maharaja Pran Narayan (1626 - 1665 A.D.) to fight the Mughals. Taking advantage of the inner conflict at the Mughal camp concerning the succession to the throne of Delhi between Aurangzeb and his brothers, Maharaja Pran Narayan captured Ghoraghat - the center of Mughal power in that part. In 1661 A.D. he also captured Dhaka, capital of Bangadesh. After enthroning the throne, Badshah Aurangzeb sent his army commander Mirzumla to recover the lost territories. Mirzumla reoccupied Dhaka, Ghoraghat and other regions. Having occupied few regions of Behar, he left for his expedition to Assam. Then Maharaja Pran Narayan regained the lost regions from the clutches of Mughal power. During his time southern border of Behar kingdom was extended upto Tajhat of Rangpur and Baharband Pargana.          next (p4)

(p4) During the Subedari of Soleman, son of Badshah Shahjahan, (1659 A.D.) many portions of Behar kingdom was incorporated in the Mughal Seresta. It is not known exactly which parts of Behar were under Mughal subjugation. From the said Seresta it is also known that during that time entire Bangadesh was divided into 34 Sarkars and 1350 Parganas. "Behar Sarkar" was one of those Sarkars. Behar Sarkar consisted of 246 Parganas and contributed an annual revenue of Rs.3,27,794. The north-eastern part of Bangadesh which was under the Moghals came under Behar Sarkar. Behar Sarkar comprised of present Rangpur district and major portions of ancient Fakir Mundir Zamidari. The Sarkar of Bangalbhumi comprised of Mughal infested Baharband & Bhitarband Parganas and was once under ancient Behar kingdom. That part consisted of Ghoraghat Sarkar, Purnia Sarkar, Tajpur Sarkar and Punjab Sarkar which were all portions of Behar acquired by the Mughals.

In 1687 A.D. during the rule of Maharaja Mahendra Narayan Behar was invaded by Ebadant Khan, Mughal Faujdar of Ghoraghat. It is said that a pond was dug fast at the place where Ebadant Khan camped. In that respect the pond was named as Sadya Puskarini. There was a Zamidari known as Rangpur Sadya Puskarini.     next (p5)

(p5) Ebadant Khan established two market places at Nababganj and Mahiganj about 8 miles to the north of that Zamindari. After that on capturing Chakla Kakina he set up a Hat (local marketplace) at the northern border. That Hat was named as Mughalhat. Ebadant Khan could not proceed further to the north of Mughalhat. Maharaja Mahendra Narayan expelled him from there.

In that way a long drawn strife continued between the Mughal power and the Maharajas of Cooch Behar. At last a treaty was met upon between the two parties. According to that agreement areas like Boda, Patgram and eastern part of Chakla was incorporated within the Coochbehar kingdom while the Mughals owned  Fatehpur, Kakina &    next (p6)

(p6) Karjeehat (Nilfamari Sub-division) Chaklas. Fatehpur Chakla was later divided into Fatehpur, Bamandanga, Manthana, Panga & Ghorialdanga Zamindaris. Karjeehat Chakla also got divided into Karjirhat, Mahipur, Tushbhandar, Tepa & Dimla Zamindaris. But again the Mughals betrayed the signed-treaty and reoccupied Boda, Patgram and east-Chakla. Later in a new agreement Maharaja of Coochbehar took Ezara of those three regions in the name of his own Chatranajir Shanta Narayan. After that in 1765 A.D. those three Chaklas came under the jurisdiction of East India Company and Maharaja of Coochbehar was granted Sanad (lease) of those lands subject to payment of revenues from those Chaklas.
     - End -

 Source  :- Translated from "Kochbiharer Itihas", 2nd edition (1988), by Shri. Hemanta Kumar Roy Barma, M.A.,B.L. ( ex-Nayeb Ahilkar of erstwhile Cooch Behar Princely State)