A Closer Look - Bengal

The independent regional empire of Bengal has played a vital role in Indian history. It’s because this region had a rich cultural heritage and also led to power in Southeast Asia with extensive trade networks. The rich literature of Bengal is renowned for its brilliant compositions and epics. 

Though Bengali is now identified as a language derived from Sanskrit, early Sanskrit texts of the mid-first millennium BCE advise that the people of Bengal did not speak Sanskrit languages. Here, we will understand the emergence, literature as well as significance of Bengali: the language of Bengal.

The Emergence of Bengal

The fourth-third century BC resulted in the improvement of commercial ties between Bengal and Magadha (South Bihar). After Sanskrit became the prime spoken language in Magadh, these ties ended in a robust influence of Sanskrit over the local languages spoken there.

The Gupta rulers installed political control over north Bengal accordingly resulting in a robust cultural influence of the mid-Ganga valley. As observed by the Chinese visitor Xuan Zang, the seventh century witnessed the substantial use of languages associated with Sanskrit in Bengal. Since the Eight century under the Pala rule, Bengal was the centre of a regional kingdom.

During the period between the fourteenth and the 16th century, the Sultans began to rule Bengal. Subsequently, Akbar conquered it in 1586, which brought about the use of Persian as an administrative language. While Persian nevertheless remained the official language Bengali became the local language.

Early History of West Bengal

The Bengal’s early records featured a succession of Indian empires, internal squabbling, and a tussle between Hinduism and Buddhism for dominance. Ancient Bengal became the site of numerous important Janapadas, at the same time as the earliest cities date back to the Vedic period. The place became a part of numerous historical pan−Indian empires, including the Vangas, Mauryans, and the Guptas. The citadel of Gauḍa worked as the capital of the Gauḍa Kingdom, the Pala Empire, and the Sena Empire. Islam was introduced through trade with the Abbasid Caliphate, however, following the Ghurid conquests led by Bakhtiyar Khalji and the status quo of the Delhi Sultanate, the Muslim religion unfold throughout the entire Bengal region. 

• During the reign of the Bengal Sultanate, the territory became a first-rate trading state in the world, and was often referred to by the Europeans as the "richest country to trade with". It was absorbed into the Mughal Empire in the year 1576. Simultaneously, some parts of the place were dominated by numerous Hindu states, and Baro-Bhuyan landlords and a part of it was briefly overrun by the Suri Empire. 

• Following the loss of life of Emperor Aurangzeb in the early 1700s, the proto-industrialized Mughal Bengal became a semi-independent kingdom beneath the Nawabs of Bengal and confirmed signs of the first industrial revolution. The place was later conquered by the British East India Company at the Battle of Plassey in 1757 and became a part of the Bengal Presidency.

Partition of Bengal into the East and West Bengal

The Bengal region was a hotspot of the Indian independence movement and has remained one of India's great artistic and intellectual centres. Following giant non-secular violence, the Bengal Legislative Council and the Bengal Legislative Assembly voted on the Partition of Bengal in 1947 along religious traces into independent dominions: West Bengal, a Hindu-majority Indian state, and East Bengal, a Muslim-majority province of Pakistan which later became independent Bangladesh. The Bhuj Airbase attack (Indo-Pakistani War of 1971) describes the story of how Bengal was partitioned into East and West Bengal. 

Characteristics of Bengali Language -  The Language of Bengal 

Bengali is a regional language of Bengal with extensive spread. This language has various characteristics that we will understand below:

• Bengali is derived from Sanskrit, because in the third and the 4th centuries, Bengal advanced commercial relations with Magadha (now Bihar) in which Sanskrit was spoken.

• In the 4th century, Brahmanas settled in Bengal and made the Sanskritic influence stronger. In the seventh century, the Chinese traveller Xuan Zang reached Bengal and he wrote in his travel journals that Sanskrit and other associated languages were spoken almost throughout Bengal.

• In 1586, Akbar conquered Bengal. Therefore, Persian became the official, written language and Bengali became the regional, spoken language.

• By the cease of the fifteenth century, many dialects had grown to be one language that we call Bengali, and it was spoken in the large location that we now call West Bengal.

• Early Bengali literature may be divided into parts. One is based on Sanskrit and was composed between the fifteenth and the 18th centuries, inclusive of Mangalakavyas (auspicious poems translated from Sanskrit) or Bhakti literature. The other (the Nath literature, folk tales, fairy tales, ballads, etc.) are independent of Sanskrit and were used orally.

• This indicates how Bengali is made from Sanskrit, Persian, and lots of European and even Indian tribal languages.

• The other literature involving the Nath literature, folk tales, fairy tales, ballads, etc are independent of Sanskrit and were used orally.

• This shows how Bengali is taken from Sanskrit, Persian, and many European and even Indian tribal languages.

Rich Literature of Bengal

The end of the fifteenth century witnessed the union of the institution of  Bengali dialects resulting in the formation of a common literary language which was initially the spoken language of the region towards the western part of Bengal, now called West Bengal. Though Sanskrit was the fundamental from which Bengali originated, it has advanced a lot. Thus the present-day Bengali is a mix of a few Sanskrit as well as many non-Sanskrit words. These words have their source of origin in the tribal languages of Persian in addition to Europe.

For the have a look at early Bengali literature, it is vital to study it under heads:

• The literature influenced by Sanskrit

• The independent Bengali literature

• The Literature Influenced by Sanskrit

Sanskrit epics, inclusive of the Mangalakavyas as well as the Bhakti literature which included the biographies of Chaitanyadeva who spearheaded the Vaishnava Bhakti movement were translated into Bengali. These were indicated to be dating to the latter half of the fifteenth as well as mid 18th century.

The Independent Bengali Literature

Besides being the transliteration of Sanskrit epics, Bengali literature is rich in many folk tales, fairy tales, tales regarding the worship of Dharma Thakur. These enjoyed particular popularity in the Japanese parts of Bengal and were in particular circulated orally and thus it is difficult to date them precisely.

The Nath Literature

The Nath cult, also known as a yoga-sadhana, serves as the basis of this Medieval branch of Bangla literature. Adinath, very well-known as great Lord Shiva is the main God of the Nath cult. The Nath literature was in particular divided into types, didactic and narrative. Didactic literature was peculiar in the feel the Doha, prahelika as well as chara used, were rich in the use of code words and sentences. The dohas are included in collections inclusive of Goraksha-Samhita and Yoga Chintamani in addition to works of Goraksanath’s compositions. These were mainly oral (narrative).

Interesting Facts on West Bengal

• West Bengal is also known as Paschim Bangal. It is a state in the eastern region of India along the Bay of Bengal. 

• Having 91 million and above inhabitants, it is the fourth-most populous and the fourteenth-largest state by area in India. Additionally, it is the third-largest metropolis, and seventh-largest city by population in India.

• The West Bengal region covers an area of 88,752 km2 (34,267 sq mi), which is also the eighth-most populous country subdivision of the world.

Conclusion

Thus, in this article we have covered basic information about the Bengali language such as its emergence, literature, significance, facts, etc. Bengali language is also famous for being the uniting factor in the history for the regional people. When Britishers tried to divide Bengal on the basis of religion, the people of Bengal celebrated Raksha Bandhan. After the independence of India, some part of Bengal came into India and some part went under Pakistan which later became a separate country i.e Bangladesh.