Project Chandradweep by Sujay Chatterjee

Chandra-dweep was a Hindu Kingdom that existed in Barishal till the 18th Century A.D. and beacame a small zamindari as a result of Permanent Settlement. The kingdom of Chandradweep was ruled by Bengali kayasthas for centuries and at the zenith of its glory, it covered the areas of Barishal, Chattagram, and parts of Sundarbans. It gave birth to valiant Hindu kings who were successful in maintaining their independence during the Turko-Afghan and Mughal rule. Many European travellers wrote about it as well as the contemporary Mughal accounts.

This blog is about the political, socio-cultural and spiritual history of Chandradweep. It will also tell the story of its military might, its trade and commerce, its customs and habits, its demography, and its impact on history. However, the lack of contemporary Bengali Hindu historical accounts about Chandradweep, compel us to rely on foreign accounts. Bankim Chandra was right- the Hindus had many achievements, but few Hindu sources wrote about these achievements, compared to the foreign accounts. As we have no Kalhana whose Rajatarangini is the best indigenous source about the history of kashmir till the coming of Islam, we have to rely on indigenous Bengali folktales, and Kayastha Bangshavali. The Rajas of Chandradweep had matrimonial alliances with other Bengali kingdoms and they were instrumental in the formation of Hindu society in Medieval Barishal.

This blog is dedicated to the kings and Generals of Chandradweep who fought against the foreign invasion. It is also dedicated to the revolutionaries of Barishal who fought for that soil and died. The countless people who left Barishal during the last 60 years due to Islamic pressure should know their root and past achievements.