South‑Eastern Bengal in Ancient Times
Summary
This geographical and historical survey identifies and discusses the ancient polities of south‑eastern Bengal. Early texts and inscriptions mention several names—Vaṅga, Samataṭa, Vaṅgala, Harikela and Candradvīpa—whose relationship to one another has long been debated. The author argues that Vaṅga may have been a broad geographical term encompassing all of south‑eastern Bengal, while Samataṭa referred to the low‑lying deltaic region and Harikela denoted the hilly hinterland. Vaṅgala appears as a later form of Vaṅga, and Candradvīpa designates a coastal area that eventually became the island of Cāṅdīpura. The article analyses epigraphic references to these names from the Gupta, Pāla and Sena periods, noting that varying systems of land measurement in the Sena era hint at shifting administrative boundaries. A major section is devoted to the Mehrauli pillar inscription, which refers to a king Candra who ‘reduced the vaṅga lords’. Scholars disagree over whether this Candra belonged to the Gupta lineage or a local dynasty. The author weighs the evidence and favours the view that the reference is to the local ruler of south‑eastern Bengal rather than a member of the imperial Guptas. By compiling disparate sources, the article reconstructs the political landscape of the region and emphasises its importance as a crossroads between mainland India and Southeast Asia.
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Conclusion
By disentangling the names and territories of Vaṅga, Samataṭa, Harikela and related regions, the article clarifies the historical geography of south‑eastern Bengal. It suggests that shifting land‑measurement systems and contested inscriptions reflect changing power dynamics, and it argues that the famous Candra of the Mehrauli inscription was likely a local king rather than a Gupta emperor.