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Gosanimari: Archaeological Significance and Community Engagement in Heritage Conservation

By Chanchal Adhikary

Vol. 30December 2022pp. 43–68English

Summary

The Gosanimari site (Rajpat) in Cooch Behar, West Bengal, is a 12-16 meter high mound spanning 185 meters east-west and 150 meters north-south. Identified as a historical citadel linked to the Kamta kingdom (13th-15th centuries), it features concentric fortifications, moats, and strategic riverbank positioning along the Dharala and Singimari rivers. Archaeological excavations (1998-2000) revealed three periods: Period I (10th-12th century CE), Period II (13th-15th century CE), and Period III (16th-19th century CE), with recent discoveries of stone utensils and large bricks (65x25 cm) suggesting earlier antiquity. The site's fertile alluvial soil supported agriculture (paddy, jute, wheat) and commercial activity, with historical records like the 'Gosanimangal' describing its construction by Khen ruler Kamteswar. Unlike many contested sites, local communities support further excavations. The region's potential for cultural tourism combines heritage, natural landscapes, and agricultural productivity.

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Conclusion

The Gosanimari site in Cooch Behar, with its archaeological significance spanning the Pala-Sena period to the 3rd-4th centuries, presents a unique opportunity for heritage preservation and sustainable cultural tourism. The absence of local resistance to further excavations highlights community goodwill, enabling uninterrupted research and potential discoveries. The site’s strategic location, fertile lands, and historical connection to the Kamta kingdom and Cooch rulers underscore its role in regional identity and tourism potential. By balancing archaeological exploration with community engagement, Gosanimari could emerge as a hub for eco-tourism, promoting both historical awareness and economic growth while safeguarding its intangible and natural heritage for future generations.

Key passages

Chosen by AI from the article's text. Each one is checked word for word against the text before it is shown.

  • “The mound presently measures 185 metres from east to west and 150 metres from north to south with an average height of 12-16 metres from the surrounding ground level.”
  • “Recent discoveries on 19 th November 2018 of the numbers of stone plates, five bowls and a stone tray, and a large size brick (65 cm x25 cm) found during pond digging in Rajpat area of Gosanimari prove to be of much older antiquity of this region.”
  • “The excavations have identified three periods at Gosanimari Rajpat which are Period I (10th- 12th century CE), Period II (13th-15th century CE) and Period III (16th-19th century CE).”

Works cited in this article

  1. Excavation at Rajpat Mound 1998-2000, 2002, ASI, Kolkata Circle. pp.4-9.
  2. Karim, Abdul, Corpus of the Muslim Coins of Bengal Down to AD 1538, 1960, Asiatic Society of Pakistan, Dacca. pp.160-61.
  3. Buchanan Hamilton, Report on the Tours at Rajpat Mound 1808-09, in N.N. Pal, (ed.) Gosani Mangal of Radha Krishna Das Bairagi, 2008, Anima Prakashani, Kolkata. pp. 158-171.
  4. Acharya, N.N., The History of Mediaeval Assam (A.D. 1228 to 1603), 1957, Unpublished PhD dissertation., University of London. p.30.
  5. Annual Report of the Archaeological Survey of India 1924-25, 1927, Calcutta, pp.90-92.

Discussed in this article

Places

  • Gosanimari
  • Rajpat
  • Kamarupa 7
  • Kamtapur
  • Singimari
  • Karatoya
  • West Bengal 23
  • Dinhata subdivision
  • Vanga 11
  • Khalisa Gosanimari village
  • Cooch Behar district
  • Kamta kingdom
  • Dharala
  • Mulk-i-Chawlistan
  • Jaldhaka

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In this issue

Vol. 30
7–830th Issue: Diverse Papers, Heritage Focus, and Publication EthicsG. J. Sudhakar9–28Agni's Evolution in Vedic Iconography and ArtNanditha C. Krishna29–42Rare Sculptures of Siva and Vishnu in Kanchipuram's Ekambareshwara TempleG.B. Balaji43–68Gosanimari: Archaeological Significance and Community Engagement in Heritage ConservationChanchal AdhikaryCurrent article69–80Women's Presence in Sena Dynasty InscriptionsBinay Barman81–94Antiquity and Architectural Significance of Thrikodithanam TempleAryalakshmi95–108Sculptures of Vishnu Dol, Sivasagar: Ahom Art & IconographyParomita Das, Priyanka Chowdhury109–120TanksK. Narasimhulu121–153Khaza’in al-Futuh: A Historiographical Study of Conquest LiteratureMir Kamruzzaman Chowdhary154–168Jaina Merchants' Role in Early Medieval Western Indian Society and PolityGeetika Gupta169–196St. Mary’s Church: A Contextual Study of Madras’ Oldest British StructureRoshini Roy197–209British Exploration of Forest Resources in Colonial Assam: Indian Rubber and AgarAmrita Bora210–224Social Elite in Colonial Assam: Loyalty and ReformEvamoni Deka225–246British Exploitation and Historical Trauma of Assam's Tea Plantation WorkersPriyanka Neog247–268In-Migration in Sitalkuchi Block After 1947: Socio-Cultural and Economic ChangesProsenjit Ray269–276C.K. Raja Raja Varma: Kerala's Unsung Freedom FighterJ. Sumathi277–293Advent of Judaism in Manipur and Emigration to IsraelLalrinnunga Hmar294–300Burhanpur: Unexplored History, Monuments, and SocietySuresh Mishra, Nandkishore Dewda301–308India: The Mother of Democracy - Historical Roots and Enduring ValuesNanditha C. Krishna, G.B. Balaji, Raghuvendra Tanwar, Umesh Ashok Kadam, Vasant Shinde, Kapil Kapoor, Arvind P Jamkhedkar, Prasad Joshi, Himanshu Roy, Harihar Panda, Jigar Mohammad309–316Journal of Indian History and Culture: December 2022, Thirtieth Issue Guidelines for Contributors

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