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Cooch Behar
Cooch Behar (Bengali pronunciation: [kot͡ʃ biɦar]), also known as Koch Bihar, is a city in the Indian state of West Bengal and it stands on bank of the Torsa river. The city is the headquarters of the Cooch Behar district. During the British Raj, Cooch Behar was the seat of the princely state of Cooch Behar. In the North Bengal region, the only planned city with royal heritage is Cooch Behar. The city is a popular tourist destination and cultural hub in Bengal.
The name Cooch Behar is derived from two words— Cooch, a corrupted form of the word Koch, the name of the Koch tribes, and the word Behar is derived from vihara meaning land or settlement. Koch Behar means land of the Koches.
Cooch Behar formed part of the Kamarupa Kingdom from the 4th to the 12th.[citation needed] In the 13th century, the area became a part of the Kamata Kingdom. The Khens ruled until about 1498 CE, when they fell to Alauddin Hussain Shah, the independent Sultan of Gour. The new invaders fought with the local Bhuyan chieftains and the Ahom king Suhungmung and lost control of the region. During this time, the Koch tribe became very powerful, proclaimed itself Kamateshwar (Lord of Kamata), and established the Koch dynasty.[citation needed]
The first important Koch ruler was Bisu, later called Biswa Singha, who came to power in 1515 CE. Under his son, Nara Narayan, the Kamata Kingdom reached its zenith. Nara Narayan's younger brother, Shukladhwaj (Chilarai), was a noted military general who undertook expeditions to expand the kingdom. He became governor of its eastern portion.
As the early capital of the Koch Kingdom, Koch Behar's location was not static and became stable only when it shifted to Cooch Behar town. Rup Narayan, on the advice of an unknown saint, transferred the capital from Attharokotha to Guriahati (now called Cooch Behar town) on the banks of the Torsa river between 1693 and 1714. After this, the capital was always in or near its present location.
In 1661 CE, Pran Narayan planned to expand his kingdom. However, Mir Jumla, the subedar of Bengal under the Mughal emperor Aurangazeb, attacked Cooch Behar and conquered the territory, meeting almost no resistance. The town of Cooch Behar was subsequently named Alamgirnagar. Pran Narayan regained his kingdom within a few days.
Between 1772 and 1773, the Bhutanese Desi attacked and seized control of Cooch Behar. In response, Cooch Behar entered into a defence treaty with the English East India Company on 5 April 1773, to drive out the Bhutanese invaders. During this period, Bhutanese coins were minted in Cooch Behar. Once the Bhutanese were expelled, Cooch Behar was reinstated as a princely state under the aegis of the British East India Company.
Cooch Behar Palace is built after classical Italian architecture. The dome of the Palace is in Italian style, resembling the dome of St. Peter's Basilica, Vatican City, Rome. It had been built-in 1887, during the reign of Maharaja Nripendra Narayan. In 1878, the maharaja married the daughter of Brahmo preacher Keshab Chandra Sen. This union led to a renaissance in Cooch Behar state. Maharaja Nripendra Narayan is known as the architect of modern Cooch Behar town.
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Cooch Behar
Cooch Behar (Bengali pronunciation: [kot͡ʃ biɦar]), also known as Koch Bihar, is a city in the Indian state of West Bengal and it stands on bank of the Torsa river. The city is the headquarters of the Cooch Behar district. During the British Raj, Cooch Behar was the seat of the princely state of Cooch Behar. In the North Bengal region, the only planned city with royal heritage is Cooch Behar. The city is a popular tourist destination and cultural hub in Bengal.
The name Cooch Behar is derived from two words— Cooch, a corrupted form of the word Koch, the name of the Koch tribes, and the word Behar is derived from vihara meaning land or settlement. Koch Behar means land of the Koches.
Cooch Behar formed part of the Kamarupa Kingdom from the 4th to the 12th.[citation needed] In the 13th century, the area became a part of the Kamata Kingdom. The Khens ruled until about 1498 CE, when they fell to Alauddin Hussain Shah, the independent Sultan of Gour. The new invaders fought with the local Bhuyan chieftains and the Ahom king Suhungmung and lost control of the region. During this time, the Koch tribe became very powerful, proclaimed itself Kamateshwar (Lord of Kamata), and established the Koch dynasty.[citation needed]
The first important Koch ruler was Bisu, later called Biswa Singha, who came to power in 1515 CE. Under his son, Nara Narayan, the Kamata Kingdom reached its zenith. Nara Narayan's younger brother, Shukladhwaj (Chilarai), was a noted military general who undertook expeditions to expand the kingdom. He became governor of its eastern portion.
As the early capital of the Koch Kingdom, Koch Behar's location was not static and became stable only when it shifted to Cooch Behar town. Rup Narayan, on the advice of an unknown saint, transferred the capital from Attharokotha to Guriahati (now called Cooch Behar town) on the banks of the Torsa river between 1693 and 1714. After this, the capital was always in or near its present location.
In 1661 CE, Pran Narayan planned to expand his kingdom. However, Mir Jumla, the subedar of Bengal under the Mughal emperor Aurangazeb, attacked Cooch Behar and conquered the territory, meeting almost no resistance. The town of Cooch Behar was subsequently named Alamgirnagar. Pran Narayan regained his kingdom within a few days.
Between 1772 and 1773, the Bhutanese Desi attacked and seized control of Cooch Behar. In response, Cooch Behar entered into a defence treaty with the English East India Company on 5 April 1773, to drive out the Bhutanese invaders. During this period, Bhutanese coins were minted in Cooch Behar. Once the Bhutanese were expelled, Cooch Behar was reinstated as a princely state under the aegis of the British East India Company.
Cooch Behar Palace is built after classical Italian architecture. The dome of the Palace is in Italian style, resembling the dome of St. Peter's Basilica, Vatican City, Rome. It had been built-in 1887, during the reign of Maharaja Nripendra Narayan. In 1878, the maharaja married the daughter of Brahmo preacher Keshab Chandra Sen. This union led to a renaissance in Cooch Behar state. Maharaja Nripendra Narayan is known as the architect of modern Cooch Behar town.