Pandu Rajar Dhibi

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Pandu Rajar Dhibi
Ancient site and remains of King Pandu's Mound at Panduk in Purba Bardhaman district 10.jpg
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Shown within West Bengal
Location West Bengal, India
Coordinates 23°34′19″N87°38′59″E / 23.57194°N 87.64972°E / 23.57194; 87.64972
TypeSettlement
History
Founded1600 BC or earlier
Periods Chalcolithic period

Pandu Rajar Dhibi [1] in the valley of the river Ajay is an Archaeological site in Ausgram II block in the Sadar North subdivision of Purba Bardhaman district in the Indian state of West Bengal. It was the first Chalcolithic site discovered in West Bengal. It was excavated by a team led by Paresh Chandra Dasgupta. [2] The common man believes that the main mound at Pandu Rajar Dhibi is associated with King Pandu mentioned in the epic Mahabharata, hence the name came into being from the folklore . [3] [4]

Contents

Geography

Pandu Rajar Dhibi
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8km
5miles
Ajay River
Damodar River
Palsit
R
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Saktigarh
R
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Dwariapur
C
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Randiha
W
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Pandu Rajar Dhibi
H
Adrahati
R
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Jamtara
RV
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Kurmun
R
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Pursha
R
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Bononabagram
R
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Hatgobindapur
R
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Barshul
R
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Kamnara
R
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Amrargar
R
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Galsi
R
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Bhatar
R
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Ausgram
R
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Mankar
R
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Sukdal
CT
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Bud Bud
CT
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Raipur
CT
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Gangpur
CT
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Nari
CT
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Mirzapur
CT
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Bahir Sarbamangala
CT
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Goda
CT
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Guskara
M
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Cities and towns in the Bardhaman Sadar North subdivision of Purba Bardhaman district
M: municipal city/ town, CT: census town, R: rural/ urban centre, H: historical site, W: river project, C: craft centre
Owing to space constraints in the small map, the actual locations in a larger map may vary slightly

Location

It is located near the southern bank of Ajay River and excavations have been made near Rajpotdanga and Panduk villages. [3] [4]

Excavations

An excavated site at Pandu Rajar Dhibi. paannddu raajaar ddhibite ektti khnnkRt sthaan - An excavated site at Pandu Rajar Dhibi.png
An excavated site at Pandu Rajar Dhibi.

The site was first excavated by Paresh Chandra Dasgupta in 1954-57. [4] While Pandu Rajar Dhibi was the first Chalcolithic or Copper Age site to be discovered, a number of other sites have been discovered in an area spread over the districts of Birbhum, Bardhaman, Bankura and Midnapore, and interspersed by rivers Brahmani, Mayurakshi, Kopai, Ajay, Kunur, Damodar, Dwarakesvar, Shilabati, and Rupnarayan later in 1962 to 63 the archaeology department of West Bengal excavated some areas of Ajay, Kunur, Kopay in Birbhum and Bardhaman district through this excavation the archaeologists found some elements of ancient civilizations that was existed in 1500 BCE the excavated site nearest the South Bank of a river origin name as Rajar dhibi as The Scholars found its main Mound associate with the "Pandu Raja" mentioned in the Mahabharata . [4]

Ajoy culturePandu Rajar Dhibi

There were two main periods – the Chalcolithic period around 1600 BC – 750 BC, and the Iron Age. [4]

The people and their culture

As to the artists of the Chalcolithic culture of Bengal, we are in the dark. From an examination of skeletal remains (14-male, female & children) it appears that they were long-headed and medium to tall in height.

There was perhaps a brisk maritime trade in Chalcolithic Bengal, but sufficient evidence is not available. Certainly, the Ajay and her tributaries meeting the Bhagirathi were navigable at that time. The excavation at Pandu Rajar Dhibi has provided evidence for the gradual growth of a Chalcolithic culture and its displacement by iron-using people. There is evidence of a great conflagration in period III, which may be considered as the transitional period. The transition perhaps led to the exit of the Chalcolithic culture and entrance of the Iron Age. [4]

Significance

The excavations at Pandu Rajar Dhibi reveal the origin of the Bengalis. The Copper Age civilisation in eastern India but also distant lands such as Crete and the Mediterranean lands. They were predominantly a seafaring people. [5]

Related Research Articles

Gangpur is a census town in Burdwan II CD Block in Bardhaman Sadar North subdivision of Purba Bardhaman district in West Bengal, India.

Sukdal is a census town in Galsi I CD Block in Bardhaman Sadar North subdivision of Purba Bardhaman district in the Indian state of West Bengal.

Bud Bud is a census town in Galsi I CD Block of Bardhaman Sadar North subdivision of Purba Bardhaman district in the Indian state of West Bengal.

Saktigarh is a village in Burdwan II CD block in Bardhaman Sadar North subdivision of Purba Bardhaman district in the Indian state of West Bengal.

Palsit is a village in Burdwan II CD block in Bardhaman Sadar North subdivision of Purba Bardhaman district in the Indian state of West Bengal. It's having many other small villages in palsit.

Dwariapur is a village under Dignagar II gram panchayat of Ausgram I block in Bardhaman Sadar North subdivision of Purba Bardhaman district in the Indian state of West Bengal.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Randiha</span> Village in West Bengal, India

Randiha is a village in Galsi I CD block in Bardhaman Sadar North subdivision of Purba Bardhaman district in the Indian state of West Bengal.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Galsi, Bardhaman</span> Village in West Bengal, India

Galsi is a village in Galsi II CD Block in Bardhaman Sadar North subdivision of Purba Bardhaman district in the state of West Bengal, India.

Jamtara is a village located in the Ausgram II CD Block in Bardhaman Sadar North subdivision of the Purba Bardhaman district, in West Bengal, India.

Ausgram is a village in Ausgram I CD block in Bardhaman Sadar North subdivision of Purba Bardhaman district in the state of West Bengal, India.

Amarargar is a village in Ausgram II CD block in Bardhaman Sadar North subdivision of Purba Bardhaman district in the state of West Bengal, India.

Kamnara is a village in Burdwan I CD block in Bardhaman Sadar North subdivision of Purba Bardhaman district in the state of West Bengal, India.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Barshul</span> Village in West Bengal, India

Barsul is a village in Burdwan II CD block in Bardhaman Sadar North subdivision of Purba Bardhaman district in the state of West Bengal, India.

Mirzapur is a census town in Burdwan I CD Block in Bardhaman Sadar North subdivision of Purba Bardhaman district in the state of West Bengal, India.

Nari is a census town in Burdwan I CD Block in Bardhaman Sadar North subdivision of Purba Bardhaman district in the Indian state of West Bengal.

Bononabagram is a village in Ausgram I CD Block in Bardhaman Sadar North subdivision of Purba Bardhaman district in the Indian state of West Bengal.

Pursha is a village in Galsi I CD Block in Bardhaman Sadar North subdivision of Purba Bardhaman district in the Indian state of West Bengal.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">History of West Bengal</span>

The history of West Bengal basically refers to the history of the western part of Bengal, located in the eastern part of the Indian subcontinent. Evidence of human settlement has been found in West Bengal about 42,000 years ago. The presence of human settlement of that period has been found in the Ayodhya Hills of West Bengal. By 2,000 BCE, settled life had increasingly spread of human civilization in the Damodar-Ajay River Valley, which was contemporary with the Harappa-Mahenjodaro civilization. The southern part of West Bengal witnessed the presence of the Vanga Kingdom between 1100 BCE and 350 BCE, which was contemporary with the Vedic civilization of northern India.

Early Agricultural Communities in Bengal were a group of Chalcolithic farmers, who first developed agriculture in Bengal. No archaeological evidence of large-scale agriculture in Bengal during the Neolithic period preceding the Chalcolithic or Copper Age.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pandu culture</span>

The Pandu culture is an archaeological culture from the chalcolithic period of India, spanning around 1600 BC to 750 BC. The type site is Pandu Rajar Dhibi, where black and red ware and tools made from bone and copper were found alongside remains of human body. It extends from the foothills of the Chota Nagpur Plateau to the Bhāgirathi-Hooghly river basin, covering a considerable part of southwestern or Rarh and coastal regions of modern-day West Bengal; from Birbhum in the north to Purba Medinipur in the south.

References

  1. "PANDU RAJAR DHIBI: REVISITING A FORGOTTEN PAST OF BENGAL". The Daily Guardian.
  2. History: Ancient era en.banglapedia.org. Retrieved 10 August 2021
  3. 1 2 Chattopadhyay, Akkori, Bardhaman Jelar Itihas O Lok Sanskriti (History and Folklore of Bardhaman District.), (in Bengali), Vol I, pp. 125-130, Radical Impression. ISBN   81-85459-36-3
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Mukherjee, Shyam Chand (2012). "Pandu Rajar Dhibi". In Islam, Sirajul; Jamal, Ahmed A. (eds.). Banglapedia: National Encyclopedia of Bangladesh (Second ed.). Asiatic Society of Bangladesh.
  5. Majumdar, R.C. (1971). History of Ancient Bengal. p. 23.