Chandra dynasty

{{Short description|Indian dynasty of Bengal region (370–1050)}} {{Distinguish|Lunar dynasty}} {{Use dmy dates|date=June 2020}} {{more footnotes needed|date=April 2015}} {{Infobox former country | conventional_long_name = Chandra dynasty | religion = Hinduism, Buddhism | status = Empire | government_type = Monarchy | life_span = 370–1050 | year_start = 370 | year_end = 1050 | p1 = Annaveta dynasty | s1 = Pala Empire | today = Bangladesh, Myanmar, India }} {{History of Bengal}} The '''Chandra dynasty''' was a Buddhist dynasty, originating from the South East Bengal region of Indian subcontinent, which ruled the Samatata area of Bengal, as well as Arakan, Tripura, Assam, Nagaland, Mizoram, Meghalaya, Manipur, and Arunachal Pradesh. Later it was a neighbor to the Pala Empire to the north. Rulers of Chandra kingdom were adherents of Buddhism. The Kings of Chandra dynasty were identified as the kings of ''Vangaladesha'' in the Tirumulai inscription of Chola dynasty.<ref>{{cite Banglapedia |article=Govindachandra}}</ref> The dynasty was founded around the 4th century AD.

==History== The Anandachandra Inscription (729 AD) mentions that the Chandra dynasty was established by Dvenchandra (or Mahataing Chandra) in 370 AD. He had assumed the throne after the end of the Annaveta dynasty.<ref name=":0">{{Cite book |last=Singer |first=Noel F. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=LXw9pgWvFxUC |title=Vaishali and the Indianization of Arakan |year=2008 |publisher=APH Publishing |page=50 |isbn=978-81-313-0405-1 |language=en}}</ref> The ye Dhamma inscriptions of the Queen of Niti Chandra are dated to early 6th century AD based on paleographic grounds.<ref>{{Cite book |last1=Manguin|first1=Pierre-Yves |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ni9AlOLTFZYC&pg=PA387 |title=Early Interactions Between South and Southeast Asia: Reflections on Cross-cultural Exchange|last2=Mani|first2=A.|last3=Wade|first3=Geoff|year=2011|publisher=Institute of Southeast Asian Studies |pages=387– |isbn=978-981-4345-10-1|language=en}}</ref>

The Chandra kingdom was one of the last Buddhist strongholds in the Indian subcontinent. The kingdom flourished as a center of the Tantric schools of Buddhism. It played a role in the diffusion of Mahayana Buddhism to Southeast Asia.<ref name="jstor">{{Cite journal |last=Ghosh |first=Suchandra |year=2013 |title=Locating South Eastern Bengal in the Buddhist Network of Bay of Bengal (C. 7th Century CE-13th Century CE) |journal=Proceedings of the Indian History Congress |volume=74 |pages=148–153 |jstor=44158810}}</ref>

During the reign of Srichandra (c 930–975 AD), the administrative centre of the Chandra kingdom was established in Bikrampur in Vanga.<ref name=bpedia/> He led invasions into Kamarupa. The Chandras played an important role in the regional politics and military history of erstwhile Bengal.

In the reign of King Govindachandra, the Chandras were eventually annexed by the Pala dynasty of Varendra.<ref name=bpedia>{{Cite Banglapedia|article=Chandra_Dynasty,_The}}</ref>

==Maritime relations== The coastal kingdom had trade networks with states in what is now Myanmar, Thailand, Indonesia and Vietnam. 10th century shipwrecks around the coast of Java provide evidence of maritime links between southeastern Bengal and Southeast Asia. Bronze sculptures may have been imported by the Javanese from the Chandra kingdom in southeastern Bengal. Arab merchants also traded with the kingdom.<ref name="jstor" />

King Anandachandra mentions mission he sent to Sinhalese King Silamegha (Aggabodhi IV) (727–766)

== Marital relations == According to king Anandachandra's (22nd King of this dynasty) inscription, the Chandra dynasty had marital relations with the ''Tamralipta royal family'' (Tamluk Royal Family). The Bengali King Anandachandra of Arakan was married to Princess Dhenda of Tamralipta.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Singer |first=Noel F. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=LXw9pgWvFxUC |title=Vaishali and the Indianization of Arakan |date=2008 |publisher=APH Publishing |isbn=978-81-313-0405-1 |pages=62 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last=Braginsky |first=Vladimir |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=dxwiAwAAQBAJ&dq=dhenda+arakan&pg=PA175 |title=Classical Civilizations of South-East Asia |date=2014-03-18 |publisher=Routledge |isbn=978-1-136-84879-7 |pages=379 |language=en}}</ref>

==Archaeology== There are numerous inscriptions dating from the period of the Chandra dynasty. The three archaeological sites associated with the dynasty include Bikrampur and Mainamati in Bangladesh and Waithali in Rakhine State, Myanmar.

== Education == Chandrapur University in Shrihatta was as large as other religious institutions like Nalanda, Taxila, Mahasthangarh<ref name="samakal2">{{cite news|title=প্রাচীন 'চন্দ্রপুর বিশ্ববিদ্যালয়'|url=https://samakal.com/editorial-subeditorial/article/200833919/%E0%A6%AA%E0%A7%8D%E0%A6%B0%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%9A%E0%A7%80%E0%A6%A8-%E0%A6%9A%E0%A6%A8%E0%A7%8D%E0%A6%A6%E0%A7%8D%E0%A6%B0%E0%A6%AA%E0%A7%81%E0%A6%B0-%E0%A6%AC%E0%A6%BF%E0%A6%B6%E0%A7%8D%E0%A6%AC%E0%A6%AC%E0%A6%BF%E0%A6%A6%E0%A7%8D%E0%A6%AF%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%B2%E0%A7%9F|language=bn|first=Mohammad Mazharul|last=Islam|publisher=Samakal|date=17 August 2020|access-date=31 August 2020}}</ref> or Odantapuri and was established before Oxford, and Cambridge universities or even the Jagaddala Vihara.<ref name="KK2">{{cite news|title=জুড়ীতে প্রাচীন বিশ্ববিদ্যালয়? অনুসন্ধানে যাচ্ছে প্রত্নতত্ত্বের দল|language=bn|first=Mahfouz|last=Shakil|location=Kulaura, Moulvibazar|url=https://www.kalerkantho.com/print-edition/news/2020/07/20/936940|publisher=Kaler Kantha|date=20 July 2020|access-date=12 April 2021}}</ref><ref name="TDS1">{{cite news|title=চন্দ্রপুর: যেখানে লুকিয়ে আছে দশম শতাব্দীর বিদ্যাপীঠ|url=https://www.thedailystar.net/bangla/%E0%A6%B6%E0%A7%80%E0%A6%B0%E0%A7%8D%E0%A6%B7-%E0%A6%96%E0%A6%AC%E0%A6%B0/%E0%A6%9A%E0%A6%A8%E0%A7%8D%E0%A6%A6%E0%A7%8D%E0%A6%B0%E0%A6%AA%E0%A7%81%E0%A6%B0-%E0%A6%AF%E0%A7%87%E0%A6%96%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%A8%E0%A7%87-%E0%A6%B2%E0%A7%81%E0%A6%95%E0%A6%BF%E0%A7%9F%E0%A7%87-%E0%A6%86%E0%A6%9B%E0%A7%87-%E0%A6%A6%E0%A6%B6%E0%A6%AE-%E0%A6%B6%E0%A6%A4%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%AC%E0%A7%8D%E0%A6%A6%E0%A7%80%E0%A6%B0-%E0%A6%AC%E0%A6%BF%E0%A6%A6%E0%A7%8D%E0%A6%AF%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%AA%E0%A7%80%E0%A6%A0-163837|language=bn|newspaper=The Daily Star|date=24 July 2020|first=Dwoha|last=Choedhury|location=Sylhet|access-date=27 August 2020}}</ref><ref name="samakal1">{{cite news|title=শুস্ক মৌসুমে খননকাজ: মৌলভীবাজারে প্রাচীন চন্দ্রপুর বিশ্ববিদ্যালয়ের সন্ধানে|url=https://samakal.com/whole-country/article/200834044/%E0%A6%AE%E0%A7%8C%E0%A6%B2%E0%A6%AD%E0%A7%80%E0%A6%AC%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%9C%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%B0%E0%A7%87-%E0%A6%AA%E0%A7%8D%E0%A6%B0%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%9A%E0%A7%80%E0%A6%A8-%E0%A6%9A%E0%A6%A8%E0%A7%8D%E0%A6%A6%E0%A7%8D%E0%A6%B0%E0%A6%AA%E0%A7%81%E0%A6%B0-%E0%A6%AC%E0%A6%BF%E0%A6%B6%E0%A7%8D%E0%A6%AC%E0%A6%AC%E0%A6%BF%E0%A6%A6%E0%A7%8D%E0%A6%AF%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%B2%E0%A7%9F%E0%A7%87%E0%A6%B0-%E0%A6%B8%E0%A6%A8%E0%A7%8D%E0%A6%A7%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%A8%E0%A7%87|language=bn|publisher=samakal|date=18 August 2020|access-date=12 April 2021|first=Nurul|last=Islam|location=Moulvibazar}}</ref> It was made by king Srichandra. Its exact location has not been found. Chandrapur university was unique in contrast with other universities and the ''viharas'' established by Buddhist kings in India. Its curriculum included almost all of the subjects from the Hindu Shastra except the grammar of Chandragomin who was Buddhist by religion. Moreover, the students of this university were also Hindu Brahmins. The nine monasteries were overseen mainly by Hindu Brahmins.<ref name="samakal2"/> This is because the Buddhist king, Srichandra, granted lands in Paschimbhag in the name of Buddha for nine Brahmin monasteries where the Chaturvedas were mainly taught. Kamalakanta Gupta referred to this grant as "unique among other Buddhist kings" since it implies Srichandra's favouritism towards Brahmins.

Land distribution among 25 classes of people, guests, and students indicates an efficient administration in the universities. According to Zafir Setu, this administrative arrangement is more consistent with the present-day university system.<ref name="TDS1"/>

== List of Chandra rulers == {| class="wikitable" |+ !# !King !Period !Reign (CE) |- | colspan="4" | Ruling from Dhanyawadi and Waithali |- |1 |Dvenchandra<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1">{{Cite book |last=Wicks |first=Robert S. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=jFpdDwAAQBAJ&pg=PA86 |title=Money, Markets, and Trade in Early Southeast Asia: The Development of Indigenous Monetary Systems to AD 1400 |date=2018-05-31 |publisher=Cornell University Press |isbn=978-1-5017-1947-9 |pages=87 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal |last=Johnston |first=E. H. |date=1944 |title=Some Sanskrit Inscriptions of Arakan |journal=Bulletin of the School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London |volume=11 |issue=2 |pages=357–385 |doi=10.1017/S0041977X00072529 |issn=0041-977X |jstor=609320|s2cid=191758063 }}</ref> |55 |370–425 |- |2 |Rajachandra |20 |425–445 |- |3 |Kalachandra |9 |445–454 |- |4 |Devachandra |22 |454-476 |- |5 |Yajnachandra |7 |476-483 |- |6 |Chandrabandu |6 |483-489 |- |7 |Bhumichandra |7 |489–496 |- |8 |Bhutichandra |24 |496–520 |- |9 |Nitichandra |55 |520–575 |- |7 |Virachandra |3 |575–578 |- |11 |Pritichandra |12 |578-90 |- |12 |Prithvichandra |7 |590–597 |- |13 |Dhirtichandra |3 |597–600 |- |14 |Mahavira* |12 |600-12 |- |15 |Virayajap* |12 |612-24 |- |16 |Sevinren* |12 |624-36 |- |17 |Dharmasura* |13 |636-49 |- |18 |Vajrashakti* |16 |649-65 |- |19 |Dharmavijaya* |36 |665–701 |- |20 |Narendravijaya* |2 yr 9 months |701–703 |- |21 |Dharmachandra* |16 |703–720 |- |22 |Anandachandra* |9+ |720-729+ |- | colspan="4" |Ruling from Harikela<ref>{{Cite book |last=Chowdhury |first=Abdul Momin |author-link=Abdul Momin Chowdhury |title=Dynastic History of Bengal (c. 750—1200 A.D.) |url=https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.148627/page/n176/mode/1up |year=1967 |location=Dacca |publisher=The Asiatic Society of Pakistan |pages=156, 159, 170}}</ref> |- |1 |Traillokyachandra |30 |900–930 |- |2 |Srichandra |45 |930–975 |- |3 |Kalyanachandra |25 |975–1000 |- |4 |Ladahachandra |20 |1000–1020 |- |5 |Govindachandra |30 |1020–1050 |} '''*Note'''- These rulers may or may not be related to the Chandra dynasty.<ref name=":1" /><ref name=":0" />

==References== {{reflist}}

==Further reading== * {{Cite book | last=Singh | first=Nagendra Kr. | title=Encyclopaedia of Bangladesh | year=2003 | publisher=Anmol Publications Pvt Ltd | isbn=81-261-1390-1 | pages=7–21}}

Category:Chandra dynasty Category:Medieval Bengal Category:Dynasties of Bengal Category:Buddhist dynasties of India