Karnasubarna
Encyclopedia
Karnasubarna was the capital of Shashanka
, the first important king of ancient Bengal
who ruled in the 7th century. After Shashanka's death it was the jayaskandhavara (camp of victory) of Bhaskaravarman, the king of Kamarupa probably for a short period. This is evident from his Nidhanpur copper-plate grant. In the mid-7th century, it was the capital of Jayanaga according to his Vappa Ghoshavata copper-plate grant. The ruins of Karnasubarna have been located at Kansona in the present Murshidabad district
in the India
n state
of West Bengal
.It is 9.6 kilometres (6 mi) south-west of Baharampur
, headquarters of Murshidabad district.
mentioned in his travelogues about Lo-to-mo-chi (Raktamrittika) Mahavihara, an important centre of learning of Vajrayani Buddhists near Karnasuvarna. It has been identified with Rajbaridanga. The archaeological site of Rajbaridanga is about 2.4 km from Karnasubarna railway station (earlier known as Chiruti) on the Azimganj-Katwa section of Eastern Railway
. Local transport like cycle vans are available. This site was first excavated by a team from the Department of Archaeology, University of Calcutta
in 1962 under the direction of S.R. Das. Amongst the findings, the most significant one was a monastic sealing bearing the legend Shri Rakta(m)rttika (Ma)havaiharik arya bhikshu (samgha)s(y)a (of the community of venerable monks residing in the Shri Raktamrittika Mahavihara). The other significant findings are terracotta figurines and ornamental stucco mouldings including human heads. Two other sites close by have been excavated at Rakshashidanga (in 1929-30 by K.N. Dixit of the Archaeological Survey of India) and Nil Kuthi.
Shashanka
Shashanka is often attributed with creating the first separate political entity in a unified Bengal called Gauda and as such is a major figure in Bengali history. He reigned in 7th century AD, and some historians place his rule approximately between 590 AD and 625 AD. He is the contemporary of...
, the first important king of ancient Bengal
Bengal
Bengal is a historical and geographical region in the northeast region of the Indian Subcontinent at the apex of the Bay of Bengal. Today, it is mainly divided between the sovereign land of People's Republic of Bangladesh and the Indian state of West Bengal, although some regions of the previous...
who ruled in the 7th century. After Shashanka's death it was the jayaskandhavara (camp of victory) of Bhaskaravarman, the king of Kamarupa probably for a short period. This is evident from his Nidhanpur copper-plate grant. In the mid-7th century, it was the capital of Jayanaga according to his Vappa Ghoshavata copper-plate grant. The ruins of Karnasubarna have been located at Kansona in the present Murshidabad district
Murshidabad district
Murshidabad district is a district of West Bengal in eastern India. Situated on the left bank of the river Ganges, the district is very fertile. Covering an area of 5,341 km² and having a population 5.863m it is a densely populated district and the ninth most populous in India...
in the India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
n state
States and territories of India
India is a federal union of states comprising twenty-eight states and seven union territories. The states and territories are further subdivided into districts and so on.-List of states and territories:...
of West Bengal
West Bengal
West Bengal is a state in the eastern region of India and is the nation's fourth-most populous. It is also the seventh-most populous sub-national entity in the world, with over 91 million inhabitants. A major agricultural producer, West Bengal is the sixth-largest contributor to India's GDP...
.It is 9.6 kilometres (6 mi) south-west of Baharampur
Baharampur
Baharampur is a city in the West Bengal state of India. Baharampur is the sixth largest city in West Bengal and situated in central part of West Bengal. Baharampur is nominated for becoming the municipal corporation...
, headquarters of Murshidabad district.
Excavations at Rajbaridanga
The famous Chinese traveler XuanzangXuanzang
Xuanzang was a famous Chinese Buddhist monk, scholar, traveler, and translator who described the interaction between China and India in the early Tang period...
mentioned in his travelogues about Lo-to-mo-chi (Raktamrittika) Mahavihara, an important centre of learning of Vajrayani Buddhists near Karnasuvarna. It has been identified with Rajbaridanga. The archaeological site of Rajbaridanga is about 2.4 km from Karnasubarna railway station (earlier known as Chiruti) on the Azimganj-Katwa section of Eastern Railway
Eastern Railway (India)
The Eastern Railway is one of the 17 zones of the Indian Railways. Its headquarters is at Fairley Place, Kolkata, and comprises four divisions: Howrah, Malda, Sealdah, and Asansol. These are the financial departments and each has an assistant divisional financial manager , divisional railway...
. Local transport like cycle vans are available. This site was first excavated by a team from the Department of Archaeology, University of Calcutta
University of Calcutta
The University of Calcutta is a public university located in the city of Kolkata , India, founded on 24 January 1857...
in 1962 under the direction of S.R. Das. Amongst the findings, the most significant one was a monastic sealing bearing the legend Shri Rakta(m)rttika (Ma)havaiharik arya bhikshu (samgha)s(y)a (of the community of venerable monks residing in the Shri Raktamrittika Mahavihara). The other significant findings are terracotta figurines and ornamental stucco mouldings including human heads. Two other sites close by have been excavated at Rakshashidanga (in 1929-30 by K.N. Dixit of the Archaeological Survey of India) and Nil Kuthi.