Vasudeva Narayan (1680-1682): (The Koch Kingdom Part 4)
After Moda Narayan’s death without leaving any issue the Raikats installed Vasudeva Narayan the third son of Prana Narayan on the royal throne. Coins were minted in his name and Simha Chap had been prepared. As soon as the Raikat brothers left for Baikunthapura, Yajna Narayan once more attacked the capital with the Bhutias and Vasudeva Narayan was murdered. Yajna Narayan then affirmed himself king.
In the intervening period the news of the tragedy reached Baikunthapura and the Raikat brothers hastened towards the capital of the Koch kingdom with a big army. In a violent battle Yajna Narayan was defeated and he ran away to the hills. Afterwards Mahendra Narayan, the grandson and the great grandson of Prana Narayan was installed on the throne by the Raikats.
Mahendra Narayan (1682-1693):
Mahendra Narayan was only five years old when he ascended the throne of Koch kingdom. But his reign was full of political turmoils because Kumar Yajna Narayan after his earlier defeat once again started hostilities against the king. After departure of the Raikats, Mahendra Narayan again lost control over the state apparatus and the provincial governors in faraway territories gave up their commitment.
Moreover the Mughols carried on repeated inroads and started snatching away the peripheral territories of the Koch kingdom. Mahendra Narayan took some steps to revive his control by making Yajna Narayan as Charta Nazir. With this the Bhutanese government also started cooperation with the King. After the mutual peace between king and the Nazir, Yajna Narayan opposed the Mohammedan to drive them away from the Koch territories but the Mughol forces commanded by Ibadat Khan occupied the three central chaklas of Fatepur, Kazirhat and Kakina.
The officer in charge of Tepa, Monthona and Jhori and some other Parganas formally accepted the Mughol suzerainty and became Zamindars by taking charters in their own name. Panga and Baikunthapura promised to give tribute to the Mohammedans.
In 1691 Nazir Yajna Narayan died without any issue. Four grandsons of Mahendra Narayan namely Santa Narayan and Satya Narayan, sons of Darpa Narayan, Rupa Narayan and Visnu Narayan sons of Jagat Narayan now became commander of the army. The king half-heartedly conferred the Chatra Nazirship on Santa Narayan. Mahendra Narayan after reigning eleven years died in 1693 at the age of sixty years. He was physically well-gifted and in religion a pious neo-Vaisnava. Dwija Rama his court poet translated the Bhismaparva of the Mahabharata.
Rupa Narayan (1693-1714):
After the short-lived reign of Mahendra Narayan the succession debate flared up again because the late king had no legal son. So Santa Narayan, the Chatra Nazir aspired to be king but the army opposed him. In this situation his brother’s son Rupa Narayan was installed on the throne.
With the accession of Rupa Narayan the main family of the Koch dynasty changed and the era of the rule from the members of the Nazir family started. With the debate over the ownership of Chaklas of Boda, Patgram and Purvabhag strong hostilities flared up again between the Koch kingdom and the Mughols. To conclude this rivalry a treaty was signed in 1711 and it was determined that the control of Chaklas of Boda, Patgram and Purvabhag would stay under the Koch king while the Chaklas of Kajirhat, Kakina and Fatepur would be under the Mughol authority.
But the Mughols changed the provisions of the treaty and got ownership over the Chaklas of Boda, Patgram and Purvabhag. Rupa Narayan was the last king of Kamata Kingdom who had influence over western Kamarupa. After his reign the area of the kingdom was restricted chiefly to the borders of the present district of Cooch Behar. He shifted his capital to Guriahati from Atharakatha. He passed away in 1714 after reigning for twenty one years.
Upendra Narayan (1714-1763):
After the departure of Rupa Narayan his eldest son Upendra Narayan ascended the throne in 1714. The usual coins and seals were struck in the new king’s name and the management of the state continued as before. During the reign of Upendra Narayan the Bhutiyas began to attack in the plains and Upendra Narayan could not oppose them. He faced serious situation when Mughol Faujdar invaded the western part of the Koch Kingdom. Upendra Narayan under this disastrous situation concluded an agreement with Bhutan and with the help of Bhutias drove away the Mughol Faujdar towards Rangpur. As a consequence the Bhutiya power in the kingdom grew stronger. Upendra Narayan died in 1763 after a reign of 49 years. Upendra Narayan was a neo-Vaishanava in religion.
Among the religious literature Dvija Narayan’s translation of Uttara Bhaga of Naradiya Purana and Srinath Brahmin’s translation of the Mahabharata were carried out done under his guidance.
Devendra Narayan (1763-65):
The throne of Koch kingdom devolved on his son after Upendra Narayan’s demise. He was then a minor. The administration of the Kingdom was carried on by the chief ministers on behalf of the small king under the instruction of the mother of the king. By this time the power of the Bhutias soared to an immense level. A Bhutia agent stayed in the capital with a small contingent of military and it was essential to take his assent in certain matters of government. When Devendra Narayan was six years old he was assassinated by a Brahmin named Rati Sharma by the order of Rajguru.
Dhairyendra Narayan (1765-70-1775-83):
After the assassination of the boy king Devendra Narayan in 1765 Dhairyendra Narayan ascended the throne of Cooch Behar. His rule marks the end of the royal glory of the Koch Kingdom because it was in his reign that the internal dissention broke out in the royal family. With this the foreign invasions became rampant as Bhutan continuously tried to poke into the royal affairs of the Koch kingdom. The strenuous situation rose to its peak in 1769 on the death of Nazir Rudra Narayan; his brother was appointed Nazir but the actual control of the kingdom was held in the hands of Dewan who was given support by the Bhutias.
Frightened by the growing power of the Dewan Deo, the other officials of the kingdom requested the king to apply check over the Dewan Deo’s activity the consequence of which was the assassination of the Dewan Deo by the king in 1769. For this assassination the Bhutanese authorities planned for revenge against the king. The Bhutia army invaded the Koch kingdom and they got the king and the new Dewan Deo imprisoned during the yearly feast at Checchakhata in 1770. The Bhutanese authority appointed Rajendra Narayan as the new king to the power.
The new king was extended military support by Pensu Toma. But in 1772 Rajendra Narayan died suddenly and the succession debate once again came to the fore. The new Nazir Khagendra Narayan accordingly installed Dharendra Narayan, the son of Dhairyendra Narayan, in 1772 on the royal throne. But the Bhutanese government intended to put their man in the throne and they hunted to put his substitute to the throne which led to the final attack of Bhutan upon Koch kingdom. A huge army was sent under the command of Jimpe, who after conquering the state occupied the capital. Nazir Deo and his army were defeated and he was driven out of the state. Jimpe formed forts at Gitaldah, Bheladanga and Mawamari and also well cordoned the capital. Under such a serious circumstance the king of Koch Kingdom got puzzled.
After consulting with the heads of the state, they appointed the East India Company on behalf of the king for help against the Bhutanese and in return promised to give an instant tribute to the Company or a Malgujary from Koch kingdom.
A treaty was signed on the 5th April, 1773 under which the Company decided to help Cooch Behar against Bhutan in exchange of an annual tribute. Under the treaty the Koch kingdom approved of the suzerainty of the East India Company and became a tributary state. After the conclusion of the agreement Captain Jones occupied the capital of the Cooch Behar and drove back the Bhutanese power. Charles Purling, the Collector of Rangpur, even despatched a letter to Bhutan pointing out the penalty for escalation of war and requested to return Dhairyendra Narayan failing which their country would be attacked. Thereafter Bhutan concluded a peace agreement with the East India Company on April 25, 1774. In 1775 Dhairyendra Narayan officially assumed the sovereign authority for the second time.
Harendra Narayan (1783-1839):
When Dhairyendra Narayan passed away in 1783, it was time for infant Harendra Narayan to be sworn in as the next king and as per Dhairyendra Narayan’s will until Harendra Narayan matured enough Rajmata would direct the state administration. During the phase 1783-1789 fight and disagreement intensified in the Koch royal house. But the first years of his sway in-house discontent between Dewan and Nazir broke out again. The frequent complaints and claims of both the parties at last induced the Company to interfere in the internal affairs of the Koch kingdom. In a declaration dated 3rd April, 1788 the administration of Lord Cornwallis appointed a commissioner from Messers Lawrence Mercer and John Lewis Chauvet to report on the pretensions of the parties and on a variety of additional subjects associated with the state of Koch Kingdom and on the form in which the British authority should be exercised for better executive function.
The commissioners submitted their report recommending complete autonomy in favor of the king conceding small allowance to the Nazir Deo and the Dewan Deo and the engagement of a commissioner or Resident at Koch Behar. Consequently in 1789 Henry Douglas was selected as Commissioner who succeeded in bringing orderliness in management. From 1789 to 1801 the entire organization was under the British commissioner who conducted the affairs of the kingdom in the name of the minor king. In 1801 Harendra Narayan attained majority and the authority supervision was passed on to him.
He sought to rule according to the usual style and authority as exercised by predecessors. Accordingly he demanded the removal of the commissioner. From 1801 almost each effort of the Company to interfere in the internal affairs of the Cooch Behar kingdom was unsuccessful due to the resistance of Harendra Narayan. The actual reason of his resistance was to maintain his sovereign position before his subjects.
Harendra Narayan was an honest and pious Shakta and devoted to Gods and Brahmins. The control of Harendra Narayan was magnificent for the religious literature. He himself was a poet of reputation and a galaxy of poets decorated his court. In later days of life he adopted the abstemious habits keeping the government in the hands of Dewan Kali Chandra Lahiri. He went to Varanasi and passed away there in 1839.
Sudip Narayan Ghosh
Will be continued.
