Chandra dynasty

The Chandra dynasty was a Buddhist dynasty, originating from the Bengal region of Indian subcontinent, which ruled the Samatata area of Bengal, as well as northern Arakan. 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. The dynasty was founded around the 4th century AD. 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 of Waithali after the end of the Annaveta dynasty. The ye Dhamma inscriptions of the Queen of Niti Chandra are dated to early 6th century AD based on paleographic grounds. 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. The Chandras had to leave their old capital Waithali, because one of King Srichandra 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 Govinda Chandra, the Chandras were eventually overthrown during an invasion by the Chola dynasty of South India. Note- These rulers may or may not be related to the Chandra dynasty. 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. King Anandachandra mentions mission he sent to Sinhalese King Silamegha (Aggabodhi IV) (727-766) There are numerous inscriptions dating from the period of the Chandra dynasty.

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Related concepts (15)

Samatata

Samataṭa (Brahmi script: sa-ma-ta-ṭa) was an ancient geopolitical division of Bengal in the eastern Indian subcontinent. The Greco-Roman account of Sounagoura is linked to the kingdom of Samatata. Its territory corresponded to much of present-day eastern Bangladesh (particularly Dhaka Division, Sylhet Division, Barisal Division and Chittagong Division) and parts of the Rakhine State of Myanmar. The area covers the trans-Meghna part of the Bengal delta. It was a center of Buddhist civilisation before the resurgence of Hinduism and Muslim conquest in the region.

Bikrampur

Bikrampur ("City of Courage") was a pargana situated south of Dhaka, the modern capital city of Bangladesh. In the present day, it is known as the Munshiganj District of Bangladesh. It is a historic region in Bengal and was a part of the Bhawal Estate. Ashoka, the emperor of the Maurya Dynasty, ruled all of major parts of Bengal from 269 BC to 232 BC. Being a devotee of Gautama Buddha, he propagated Buddhism across his kingdom which included Bikrampur to the east.

Srichandra

Srichandra (reigned c. 930–975) was the second and most influential ruler of the Chandra Dynasty in eastern Bengal. After Traillokyachandra, Srichandra ascended the throne, taking the titles "Paramsaugata", "Parameshwar", "Parambhattārak" and "Mahārājādhirāj". According to the book Dynastic History of Bengal by Abdul Momin Chowdhury, Srichandra ruled 45 years, from 930 to 975 CE. Again, Ramesh Chandra Majumdar mentioned in his book, History of Bangladesh that Srichandra reigned from 905 to 955 CE.