During the rule ofSrichandra (reigned 930 – 975 AD), the administrative centre of theChandra kingdom was established at Bikrampur.[4] The Varman Dynasty (1035-1150 CE) replaced the Chandras and established their independent kingdom.[5][6]
After the fall of the Chandras, The Varman Dynasty became powerful in East Bengal. The Varmans claimed that they are descended from a branch ofYadava Dynasty of Simhapur.[7][8] Jat Varman, Hari Varman Samala Varman were the most powerful rulers, who ruled in Bikrampur. Bhoja Varman was the last independent ruler of the Varman Dynasty who was defeated byVijaysena of theSena dynasty.[9]
A copper-plate inscription from the time of the rulerVijay Sen (ruled 1097–1160), founder of the Sen Dynasty, was found inBarrackpore, in 1911. In this inscription, Bikrampur was mentioned as the capital of that region.[10] It continued to be the capital throughout the,Sena Dynasty. In 1205, Turkic invaderBakhtiyar Khalji defeated the then-rulerLakshman Sen inNadia. Lakshman fled to Bikrampur.[11] His two sonsVishwarup Sen andKeshab Sen kept ruling from here until 1230.[12] However the copper-plate inscriptions during their reign do not mention Bikrampur as the capital.[13]Another Hindu ruler,Danuj Rai, defeated a successor of Keshab Sen and started ruling from here. In early 1280, he moved the capital to Suvarnagrama (later namedSonargaon).[13][14]
Mughal EmperorAkbar established Bikrampur as one of the 52parganas of Sonargaonsarkar in the Bengalsubah during his administrative reforms implemented between 1572–1580.[15] During his time, Chand Rai[16] and Kedar Rai[17] were theZamindars of Bikramapur. In the expeditions againstBara-Bhuiyans, Mughal SubahdarMan Singh killedKedar Rai in the early 1600s.[18]
In post-Aurangzeb era, during the time ofNawab Murshid Quli Khan, Bikrampur was divided into eighttaluks –Bhagyakul,Sreenagar,Maijpara,Sinhapara,Taltala,Sirajdikhan,Louhajong andBaligaon. Each taluk was represented by one zamindar. Muhammad Azim Khan became the Zamindar of Louhajong who held the title of "Khan Bahadur". Gobinda Prasad Roy became the Zamindar of Maijpara.[19]
^Scott, David (May 1995). "Buddhism and Islam: Past to Present Encounters and Interfaith Lessons".Numen.42 (2):141–155.doi:10.1163/1568527952598657.JSTOR3270172.
