Book Description

Volume I : A brief history of Kamarupa in the pre-historic age as well as of the period from the third to the fourteenth century of Christian era. Attempt has been made to show from many ancient books what came of civilisation. Kamarupa had reached long before the age of the Mahabharata. The pains or the phoenicians, described in the Vedas as an ancient race of traders whom the vedic Aryans hated and regarded them as their rivals. The pains settled down on the eastern borders of India after they had been expelled from the western part of the country by their more powerful opponents, the Aryans. From the Lohita Sagara (Red Sea), how they sailed on board their sea-going vessels to a kingdom on the Asia Minor has been discussed in this volume. The people that civilised the eastern parts of Europe through their commercial enterprise and centuries-long cultural traditions. The Assyrian influence commenced in Kamarupa more than 4,500 years before the Christian era. The Mlechchha rule lasted in this country up to 11th century a.d. The three groups of Brahmanas' Yajurvedi, Samvedi and Rigvedi living in Kamarupa, had 26 Gotras. But no traces could be found of the Samvedi and Rigvedic Brahmanas in Kamarupa. After the extinction of the Mlechchha rule, Kayasthas dominated the history of Kamarupa. The Kayastha rule lasted here for about 200 years. Volume II: Deals primarily with the history of the Baro-Bhuiyas in Assam, their rise and downfall, and about the repeated invasion of the Muhammadans which put the country into chaos and confusion. The condition thus created cleared the way for the downfall of the Baro-Bhuiyas and gave rise to a few petty kingdoms. In the eastern Assam, the Kayastha Adi-Bhuiyas rose to power; in central Assam the Desa established themselves and in Kamta or western Kamarupa the Darlubhanarayan, carved out a Kingdom. One noteworthy feature of the book is that in the appendix the author has given exhaustive genealogical tables of the Baro-Bhuiyas and the leaders of various sects particularly the Vaisnavas. These tables which run into 83 page are very useful and informative for all type of readers, scholars and laymen alike. Volume III: Narrates the story of the influence of the king of Kamarupa over the people whom they conquered. The ancient kings of Kamarupa ruled over a large area. Their empire included besides Kamarupa, Srihatta and Vanga the whole of Utkala as well. The influence of the Rajas of Kamarupa could be seen ``from the coast of Pacific in the East to the boundry of Magadha on West and from the foot of the Himalayas on the North to Ganjam in the Madras Presidency in the South.'' This became possible because of the migration of the adventurous Brahmanas to distant places. The Brahmanas migrated from the Kamarupa, Srihatta or Vanga to distant places carried with them the customs, manner and ideals of Brahmanism, traces of which can still be seen in these areas. This migration of the Brahmanas started with the advent of Bhauma dynasty. The protegee of the Bhauma's the Nagara Brahmanas went to different places and spread their literature, manners and customs. Their influence continued till the advent of the Muslims. With the advent of the Muslims the manners and customs of the Bhauma period became almost extinct in Bengal but not in Kamarupa or in Utkala which can still be seen even today. The author has tried to present in this volume a picture of the happiest harmony which once prevailed between the Kamarupa and the countries they ruled particularly Utkala.