A Catalogue of The Arcaheological Relics in the Museum of the Varendra Reserach Society, Rajshahi & Other Related Topics

About the Book This volume brings together the research works of many eminent scholars on a variety of themes related to Ancient and Early Medieval Varendra and Museum of Varendra. Research Society (V.R.S.). This book deals with the archaeological relics and some other topics of Varendra-one of the early historic site of the undivided Bengal. This book contains chiefly a spectrum of data as regards the archaeological relics in the museum of the V.R.S. Other related essays highlights the needs to meticulously analyse the presently available data about Varendra. In the present publication an attempt has also been made to gather most of its scattered findings systematically and, therefore, to reach into a deducement on its history and geography in a handy form. All the data were described keeping pace with the demand of the general visitors as well as researchers in the field of Archaeology, History, Geography etc. regarding Varendra. Moreover, a good number of charts, maps and drawings have also been illustrated where they are felt most needed.

Both the editors hope, it would be of immense help to all classes of people, both from Bangladesh and abroad, to visit the relics preserved in the museum of V.R.S. and within its horizon (i.e., at different corners of Varendra). They also hope that, this book will generate great interest in the circle of researchers, scholars, teachers and students of Ancient and Early Medieval History, Archaeology, Geography too.

Preface At the request of the President and the Council of Management of the Varendra Research, society, we undertook to prepare a brief catalogue of the Archaeological relics in the Museum of the Society. We have made two main divisions of these relics-the Images and the Architectural sculptures including some bas-reliefs. The Images have been classified according to creeds-(A) Buddhist, (B) Jaina, (C) Saiva, (D) Sakta, (E) Vaisnava, (F) Saur, and (G) Ganapataye, In addition to these seven heads we have adopts another class (H) which is meant to include deities of a miscellaneous nature, some of which could not be properly identified. Most of these icons and sculptures were collected from the districts of Rajshahi, Dinajpur, Bogra and Malda in North Bengal from places which may be un-doubtedly said to have been included in the old land of Varendra in the ancient province (bhakti) called Pundravardhana. From the evidence of style and paleography of the inscriptions on some of them, these relics can be assigned to the most brilliant period of the history of Bengal under the rule of the Pala and Sena dynasties (circa 100 - 1200 A, D-)

These sculptural remains are mostly in black clay chlorite stone. For a proper comprehension of the art and civilisation of the period and for a comparative study of these specimens along with those of other places in and out of India of the period, they will surely form the most important materials in the hands of scholars. They also appear to have belonged to an independent school of art which flourished in Bengal during the glorious days of the Pala kingdom.

We have not attempted in this brief catalogue to give any detailed description of dimensions etc, and any interpretation of the images from the artistic, mythological, canonical, and ritualistic points of view which are reserved to be dealt with by better and abler hands in a Descriptive Catalogue which is now in course of preparation.

The Society have in their possession six of the earliest copper-plate grants ever discovered in India-the importance of which being very great for a reconstruction of the history of Bengal during the rule of the Imperial Guptas in the fourth, fifth and sixth centuries A. D.

Book's Contents and Sample Pages