Author:

Chhawang Subba

Assistant Professor
Department of History
University of Gour Banga
Mokdumpur,Malda,West Bengal
Email: csubba0082@gmail.com

Abstract:From the 6th century BC onwards, Buddhism and Jainism were established as a protest movement against Brahmanism religion. Buddhism and Jainism spread to different parts of India. Among these Buddhism and Jainism spread to the then ancient North Bengal. However, it can be clearly said that in ancient times there was no separate administrative division, state or province called ‘North Bengal’. The name North Bengal is not found even in ancient times or medieval times. The word North Bengal was used to refer to the northern part of undivided Bengal during the colonial period. Bengal was made up of different districts. Radha, Banga, Barindra, Samatat, Harikela, Pundravardhana, Pragjyotishpur, Kamrup etc. In ancient times most of the districts of Rajshahi, Pabna, Malda, Dinajpur, Bogra, Rangpur were under Pundravardhanabhukti in ancient times and Darjeeling district was part of Sikkim, Jalpaiguri district and Kochbihar state belonged to Kamrup Rajya or Pragjyotishpur. Buddhism had a great influence in North Bengal. Evidence of this is that many Buddha statues have been found and are still being found in different parts of North Bengal.

Key Words:Ajibika ,Buddhism, festival,Jainism, Kamarupa, Paundravardhana.