Rule and Contribution of the Deva

Dynasty: Golden Period of South

Eastern Bengal
From 1373 to 1427, known as the Deva Era, Bengal saw an organized governance system
under the Deva Dynasty. This era marked a peak in cultural, economic, and political
development, often referred to as the Golden Age of medieval Bengal.

Artistic and Cultural Prosperity

The terracotta art of Chandradwip and plaques from the Vishnu temple foundation
represent the excellence of the Deva age. These cultural remnants, associated with a single
cultural phase—the Deva period—highlight the matured Bengali folk art style, which
originated here and spread across Bengal and neighboring regions.

Flourishing Trade and Textile Industry

Under Deva rule, Bengal's trade revived significantly:

- Suvarnagram (Sonargaon) became a thriving trading city in the late 14th century. It was
connected by sea with West Asia and Southeast Asia.
- Ibn Battuta (1346) described Suvarnagram as a key port with ties to China, Java, and the
Malay Archipelago. [8]
- Ma Huan (1406) and Hou-Hien (1415) also recorded its prosperity, structured markets,
and vast muslin trade. [3][8]

Sonargaon’s muslins, especially the delicate 'Khas' muslin, gained global fame. Cotton
cultivation thrived in Jessore, Khulna, Kushtia, and Jhenaidah, while Dhaka produced high-
quality long-fiber cotton, vital for muslin production.
- Centers like Suvarnagram, Dumrore, Titvadi, Jangalbari, and Kapasia were core to this
industry. [8]
- Suvarnagram led global muslin exports via sea routes.

Crafts flourished with patronage, especially in Bikrampur and Panam Nagar, promoting
conch, bamboo, pottery, jamdani, jute, and more. [8]

In Malda, artisans blended muga and silk to craft 30 varieties of cloth. Constant invasions
led them to relocate to Dhaka, where this style became known as “Maldahi.” Popular
variants like Elachi and Mashroor became staples in Gaurnagar, boosting Dhaka’s
reputation. [8]

The economy surged through foreign trade and the introduction of silver currency marked
with ‘Bangal’ emperors. [8][16]
Sculptural Style, Temple Architecture & Governance

The Deva Age introduced covered upper-body idol styles, which became the precursor to
modern Hindu iconography in Bengal. [13]

King Danujmardan Dev, a devout Chandicharanaparayan Paramshakta, renovated:

- Ugratara temple in Phuliya
- Chandimura/Lalmai Chandi temple in Comilla
- Mahakala Shiva Mandirs in Agradwip and Navadwip

He promoted Sanatan culture in Navadwip, encouraging Brahmin-led education in Tolas

and Gurukuls.

Deva Rule & the Ideal of Rama Rajya

Danujmardan Dev aspired to establish a righteous rule mirroring Rama Rajya. It is

speculated that Krittivas Ojha authored Ram Panchali under his influence.
- He excavated Ramsagar, dedicated to Lord Ramachandra.
- Built Katyayani and Madangopal temples in Barisal.
- Entrusted Chandrasekhar with temple duties. [16]

Literary and Educational Reforms

Several scholars and poets received patronage under Deva rule:

- Kulguru Padmanabh of Shikharbhum, Brihaspati Misra (‘Padachandika’), and Krittivas
Ojha flourished in Navadwip. [12]
- Advaita Acharya’s father, Kuber Pandit, settled in Navagatm village of Srihatta during this
period. [2][8]

According to Bhaktiratnakar (5/2041-43), Kuber Pandit and his wife Navadevi are revered
as Advaita’s parents, symbolizing the dynasty's influence on spiritual and scholarly
migrations.

Vijay Gupta, the 15th-century poet from Phullashree, composed the Padma Purana in 1406:
“পশ্চিমে ঘাঘর নদী পূর্বে ঘণ্টেম্বর, মধ্যে ফুল্যশ্রী গ্রাম পন্ডিত নগর।”
[9][15][16]

This confirms the rise of scholarly settlements in rural Bengal during Deva patronage.

Navadwip-Nabahatta & the Scholar Network

- Chandrasekhar Bhattacharya advised Danujmardan Dev to build Chandradwip, the Deva

capital. [7][16]
- The city became a center for Brahmin-led educational reform.
- ‘Bakla Samaj’ was formed to revive the Kaulinya system, replacing the collapsed
Vikrampur Samaj. [14]
- Administrative records show how letters were addressed with specific salutations to
Brahmins and nobles, maintaining strict hierarchical etiquette. [14][16]

Deva Empire’s Geographical Domain

Chandradwip, the capital, was fabled to have emerged from water through the fire of
Mahadeva’s forehead, and bathed in the moon’s rays—hence the name. [16]

According to Dvigvijay Prakash Bibriti, the Bakla capital was geographically defined by:
- Meghna River (East)
- Baleshwari River (West)
- Idilpur (North)
- Sundarbans (South)

It spanned 30 yojanas, with major urban centers including:

- Jambudvip (West)
- Strikar (North)
- Bakla (Central) [16]

Additional cities and towns established included Brahmapur, Baranasipur, Kumudgram,

Kakini, and others. Danujmardan also excavated Ramsagar and Sukhsagar. [16]

Administrative & Military Structure

- Chilchhatra was the dining hall of Rajpuri where the king and ministers dined. [14]
- The king’s council included Kulins, Madhyalyas, and Mahapatras in hierarchical order. [16]
- Deva kings employed the Taluk system for tax collection. [16]

Ain-i-Akbari mentions:
- 15,000 foot soldiers
- 320 war elephants under the Bakla king
- During Danujmardan’s peak, forces may have exceeded 100,000. [4][16]

To uphold Brahminical order, Danujmardan created:

- Kulacharya or Ghatak
- Sarnamtya roles for protecting Kaulinya purity [15][16]

He also provided Brahmamottara lands to the Kulacharyas of Idilpur.

Dynastic Legacy and Decline

- After the fall of the Deva Empire, Advaita Acharya's descendants served as feudatory kings
under Tripura during Mughal rule.
- A Suryavanshi Kshatriya dynasty ruled Srihatta, occasionally paying tribute to Tripura and
Assam.
Digindra Deva, the last known king of Srihatta, adopted Dwarkanatha Goswami (Advaita's
descendant) as heir. After his death:
- Dwarkanatha ruled and brought Barendra Brahmins from Bengal.
- His son Shyamsundar Goswami later provoked conflict with Shakta Brahmins, leading to
intervention by Subedar Shah Shuja of Bengal, under Shah Jehan.

Shuja annexed Srihatta to Bengal, earning 14 lakh rupees in annual revenue from the region.
[17]

Conclusion

The Deva Dynasty fostered a renaissance in trade, textile, literature, governance, and
religion in South-Eastern Bengal. The political stability, educational patronage, temple
architecture, and international trade connections under Deva rule signify a period of
exceptional prosperity and cultural depth—rightly hailed as the Golden Age of Bengal.

Sources

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been preserved and numbered consistently.]
Sources
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2. Tamonashchandra Das Gupta (1933):- University of Calcutta: Journal of the Department

of Letters. Calcutta University Press. XXIII pp-7-8

3. Ray, Haraprasad (1997). Sino-Indian Commercial and Diplomatic Relations. The

Quarterly Review of Historical Studies. Vol. 37. Calcutta: Institute of Historical Studies. p.
114

4. Ain-e-Akbari

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13. জটার দেউল DeviShankar Middya

14. Siraj Uddin Ahmed. History of Barisal Division (Volume 1). Bhaskar Publications, Dhaka.
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16. চন্দ্রদ্বীপের ইতিহাস [সংস্করণ-১] | শ্রী বৃন্দাবন চন্দ্র পুততুন্ড pp 5-

6,18,22,25,41,79-81,94-95,122,125

17. বাংলার বারোভূঁইয়া ও মহারাজ প্রতাপাদিত্য কমল চৌধুরী pp 24-25, 47-348