The different parts of ancient Bengal were known by different names in different times. The names were Sumha, Tamralipta, Rarh, Pundra, Samatat, Gouda, Vanga/Banga, Bangal, Bangala, Bangla etc.
Vanga/Banga : The word or name Vanga is ancient. The name Vanga is found in the ancient book Aitreya Arayanaka. According to famous historian Dr.Ramesh Chandra Majumder, the Vanga tract or area was situated between the east of river Bhagirathi and the west of river Padma, the lower Brahmaputra river with Meghna river. In other words Bhagirati-Ganga was to the west of Vanga and Padma-Ganga was to the east of the tract Vanga. Again the Bay of Bengal or Bangopsagar or Purva Samudra (ancient name of Bangopsagar) was situated to the south of Vanga. In very simple words the largest delta of the world made by Bhagirathi-Ganga and Padma-Brahmaputra-Meghna was known by Vanga.
Geography is the root of history. In human civilisation the role of rivers are very important. We know that the name Hind or Hindustan or India has come from the river name Sindhu or Indus. Like this Vanga has come from Ganga. let us try to find out the roots of Vanga scientifically.
Vanga/Banga : The word or name Vanga is ancient. The name Vanga is found in the ancient book Aitreya Arayanaka. According to famous historian Dr.Ramesh Chandra Majumder, the Vanga tract or area was situated between the east of river Bhagirathi and the west of river Padma, the lower Brahmaputra river with Meghna river. In other words Bhagirati-Ganga was to the west of Vanga and Padma-Ganga was to the east of the tract Vanga. Again the Bay of Bengal or Bangopsagar or Purva Samudra (ancient name of Bangopsagar) was situated to the south of Vanga. In very simple words the largest delta of the world made by Bhagirathi-Ganga and Padma-Brahmaputra-Meghna was known by Vanga.
Geography is the root of history. In human civilisation the role of rivers are very important. We know that the name Hind or Hindustan or India has come from the river name Sindhu or Indus. Like this Vanga has come from Ganga. let us try to find out the roots of Vanga scientifically.
The Ganga starts its journey from Gomukh or Gangotry or Devapraga of the Himalayas and comes down to plainland at Haridwar. From Haridwar it flows through Uttar-Pradesh and Bihar to reach the Rajmahal hills. From Rajmahal the river enters the district of Malda of West Bengal. After Malda in Murshidabad district Ganga divides itself into two flows. The first flow being named Padma enters nation Bangladesh to meet the Brahmaputra and Meghna. And finally the joint flows meet the Bay of Bengal near Nowakhali. The second flow of Ganga being named Bhagirathi flows towards south and makes a border line between Kolkata and Howrah. Finally it meets the Bay of Bengal at Gangasagar. It is noticeable that the name of meeting place is Gangasagar, not Bhagirathisagar. The name Gangasagar tells us that Bhagirathi was considered as main Ganga. Therefore, river Padma was considered as branch river of Ganga. Again we know that Gangasagar is a place of Hindu pilgrimages in Eastern India.
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Now we have to think the matter through the eyes of ancient navigators or boat travellers. The navigable flow from Haridwar to Gangasagar might be divided into three parts as follows:-
(i) The flow from Haridwar to Varanasi is east-south towarded.
(ii) The flow from Varanasi to Rajmahal east towarded.
(iii) The flow from Rajmahal to Gangasager is south towarded.
It is remarkable that the third flow Rajmahal to Gangasager creats a natural border line between Anga and Vanga. The tract or area which is situated (inside) at the turning point of second flow to third flow was called Anga. It is remarkable that the area which is situated (outside) at same turning point is Vanga. Vanga is the opposite name of Anga. Both the words or areas were deeply related. this may be written as follows:-
Antarganga-Aganga-Anga-
Vahirganga-Vganga-Vanga/Banga
Not doubt, Anga and Banga are the twin of Mother Ganga.
In first phase the name Banga changes itself as BANGAL. It is noticeable that even today the North Indians tell and write the name as Bangal. We find the word or name Bangali in the incient book Charyagiti of tenth century of A.D. The word 'Bangal' is hidden in the word 'Bangali'. Let us Discuss about the formation of word Bangal.
Linga-Langal
Banga-Bangal
In the above mentioned words 'L' utterance has been added with root words. Hence the words Linga and Banga reflect common or shorter area. But the changed words reflect Larger area. The word Banga tell about common circumference of itself but the changed word Bangal tells about the greater circumference.
In the middle age the name Bangal was changed as Bangala or Suba Bangala etc. for the effect of Arabic or Persian-utterence. for the European utterence it bocame Bengala or Bengal. Again we know that the word Megh changes as Meghla or jal to jala (Bhumi or land). Just in this way the names Bangal or Bangala changed as Bangla for the effect of local utterence system. It is to say that in first phase the delta between Bhagirathi and Padma was as Banga area. In course of the time the circumference of Banga increased and the Sumha, Rarh, Pundra, Samatat, Goud janapadas were named jointly as Bangla or Bangadesh.
Sumha : A river named Subarnarekha is flowing in the South-West of the West Bengal. It is natural that the name Sumha has been come from the first name 'Subarna' of Subarnarekha. It is said that once metal gold or Subarna would found in the river.Rekha means river.
Tamralipta : The joint flow of river Dwarkeshwar and river Silawati is called Rupnarayan river. The jana-pada Tamluk is situated on the west bank of Rupnarayan. According to historians today's Tamluk is the ancient Tamralipta. Once the sand,carried bythe river, would smeared or lipta with alluvium. The alluvium was enriched with metal copper or Tamra. We have to remaind that the flows of the connected rivers would start their journey from the metal enriched area of Chotanagpur. The sands with copper enriched alluvium was called as Tamralipta. copper would extracted from the smeared sands. It might be examined for verification. The area of mounds of Tamralipta sand was named as Tamralipta.
Rarh and Goud : According the book of honourable historian Dr.Nihar Ranjan Roy the janapada Rarh and goud were called as LAL (red) and Gaul (circular).the area to the west of Bhagirathi was Rarh.The soil of this area is redish or lalche. Lalche changed as lal. Again According to the maps of 1550 and1561A.D. there was an island created by the Ganga in the area of Malda and Rajsahi (Bangladesh). The island was semi circular or goul. The circular wise formation was called Goul in Indian language. The possible changes are as belows :
Goul - Goud or Gourh
Lal - Larh or Rarh
It is noticeable that 'L' uttarance has been changed as 'Rh' in both words.
Pundra: The tract or area to the North of Padma was called as Pundra. The name Pundra has come from the name Padma as below:-
(A) Mata-Pita (Mother-Father) -Putra (Son) -Pautra (Grandson)
(B) Padma (river as mother) - Pundra (Area on Padma) - Paundra (inhabitant of Pundra).
In first phase the janapada name Pundra came from river name Padma. In second phase the people name Pundra came from janapada name Pundra.
Samatat: We know that the mouths of Ganga -Brahmaputra are very board and broken in compair to the attachcd east-southern coastal line.The said coastal line is equal or sama.The equal or sama or tat coast or tat was called Samatat Janapada.
We have to remaind that in first phase, a tract or an area was named according to its geographical borders but they are changeable for political and cultural factors. The eastern part of Bangla is known by Bangladesh(nation). Bangladesh might be named as Purva Bangla according to geography. The western part of Bangla should be named Paschim Bangla in lieu of Paschim Banga or West Bengal. How ever, we have to maintain both logics and emotions.
(i) The flow from Haridwar to Varanasi is east-south towarded.
(ii) The flow from Varanasi to Rajmahal east towarded.
(iii) The flow from Rajmahal to Gangasager is south towarded.
It is remarkable that the third flow Rajmahal to Gangasager creats a natural border line between Anga and Vanga. The tract or area which is situated (inside) at the turning point of second flow to third flow was called Anga. It is remarkable that the area which is situated (outside) at same turning point is Vanga. Vanga is the opposite name of Anga. Both the words or areas were deeply related. this may be written as follows:-
Antarganga-Aganga-Anga-
Vahirganga-Vganga-Vanga/Banga
Not doubt, Anga and Banga are the twin of Mother Ganga.
In first phase the name Banga changes itself as BANGAL. It is noticeable that even today the North Indians tell and write the name as Bangal. We find the word or name Bangali in the incient book Charyagiti of tenth century of A.D. The word 'Bangal' is hidden in the word 'Bangali'. Let us Discuss about the formation of word Bangal.
Linga-Langal
Banga-Bangal
In the above mentioned words 'L' utterance has been added with root words. Hence the words Linga and Banga reflect common or shorter area. But the changed words reflect Larger area. The word Banga tell about common circumference of itself but the changed word Bangal tells about the greater circumference.
In the middle age the name Bangal was changed as Bangala or Suba Bangala etc. for the effect of Arabic or Persian-utterence. for the European utterence it bocame Bengala or Bengal. Again we know that the word Megh changes as Meghla or jal to jala (Bhumi or land). Just in this way the names Bangal or Bangala changed as Bangla for the effect of local utterence system. It is to say that in first phase the delta between Bhagirathi and Padma was as Banga area. In course of the time the circumference of Banga increased and the Sumha, Rarh, Pundra, Samatat, Goud janapadas were named jointly as Bangla or Bangadesh.
Sumha : A river named Subarnarekha is flowing in the South-West of the West Bengal. It is natural that the name Sumha has been come from the first name 'Subarna' of Subarnarekha. It is said that once metal gold or Subarna would found in the river.Rekha means river.
Tamralipta : The joint flow of river Dwarkeshwar and river Silawati is called Rupnarayan river. The jana-pada Tamluk is situated on the west bank of Rupnarayan. According to historians today's Tamluk is the ancient Tamralipta. Once the sand,carried bythe river, would smeared or lipta with alluvium. The alluvium was enriched with metal copper or Tamra. We have to remaind that the flows of the connected rivers would start their journey from the metal enriched area of Chotanagpur. The sands with copper enriched alluvium was called as Tamralipta. copper would extracted from the smeared sands. It might be examined for verification. The area of mounds of Tamralipta sand was named as Tamralipta.
Rarh and Goud : According the book of honourable historian Dr.Nihar Ranjan Roy the janapada Rarh and goud were called as LAL (red) and Gaul (circular).the area to the west of Bhagirathi was Rarh.The soil of this area is redish or lalche. Lalche changed as lal. Again According to the maps of 1550 and1561A.D. there was an island created by the Ganga in the area of Malda and Rajsahi (Bangladesh). The island was semi circular or goul. The circular wise formation was called Goul in Indian language. The possible changes are as belows :
Goul - Goud or Gourh
Lal - Larh or Rarh
It is noticeable that 'L' uttarance has been changed as 'Rh' in both words.
Pundra: The tract or area to the North of Padma was called as Pundra. The name Pundra has come from the name Padma as below:-
(A) Mata-Pita (Mother-Father) -Putra (Son) -Pautra (Grandson)
(B) Padma (river as mother) - Pundra (Area on Padma) - Paundra (inhabitant of Pundra).
In first phase the janapada name Pundra came from river name Padma. In second phase the people name Pundra came from janapada name Pundra.
Samatat: We know that the mouths of Ganga -Brahmaputra are very board and broken in compair to the attachcd east-southern coastal line.The said coastal line is equal or sama.The equal or sama or tat coast or tat was called Samatat Janapada.
We have to remaind that in first phase, a tract or an area was named according to its geographical borders but they are changeable for political and cultural factors. The eastern part of Bangla is known by Bangladesh(nation). Bangladesh might be named as Purva Bangla according to geography. The western part of Bangla should be named Paschim Bangla in lieu of Paschim Banga or West Bengal. How ever, we have to maintain both logics and emotions.