Course Title: History of Bengal up to 1200 CE

Course Code: 0222 HIS 113 Credit: 4

Number of Lectures: 60

Introduction to the Course: ‘Bengal’ is considered as a geographical, cultural and historical ‘entity’ by
geographers and historians. This course focuses on the ancient history of Bengal up to CE-1200 based on
available sources. In this period significant transformations of politics and polity took place and Bengal
was molded into distinct contours. This course is designed to focus on the early phase of state formation
and gradual development of making Bengal as a geographical, historical and cultural territory/ entity.

Rationale of the Course: The course aims at offering insight into the historical changes and continuities
that have shaped ‘Bengal’ in the ancient period. It is designed to familiarize the student with a variety of
sources of ancient history and offers an understanding of how to use them. Epigraphic sources like
copperplates and archaeological sources like pottery, coins, beads, as well as other primary sources are
the mainstay of reconstructing ancient history and the course aims at developing in the student a deep
appreciation for them.

Objectives of the Course:

 To familiarize the students with the major discourses in the history of ancient ‘Bengal’
 To give the students a comprehensive knowledge about the geographical contours of Bengal in
ancient times
 To motivate the students to rely on primary sources, archaeological and literary.
 To formulate knowledge about the chronological history of ancient Bengal
 To inculcate in the student an appreciation for further research in this specific area
Course Contents:

1. Introduction to the Course, Defining ‘Bengal’ and the Periodization

2. Geographical Features of Bengal, Why Geography is so important in understanding the history of
‘Bengal’? Historical-geographical Units/ Sub-units
3. Ethnic Composition of the Early Settlers in the Easternmost Part of Indian Subcontinent
4. Sources and Their Limitations: Why Epigraphic Sources are So Important in Understanding Ancient
History? Perceptions of the Past.
5. Literary Sources; Archaeological Sources: Beads, Terracotta, Pottery; Coins and Resultant
Characteristics
6. Historical Outline up to the 5th Century CE: Pre-history: Evidence from Pandu Rajar Dhibi
7. ‘Bengal’ in Early Texts; Gangaridai, Mahasthana Brahmi Inscription and the Evidence of Maurya Rule
in Bengal
8. Gupta Rule in ‘Bengal’: Evidence; Process of Gupta Occupation;
9. Rulers in Vanga Kingdom; Shashanka: Rise to Power in Gaud & Karnasuvarna; Involvement in
Northern Indian Politics: Critical Approaches to the Sources
10. The Rise of the Pala;
a. The period of Matsyanyam; Gopala’s occupation of the throne; Nature of his occupation.
 b. Pala Rule in Bengal: Period of Ascendancy: the reigns of Dharmapala and Devapala; Tripartite
struggle for the supremacy over northern India; Achievements of Dharmapalaand Devapala.
c. Pala Rule in Bengal: Decline and Revival: The empire at the accession of Mahipala I; Mahipala I’s
achievements and the extent of his empire; The implication of his Sarnath inscription.
d. Pala Rule in Bengal: The Final Phase: Mahipala II and the Samanta rebellion of northern Bengal;
Causes and nature of the rebellion in the light of the Ramacharitam; Rampala - Northern Bengal
retrieved – Achievements.
e. Pala Rule in Bengal: The Glories of the Pala period.
11. South-East Bengal: Separate politics,o and polity: The Devas and the the Chandras; Coming of the
Chandras to power; Achievements of Srichandra.
12. Sena rule in Bengal: Rise under Vijaysena in the light of the Deopara Prasasti, Vallalasena and
Laksmanasena.
13. Administration: Growth and Development in the ancient period.

Course Learning Outcomes (CLOs): It is expected that at the end of the course students would be able
to:
CLO-1 Understand the history and heritage of ancient Bengal and the development of
politics and polity in this particular land
CLO-2 Apprehend the factual knowledge of a topic, develop skills in argumentation and
analysis
CLO-3 Enhance the linguistic skill and clarity of expression
CLO-4 Identify sources for reconstructing history of ancient period

Mapping the Course Learning Outcomes (CLOs) with Programme Learning Outcomes (PLOs)

Program Learning Outcomes (PLOs)

CLOs
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
CLO-1 X
CLO-2 X X
CLO-3 X
CLO-4 X
CLO-5 X

Mapping of Course Learning Outcomes (COs) with the Teaching-Learning & Assessment Strategy

CLOs Teaching-Learning Strategies Assessment Strategies

CLO-1 Lecture, Map, Short Documentaries, PPT Midterm, Tutorial
CLO-2 Lecture, PPT, Visiting Libraries & Archives Assignment, Term-Final
CLO-3 Lecture, Group discussion, debate, Video clips, Q/A session Presentation, Term-Final
CLO-4 Lecture, Documentaries, Visiting Museums & Sites, PPT Term Final
Recommended Readings:

References
In English:
Abdul Momin Chowdhury and Ranabir History of Bangladesh : early Bengal in regional
Chakravarti perspectives (up to c.1200 CE)

RC Majumdar (ed.) History of Bengal Vol. 1

RC Majumdar History of Ancient Bengal

Abdul Momin Chowdhury Dynastic History of Bengal

In Bengali:
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 Course Title: History of the Indian Subcontinent up to 1206 AD
Course Code: 0222 HIS 112 Credit: 4
Number of Lectures: 60

Introduction to the Course:

The history of the Indian Subcontinent, particularly from the beginning of human settlement
here up to the advent of the Muslims in the thirteenth century, forms one of the most fascinating and
interesting parts in the study of world civilization. This vast area which now covers a number of modern
nation-states including Bangladesh, once presented a series of commendably rich yet admirably diverse
polities, economy, societies, cultures and traditions witnessing even the rise and evolution of some of
the major religions and religious beliefs also. The discovery of the Harappa Civilization in 1922 led to yet
another “major change in the study of South Asia’s past … pushing the antiquity of Indic culture beyond
the Vedic age” and taking it to the level of the ancient civilized world of Egypt and Mesopotamia. The
present course introduces the students to this rich and diverse history of ancient Indian Subcontinent. It
has been designed primarily by looking chronologically at the historical progress and developments of
ancient Indian Subcontinent as they took place over the centuries, touching upon each of the major
milestones, events, changes and dynasties. In the process, it equally dwells on the society, economy,
religion and culture of the different phases in discussion. The course will ultimately prepare the students
to get the necessary background knowledge and expertise in order to advance to the next level of the
history course/s on the Indian Subcontinent.

Rationale of the Course: The primary aim of the course is to provide the students with a comprehensive
understanding of the political, social, economic, and cultural development of early civilizations in the
ancient Indian subcontinent, including the Indus Valley Civilization, the Aryans and the Vedic period, and
the subsequent empires. While doing so it aims at exploring the key historical events, sources, and
interpretations to gain insight into the roots of ancient South Asian society and culture emphasizing also
the evolution of key concepts like religion, philosophy, art and technology in ancient Indian
Subcontinent.

Objectives of the Course:

 Familiarize the students with the major events of ancient history of the Indian Subcontinent
 Help them develop the skills of thinking and reading critically the events of the period
 Encourage the students to analyze the major trends, inconsistencies, and their implications
 Motivate them to connect and compare one or the other event/s or trend/s of the period with
similar or different historical narrative/s beyond the period
 Help students build and improve the ability to research and create persuasive written arguments at
the examinations and in other academic pursuit
Course Contents:

1. Icebreaking and Introduction; South Asia vs. Indian Sub-continent; Periodisation and Major
Schools on Ancient South Asian / Indian Historiography; Physiography of South Asia
2. Sources of Ancient Indian History: Literary Sources: Vedas, Puranas and the Epics; Biographies,
Chronicles and Local Written Accounts;

3. Archaeological Sources of Ancient Indian History; Foreign Accounts

4. Indus Valley Civilization: Discovery, Extent and Important Sites, Authors and Date, End of the
Indus Valley Civilization

5. Harappa and Mohenjodaro: Town Planning and the Major Remains: Arts and Crafts, Religion and
Foreign Trade

6. Aryan Civilization: Original Homeland of the Aryans; Rig Vedic Civilization: Tribes and War,
Economic Pursuits, Society Religion; Later Vedic Age: The Texts, Polity and Rise of the Varna
Hierarchy, Religion, Rituals and Philosophy

7. Age of Religious Reaction: New Philosophical Discourses of the 6th Century BCE; Rise of
Buddhism: Causes Life and Teachings of Buddha, Basic Principles

8. Spread of Buddhism, Buddhist Sangha, Influence and Gradual Decline in India; Jainism: Life of
Mahavira and the Basic Doctrines; Social Impact of Buddhism and Jainism in Contemporary India

9. Alexander’s Invasion of India, Political Condition in North India on the Eve of Alexander’s
Invasion, Nature and Impact of the Invasion

10. Political Condition of India in the 6th Century BCE; The Solosa Mahajanapada

11. The Mauryas: Rise and Expansion, Arthashastra and Indica; Chandragupta Maurya: Rise and
Expansion, Achievements of Chandragupta Maurya, Reign of Bindusara

12. Asoka and His Reign, Early Life, War and Conquests, Kalinga War, Asoka’s Dhamma and the
Doctrines Relating to It, Asoka and Buddhism, His Inscriptions and Edicts

13. The Later Mauryas, Decline of the Maurya Empire, Maurya Administration, Economic Condition,
Social Life, Art and Architecture

14. The Kushanas, Original Home and Rise as An Empire in, Kanishka I, His Reign and Achievements,
Fall of the Kushanas

15. The Guptas: Political Condition of India on the Eve of their Rise, Samudragupta and His
Expansion, Foreign Policy and Achievements; Chandragupta II, Account of Fa-hien, Legend of
Vikramaditya, Later Guptas

16. Gupta Administration, A Comparative Study with the Maurya Administration,

17. Society, Economy, Religious Beliefs During the Guptas, The Golden Era
 18. Pushyabhuti Dynasty, Their Rise to Power in North India; Harshavardhana, Expansion, Clash with
Shashanka, Administration, Religious Views;

19. Spread of Indian Culture and Civilization Outside India, Condition of North India on the Eve of
Muslim Attack, The Phases, Arab Conquest of Sindh, Causes and Impact; Invasion of Sultan
Mahmud, Conquests of Muhammad Ghori, Muslim Rule in India

Course Learning Outcomes (CLOs): It is expected that at the end of the course students would be
able to:
CLO-1 Understand the various trends of the ancient history of Indian Subcontinent

CLO-2 Interpret the ways in which the historians have examined and understood the different
political, economic and socio-cultural aspects of the period

CLO-3 Possess an idea about ancient Indian polity, economic pursuits, social relationship,
religious beliefs and major cultural trends taken shape gradually over the period

CLO-4 Judge more critically each and every event of the period both from the perspective of its
own political and socio-cultural setting and from a modern present-day perspective

CLO-5 Acquire the practice of writing a note or an essay on an event or personality of history
with caution and impartiality

Mapping the Course Learning Outcomes (CLOs) with Programme Learning Outcomes (PLOs)

Program Learning Outcomes (PLOs)

CLOs
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
CLO-1 X
CLO-2 X
CLO-3 X X
CLO-4 X
CLO-5 X X

Mapping of Course Learning Outcomes (COs) with the Teaching-Learning & Assessment Strategy
CLO Teaching-Learning Strategies Assessment Strategies
CLO-1 Lecture, Map, Short Documentaries, PPT Midterm, Tutorial
CLO-2 Lecture, PPT, Visiting Libraries & Archives Assignment, Term-Final
CLO-3 Lecture, Group discussion, debate, Video clips, Q/A session Presentation, Term-Final
CLO-4 Lecture, Documentaries, Visiting Museums & Sites, PPT Term Final
CLO-5 Lecture, Group discussion, debate, Video clips, Q/A session Presentation, Term-Final
Recommended Readings:

References
In English:

1. Upinder Singh, History of Ancient and Early Medieval India (Pearson, New Delhi, 2009)
2. Ranabir Chakravarti, Exploring Early India up to C. AD 1300 (Macmillan, New Delhi 2010)
3. Romila Thapar, Early India from the Origins to AD 1300 (Cambridge University Press, London 2005)
4. S N Sen, Ancient History of Bangladesh, India and Pakistan (Academic Publishers, Dhaka / New Delhi,
1988)
In Bengali:
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2. ibexi PµeËx©, fviZ BwZnv‡mi Avw` ce© (KjKvZv, 2017)
3. i‡gkP›`ª gRyg`vi, evsjv‡`‡ki BwZnvm (cÖ_g LÛ), w`e¨cÖKvk, XvKv, 2017)
 Course Title: Introduction to History and Historiography
Course Code: 0222 HIS 111 Credit: 4
Number of Lectures: 60
Introduction to the Course: This course is a basic skill course designed to introduce students to the
nature of history as an academic discipline. It will examine the history of historical writing, periodisation,
relations with other branches of knowledge, causation, the theories and methods historians use in their
research and writing, and the development of different fields of history. By surveying and analysing
distinct approaches to the past, the course will ground students in what historiography is and why it
matters.

Rationale of the Course: This course is to help students understand the nature of history as an academic
discipline. It also helps students learn to think critically and analytically about the past. It builds on the
foundation of historical skills and prepares students for the more nuanced and complex handling of
historiographical concepts and frameworks required at Honours level.

Objectives of the Course:

 To help student critically evaluate primary historical sources.

 To evaluate the students be able to distinguish among different fields of historical study.
 To understand the variety of theoretical and methodological influences on historians.
 To remember that history involves interpretation.
 To help students to become more critical readers and researchers of history
Course Contents:

1. Meaning of History
a. origin and meaning of term ‘history’ - different meanings
b. Definitions: definition, characteristics, problems of universal finding out the main working
definition of history as res gestae or the record of the past actions of human beings with
special attention to the interaction between man and environment
2. Periodization and Chronology in history:
A. Pre-history, Proto-history and historical Periods
B. A.D. (CE) and B.C. (BCE), decade, century and millennium
3. Nature of history: Different views - history perceived as art, science and social science.
4. History and other branches of knowledge: Relationship of history with Economics, Political
Science, Sociology, Geography, Psychology, Statistics, Archaeology and Anthropology
5. Historical Method: Historical investigation based on available sources - classification, search for
sources, Inference from sources and synthesis.
6. Historians and Facts: Facts and their interpretation, two major components of history, different
views on their relative importanceory as a branch of knowledge
7. Causation in history: Causation as a reflection of cause-effect relationship of events in reality,
determinism and historical inevitability, chance factor in history, role of individuals and masses
8. Historiography:
 a. Ancient and Medieval periods Herodotus, Kalhana, St. Augustine, Ziauddin Barani and Ibn
Khaledun.
b. Modern and postmodern period: Leopold von Ranke, Karl Marx, and A J Toynbee.

Course Learning Outcomes (CLOs): It is expected that at the end of the course students would be able
to:
CLO-1: Recall key nature of history and its relationship with other branches of
knowledge.
CLO-2: Understand the historical theories and method to critically investigate and
interpret historical research.
CLO-3: Apply concepts of causation in historical writings.
CLO-4: Learn to formulate critical opinions on sources and historical facts.

Mapping the Course Learning Outcomes (CLOs) with Programme Learning Outcomes (PLOs)

CLOs Program Learning Outcomes (PLOs)

1 2 3 4 5 6 7
CLO-1 X
CLO-2 X
CLO-3 X X
CLO-4 X

Mapping of Course Learning Outcomes (COs) with the Teaching-Learning & Assessment Strategy

CLO Teaching-Learning Strategies Assessment Strategies

CLO-1 Lecture, PPT, Q/A session Midterm, Tutorial
CLO-2 Lecture, PPT, Visiting Libraries & Archives, Q/A session Assignment, Term-Final
CLO-3 Lecture, Q/A session Presentation, Term-Final
CLO-4 Lecture, PPT, Q/A session Term Final

Recommended Readings:

1. EH Carr, What is History? (Cambridge, 1961)

2. RG Collingwood, The Idea of History (Oxford, 1956)

3. WH Walah, An Introduction to the Philosophy of History (Harper Collins, 1977)

4. E Sreedharan, A Textbook of Historiography (Orient Longman, 2004)

5. EH Carr, What is History (Translation: Snehotpal Dutt and Soumitra Palit) (KP Bagchi, Calcutta, 1960)

6. M. Delwar Hossain, Theory of History (Bangla Academy, Dhaka, 1996)