Source :

Linguistic Survey of India(1903-1928) by George Abraham Grierson

Source :

Linguistic Survey of India by George Abraham Grierson

16 August 1946. A day when the Muslim-League’s Direct Action Day unleashed brutal communal violence in Calcutta, leaving thousands dead. According to some sources, DEATHS ranged from 4000 to 10,000.

Remembering the victims who lost their lives on that day. India celebrated the independence, but the people of Bengal and Punjab became the biggest casualties of Partition.

Salute to the Gopal Chandra Mukherjee, aka Gopal Patha . You will always be remembered**.**

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Direct_Action_Day

​From crafting bombs for Khudiram Bose and enduring the horrors of Kalapani to spending his final years quietly in Silchar this is the untold story of Ullaskar Dutta.

>

_____12 August, 1908. Under the headline "Khudiram's End: Died cheerful and smiling" wrote, Amrita Bazar Patrika.

>"Khudiram Bose was executed this morning...It is alleged that he mounted the scaffold with his body erect. He was cheerful and smiling."

_____Anglo-Indian newspaper, The Empire.

Rape cases in Different parts of Assam :

1. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zRym8yDWPNQ (accused - Shankarjyoti Gogoi)
2. https://www.facebook.com/IndiaTodayNE/videos/six-persons-including-two-juveniles-have-been-arrested-in-assams-majuli-district/1317563486512421/ (accused -Khagen Doley (59), Dharmakanta Pegu (50), Yogen Doley (52) and Nathuram Doley (32) )
3. https://www.pratidintime.com/latest-assam-news-breaking-news-assam/assams-deka-satradhikar-arrested-in-sivasagar-over-sexual-abuse-allegations-12150888 (accused - Kirtikamal Dev Goswami,)
4. https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/guwahati/35-year-old-woman-raped-in-jorhat-two-arrested/articleshow/83362779.cms (accused - Nagen Saikia (45) and Saurabh Jyoti Kalita (28))

A quick google search gave me all of this. There are many examples of r@pe happening irrespective of ethnicity, religion, or language in different parts of India. But for some Xenopobhic aholes they just need a reason to hate us Bengalis. They don't care about the core issue at all.

There are probably many reasons for R@pe, For instance, psychologist Nicholas Groth categorized it into 3 types. Anger Rape, Power Rape, Sadistic Rape.

Our law is not strict enough. The persons who commit these crimes are not normal human beings. Female safety is already a joke in this country.

Historian J.B Bhattacharjee states that Cachar got it's name from Bengalis of Sylhet. His arguments are such as, although Sir Edward Gait contended that Cachar got it's name from Kacharis but He, himself had noted that the word "Kachar " was derived from Sanskrit word meaning " a broadening region ". [ it makes no sense why Dimasa a Tibeto-Burman speaking group would gave a sanskrit name]

As a matter of fact not only the ruling Dimasa tribe but Bengalis living in Cachar were also known to people of Sylhet as Kacharis. J B Bhattacharjee in his book even quoted Dr. P N Bhattacharjee as follows :

>Mr. Gait is of opinion that 'the kacharis' have given their name to the district of Cachar , We might as well be told that The Romans gave the name Rome. The fact is that the name has been given to the district by the Bengalis of Sylhet, because it is an outlying place skirting the mountains. The word 'kachhar' is still used in Sylhet in designating a plot of land at the foot of a mountain

Source :

1. Cachar under British rule in North East India by J B Bhattacharjee. Page - 14

This article talks about the Violence faced by the Bengali of Assam, When assamese was made sole official language of Assam.

The strongest opposition came to Assamese was from the Bengali from Cachar [2nd pic]. But Brahmaputra Valley Bengalis are the one who faced the violence strongly. What is weird is that they openly accepted Assamese as their mother tongue and showed their support to Assamese .

But Assamese still burnt the houses of Bengalis, looted their house, killed them did not even spared the Bengali Women. [3rd pic]

What was shocking is that in a democratic country like India , Assam police were with the assamese mobs . For instance this article says that , when assamese used to attack Bengalis the Assam police used to stay quiet , and do nothing but the moment Bengalis used to defend themselves , The Assam police used to arrest the Bengalis but never the assamese . Not even a single assamese leader was arrested. [3rd pic]

This article also tells us about how the assamese leaders used the students as their pawns . In cachar also same thing happened with students, they were used but the only difference was there was zero violence from Cachar , not even a single case of stabbing. But scenario was completely different from Brahmaputra Valley . [3rd pic]

Another incident was a mob with 100 persons with him entered the district magistrate's bungalow and dragged him out and stabbed him. [3rd pic]

In 4th pic you can see the mass conversion of bengali medium school. In 1947 the number of Bengali medium school were 250 but in 1951 it ended up only 3. While the number of assamese medium schools kept increasing . [4th pic]

Bengalis a group who sacrificed their blood time after time for this country, went to any length for this country but when this country got independence , what did Bengalis receive , massacre after massacre.

Source :

1. Article by Economic Weekly
2. 'বরাক উপত্যকার ভাষা সংগ্রামের ইতিহাস'। লেখক-ডঃ সুবীর কর

This article talks about the Violence faced by the Bengali of Assam, When assamese was made sole official language of Assam.

The strongest opposition came to Assamese was from the Bengali from Cachar [2nd pic]. But Brahmaputra Valley Bengalis are the one who faced the violence strongly. What is weird is that they openly accepted Assamese as their mother tongue and showed their support to Assamese .

But Assamese still burnt the houses of Bengalis, looted their house, killed them did not even spared the Bengali Women. [3rd pic]

What was shocking is that in a democratic country like India , Assam police were with the assamese mobs . For instance this article says that , when assamese used to attack Bengalis the Assam police used to stay quiet , and do nothing but the moment Bengalis used to defend themselves , The Assam police used to arrest the Bengalis but never the assamese . Not even a single assamese leader was arrested. [3rd pic]

This article also tells us about how the assamese leaders used the students as their pawns . In cachar also same thing happened with students, they were used but the only difference was there was zero violence from Cachar , not even a single case of stabbing. But scenario was completely different from Brahmaputra Valley . [3rd pic]

Another incident was a mob with 100 persons with him entered the district magistrate's bungalow and dragged him out and stabbed him. [3rd pic]

In 4th pic you can see the mass conversion of bengali medium school. In 1947 the number of Bengali medium school were 250 but in 1951 it ended up only 3. While the number of assamese medium schools kept increasing . [4th pic] .

Bengalis a group who sacrificed their blood time after time for this country, went to any length for this country but when this country got independence , what did Bengalis receive , massacre after massacre.

Source :

1. Article by Economic Weekly

2. 'বরাক উপত্যকার ভাষা সংগ্রামের ইতিহাস'। লেখক-ডঃ সুবীর কর

Residents of Meherpur along Silchar Medical Road held an unusual protest on Wednesday against the long-neglected condition of the road.

They erected a symbolic structure in the name of the Executive Engineer and offered flowers and a traditional gamosa as a “tribute.”
Locals allege that despite repeated complaints, authorities only dumped river soil after earlier protests, which turned into thick mud during the monsoon. Large potholes, muddy stretches and waterlogging are now severely affecting pedestrians, patients, ambulances and vehicles.

The protesters have demanded permanent reconstruction of the road instead of temporary fixes. No official response was immediately available.

Barak Valley still remains the most neglected part of Assam

Opinions?

Look how cleverly put misleading tittle " When Assam was forcefully attached with sylhet in 1874 without the consultation of it's people or leaders " which is far from the truth.

Lets debunk his idiotic claims with HISTORICAL citations. Here :

1. SYLHET added to ASSAM because Assam was poor, they hardly has any infra. not just sylhet Goalpara , and cacher too was added , (Proof are 3rd, 4th, 5th picture)
2. His/her forefather ahom kings took shelter in BENGAL and begged britisher to save them from Burmese. And the army who fought Burmese were BIHARIS, UPIANS, BENGALIS. After saving them from atrocities they still complaining always complaining. (6th picture- Burunji)

Never saw this much jobless person, always posting about us. and about our sub. we live in this mind rent free , lmao.

Source:

• Anindita Dasgupta - Remembering Sylhet: A Forgotten Story of India’s 1947 Partition
• Amalendu Guha - Planter-Raj to Swaraj Freedom Struggle and Electoral Politics in Assam 1826-1947
• Ahom Burunji

Source : - https://barakbulletin.com/bn_BD/aasu-assam-university-unit-hold-protest-over-neet-paper-leak-extend-support-to-sonam-wangchuk/

What was Harikela?

While Bengal's history usually revolves around well-known regions like Pundra, Gauda, Banga, and Radh, there was also a distinct polity called Harikela (also spelled Harikeli, Harikola, Harikela) on Bengal's eastern frontier. Unlike the others, its history is barely documented — there's no continuous narrative, just fragments from three types of sources: literature, copper-plate inscriptions, and coins.

The "Where Was It?" Debate

This is the most interesting part. Multiple lines of evidence point to Harikela being an old name for Srihatta (modern Sylhet):

• The 7th-century Chinese pilgrim I-tsing placed Harikela on India's eastern border.
• Medieval dictionaries (Rupchintamanikosh, 15th c.) and texts (Rudrakshamahatmya) explicitly equate Harikela with Srihatta.
• The 8th-century Buddhist text Arya-Manjushri-Mulakalpa lists Banga, Samatata, and Harikela as three separate neighboring regions meaning Harikela wasn't just another name for Banga at that point.

Historian R.C. Majumdar summed it up well:

>"It would be quite reasonable to conclude that Harikela primarily denoted the region now known as Sylhet though its boundaries and political status as an independent country underwent changes in the course of centuries."

Rulers and Territorial Expansion

• The Buddhist Chandra dynasty —> Trailokyachandra (c. 905–925 CE) and his son Shrichandra (10th c.) are linked to Harikela, ruling from a base in Chandradwip (greater Barisal-Khulna region).
• Another king, Kantideva (early 10th c.), ruled from Bardhamanpur (possibly Sylhet itself), per his Chittagong copper plate.
• By the 10th–11th century, later copper plates (Pashchimbhag, Bhatera) drop the name "Harikela" entirely and just use "Srihattamandal" or "Srihattarajya" — suggesting the name Harikela faded as the region got absorbed into Banga's political sphere.
• At its peak, Harikela's territory seems to have stretched from Sylhet through Tripura, Comilla, and Dhaka, possibly reaching Chittagong and even Barisal.
• A 12th-century Gujarati lexicographer, Hemachandra, even mentioned the kingdom in his dictionary — showing its reputation traveled far beyond Bengal.

The Coins & Mention of Barak (picture uploaded)

Harikela issued its own silver coinage, found across sites like Mainamati (Comilla), Paharpur (Rajshahi), and Bilonia (Tripura):

• Phase 1 coins (7th century): feature a trident-like Shaiva symbol, a garlanded bull, and sun/moon motifs above the trident clear Shiva-worship iconography.
• Phase 2 coins (later): similar design but the bull isn't garlanded, coins are lighter but larger, and the reverse is blank.
• Coin Has mention of the word " Barak/Varaka ", another reference for the origin story of the name "BarakValley" . other than the Dimasa one.

The coins' similarity to Arakanese silver coinage also hints that Harikela's economic/political reach extended toward Chittagong.

Language & People

The article also digs into an 8th-century claim that Bengal's population spoke an "Asura" language historians debate whether this meant an Austroasiatic substrate language or an "Alpine" Aryan dialect distinct from Vedic Sanskrit. Either way, it ties into how Bangla itself evolved out of Magadhi Apabhramsha around the 10th century right around the time Harikela/Srihatta was under Shrichandra's rule.

The Women of Harikela Literary Praise

The source is Rajashekhara's "Karpuramanjari" (কর্পূরমঞ্জরী), a 9th–10th century Sanskrit work. In it:

>Harikela's women are praised as being superior to the women of Radh and Kamarupa, and they are described as "purbadeshbasini" (পূর্বদেশবাসিনী) meaning "inhabitants/women of the eastern country."

Source :

1. শ্রীহট্ট-কাছাড়ের প্রাচীন ইতিহাস ও সংস্কৃতির রূপরেখা। সম্পাদনা-জ্যোতিরিন্দ্রনাথ চৌধুরী, সুনির্মল দত্ত চৌধুরী, অমলেন্দু ভট্টাচার্য, মানবেন্দ্র ভট্টাচার্য
2. https://en.numista.com/L100682

3.https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harikela

4.The History and Coinage of South East Asia Until the Fifteenth Century by Michael Mitchiner

5. Money in pre-Ahom and its neighbourhood in Coinage and Economy of North Eastern States of India, D. C. Sarkar

6. R. C. Majumdar, History of Ancient Bengal, Calcutta, 1974,

7. Epigraphia Indica, Vol XII, p. 136.

I was reading through some regional history and came across a beautiful term for Southern Assam (Cachar, Hailakandi, and Karimganj) Ishan Bongo (ঈশান বঙ্গ).

"Ishan" (ঈশান) means Northeast. Because this Bengali-speaking region of the Barak Valley sits right at the northeastern corner of Greater Bengal (Brihat Banga), it was historically known in local folklore as "Ishan Bongo".

Source :

Book - শ্রীহট্ট কাছাড়ের প্রাচীন ইতিহাস ও সংস্কৃতির রূপরেখা

Highly localized ritual (^(meaning it is only can seen in these parts nowhere else in India)**) from the Surma-Barak Valley (spanning parts of southern Assam and Sylhet) that is sadly fading into obscurity: Nouka Puja (or Boat Puja).

While Manasa Puja (goddess of snakes) is widely celebrated across Bengal, Assam, and Bihar, the Surma-Barak region has a completely unique, monumental variation that is rarely found anywhere else today.

Here is a detailed breakdown of the mythology, the massive scale of the structure, and the ritualistic traditions of this fascinating cultural heritage based on regional historical records.

1. What exactly is Nouka Puja?

At its core, Nouka Puja is a grand form of Manasa Puja performed to satisfy a solemn vow (manat). Historically, it was sponsored by wealthy families due to the staggering costs involved.

According to old British-era District Gazetteers (Sylhet and Cachar), a family would easily spend hundreds of rupees (a massive sum at the time) on the ceremony. The entire ritual concludes with a fascinating, dramatic end: after days of feast and prayers, the monumental setup is completely abandoned and allowed to naturally fall to pieces.

2. The Architecture: A 40-Meter Multi-Tiered Boat Structure

The most stunning aspect of Nouka Puja is the physical setup. The "boat" is not an actual floating boat, but a massive, elaborate stage framework built out of bamboo, cloth, clay, and vivid paints.

• The Scale: The structure can be up to 40 meters (around 130 feet) long!
• Multi-Tiered Design: Depending on the financial capacity of the devotee, the structure is built as a three, five, or seven-tiered multi-storied boat.
• The Deities: On each separate tier, clay idols of various Hindu deities are placed. Goddess Manasa (Bishahari) occupies the most prominent position. Surrounding her are clay figures depicting the entire Manasamangal epic narrative: Chand Sadagar, Sanaka, Behula, Lakshindar, alongside boatmen, crew members (manjhi-malla), and court scenes.

3. Chronology and Rituals

The festival is highly structured and demands deep communal participation.

• Timing: It traditionally takes place during the Mag or Phalguni Shukla Panchami (around February–March).
• Duration: The prayers and rituals run continuously for at least 5 to 8 days.
• The Performance (Manasamangal Git): Every morning and evening, the Manasamangal Kavya (the epic folklore of Behula-Lakshindar and Manasa) is sung accompanied by ritualistic dances.
• The Musicians' Code: There is an unwritten, strict code among local folk singers. If a troupe hears that a Nouka Puja is being held anywhere in the region, they must travel there with their entire group to participate and perform.

4. The Mythological Roots: Why a Boat?

The theological basis of placing all the gods on a boat comes straight from the texts of the Manasamangal.

According to regional lore, before Behula successfully brought her husband Lakshindar back to life, she extracted a promise from the gods to bear witness to the fact that she would compel her father-in-law, the staunch devotee of Shiva, Chand Sadagar, to finally worship Manasa.

To display her divine glory, Manasa caused Chand Sadagar's fourteen drowned merchant vessels (Chouddo Dinga) to miraculously resurface and float back to his house. The gods themselves sat upon these vessels as witnesses to Chand Sadagar's ultimate submission and worship of the goddess (referred to in the texts as Bahitra Archana or Vessel Worship). This Bahitra Puja eventually evolved into the regional folk tradition of Nouka Puja.

*ALL THE NAME OF THE GODS ARE PROVIDED IN PICTURES.

A Dying Culture

While regular Manasa Puja remains widespread, this hyper-localized version the grand, multi-tiered Nouka Puja is now strictly confined to small pockets of the Surma-Barak Valley and is rapidly disappearing due to the immense cost, effort, and shifting socio-cultural dynamics. It represents an extraordinary blend of Puranic mythology, local folklore, architectural folk art, and community performance theater.(the writer is talking about the time the book was written)

**It is safe to say that this cultural celebration is completely dead, hardly anyone follows it anymore in Barak Valley.

Source :

Book - শ্রীহট্ট কাছাড়ের প্রাচীন ইতিহাস ও সংস্কৃতির রূপরেখা

Chapter - সুরমা-বরাক উপত্যকার নৌকাপূজা: প্রাসঙ্গিক তথ্য - একটি পুনর্বিবেচনা by অমলেন্দু ভট্টাচার্য

Other Reference :

1. Assam District Gazetteers, Vol.II, Sylhet: B. C Allen. Shillong: 1905: Page 101
2. Assam District Gazetteers, Vol.I, Cachar: B. C. Allen: Shillong 1905 Page 56
3. কবি জগজ্জীবন বিরচিত মনসামঙ্গল: শ্রী সুবেন্দ্র চন্দ্র ভট্টাচার্য ও আশুতোষ দাস (সম্পাদিত): কলিকাতা: 1969 Page 309
4. মনসামঙ্গল: শ্রী বিজন বিহাবী ভট্টাচার্য (সম্পাদিত): সাহিত্য অকাদেমি: ১৯৭৭: পৃঃ- ১১০
5. "A beautiful bronze figure of Manasă, probably belonging to the Pala period, is now in the Indian Museunı"- History of Ancient Bengal: R. C. Majumdar, calcutta, 1971 Page 556