Mallabhum


Mallabhum, also known as Mallabhoom was the kingdom ruled by the Malla kings of Bishnupur, primarily in the present Bankura district in India's state of West Bengal.

History

Territory of the Mallabhum

It is told that Mallabhum is the territory, which included Bankura, a part of Burdwan, Birbhum, Santhal Parganas, Midnapur and also a part of Purulia. The Malla Rajas ruled over the vast territory in the south-western part of present West Bengal and a part of southeastern Jharkhand.

Extent

The area around Bishnupur and Bankura was called Mallabhum. The core area would cover present day Bankura police station area, Onda, Bishnupur, Kotulpur and Indas. In olden days the term was used for a much larger area, which probably was the furthest extent of the Bishnupur kingdom. In the north it stretched from Damin-i-koh in Santhal Parganas to Midnapore in the south. It included the eastern part of Bardhaman and included parts of Chota Nagpur in the west.
According to O'Malley, the Rajas of Bishnupur were also known as Malla kings. Malla is a Sanskrit word meaning wrestler but there could be some links with the Mal tribes of the area, who had intimate connection with the Bagdis.
From around 7th century AD till around the advent of British rule, for around a millennium, history of Bankura district is identical with the rise and fall of the Hindu Rajas of Bishnupur. The legends of Bipodtarini Devi are associated with Malla Kings of Bishnupur.

Administration

Taxation of Mallabhum

According to Bhattacharjee, Tarun Dev during Malla period, the society was centred round the village. The tax collectors were called as Gomasta and their assistants as Aat Pahari or Paik The Mukhiya or Mandal was the title of headman, who was regarded as the
guardian of the village. Malla kings had several service groups. Due to scarcity of money, the Malla kings used to present land instead of salary to all these service groups. This type of land is again of two types – namely the Panchaki jamin or land with a little tax and another one is the Bepanchaki jamin or land without any tax. Again the lands were named as per the service groups name as Senapati mahal for the head of the soldier, land given to the sentry was Mahalbera Mahal, and land given to the bodyguard was Chharidar Mahal.

Malla calendar

Malla's started their own calendar that is Malla era. It is told that Malla era started from Indra Dwadasi day in the year 102 Bengali calendar of the month Bhadro.
Sl.
No.		Name of the kingGregorian calendarBengali calendarMalla calendarRegime
1Adi Malla694102116
2Jay Malla7101171610
3Benu Malla7201272613
4Kinu Malla733140399
5Indra Malla7421494815
6Kanu Malla757164637
7Dha Malla7641717011
8Shur Malla7751828120
9Kanak Malla79520210112
10Kandarpa Malla80721411321
11Sanatan Malla82823513413
12Kharga Malla84124814721
13Durjan Malla86226916844
14Yadav Malla90631321213
15Jagannath Malla91932622512
16Birat Malla93133823715
17Mahadev Malla94635325231
18Durgadas Malla97738428317
19Jagat Malla99440130013
20Ananta Malla10074143138
21Rup Malla101542232114
22Sundar Malla102943633524
23Kumud Malla105346035921
24Krishna Malla107448138010
25Rup II Malla108449139013
26Prakash Malla10975044035
27Pratap Malla110250940811
28Sindur Malla111352041916
29Sukhomoy Malla112953643513
30Banamali Malla114254944814
31Yadu/Jadu Malla115656346211
32Jiban Malla116757447313
33Ram Malla118559249124
34Gobinda Malla120961651531
35Bhim Malla124064754623
36Katar Malla126367056932
37Pritwi Malla129570260124
38Tapa Malla131972662515
39Dinabandhu Malla 133474164011
40Kinu/Kanu II Malla134575265113
41Shur Malla II135876566412
42Shiv Singh Malla137077767637
43Madan Malla140781471313
44Durjan II Malla142082772617
45Uday Malla143784474323
46Chandra Malla146086776641
47Bir Malla150190880753
48Dhari Malla155496186011
49Hambir Malla Dev 156597287155
50Dhari Hambir Malla Dev162010279266
51Raghunath Singha Dev1626103393230
52Bir Singha Dev1656106396226
53Durjan Singha Dev1682108998820
54Raghunath Singha Dev ll17021109100810
55Gopal Singha Dev17121119101836
56Chaitanya Singha Dev17481155105453
57Madhav Singha Dev1801120811078
58Gopal Singha Dev ll18091216111567
59Ramkrishna Singha Dev1876128311829
Dwhaja Moni Devi1885129211914
60Nilmoni Singha Dev18891296119514
No King19031310120914
61Kalipada Singha Thakur1930–19831337 – 13901236–128953

Mallabhum temples

According to Dr. Bloch, Superintendent of the Archaeological Survey of India, Eastern Circle, the twelve date temples range
in chronological order as follows:
Date in
Malla year		Date C.E.Name of templeBy Whom built
9281622MalleswarBir Singha, son of Raghunath Singha
9491643Syam RaiRaghunath Singha
9611655Jor BanglaRaghunath Singha
9621656Kala ChandRaghunath Singha
9641658LaljiBir Singha
9711665Madan GopalSiromani, wife of Bir Singha
9711665Murali MohanChuramoni /Siromoni Devi, wife of Bir Singha
10001694Madan MohanDurjan Singha
10321726Jor MandirGopal Singha
10351729Radha GobindKrishna Singha, son of Gopal Singha
10431737Radha MadhabChuramoni
1064
1758Radha SyamChaitanya Singha

Notable

Bishnupur is famous for its terracotta craft, Baluchari Sari and Mallabhum Sari made of Tassar silk and was for almost a thousand years the capital of the Malla kings of Mallabhum.

Reservoir

also had the seven big lakes or tanks, called Lalbandh, Krishnabandh, Gantatbandh, Jamunabandh, Kalindibandh, Shyambandh, and pokabandh excavated, and erected.

Image gallery