The Fort of Chilarai (Coochbehar, West Bengal, India) An Archaeological Reconnaissance.

Author - Biswarup Chatterjee  

                   THE CHILARAI KOT SITE FALLS WITHIN THE ANDARAN-PHULBARI G.P.  in the Tufanganj subdivision of the Cooch Behar district. Cooch Behar district belongs to Jalpaiguri presidency in the state of West Bengal. The district is broadly surrounded by the districts of Jalpaiguri to the north and west and Alipurduar to the north. Bangladesh and Assam surround the region to the south and east. The Tista, the Jaldhaka, the Torsa, the Kaljani, the Raydak and Gadadhar are the main water channels of this district (Majumdar 1977). 

             Local tradition suggests that Chilarai was the younger brother of king Naranǎrǎyaṇa. His original name was Śukladhavaja, the chief general of the king. He was known for courage, heroism and guile. For his quick attack and sharp military wit, Śukladhavaja was given the title Chilarai. It is reported that he died of Chickenpox in 1571 Gaur invasion (Ahamad 1990). Legends also speak of death due to drowning in river water. 

                According to the popular belief, many castles were founded by Chilarai. Of these, the two called Chilarai-er Choto-kot (the ‘Large fort of Chilarai’ and the ‘Small fort of Chilarai’) are situated in Andaranphulbari Panchayet I and II respectively. Ruins of these two forts are yet to be explored properly. The present paper attempts a preliminary report of the archaeological features of these two structural remains founded by Chilarai. 

                We may begin with the ‘Small fort.’ The remains of this fort is situated at Andaranfulbari (26°20´18.78˝ N/89°40´12.684˝ E) of the Tufanganj subdivision under Cooch Behar districts. The total area of land of this fort was 52 bighas according to local reports. Presently, the spread of structures and artefacts are scattered, however, over ~5–6 bighas areas. According to the local sources, the area inside the Choto Kot was used as residence of the soldiers or for military practices. This castle was surrounded by a moat; however, no such trace is noticeable presently. 

             A British traveler, Ralph Fitch, visited the kingdom of the Koch during the reign of King Naranǎrǎyaṇa Bhupbǎhǎdur. Ralph Fitch (1550–1611) refers to his meeting with Chilarai whom Fitch called Suckelcounse (Sukla Koch). Possibly, by mistake, Fitch regarded Sunckelcounse as the king. There is no denying of the fact that the accounts of Ralph Fitch provided a lot of information about this medieval ruling house. The traveler offers a series of information about the castles of Chilarai. According to him, the castles were bounded by a massive water body. Bamboos were stuck in that water so that the soldiers or the horses could not cross it easily. Besides, during the wars, the insiders of the castle poisoned the water of the pool. Such measure was taken to make the castles more safe and secure (Ryley 1899). 

             It is difficult to say whether the water passing within the moat was connected with the river. According to Sri Dharma Narayana Barma, retired teacher of local School, the pool was never connected with any river. But, according to Sri Nirmal Barman, another retired teacher, the pool was connected with the Sankhola or the Chanfela river which was connected with the Raidak river. However, presently no such evidence is available. It is assumed that, like many other medieval forts of Bengal, the two castles of Chilarai also involved extensive use of bamboo. 

             Those bamboos and the wood were evidently collected from the local forest. It is also suggested that the Choto Kot was used to look after the local administration, while the Boro Kot was meant for the residence. According to local oral history, Chilarai himself lived in the Boro Kot. It should also be noted that in spite of the huge use of the bamboo and the wood, the rooms of the castle were made of bricks. Few such bricks are seen along the section of this structural mound (Fig. 15.1). According to some sources, the bricks were brought from an antique deserted brick field called Jǎlǎs-er ḍǎbari (the low-land of Jǎlǎs). This place is located at the Ghogarkuthi village of Andaranphulbari Panchayet no. 2. The size of the bricks documented fromtthis find-spot are (14 × 6.5 × 4.5) cm. 

             Before dealing with the Boro Kot in detail, it would be relevant to take a note of the boundary of the Choto Kot. Presently no boundary wall of the castle is visible. But, possibly, some debris of the boundary wall measuring 125 m long is seen in the southeast of the castle. The measurement of the boundary wall to the west is about 100 m and to its opposite side, the boundary wall stretches for about 70 m. Presently the Choto Kot is only a deserted place
where fragments of broken bricks and stone slabs are available. There is a clear indication that those stone slabs measuring 36 × 11 × 8 inch were used in the construction of the castle (Fig. 15.2). The Boro Kot of Chilarai is situated 2.5 km west of the Choto Kot. Geographically it belongs to Andaranphulbari G.P. 2 and the place is situated 3–4 km north-west of Tufanganj town. The Boro Kot was bigger than the Choto Kot. The land area of this Kot covered 350 bighas. This Kot was also surrounded by a moat. The water body along the moat was connected with the Chakchaka river, which presently has however changed its direction. Presently, the existence of Chakchaka pond (bill) is seen (Fig. 15.3). In the adjoining area of the debris, the pieces of broken bricks and stone blocks are traced. In course of local diggings, traces of brick construction are located. Terracotta plaques have been discovered from the surrounding areas and it is quite likely that these were used in decorating the medieval temples that once stood at the site and its surroundings (Fig. 15.4). 

             It appears from our exploration that there were two parts of the castle, viz. the outer part measuring 4.5 bighas and the inner part measuring 3.5 bighas. Like the previous castle, this one was
also surrounded by a boundary wall, which was made of mud and its height was ~7–8 ft. One can still locate the debris of a boundary wall in the northwest side of the Boro Kot. 

            According to the popular belief, in the days of Chilarai, there was water connectivity between the Boro Kot and the Choto Kot. The pools of these two forts were probably connected by a channel in the northwest corner. The existence of this channel is yet visible. The entrance of the castle was possibly from the northeast. 

             The castles of Chilarai and scattered material evidence distributed all over the area have great archaeological importance. Firstly, in the sixteenth-seventeenth century CE those castles had been instrumental for the protection of the Koch kingdom. These structures served the dual purpose of protecting the region from military campaigns, particularly from the invaders from neighbouring Assam, besides serving as the fortified settlement of this medieval ruling hous of northern Bengal. 

             To sum up, the archaeological potential of the material evidence distributed over a substantial are of Cooch Behar can hardly be exaggerated. While most of the structural material have been reduced to debris, what remains are enough to attract intensive archaeological enquiry. the relics of the forgotten history. It is a piety that no excavation or proper survey of the area has so far been undertaken by the professional archaeologist. I strongly suggest, in the light of my very preliminary survey, that if excavation is conducted with specific questions, the glorious history of this medieval principality can be unearthed. 

 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS 


             Sincere thanks are due to Rajat Sanyal for his editorial support. In the field, I received untiring help from Sri Biresh Chandra Barman, Sri Amarendranath Basakh, Sri Rabindranath Das and Sri Fatik Chandra Barma. I am indebted to all of them. 

 BIBLIOGRAPHY 


Ahamad, Khan Chaudhary Amanatulla. 1990 [rep.]. Kochbiharer Itihas 1 (in Bengali). Kochbihar: Kochbihar State Press. 

Ryley, J. Horton. 1899. Ralph Fitch, England’s Pioneer to India and Burma: His Companions and Contemporaries with his Remarkable Narrative told in His Own Words. London: T.F. Unwin. 

Gait, E.A. 1906. A History of Assam. Calcutta: Thacker, Spink & Co. Majumdar, Durgadas. 1977. West Bengal District Gazetteers, Koch Bihar. Calcutta: Information and Public Relation Department.

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