Latest / The Hidden History of Bengal: Kingdoms, Empires, and Revolution — Fexingo History / The Temple Builders: How the Palas Shaped Bengal's Sacred Landscape
Transcript
- Lucas: So, we've talked a lot about the Senas and the Sultans, but before all of that, Bengal was ruled for nearly four centuries by a dynasty that doesn't always get its due in popular history—the Palas. Luna: The Palas. I know they were Buddhist, right? And that they built some huge monasteries. Lucas: Yes, exactly. The Pala dynasty began around 750 CE, when a local chieftain named Gopala was elected king by a council of chieftains to bring stability after a period of chaos, what the texts call matsya nyaya—a 'fish rule' where the big fish eat the small. Lucas: Gopala founded a line that would rule over Bengal and Bihar for centuries, and his son Dharmapala and grandson Devapala turned it into a major empire, controlling the eastern Gangetic plains and even the city of Kannauj for a time. Luna: Wait—elected king? That's unusual for that era, isn't it? Lucas: It is. Some historians debate the exact circumstances, but the early Pala kings seem to have been chosen by a gathering of influential leaders. It suggests a degree of political consensus, at least in the beginning. But the Palas are most famous for their patronage of Buddhism. Lucas: They built and supported the great monastic universities: Nalanda, which had already been around, but they gave it massive endowments; Vikramashila, which Dharmapala founded; Odantapuri; and Somapura Mahavihara, the largest Buddhist monastery south of the Himalayas, in present-day Bangladesh. Luna: I've seen pictures of Somapura—those geometric terraces and the central cruciform temple. It's stunning. Lucas: Absolutely. The sheer scale of it—over 170 cells for monks arranged around a courtyard with a towering temple in the center. It was a self-contained city of learning. The Palas also sent scholars abroad; the great teacher Atisha Dipankara, who helped revive Buddhism in Tibet, was a Bengali from the Pala kingdom. Lucas: But their architectural legacy isn't limited to monasteries. They built temples too—though few survive intact because of later iconoclasm and the region's climate. One remarkable exception is the Siddheshvara Mahadeva temple in Bahulara, West Bengal, which dates to the late Pala period. Luna: What's special about that temple? Lucas: It's a small, beautifully proportioned stone temple with a rekha deul—a curved tower that's a precursor to later Odishan temple architecture. But what makes it extraordinary are the terracotta plaques on the exterior, depicting scenes from the Ramayana, the Mahabharata, and daily life—dancers, warriors, musicians. Lucas: Those plaques are a window into Pala society. You see the clothing, the hairstyles, the musical instruments. The Palas also excelled in sculpture—they developed a distinctive style in black stone and bronze, blending Gupta elegance with a more robust, local vigor. Their bronze images of Buddha and bodhisattvas were exported as far as Southeast Asia. Luna: So Pala art spread beyond Bengal? Lucas: Definitely. The Pala style influenced art in Nepal, Tibet, Myanmar, and even Java. The bronze statues of the Pala school are highly sought after today. But the dynasty wasn't just about art and religion. They fought constant wars with the Pratiharas in the west and the Rashtrakutas in the Deccan for control of Kannauj, the symbolic heart of India. Lucas: For a time, under Devapala, the Palas were the dominant power in northern India. But after his death, the empire began to shrink. Successive kings faced rebellions and external attacks. By the 11th century, the Palas had lost much of their territory, and in the 12th century, the rising Sena dynasty under Vijayasena swept them aside. Luna: And it's interesting—you mentioned the Pala decline, and that's actually a good moment to step back for a second, because it reminds me how all this research and storytelling depends on listener support. We keep this show ad-free, and that's thanks to a handful of people who chip in through Buy Me a Coffee. Lucas: Yeah, honestly, it's a small group, but it makes a huge difference. If you've been following these episodes on Bengal and you find value in this depth, buying me a coffee at buy me a coffee dot com slash fexingo is what keeps the lights on. No pressure, just putting it out there. Luna: Absolutely. And now back to the Palas—so the Sena dynasty took over, but what happened to the Pala legacy? Lucas: The Palas didn't vanish overnight. The last Pala king, Madanapala, held on to a small territory until around 1165, but the Senas gradually absorbed their lands. However, the Pala influence endured. The Vikramashila and Odantapuri monasteries survived until they were destroyed by Bakhtiyar Khilji in the early 13th century, as we've talked about before. Lucas: And the sculptural tradition continued under the Senas, even though the Senas were Hindu and shifted patronage to Hindu temples. So the Pala artistic DNA persisted. Also, the Palas' support for Buddhism created a strong Buddhist community in Bengal that lasted until the Islamic period. Luna: Were there any famous Pala kings besides the first three? Lucas: Mahipala I revived the dynasty in the 10th century after a period of decline, and his grandson Mahipala II was less successful—he lost a major battle to the Chola king Rajendra Chola, who invaded Bengal and took the Ganges water in a famous campaign. But Mahipala II's defeat was a blow. Lucas: The Palas also had a series of rulers named Vigrahapala and Ramapala. Ramapala, in the late 11th century, managed to recover some territory from the Senas, but it was a temporary respite. The dynasty's last century was a slow fade. Luna: So if someone wanted to see Pala art today, where would they go? Lucas: The Indian Museum in Kolkata has a good collection of Pala stone sculptures. The Bangladesh National Museum in Dhaka has bronze and stone pieces. And of course, the ruins of Somapura Mahavihara are a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Paharpur, Bangladesh. Also, the small temple at Bahulara I mentioned is still active as a Shiva temple, which is remarkable given its antiquity. Lucas: There's also the Patna Museum in Bihar, which has some fine Pala bronzes. And many monasteries in Tibet preserve Pala-style bronzes that were imported. So the legacy is scattered but alive. Luna: It's fascinating how a dynasty that isn't as famous as the Guptas or the Mughals had such a lasting impact on art and religion. Lucas: Exactly. The Palas were the last great Buddhist empire in India. After them, Buddhism went into decline on the subcontinent, but the Palas gave it a golden twilight. Their monasteries preserved knowledge, trained monks who spread Buddhism to the Himalayas and beyond, and their artists created some of the most exquisite religious art in Indian history. Lucas: So next time someone mentions Bengal's history, the Palas are a chapter that deserves a spotlight. They were the bridge between the ancient Gupta world and the medieval world of the Senas and Sultans. Luna: I'm glad we covered them. Any good books if someone wants to dive deeper? Lucas: For a general overview, there's 'The Palas of Bengal' by D.C. Sircar, though it's somewhat academic. For art, 'Pala Art and Architecture' by R.D. Banerji is a classic. And for a broader context, 'Buddhist Monks and Monasteries in India' by Sukumar Dutt covers the Pala monasteries beautifully. Lucas: But if you just want to see the places, a trip to Paharpur and nearby sites in Rajshahi division is unforgettable. The quiet ruins in the green fields—you can almost feel the centuries of chants. Luna: I'll add it to my list. Thanks, Lucas.