Latest / The Hidden History of Bengal: Kingdoms, Empires, and Revolution — Fexingo History / The Sena Dynasty's Forgotten Capital: Bikrampur's Golden Age
Transcript
- Lucas: So we've talked a lot about the Pala Empire and their Buddhist legacy, but today I want to shift focus to their successors—the Sena dynasty, who ruled from about the 11th to 13th centuries and brought a Hindu revival to Bengal. Luna: The Sena dynasty—I remember they came after the Palas, but I don't know much about them beyond that. Lucas: Right. They started out as vassals under the Palas, but eventually they took over. Their heartland was in what's now Bangladesh, around the Padma River. Their capital was Bikrampur—a city that's almost forgotten today but was one of the great centers of Sanskrit learning in medieval India. Lucas: Bikrampur is actually located near modern-day Munshiganj, south of Dhaka. It was on the banks of the Padma, which is the main distributary of the Ganges. For centuries, it was a hub for trade, culture, and politics. Luna: And what was it like under the Sena kings? Lucas: The dynasty was founded by a guy named Samantasena, but the real expansion began under his son Vijayasena in the late 11th century. Vijayasena was a military leader who defeated the Palas and expanded Sena control over much of Bengal. He also patronized Hinduism, building temples and supporting Brahmins. Lucas: His son Ballalasena was a scholar-king. He's credited with writing a text on astronomy and also with introducing something called kulinism—a social hierarchy among Brahmins and Kayasthas that became very influential in Bengal. Luna: Kulinism—that sounds like a caste-ranking system? Lucas: Exactly. Ballalasena supposedly classified Brahmins and Kayasthas into different grades—kulina, or high-born—based on purity and ancestry. It was controversial even then, and it shaped Bengali society for centuries. Lucas: But the most famous Sena king is Lakshmanasena, who ruled from around 1179 to 1206. He's the one we talked about in the episode on the fall of the Hindu kings. Under him, Bikrampur reached its cultural peak. Luna: Wasn't he the patron of Jayadeva, who wrote the Gita Govinda? Lucas: Yes, exactly. Jayadeva was a poet in Lakshmanasena's court, and he composed the Gita Govinda—a Sanskrit poem about the love between Krishna and Radha. It's incredibly beautiful and became a classic of Vaishnava literature. Lucas: Lakshmanasena was also a great patron of learning. He had a large library and supported scholars. But his reign ended with the invasion of Bakhtiyar Khalji in 1203 or 1204. The Turkic general attacked the capital while Lakshmanasena was at dinner, and the king fled to eastern Bengal. Luna: So Bikrampur fell quickly? Lucas: It seems so. The Sena dynasty held on in the east for a few more decades, but Bikrampur never regained its glory. The city declined, and even its location was lost for centuries. Archaeologists have only recently identified the site. Lucas: What's fascinating is that we know a lot about the Sena period from copperplate inscriptions—land grants issued by the kings. These plates are like legal documents, but they also give us details about administration, society, and even literature. Luna: Copperplates—like the ones we've seen from the Gupta period? Lucas: Similar, yes. The Sena copperplates are written in Sanskrit and in a script called Gaudiya. They record donations to Brahmins and temples, and they mention the lineage of the kings. They're one of our best sources for the dynasty. Lucas: Another important legacy is the Dhakeshwari Temple in Dhaka. It was built by Ballalasena, according to tradition, and it's one of the oldest Hindu temples in Bangladesh. The current structure has been rebuilt, but the site dates back to the 12th century. Luna: Is there any other art or architecture from the Sena period that survives? Lucas: Not much. The Senas built in brick and stone, but many of their structures were destroyed or repurposed. We have some terracotta plaques and sculptures, but the most enduring legacy is literary. Besides the Gita Govinda, there were commentaries on the Vedas and the Puranas that were composed in their court. Luna: It's interesting that the Sena dynasty is often overshadowed by the Palas, but they had their own golden age. Lucas: Absolutely. And Bikrampur is a perfect symbol of that. It was a city of learning, religion, and power, but now it's mostly farmland and villages. If you go there today, you wouldn't guess it was once the capital of a major kingdom. Lucas: If today was actually useful to you, the way these stay ad-free is listener support. You can buy me a coffee at buy me a coffee dot com slash fexingo. It helps us keep digging into stories like this. Luna: Yeah, and it really does make a difference. Every little bit helps us spend more time on research. Lucas: Now, back to Bikrampur—one more thing I want to mention is the recent archaeological work. In the 2000s, a team from Bangladesh and the UK used satellite imagery and ground surveys to locate the ancient city. They found evidence of a large settlement with a citadel, a moat, and several ponds. Luna: So the city is actually being rediscovered? Lucas: Yes, and it's ongoing. They've found pottery, bricks, and even some sculptures. But because the site is on active floodplains, much of it is buried under silt. It's a slow process, but each discovery adds to our understanding. Lucas: I think what's really striking is how the Sena dynasty represented a shift from Buddhism to a more orthodox Hinduism. The Palas were great Buddhist patrons, but the Senas promoted a Brahmanical revival. That change shaped Bengal's religious landscape for centuries. Luna: And it shows in the literature and the social structures they left behind. Lucas: Exactly. So next time you hear about the Gita Govinda, remember it was written in a city called Bikrampur, on the banks of the Padma, in the court of a king who was trying to revive a tradition.