Koch Bihar (কোচবিহার জেলা, Rajbongshi/Kamatapuri : কোচবিহার, old name was: Cooch Behar) (1586—1949), now in West Bengal, India, was a small kingdom located south of the Himalayan kingdom of Bhutan. It was formed when the Kamata Kingdom under the Koch dynasty split following the death of Nara Narayan in 1586. The western portion, Koch Bihar, although nominally independent became a vassal state in turn of the Mughal Empire, of Bhutan, the British East India Company, and of the British Raj. It acceded to and merged with India in 1949 and became a part of West Bengal. The district, Cooch Behar District, is named after this erstwhile kingdom. Etymology: The name “Cooch-Behar” is derived from the name of the Koch Rajbongshi tribe that is indigenous to this area. The word “Behar” is the Sanskrit word “Bihar” (to travel) which means the land through which the “Koch Rajbongshi” Kings used to travel or roam about (“Bihar”). The greatest Koch Rajbongshi King that has ever ruled in the Kingdom of Kamatapur is Maharaj Naranarayan, as well as his younger brother Prince Chilaray and other descendents. Historic Kamatapur comprises the total North Bengal maximum parts of Assam, some parts of present Bangladesh, Kishanganj district of Bihar and a few parts of Bhutan. The Koch-Rajbongshi community is demanding a separate state of their own comprising the parts of their old Kingdom to save their centuries-old culture from extinction. History: The Koch dynasty originated from Mahishya community and has ruled the area around the town of Koch Bihar since the 16th century. The state remained unaffected by the great changes that overtook its surrounding provinces in the decade following the Battle of Plassey in 1757. However, it was invaded by Bhutan in the latter half of the 18th century, which prompted a British Ambassador to Bhutan, George Bogle to enter into a formal treaty alliance with the British in 1775. In 1947, the state acceded to the dominion of India and merged with the Union of India shortly afterwards. Over time, Koch Bihar has been transformed from a kingdom to a state and from a state to the present status of a district. Before 28 August 1949, Koch Bihar was a Princely State ruled by the maharaja of Koch Bihar, who had been a feudatory ruler under the British Government. By an agreement dated 28 August 1949, Maharaja Jagaddipendra Narayan of Koch Bihar ceded full and extensive authority, jurisdiction and power of the state to the Dominion Government of India. The transfer of administration of the state to the Government of India came into force on 12 September 1949. Eventually, Koch Bihar was transferred and merged with the province of West Bengal on 19 January 1950 and from that date Koch Bihar emerged as a new District in the administrative map of West Bengal. Go here: http://www.kochbihar.in/about-kochbihar/ for more informations.
