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76-630: After the Koch–Ahom conflicts that saw Chilarai briefly occupy Garhgaon , the capital of the Ahom kingdom , Koch rule was consolidated between the Sankosh River in the west and the Subansiri River on the east under the governorship of Chilarai. Chilarai's son, Raghudev, was the heir apparent to the childless Nara Narayan. A son (Lakshmi Narayan) born late to Nara Narayan dashed Raghudev's hopes of becoming

152-626: A 19th-century earthquake measuring 8.7 on the Richter scale. The palace shows the acceptance of the European idealism of the Koch kings and the fact that they had embraced European culture without denouncing their Indian heritage. Sagardighi is one of the "Great Ponds" in the heart of Cooch Behar, West Bengal. The name means an ocean-like pond, exaggerated given its great significance. As well as being popular with people, it attracts migratory birds each winter. It

228-567: A Mughal system of administration. The Mughals appointed Bijit Narayan, son of Parikshit Narayan, as the zamindar of the region between river Sankosh and Manas, and he became the founder of the Bijni branch of the Koch royal family which finally settled in Abhayapuri . In 1657, Lutfullah Shirazi , the faujdar of Shujabad, built the hilltop mosque in Hajo known as Powa-Makkah Barmaqam. The Mughal divided

304-536: A city. Being a popular tourism hub, Cooch Behar is well connected through railway with almost all parts of the country. Two stations serve the city. Cooch Behar Airport is a domestic airport located near the city. It handles daily flights from Netaji Subash Chandra Bose International Airport in Kolkata . The nearest international airport is Bagdogra Airport near Siliguri , about 142 km (88 mi) from Cooch Behar. IndiGo , Vistara and Spice Jet are

380-481: A depth of 1,000 to 1,500 m (3,300 to 4,900 ft). The soil has low levels of nitrogen with moderate levels of potassium and phosphorus . Deficiencies of boron , zinc , calcium , magnesium , and sulphur are high. Cooch Behar is a flat region with a slight southeastern slope along which the main rivers of the district flow. Most highland areas are in the Sitalkuchi region, and most low-lying lands lie in

456-557: A part of the Kamata Kingdom . The Khens ruled until about 1498 CE , when they fell to Alauddin Hussain Shah , the independent Sultan of Gour . The new invaders fought with the local Bhuyan chieftains and the Ahom king Suhungmung and lost control of the region. During this time, the Koch tribe became very powerful, proclaimed itself Kamateshwar (Lord of Kamata), and established the Koch dynasty. The first important Koch ruler

532-527: A tributary king of Darrang was to create a buffer state between Ahom kingdom and Mughal Empire . Pratap Singha sent many gifts to the newly installed Koch prince Bali Narayan as well as a new wife and even a new name (Dharmanarayan), implying that the Darrangi King was to remain subservient to the Ahom king. This Balinarayan had nothing to do with Raghudeva brother of Lakhsminarayan of Koch Bihar. The Ahoms, with

608-565: Is a city and a municipality on the bank of River Torsa in the Indian state of West Bengal . It is the headquarters of the Cooch Behar district . It is in the foothills of the Eastern Himalayas at 26°22′N 89°29′E  /  26.367°N 89.483°E  / 26.367; 89.483 . Cooch Behar is a planned city . Being one of the main tourist destinations of West Bengal, housing

684-416: Is a significant source of livelihood for the nearby rural populace, and it supplies the town with fruits and vegetables. Poorer sections of this semi-rural society are involved in transport, primary agriculture, small shops, and manual labour in construction. Cooch Behar has witnessed radical changes and rapid development in segments like industry, real estate, information technology firms, and education since

760-600: Is collected every day by the municipality van from individual homes. The surface drains, mostly cemented, drain into the Torsa River. Electricity is supplied by the West Bengal State Electricity Board , and the West Bengal Fire Service provides emergency services like fire tenders. Most roads are metalled (macadam), and street lighting is available throughout the town. The Public Works Department

836-683: Is in the Cooch Behar constituency and elects one member to the Lok Sabha (the Lower House of the Indian Parliament ). The town area is covered by one assembly constituency, Cooch Behar Dakshin, that elects one member to the Vidhan Sabha , which is the West Bengal state legislative assembly . Cooch Behar town comes under the jurisdiction of the district police (which is a part of the state police );

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912-456: Is known Pichalapariya ran . Thence Ahoms recovered all their lost tracts on their western frontier. Following this, there was a lull in the conflicts. Naranarayan realized the need for friendship, and envoys were sent to the Ahom court in June–July, 1555. He himself wrote a letter to then Ahom king Sukhampha ( r.  1552–1603 ) about his desire for cordial relations. Ahoms didn't accord

988-520: Is responsible for road maintenance and the streets connecting Cooch Behar with other regional cities. Health services in Cooch Behar include a government-owned District Hospital, a Regional Cancer Centre, and private nursing homes. Utility services provided in Cooch Behar are considered one of the best government utility services in West Bengal. However, the city floods during heavy rain due to problems with

1064-466: Is responsible for the civic administration of the town. The municipality consists of a board of councillors, elected from each of the 20 wards and a few members nominated by the state government. The board of councillors elects a chairman from among its elected members; the chairman is the executive head of the municipality. The All India Trinamool Congress controls the municipality. The state government looks after education, health, and tourism. The town

1140-1015: Is surrounded by many important administrative buildings, like the District Magistrates Office, the Administrative Building of North Bengal State Transport Corporation , BSNL's DTO Office in the West; the Office of the Superintendent of Police, the District Library, the Municipality Building in the South, the Office of BLRO, the State Bank of India's Cooch Behar Main Branch and many others in the East,

1216-522: The Border Security Force (BSF) maintains a significant presence in the vicinity. This gives rise to a large population of semi-permanent residents, who bring revenue to the economy. The state government is trying to promote Cooch Behar as a tourist destination. Though income from tourism is low, Cooch Behar is one of the major tourist attractions in West Bengal. Every year during the Ras Purnima,

1292-573: The Cooch Behar Palace and Madan Mohan Temple, it has been declared a heritage city. It is the maternal home of Gayatri Devi , the consort of the ruler of the former Jaipur State . During the British Raj , Cooch Behar was the seat of the princely state of Koch Bihar , ruled by the Koch dynasty . On 20 August 1949, Cooch Behar District was transformed from a princely state to its present status, with

1368-519: The Superintendent of Police oversees security and matters about law and order. Cooch Behar is home to the District Court. Cooch Behar is a well-planned town, and the municipality is responsible for providing essential services such as potable water and sanitation . The city supplies water using its groundwater resources, and almost all the houses in the municipal area are connected. Solid waste

1444-526: The West Bengal Board of Secondary Education . Some of the reputed schools include Jenkins School , Sunity Academy , and Cooch Behar Rambhola High School . Cooch Behar Panchanan Barma University is the only single university in Cooch Behar. It is a U.G.C. recognised public university in Cooch Behar, West Bengal, India. The university was named after the 19th-century Rajbongshi leader and social reformist, Panchanan Barma . A total of 15 colleges from

1520-468: The cupola . This adds variegated colours and designs to the entire surface. There are various halls in the palace and rooms, including the Dressing Room, Bed Room, Drawing Room, Dining Hall, Billiard hall, Library, Toshakhana, Lady's Gallery, and Vestibules. The articles and precious objects that these rooms and halls used to contain are now lost. The original palace was three storied but was destroyed by

1596-535: The Ahom capital, and set up camp. But he could not consolidate Mughal rule in the region. Nevertheless, he struck an agreement with the Ahom king that included war indemnities; but he died on his journey back to Dhaka. The Ahoms again captured Kamrup in 1667, and fended off an entrenched Mughal attack led by Ram Singh in 1671 in the celebrated Battle of Saraighat . In March 1679, the Ahom viceroy in Guwahati, Laluksola Borphukan, handed over Kamrup to Nawab Mansur Khan,

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1672-725: The Ahom kingdom in 1615-1616. On January 27, 1616, the Ahoms, under the king Pratap Singha , attacked the Mughals before dawn and massacred a major portion of the Mughal army. The Ahoms defeated the Mughals in the Bharali war and re-occupied Darrang from the Mughals. After the region was cleared of the Mughals, Pratap Singha established Balinarayan , the brother of Parikshit Narayan, as the Raja of Darrang. The intention of Pratap Singha in installing Balinarayan as

1748-635: The Bhutanese were expelled, Cooch Behar was reinstated as a princely state under the aegis of the British East India Company. Cooch Behar Palace is built after classical Italian architecture. The dome of the Palace is in Italian style, resembling the dome of St. Peter's Basilica , Vatican City, Rome. It had been built-in 1887, during the reign of Maharaja Nripendra Narayan . In 1878, the maharaja married

1824-571: The Bijni branch ended after the Indian government took direct control of the region in 1956. Koch%E2%80%93Ahom conflicts The Koch–Ahom relations (1532–1571) refer to the diplomatic, strategic and military relationships between the Koch and the Ahom kingdoms over the control of the Brahmaputra Valley. Though an initial contact between the Ahoms and Koch occurred during Biswa Singha's reign,

1900-644: The Cooch Behar district are affiliated with the university. There are five colleges and a polytechnic in town, including A.B.N. Seal College , Cooch Behar College , University B.T. & Evening College , Thakur Panchanan Mahila Mahavidyalaya , all of which are affiliated with the Cooch Behar Panchanan Barma University , which was established in 2013. Cooch Behar Polytechnic established in 1964, one of oldest Polytechnic Institute in Coochbehar district. Acharya Brojendra Nath Seal College

1976-811: The Dinhata region. The elevation of the town is 48 meters above mean sea level. The Torsa river flows by the western side of town. The rivers in the district of Cooch Behar generally flow from northwest to southeast. Six rivers that cut through the district are the Teesta , Jaldhaka , Torsha , Kaljani , Raidak , Gadadhar, and Ghargharia. The town of Cooch Behar and its surrounding regions face deforestation due to increasing demand for fuel and timber, along with air pollution from increasing vehicular traffic. The local flora includes palms, bamboo, creepers, ferns, orchids, aquatic plants, fungi, timber, grass, vegetables, and fruit trees. Migratory birds and many local species are found in

2052-653: The Dominion Government of India , effective 12 September 1949. Eventually, Cooch Bihar became part of the state of West Bengal on 19 January 1950, with Cooch Behar town as its headquarters. Cooch Behar is in the foothills of Eastern Himalayas , at 26°22′N 89°29′E  /  26.367°N 89.483°E  / 26.367; 89.483 in the North of West Bengal. It is the largest town and district headquarters of Cooch Behar District , with an area of 8.29 km (3.20 sq mi). The Torsa River flows by

2128-657: The July 1612. Since the declaration of independence, the rulers of Koch Hajo and the rulers of Koch Bihar have maintained hostilities against each other. The Subahdar of Bengal , Islam Khan I , led an expedition into Hajo alongside the Amil of Sylhet , Muhammad Zaman Karori of Tehran in the early 17th century. In 1602 the Nawab of Dhaka (governor for the Mughals ) moved by Lakshmi Narayan (ruler of Koch Bihar) and others attacked Parikshit Narayan,

2204-590: The Koches any warm messages but were rather disparaging. Conflicts were renewed in 1562. The Koches under the command of Shukladhwaja alias Chilarai marched against the Ahoms at the head of 60 thousand soldiers. Two prolonged invasions at both land and water were arranged. The Koch army on their way was joined by the Bhutias , Daflas and Bhuyans . They advancing army finally encamped near Jaria in Habung . Sukhampha aware of

2280-614: The Mughal Empire and Koch Hajo losing its very existence both within three decades. Lakshmi Narayan tried to instigate Parikshit, a son of Raghudev, against his father. The plot was detected and Parikshit managed to escape to Koch Bihar. This led to an armed conflict between the two kingdoms, but which maintained the status quo. The first major defeat for Raghudev was at the hands of Isa Khan , an Afghan chief from Mymensingh. Raghudev fortified Jangalbari in Mymensingh, but ultimately lost

2356-498: The Mughal Empire. Under these circumstances, Raghudev transferred his capital from Barnagar to North Guwahati . The Koch Bihar-Mughal alliance defeated Raghudev in May 1597, but in the same year Raghudev was able to recoup his losses with the help of Isa Khan. Isa Khan, who was able to rout the Mughal army and kill its commander Durjan Singh, a son of Man Singh, released the war prisoners and himself submitted himself to Akbar. Having lost

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2432-547: The RTO office, the Foreigner's registration office, the District Court in the North and others. Most of these buildings are remnants of royal heritage. Cooch Behar is very well connected by road to neighbouring areas, other cities of West Bengal and the rest of the country. Cooch Behar is a major roadway junction after Siliguri towards Northeast India and Bangladesh . NH-17 crosses through

2508-494: The Raja of Darrang decreased, and the Ahoms took possession of Kamrup till the end of their rule. The Bijni branch of the Koch dynasty controlled its feudatory from the present-day Bijni town from 1671 till 1864 when it was attacked by Jhawlia Mech , a chieftain from Bhutan . This resulted in the capital moving to Dumuria . The earthquake of 1897 destroyed the royal palaces and the capital moved again, first to Jogighopa and then finally to Abhayapuri in 1901. The control of

2584-530: The Sultan. Biswa Singha was initially regular in payments, but after having consolidated his newly established rule decided to invade the Ahom kingdom instead. In 1537 he advanced up to Singari, in Nagaon district, but had to give up his ambitions due to problems in supplying his forces —subsequently he and his brother attended the court of Suhungmung in the winter of that year. Biswa Singha died some time after visiting

2660-412: The advent of the twenty-first century. The changes concern infrastructure and industrial growth for steel (direct reduced iron), metal, cement, and knowledge-based industries. Many engineering, technology, management, and professional study colleges have opened at Cooch Behar. Housing co-operatives, flats, shopping malls, hotels, and stadiums have also emerged. As the town is near the international border,

2736-470: The advice of an unknown saint, transferred the capital from Attharokotha to Guriahati (now called Cooch Behar town) on the banks of the Torsa river between 1693 and 1714. After this, the capital was always in or near its present location. In 1661 CE, Pran Narayan planned to expand his kingdom. However, Mir Jumla , the subedar of Bengal under the Mughal emperor Aurangazeb , attacked Cooch Behar and conquered

2812-399: The alliance of Isa Khan, Raghudev was then forced to forge an alliance with the Ahom kingdom . Raghudev offered his daughter Mangaldoi to Prataap Singha in 1603, and the Ahom king accepted on the possibility of using Raghudev as a buffer against the Mughals. But this did not happen because Raghudev died within the same year after the marriage between Pratap Singha and Mangaldoi. Parikshit

2888-575: The city hosts Ras Mela , one of the largest and oldest fairs in West Bengal. The fair is older than 200 years. Cooch Behar Municipality organises the fair in Ras Mela ground near ABN Seal College. During the fair, it becomes a central economic hub of the North Bengal region. Merchants and sellers from all over India and also from Bangladesh join this fair. Earlier, the Maharajas of Cooch Behar used to inaugurate

2964-509: The city is 3,562 mm (140.2 in). Languages of Cooch Behar (2011) In the 2011 census, the Cooch Behar urban agglomeration had a population of 2,89,434, of which 1,46,626 were male and 1,42,808 were female. The 0–6 years population was 7,910. The effective literacy rate for the urban population was 80.59%. According to the 2011 census, the Cooch Behar Municipal area has a population of 77,935. The decadal growth rate for

3040-461: The city of Cooch Behar as its headquarters. The name Cooch Behar is derived from two words— Cooch , a corrupted form of the word Koch , the name of the Koch tribes, and the word Behar is derived from vihara meaning land . Koch Behar means land of the Koches . Cooch Behar formed part of the Kamarupa Kingdom of Assam from the 4th to the 12th. In the 13th century, the area became

3116-670: The city, especially around the Sagardighi and other water bodies. In 1976, the Cooch Behar district became home to the Jaldapara Wildlife Sanctuary (now Jaldapara National Park ), which has an area of 217 km (83.8 sq mi). It shares the park with the Alipurduar district. Cooch Behar has a moderate climate characterised by heavy rainfall during the monsoons and slight rainfall from October to March. The city does not experience very high temperatures at any time of

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3192-515: The common people, including many nobles and some Ahom princes joined the Koches. Meanwhile, Garhgaon ( the Ahom capital ) was also occupied. The Ahom king was compelled to make peace negotiations with the Koch king. Envoys were sent and the treaty of Majuli was concluded. The conditions of that treaty were fulfilled in July–August, 1563 and the Koches withdrew. Soon after, Ahoms adopted extensive preparations and vigorous measures to recover all

3268-482: The court of Suhungmung, and his son Nara Narayan established himself a few years later after a probable succession battle with another son named Nara Singha. Following the example of his father, Nara Narayan was assisted by his brother Sukladhwaj (also Chilarai ) who was the Diwan (prime minister) as well as the commander-in-chief of the Koch army. There was a succession issue in the Ahom kingdom as well when Suhungmung

3344-462: The daughter of Brahmo preacher Keshab Chandra Sen . This union led to a renaissance in Cooch Behar state. Maharaja Nripendra Narayan is known as the architect of modern Cooch Behar town. Under an agreement between the king of Cooch Behar and the Indian Government at the end of British rule, Maharaja Jagaddipendra Narayan transferred full authority, jurisdiction, and power of the state to

3420-506: The death of Balinarayan in Singari battle in 1638. His son ascended the throne and became the king of Darrang (excluding Tezpur ). On the other hand, the Ahoms ruled the eastern part of Darrang (the present Sonitpur ) through Kalia Bhomora Borphukan, stationed at Kaliabor . In 1639 by the Treaty of Asurar Ali between the Ahom general Momai Tamuli Borbarua and the Mughal commander Allahyar Khan

3496-409: The deputy of Azam Shah , the son of Aurangzeb and the then governor of Bengal. Mansur Khan attacked Darrang in 1682, captured Surya Narayan and installed his 5-year-old brother as the ruler of Darrang. But that influence did not last for long. In that year itself, the Ahoms, under the kingship of Gadadhar Singha , attacked Kamrup and removed the Mughals for good. In the meantime, the influence of

3572-550: The drainage system. The city has one district hospital, formerly MJN Hospital, which has 400 beds. The hospital has now been converted to Cooch Behar Government Medical College and Hospital . The city also offers numerous multi-speciality hospitals such as Shubham Hospital, Cooch Behar Mission Hospital and Dr. P K Saha Hospital Pvt. Ltd. The municipality has four daily markets, two wholesale markets, and eight commercial complexes. Apart from these, two new malls have also opened recently. The central and state governments are among

3648-458: The eldest son of Raghudev returned to the capital in 1603 to stake his claim to the kingdom. In the war of succession that followed, Man Singha, a son of Raghudev was offered refuge in Namrup by the Ahom king. Though Parikshit had earlier taken shelter with Lakshminarayan against his father Raghudev, he invaded Bahirbandh, a region under Koch Bihar and occupied it sometime between 1603 and 1608; and in

3724-452: The ensuing negotiations, won back the royal insignia that Raghudev had earlier lost to Lakhsminarayan. Lakshmi Narayan saw no recourse but to submit in person to Islam Khan in 1609. Parikshit could ward off the first Mughal expedition under Abdul Wahid. The second expedition under Mukarram Khan was massive. He tried to enlist the Ahoms into the war but was unsuccessful. The Mughal army and navy began its expedition from near Dhaka in

3800-522: The fair by moving the Ras Chakra, and now the work is executed by the District Magistrate of Cooch Behar District. The Ras Chakra is considered a symbol of communal harmony because an artisanal Muslim family builds it from scratch. A huge crowd gathers in Cooch Behar from neighbouring Assam , Jalpaiguri , Alipurduar , and the whole North Bengal during the fair. Novelist Amiya Bhushan Majumdar

3876-613: The heart of the city, connecting Assam and North Bengal . Apart from this, state highways including SH-16 and SH-12A, pass through Cooch Behar, connecting different places in West Bengal. North Bengal State Transport Corporation (NBSTC) , a state government-run transport corporation headquartered in Cooch Behar, runs regular bus service to most places in West Bengal. Private buses are also available, which operate from bus stops or designated pick-up spots to various tows in Assam , Bihar , and West Bengal . City services from NBSTC are also available for riders to commute from different parts of

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3952-400: The help of Bali Narayan, then moved against the remnant of the Mughals ruling in Hajo. After many battles the Ahoms and Bali Narayan's army finally conquered Hajo and removed their influence from Goalpara . Bali Narayan began his rule from Hajo. This did not last for long and the Mughals maintained their attack on Koch Hajo. Beginning with 1637 the Ahoms faced a number of reverses, including

4028-506: The king. Raghudev, accompanied by some trusted state officers, traveled east on a purported hunting trip and declared himself king of the eastern portion at a place called Barnagar near the Manas River . Nara Narayana did not react aggressively, and the kingdom was divided amicably with Raghudev promising to pay an annual tribute. This division occurred in 1581. When Nara Narayan died in 1587, Raghudev stopped paying tribute and declared himself independent. The kingdom under Raghudev included

4104-413: The kingdom of Koch Hajo into four sarkars . They were: The four sarkars were further divided into parganas , and traces of this revenue system exists till today. The Mughal influence in Kamrup ended in 1682. The Mughal political influence on Koch Hajo lasted for eighty years. With the Mughals reaching the doorsteps of the Ahoms, hostilities ensued. These finally led to a large Mughal army attacking

4180-425: The lives of those three Koch princes and Naranarayan launched an expedition against the Ahom kingdom . The Koches initially gained victory but soon were overturned by the Ahoms. After the completion of Gohain Kamal Ali in 1547, a fort was erected at Narayanpur . An attack was made by the Koches on the Ahoms encamping at Pichala fort, resulting in a disastrous defeat of the Koches with heavy losses. This battle

4256-433: The lost territories. On the contrary, the Koches too found it difficult to maintain overlordship over Ahoms by using force and arms. The Ahom counter-retaliation was met by a fresh Koch expedition. The Koch fleet under Tepu Barua was routed in 1565. In December–January 1571, the final Koch expedition was repulsed at Dhansiri . Cooch Behar Cooch Behar ( / ˌ k uː tʃ b ɪ ˈ h ɑːr / ), or Koch Bihar ,

4332-432: The major carriers that connect the area to Delhi , Kolkata , Guwahati , Mumbai , Chennai, Bangkok, Paro , Bangkok and Chandigarh . Cooch Behar's schools usually use English and Bengali as their medium of instruction , although the use of the Hindi language is also stressed. The schools are affiliated with the Indian Certificate of Secondary Education (ICSE) or the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE), or

4408-477: The major employers in Cooch Behar town. Cooch Behar is home to several district-level and divisional-level offices and has a large government-employee workforce. Business is mainly centered on retail goods; the main centers lie on B.S. Road, Rupnarayan Road, Keshab Road, and Bhawaniganj Bazar. An industrial park has been built at Chakchaka , 4 km (2.5 mi) from town, on the route to Tufanganj . A number of companies have set up industries there. Farming

4484-500: The population is 1.38%. The sex ratio is 972 females per 1,000 males. Males constitute 50.6% of the population, and females constitute 49.4%. Cooch Behar has an average literacy rate of 74.78%, higher than the national average of 74.04%. The male literacy rate is 80.71%, while the female literacy rate is 68.49%. The major religions practised in Cooch Behar are Hinduism (76.44%) followed by Islam (25.54%). Commonly spoken languages are Bengali and Hindi . Cooch Behar Municipality

4560-434: The post for eighteen years from 1896 to 1913. In 1950, when the state of Cooch Behar was merged into the Union of India, governance was passed to the Government of West Bengal. It was earlier affiliated with the University of Calcutta and University of North Bengal and is now affiliated with Cooch Behar Panchanan Barma University after the creation of the same. In 1970, it was renamed Acharya Brojendra Nath Seal College. It

4636-432: The region between Sankosh and Bhareli rivers on the northern bank of the Brahmaputra River, and on the south the region west of the Kallang River that followed the course of the Brahmaputra as it bends south and right up to the forests of Mymensingh region, now in Bangladesh . Raghudev's declaration of independence established a Koch Bihar-Koch Hajo conflict that was to result in Koch Bihar losing its independence to

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4712-509: The region south of Rangamati sometime before 1594. After Man Singh became the Subahdar of the Mughal Empire for Bengal in 1594 he led a campaign against Isa Khan and took possession of his territories; and when Isa Khan and others rallied the next year in 1596 they were effectively by Himmat Singh the son of Man Singh, forcing Isa Khan to ally with Raghudev. Raghudev, with the help of Isa Khan, attacked Bahirbandh in Koch Bihar, and Lakshmi Narayan submitted on his own accord to vassalage of

4788-499: The reign of Maharaja Nripendra Narayan . It is a brick-built double-story structure in the classical Western style covering 51,309 square feet (4,766.8 square metres). The whole structure stands 395 feet (120 m) long, 296 feet (90 m) wide and rests 4 feet 9 inches (1.45 m) above ground. The Palace is fronted on the ground and first floors by a series of arcaded verandahs with their piers arranged alternately in single and double rows. The Palace projects slightly at

4864-437: The relationship became belligerent with Nara Narayana ascending to power and consolidating his hold over the western portion of Assam; and it ended with the failure of Chilarai 's campaign against Sulaiman Karrani . This was followed by an alliance that soon gave way to a fierce conflict between the Ahoms and the Mughals . Following the rout of Turbak by the Ahoms in about 1532, the Ahom army under Tonkham Buragohain pursued

4940-447: The religiosity of the Koches and their aversion from killing Brahmanas , sent his soldiers disguised as Brahmanas . The Koch soldiers withdrew at this sight, soon this stratagem was understood. In the meantime, the Koch fleet occupied Sala and Makaland and proceeded to Dikhowmukh. At several engagements, the Ahoms were routed. The Ahom king alarmed by the continuous setback, took flight for Charaikhorong in Naga Hills . This demoralized

5016-430: The remnant of the army and reached the Karatoya river ; and after establishing a relationship with the Bengal Sultan confronted Biswa Singha, the Koch king, on the way back. Biswa Singha ( r.  1515–1540 ), on the advice of his ministers, made peace and accepted the status of being a protectorate with an annual tribute of horses; and in return was gifted the land west of Sankosh the Ahoms had received as dowry from

5092-449: The river Barnadi was fixed as the boundary between the Mughal empire and the Ahom kingdom. Darrang remained with the Ahoms ruled by Mahendra Narayan, son of Bali Narayan. Mahendra Narayan was succeeded by Chandra Narayan and then by Surya Narayan. Following the war of succession after Shah Jahan in 1657, the Ahoms reoccupied Kamrup. Again, this possession did not last long. In 1662 the Mughal general Mir Jumla marched up to Gargaon ,

5168-411: The ruler of Koch Hajo. Parikshit, defeated at Dhubri , sued for peace. But he soon continued with the hostilities and in 1614 was driven up to Pandu , now in Guwahati . Here, Parikshit surrendered and agreed to become a vassal of the Mughal Empire. But before he could take up this assignment he died. The Mughals then appointed Kabisekhar as the Qanungoh and instructed Sheikh Ibrahim Karori to set up

5244-407: The southern and northern ends, and in the center is a projected porch providing an entrance to the Durbar Hall . The Hall has an elegantly shaped metal dome topped by a cylindrical louvre-type ventilator. This is 124 feet (38 m) high from the ground and is in the style of Renaissance architecture. The intros of the dome are carved in stepped patterns, and Corinthian columns support the base of

5320-467: The territory, meeting almost no resistance. The town of Cooch Behar was subsequently named Alamgirnagar. Pran Narayan regained his kingdom within a few days. Between 1772 and 1773, the Bhutanese Desi attacked and seized control of Cooch Behar. In response, Cooch Behar entered into a defence treaty with the English East India Company on 5 April 1773, to drive out the Bhutanese invaders. During this period, Bhutanese coins were minted in Cooch Behar. Once

5396-433: The western side of town. Heavy rains often cause strong river currents and flooding. The turbulent water carries huge amounts of sand, silt, and pebbles, which hurt crop production as well as the hydrology of the region. Alluvial deposits from the soil, which is acidic. The soil depth varies from 15 to 50 cm (5.9 to 19.7 in), superimposed on a bed of sand. The foundation materials are igneous and metamorphic rocks at

5472-572: The year. The daily maximum temperature is 32.2 °C (90.0 °F) in August, the hottest month, and the daily minimum temperature is 9.4 °C (48.9 °F) in January, the coldest month. The highest temperature in Cooch Behar was 41.0 °C, recorded on 11 September 1977; the lowest temperature recorded was 3.3 °C, reported on 28 January 1982. The atmosphere is highly humid. The rainy season lasts from June to September. The average annual rainfall in

5548-588: Was Bisu, later called Biswa Singha , who came to power in 1515 CE. Under his son, Nara Narayan , the Kamata Kingdom reached its zenith. Nara Narayan's younger brother, Shukladhwaj ( Chilarai ), was a noted military general who undertook expeditions to expand the kingdom. He became governor of its eastern portion. As the early capital of the Koch Kingdom, Koch Behar's location was not static and became stable only when it shifted to Cooch Behar town. Rup Narayan, on

5624-429: Was assassinated in 1539 in a conspiracy hatched by his son Suklenmung who succeeded him. In 1543, Suklenmung drove away the Koch garrison guarding the eastern frontier of Koch kingdom at the north bank of Brahmaputra to Sola Soon after, three Koch princes, with a view of revenge, captured a boat belonging to an Ahom officer. A battle ensued, compelling the Ahoms to retreat. The renewal of hostilities in 1546 costed

5700-498: Was born, raised, and worked in Cooch Behar. Cooch Behar, with its people, culture, and the river Torsha has been a recurrent theme in his novels. Apart from this, Cooch Behar has a rich history of Debate, Extempore, and Quizzing. Cooch Behar is a significant tourist destination in West Bengal . The main attractions are: It is the main attraction of the city, having been modelled after Buckingham Palace in London and built in 1887 during

5776-500: Was established in 1888 as Victoria College by Maharaja Nripendra Narayan of Koch Bihar to enhance student capability in the Kingdom. The first principal was John Cornwallis Godley, who in 1895 became the second principal of Aitchison College in Lahore . Later, Maharaja Nripendra Naryayan offered the post of principal to Acharya Brojendra Nath Seal , a Brahmo and philosopher, who remained in

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