History of the Bengali People from Earliest Times to the Fall of the Sena Dynasty

This book is the translation of Niharranjan Ray s highly acclaimed magnum opus, Bangalir Itihas: Adi Parva. It is a seminal work on the history of the Bengalis from the earliest times to the beginning of the Muslim rule in India. This volume is as much a work of literature as it is of history. It is not a story of kings and the extension of their power but of the life of ordinary people. Thus, through detailed, methodical discussions on origins of the various peoples, their language and literature, science, trade and commerce, religious practices and rituals, the author draws a vivid picture of society and its development through the passage of time. This able translation by J. W. Hood has retained the vibrancy and subtle nuances of the Bengali original. This paperback edition has a Foreword by renowned historian Professor Sumit Sarkar. In his Foreword to the volume, he writes: Niharranjan Ray was, indeed, a towering figure among my generation of historians. But not many scholars are familiar with his writings these days. The new edition of the English translation, which has done full justice to the original version, hopefully will rectify this.

Niharranjan Ray (1903-1981), renowned historian, was one of India s last great polymaths. He has written extensively and authoritatively on a vast range of subjects including art, classical and modern literature, history, religion, politics and biography.