History of Bankura district refers to the history of the present Bankura district in the Indian state of West Bengal.
Prehistoric times
The earliest signs of human habitation in the area was at Dihar, discovered by Maniklal Sinha in the early 1970s. By about 1200-1000 BC chalcolithic people had settled on the north bank of the Dwarakeswar.
In later pre-historic times this area was inhabited by various Proto-Australoid and a few Proto-Dravidian tribes. The tribes were spread across different strata of development – food-gathering, hunting, animal-raring, and agriculture. Bankura district was part of Rarh in ancient times. This area was dominated by aboriginal tribes, more than other areas of Bengal, and was Aryanised or assimilated with the people and culture of the Proto-Indo-European group, who prevailed in northern India, substantially later than rest of Bengal. There were two primary groups of people, the Nishadas (who were Proto-Australoid tribes) and Dasa-dasyus (related to Dravidians). Santals and Mal Pahariyas were probably also there from the beginning. There were substantial differences amongst the tribes in relation to food, dress, religion, behavioral patterns, and other matters and there were severe limitations on inter-mixing, not to think of inter-marriage.
Assimilation with Proto-Indo-Europeans
When Proto-Indo-Europeans arrived on the scene, they gradually effected assimilation, based primarily on their concepts of work and quality, which led to the development of caste-based society or it could be the extension of an older system. The assimilation was not easy and took many centuries, and was achieved through both conflict and cordiality.
In the religious texts of Baudhayana Dharmasutra (around 5th-6th century BC), it has been mentioned that while Anga and the middle country has been partially Aryanised, Pundra, Banga and Kalinga had only come in contact with the Aryans or Proto-Indo-Europeans of northern India.
In the 4th century AD, it is learned from the Susunia edicts, in Prakrit and Sanskrit, that Chandravarman, son of Simhavarman, ruled at Pushkarana (modern Pakhanna). The extent of his dominions may have been more or less coterminous with ancient Rarh region or south-west Bengal. According to the inscription on the Allahabad pillar Chandravarman was defeated by Samudragupta and the area became a part of the Gupta Empire. The area was for many years part of Dandabhukti and Bardhamanbhukti.
In the old Jain book Acaranga Sutra (around 4th century AD) there is mention of Sumha and Ladha (Rarh?) and there too the reference is to an area inhabited by uncivilised and barbaric people. Many historians opine that assimilation with Proto-Indo-Europeans took place first in northern and eastern Bengal and then in western Bengal. This has also been the broad course of the spread of Buddhism and Jainism in Bengal. There is ample evidence of pre-eminence of Aryan religion and culture in West Bengal from around 6th century AD.
Mallabhum kingdom
From around 7th century AD till around the advent of British rule, for around a millennium, history of Bankura district is identical with the rise and fall of the Hindu Rajas of Bishnupur.
Romesh Chunder Dutt wrote in the late 19th century, “The ancient Rajas of Bishnupur trace back their history to a time when Hindus were still reigning in Delhi, and the name of the Muslims was not yet heard in India. Indeed, they could already count five centuries of rule over the western frontier tracts of Bengal before Bakhtiyar Khalji wrested the province from the Hindus. The Muslim conquest of Bengal, however, made no difference to the Bishnupur princes... these jungle kings were little known to the Muslim rulers of the fertile portions of Bengal, and were never interfered with. For long centuries, therefore, the kings of Bishnupur were supreme within their extensive territories. At a later period of Muslim rule, and when the Mughal power extended and consolidated itself on all sides, a Mughal army sometimes made its appearance near Bishnupur with claims of tribute, and tribute was probably sometimes paid. Nevertheless, the Subahdars of Murshidabad, never had that firm hold over the Rajas of Bishnupur which they had over the closer and more recent Rajaships of Burdwan and Birbhum. As the Burdwan Raj grew in power, the Bishnupur family fell into decay; Maharaja Kirti Chand of Burdwan attacked and added to his zamindari large slices of his neighbour's territories. The Marathas completed the ruin of the Bishnupur house, which is an impoverished zamindari in the present day.”