The Effect of Candella Invasions on Bengal

Summary

Sisir Kumar Mitra investigates the campaigns of the Candella (Chandela) rulers of central India against the eastern regions of Bengal and Bihar during the tenth and eleventh centuries. Drawing on two Khajuraho epigraphs (inscriptions) dated Vikrama Saṃvat 1011 and 1059, he analyses the military activities of Yashovarman and his son Dhangadeva. The inscriptions boast that the Candellas subdued kingdoms as far as Gauda, Mithila and Kāmarūpa, suggesting a policy of projecting power deep into eastern India to prevent neighbouring states from consolidating. Mitra compares these claims with other evidence, noting that inscriptions and literary sources sometimes exaggerate victories; nonetheless, there are clear indications that the Candella kings led expeditions eastwards. The article examines the political context of the time: the declining power of the Pāla dynasty in Bengal and the ambitions of regional powers such as the Kamboja line mentioned in the Dinājpur Raj Palace inscription. Mitra argues that the Candella invasion around the mid‑tenth century weakened Gauda’s defences and created opportunities for the Kambojas to establish themselves in northern and western Bengal. He cites the copper plate grant of the Irda kings, which refers to a Kamboja lineage ruling portions of Bengal, and other epigraphic evidence showing that the Candella incursion destabilised the region. The article also discusses the temporary reoccupation of Gauda by Mahipala’s forces and the later restoration of Pāla authority. Mitra notes that while the Candellas did not establish lasting control over Bengal, their attacks contributed to a climate of instability that other groups exploited. By synthesising epigraphic sources, chronicles and modern scholarship, the article delineates the geographical extent of the Candella campaigns, evaluates their motives and assesses their impact on the political history of Bengal. Mitra emphasises that the Candella policy of periodically raiding eastern states mirrored that of the Gurjara‑Pratiharas and aimed to keep neighbours weak rather than to annex territory permanently. The long‑term effect was to fragment authority in Bengal, paving the way for new dynasties and outside invaders. His study thus contributes to a more nuanced understanding of inter‑regional dynamics in early medieval India.