Relations of the Palas and Senas with the other Provinces

Summary

This study surveys the diplomatic and military relations of the Pala and Sena dynasties of Bengal with neighbouring provinces after the decline of the Gupta empire. Following the collapse of Magadha, Kanauj emerged as an imperial centre, but Gauda (Bengal) also gained prominencefile:///home/oai/share/563012_compressed-589-806.pdf#:~:text=Relations%20of%20the%20Palas%20and,%E0%A4%AB%E0%A4%BF%E0%A4%9F%20outcome%20of%20that%20policy. The author traces how the Palas forged alliances through marriage and warfare with the Rastrakutas of the Deccan, the Pratiharas of Kanauj and the Somavamsis of Odisha. He examines the Palas’ campaigns in Bihar and Orissa and their role in defending Buddhism against rising Saivism. The article also analyses the Senas’ relations with these powers; the Senas initially served under the Palas but later seized power and pursued expansionist policies. The author describes economic and cultural exchanges between Bengal and other provinces, emphasising trade in cloth, salt and horses along the Ganges and coastal routes. He notes that Pala patronage of universities like Nalanda and Vikramashila attracted scholars from across India and Tibet, thereby strengthening cultural links. During the Sena era, Bengali culture influenced regions as far as Assam and Myanmar through temple architecture and literature. The article concludes with a discussion of the dynasties’ decline under Turko‑Afghan invasions, observing that their regional alliances both shaped and were shaped by the shifting political landscape of early medieval India.