eãxq emwZ, cÉviwÁ¿K (Settlement in Bengal, Early)  evsjvq gvbe emwZi BwZnvm AwZ cÉvPxb| eZÆgvb mgqKvGji Dw«¿ä AveiY I f„`†GkÅ KGqK nvRvi eQGii gvbexq KgÆKví I cÉfvGei myÕ·Ó¡ Qvc we`Ågvb ‰es f„-c†GÓ¤ emwZi aib I K‡wlKvR ˆ^GK ‰Z`çGji gvbyGli Rxebhvòvi ŠewkÓ¡Å dzGU DGVGQ| evsjvq emwZi ò×gweKvGki cÉviwÁ¿K chÆvGq f„wgi DœPZvi webÅvm ‰KwU ài‚Z½cƒYÆ f„wgKv cvjb KGiGQ| ‰i AbÅZg KviY wnGmGe ejv hvq, mgMÉ cÉv‹MwZnvwmK hyGM evsjvi AwaKvsk Õ©vbB wQj wnsmË RxeR¯§GZ cwicƒYÆ eb-Rãj I Rjvf„wgGZ AvœQvw`Z| ‰gbwK HwZnvwmK mgqKvGj, AwaKvsk AçjB wQj gvbyGli wePiGYi RbÅ Abychyî×| cieZÆxGZ ˆgvMj mgqKvGjI MvGãq mgf„wgi ˆewkifvM ‰jvKv wQj eb-RãGj cƒYÆ ‰es ‰mKj RãjvKxYÆ f„wgi gaÅ w`Gq gvbyGli AbycÉGek AZů¦ axiMwZGZ msNwUZ nGqwQj| ‰fvGe ejv hvq evsjvi AGcÞvK‡Z cyivZb I DwïZ f„wgàGjvGZB Avw` emwZ MGo DGVwQj| emwZ weKvGki cÉ^g chÆvGq Uviwkqvix ceÆZmgƒn (6 ˆKvwU 60 jÞ ˆ^GK 20 jÞ eQi cƒGeÆKvi ‰es mgy`Ëc†Ó¤ ˆ^GK Mo DœPZv 300 wg) ‰es µÏvBmGUvwmb ˆmvcvbmgƒn (20 jÞ eQi ˆ^GK 1 jÞ eQi cƒGeÆKvi ‰es mvÁcÉwZK hyGM MwVZ f„wgi Avbyf„wgK Zj AGcÞv MGo 1.5 wgUvi ˆ^GK 6 wgUvi ˆewk DuPz eGi±`Êf„wgi cwøgvsGk ‰Uv ‰gbwK Mo mgy`Ëc†Ó¤ ˆ^GK 15 ˆ^GK 30 wgUvi DuPz) mÁ¿veÅ gvbe emevGmi AGcÞvK‡Z AwaKZi AvIZvfzî× wQj|

cÉðZvwî½K I b†-ˆfŒGMvwjK wb`kÆbmgƒn evsjvG`Gk ‰es KvQvKvwQ fviZxq AçjàGjvGZ ‰B AbygvGbi ŠeaZv cÉ`vb KGi| ˆQvUbvMcyi gvjf„wg, ivRgnj cvnvo ‰es wngvjq-wkjs wMwiGkÉYxGZ cÉexY I bexb cÉðcÉÕ¦i hyGM (lower and upper Palaeolithic age) gvbe emwZi wb`kÆb AvweÓ•‡Z nGqGQ| ‰B Õ©vbàGjv evsjvi msj™²| evsjvG`Gki KzwgÍÏv, eàov I RqcyinvGU µÏvBmGUvwmb hyGMi gvbe emwZi mvÞÅ cÉgvY cvIqv wMGqGQ|

w«¼Zxq chÆvGq ‰B AçGj K‡wli D®²wZi mGã mGã evsjvi meGPGq ŠewkÓ¡ÅgwíZ cÉvK‡wZK wPò ‰i b`xcÉYvjx emwZi ò×gweKvk I weÕZvGi ài‚Z½cƒYÆ f„wgKv cvjb KGiwQj| K‡wlKvGhi RbÅ DeÆi DcZÅKvmgƒn eivei gvbe emwZi cÉavb àœQmgƒn we`Ågvb wQj| cÉvPxb hyGM MvGãq mgZjf„wgi DGÍÏLGhvMÅ msLÅK b`x DcZÅKvàGjvGZ wewÞµ¦fvGe MGo IVv emwZi wb`kÆb iGqGQ| b`xi DuPz cvo ev cÉvK‡wZK euva (Natural levee) eivei b`x DcZÅKvàGjvGZ cÉwZwbqZ g†wîKvi bevqGbi dGj ‰mKj ‰jvKv K‡wlKvGhÆi RbÅ meGPGq DeÆi nIqvq gvbe emwZ b`xi cÉvK‡wZK euva ev DPz cvoGK AbymiY KGiwQj| Z`ycwi, AZxGZ b`xàGjv wQj ˆhvMvGhvGMi cÉavb gvaÅg| Mé I ZvgËwjwµ¦i gGZv KZàGjv weLÅvZ evwYwRÅK I e±`i bMixi AeÕ©vb wQj h^vò×Gg Mãv I fvMxi^xi ZxGi| b`xi MwZcG^i nVvr cwieZÆb ‰es b`xi kvLv-cÉkvLv kywKGq hvIqvi dGj eü emwZ jqcÉvµ¦ nGqGQ|

fviGZi Dîivçj nGZ cÉð-cÉÕZihyMxq gvbGeiv RvqMv wbGqwQj evsjv e«¼xc nGZ evgÆv, BG±`v-Pvqbv, gvjq Dc«¼xc, BG±`vGbwkqv, cÉkv¯¦ gnvmvMixq «¼xcàGjvGZ ‰es ‰gbwK AGÕ¡Ëwjqvi DîivçGjI| µÏvBmGUvwmb mgqKvGj wek¼eÅvcx Zvcgvòv nËvm ‰es eidÕ¦Gii `wÞYgyLx AcmiGYi mGã mGã ‰B Õ©vbv¯¦i msNwUZ nGqwQj| ‰B `wÞYgyLx miGbi KvjeÅvcx evsjv AeevwnKvi DuPz AçGj AGbGK emwZ Õ©vcb KGi ^vKGZ cvGi ˆhGnZz mgZjf„wgi wej ev RjvcƒYÆ Rãj AGcÞv DîGii eb Ave†Z wbPz cvnvoGK cwiÓ•vi Kiv mÁ¿eZ AGbK ˆewk mnR wQj| Kvwjgcs ‰es Pxb I `wÞY-cƒeÆ ‰wkqvi Av¯¦tcÉð-cÉÕ¦ihyMxq msÕ•‡wZi Abyi…c cÉðZvwî½K Abym®¬vb BwãZ KGi ˆh wZe»Z I Pxb msj™² AçjàGjv nGZ wKQy gvbyl ‰B AsGki gaÅ w`Gq nqGZv Õ©vbv¯¦wiZ nGq ^vKGZ cvGi|

myZivs, mnRcÉvcÅ wb`kÆbmgƒn mvÞÅ ˆ`q ˆh, µÏvBmGUvwmb mgqKvj RyGo eZÆgvb evsjvG`k MVbKvix AGcÞvK‡Z cyivZb I Kg DuPz cvnvGo cÉð-cÉÕZihyMxq msÕ•‡wZ we`Ågvb wQj| ‰wUI aviYv Kiv nq, ˆh A͸ KGqKwU Õ©vGb cÉ^g emwZ MGo DGVwQj eGi±`Êf„wg Zvi gGaÅ ‰KwU| `wÞYvsk wQj nq RjK`ÆgcƒYÆ A^ev ˆgvnbvR cwiGeGki (estaurine) ‰es `xNÆmgq aGi gvbe emevGmi RbÅ AbycGhvMx Mfxi RãGj cwicƒYÆ| cÉvPxb emwZi AbÅvbÅ ˆÞòàGjv wQj PëMÉvg ˆRjvi `wÞYcwøgvçj I jvjgvB cvnvo|

Mãv-eËþcyò b`xcÉYvjxi b`xLvZ cwieZÆGbi djvdj wnGmGe ‰Z`çGj emwZ meGPGq ˆewk AÕ©vqx wQj| Zv mGî½I gGb Kiv nGq ^vGK ˆh, cÉvPxb mgGq K‡wl mÁ¿vebv ‰es ‰i mvG^ mswkÏÓ¡ A^Æ‹bwZK KviGY eZÆgvGbi g†ZcÉvq e«¼xc AçGj (moribund delta) cyGivcywi Avw` ‰es cƒYÆvã emwZ weKvk jvf KGiwQj| ZGe ˆ`Gki ‰B AsGk gvbe emwZ MGo IVvi cÉK‡Z BwZnvm wbYÆq Kiv LyeB KwVb|

wLËÓ¡cƒeÆ 326 kZvõxGZ AvGjKRv´£vGii mÁ¿veÅ cÉPí Avò×gY cÉwZGiva Kivi RbÅ cÉÕ§Z Mãvn…w` ev MãvFw«¬i ˆhv«¬vG`i DGÍÏGLi gaÅ w`Gq evsjvi BwZnvm MYbv ÷i‚ nq| ‰B DGÍÏLGhvMÅ NUbvi cƒGeÆI mÁ¿eZ eü kZvõx aGi evsjvq msNe«¬ mvgvwRK I ivR‹bwZK Rxeb weivRgvb wQj| Avw` Šew`K mvwnGZÅ cÉ^g ‰B ˆ`k mÁcGKÆ DGÍÏL cvIqv hvq| wLËÓ¡cƒeÆ cÉvq 1000 kZvõxGZ ‰B DcgnvG`Gki DîicwøgvsGk AvhÆG`i AbycÉGeGki cƒGeÆ, eZÆgvGbi evsjvG`k MVbKvix ‰jvKvmgƒnmn eãxq AeevwnKvq eümsLÅK RbGMvÓ¤x evm KGi AvmwQj| AvhÆiv MvGãq AeevwnKvi DRvb Açj `Lj KGi emevm KiGZ ÷i‚ KGi ‰es ‰ AçGji ‰KwU RbGMvÓ¤xi msÕcGkÆ Zviv ‰GmwQj, hvG`iGK Zviv bvg w`GqwQGjv ’wbkv`vm’, hvi A^Æ ebÅ gvbyl| mÁ¿eZ ‰ivB wQj eZÆgvGbi evsjvG`k MVbKvix AçGji Avw` Awaevmx| ‰B Awaevmxi gGaÅ cÉavb Ask wQj ˆcÉvGUv-AÕ¡ËvjGqW RvwZfzî×, hviv ‘veddoid’ bvGg cwiwPZ| ‰iv wQj ‰B DcgnvG`Gki `wÞY ‰wkqvq emevmiZ RbGMvÓ¤xiB ‰KwU Ask ev Dc`j| wKQy wKQy A¯¦fÆyî× wQj wmGbv-wZe»Zxq (Sino-Tibetan) I wZe»Zxq-evwgÆR (Tibeto-Burman)–‰i evwiK wefvGMi (Baric Division), hvG`i AwaKvskB evsjvi cveÆZÅ AçGj emwZ MGo ZzGjwQGjv|

‰B AçGj gvbe cwieÅvcb ‰es emwZ e¥ŸGbi ˆÞGò wewf®² wbqvgK cÉfve weÕ¦vi KGiwQj| cƒGeÆB ejv nGqGQ ˆh, cÉv^wgK AeÕ©vq evsjv wQj ‰KwU wewœQ®² ‰es wewÞµ¦ emwZ mÁ¼wjZ ‰KwU f„Lí| cwøgvçGji DœPf„wg I ebf„wg, `wÞGYi ˆmËvZR ebf„wg I AmsLÅ b`b`xi DcwÕ©wZ ˆm AçGj `xNÆKvj aGi MYnvGi gvbe AwfMgbGK wbi‚rmvwnZ KGiGQ| ‰gbwK ÷Ó•f„wgi hvhvei msÕ•‡wZi aviK AvhÆivI cÉ^gw`GK ò×v¯¦xq Rjvf„wgi ‰B ‰jvKvq AbycÉGek KiGZ Kg AvMÉnx nGqwQGjv| Z`ycwi, Dîi I Dîi-cƒGeÆi wngvjq ceÆZgvjvI DcgnvG`Gki ‰B AsGk MYAwfMgbGK euvavMÉÕ¦ KGiGQ|

AmsLÅ b`xgvjv ‰es f„wgi DœPZv «¼viv evsjv ‰KvwaK cÉvK‡wZK wefvRGb wefî× wQj| ‰i dGj, mycÉkÕ¦ ˆ`vqve (interfluve) Açj eü Õ¼vaxb ivRÅ ‰es emwZGK myiÞv cÉ`vb KiGZv| HwZnvwmK AZxGZ ‰mKj ivRÅ ‰es emwZàGjv cÉvK‡wZK evav I Mfxi ebf„wgi DcwÕ©wZi KviGY `xNÆKvj aGi wewœQ®² wQj|

eãxq e«¼xGci Dîi ‰es `wÞYfvGMi gGaÅ mxgvGiLv wQj Mãvb`x| ˆm mgq eËþcyò b` Zvi cyivGbv MwZcG^, A^Ævr eZÆgvb MwZcG^i cƒeÆw`GK cÉevwnZ nGZv (AvVvGiv kZGKi ˆkl chƯ¦) ‰es eGi±`Êf„wg gaycyi MGoi mvG^ mshyî× wQj| KiGZvqv wQj ‰KwU e†nr b`x ‰es mivmwi eGãvcmvMGi cÉevwnZ nGZv| 68 wLËÓ¡vGõ ˆcwiµÏvm (Periplus) KiGZvqvGK mgy`Ë RvnvR PjvPj «¼viv eÅÕ¦ ‰KwU e†nr b`x wnGmGe DGÍÏL KGib| cybfÆev ‰es KiGZvqv b`x«¼q evsjv I PxGbi gGaÅ ˆikg I gmwjb evwYGRÅi i‚U ev c^ wnGmGe f„wgKv cvjb KiGZv| cieZÆxKvGj Mãvi wbÁ²cÉevn I ‰i kvLv b`xmgƒn ˆ`Gki `wÞYvsGki e«¼xcxq AçGj gvbe AwaKvi cÉwZÓ¤v KiGZ ài‚Z½cƒYÆ f„wgKv cvjb KGi| Mãvi cÉavb MwZcÉevn wnGmGe c«Âvi Drcwîi mvG^ mvG^ ‰B AsGki K‡wl mÁ¿vebv I hvZvqvZ myweav AGbKvsGk e†w«¬ cvq, hvi dGj gvbyl ˆmLvGb emwZ MGo ZzjGZ AvMÉnx nGq IGV| ZGe, c«Âv b`x Zvi ebÅv I b`xfvOGbi gGZv a»smvZÄK AvPiGYi RbÅI LÅvZ nIqvq eü emwZ ˆm Zvi MGfÆ wejxb KGi w`GqGQ| Zv mGî½I, hGkvGii AwaKvsk ‰jvKv, KzwÓ¡qv ‰es Lyjbv AçGji wKQy Ask µÏvebmxgvi EGa»Æ AewÕ©Z ‰es emwZ Õ©vcbGhvMÅ wQj| ‰K^vwU mywew`Z ˆh, my±`ieb ˆmËvZR ebf„wg DcGivî× Açjmgƒn chƯ¦ weÕZ‡Z wQj ‰es cieZÆxGZ Mãv b`xi e«¼xc MVbwò×qv AwaKZi `wÞGY weÕZ‡Z nIqvi `i‚Y f„wgi DœPZv e†w«¬ I gvbexq KgÆKvGíi `i‚b my±`ieb ò×gk `wÞYgyLx nGZ ^vGK| AvhÆcƒeÆ ‰K`j RbGMvÓ¤x ˆmLvGb emevm KGi AvmwQj hvG`iGK cieZÆxGZ ‘evM`x’ eGj cwiPq cvIqv hvq| Dîi ‰es DîicƒeÆ eã Mfxi eGb AvœQvw`Z wQj, ZGe ‰ AçGji ‰KwU DGÍÏLGhvMÅ AsGk wbÁ² (lower) AvmvGgi Avw`g cvnvox DcRvZxqG`i emwZ wQj|

evsjvq gvbe emwZi weÕZ‡wZ I e¥Ÿb aib ˆbŒGhvMvGhvGMi myweavwewkÓ¡ b`b`xGK AbymiY KiGZv| bveÅ b`b`xmgƒn ‰Kw`GK ˆhgb eÅemv-evwYGRÅ ˆhvMvGhvM myweav cÉ`vb KiGZv, AbÅw`GK Avevi K‡wlKvGRi RbÅ DeÆi g†wîKviI msÕ©vb KiGZv| e†nr b`b`x I ZvG`i Dc-AeevwnKvmgƒn wewf®² RbmgwÓ¡GK Z^v gvbe emwZmgƒnGK c†^K KGi ivLZ| cÉvPxbKvGj evsjvq ˆekwKQy msLÅK RbGMvÓ¤x emevm KiGZv hvG`i gGaÅ meGPGq DGÍÏLGhvMÅ wZbwU nGœQ: ‘cyíË’, ‘eã’ ‰es ‘myþ’| ‰G`i gGaÅ ‘cyíË’ I ‘eã’ evsjvq emwZ Õ©vcbKvix Avw` RbGMvÓ¤xG`i gGaÅ cƒeÆZb RbGMvÓ¤x«¼q| cyíË I eGãi meGPGq cÉvPxb DGÍÏL cvIqv hvq FM‹ew`K hyM cieZÆx mvwnGZÅ, ˆhLvGb ˆKvb ˆ`Gki K^v bv eGj myÕ·Ó¡fvGe ‰B `yB RbemwZGK `ywU c†^K emwZ ‰KK wnGmGe DGÍÏL Kiv nGqGQ| cieZÆxGZ ‰G`i wbqw¯¨Z AçjmgƒnGKI ‰mKj bvGgB bvgKiY Kiv nGqGQ| hvi dGj, eã bvGgi AçjwUi bvgKiGYi Drcwî nGqGQ fã ev eã DcRvZxqG`i bvg ˆ^GK|

Z`ycwi, ˆKvb ‰jvKvq wewf®² ivRKxq cwievGii KZ‡ÆZ½ ‰es ˆckxkwî×i cÉfvGei gvòvi Dci emwZ Pò×vKvGi MGo IVvi cÉgvY iGqGQ| A^ev ˆKvb ‰jvKvq agÆxq cÉvavbÅ wKsev Pvlvev` I evwYwRÅK KgÆKvGíi ài‚GZ½i KviGYI emwZ MGo DGVwQj| cieZÆxGZ agÆxq A^ev A^Æ‹bwZK cÉvavbÅ nËvm ‰es wei…c cÉvK‡wZK AeÕ©vi (ˆhgb: cÉej ebÅv I AbÅvbÅ cÉvK‡wZK `yGhÆvM) dGj emwZ axGi axGi ÞqcÉvµ¦ A^ev weivGb cwiYZ nGqGQ|

wLËÓ¡cƒeÆ lÓ¤ ˆ^GK PZz^Æ kZK chƯ¦ mgMÉ fviGZ 16wU gnvRbc` (e†n`vKvi emwZ) we`Ågvb wQj|  ‰G`i gGaÅ eã ‰es cyíËeaÆb (Aã, Kwjã ‰es myþmn) - ‰B `ywU gnvRbcG`i AeÕ©vb wQj evsjv AçGj| mgËvU AGkvGKi kvmbvgGj (273-232 wLË. cƒeÆ) I cieZÆx wn±`y hyMmgƒGn cyíË (ˆKvkx ‰es KiGZvqv b`x«¼Gqi gaÅeZÆx Açj) I eã (`wÞY I gaÅ evsjv) ‰es ൦ kvmbvgGj (240-570 wLËÓ¡võ) `wÞYgaÅ I cƒeÆ evsjv wbGq MwVZ mgZU Açj cÉf‡wZ mg†«¬ emwZ wnGmGe LÅvwZ jvf KGi| wLËÓ¡ cieZÆx PZz^Æ kZGKi gGaÅ evsjvG`Gki mgf„wgGZ AewÕ©Z AwaKvsk ebRãj cwiÓ•vi Kiv nGq hvq ‰es cçg nGZ lÓ¤ kZGKi gGaÅ my±`ieb, Lyjbv I evGKiMGéi DeÆi wbÁ²f„wgGZ emwZ mÁcÉmvwiZ nq| wK¯§ b`xLvZmgƒGni Õ©vbv¯¦i ‰es gnvgvixi KviGY wLËÓ¡ cieZÆx «¼v`k I òGqv`k kZGK ‰mKj emwZ cwiZÅî× nGq cGo| cieZÆx mgqKvGj ‰ AçjàGjvGZ cybivq emwZ MGo IGV| AGbK kvmK, weGkl KGi mgËvU AvKei, K‡wlRwg mÁcÉmviY ‰es cwZZ RwgGZ emwZ MGo ˆZvjvi eÅvcvGi AvMÉnx nGq IGVb| mgËvU AvKeGii kvmbvgGj hGkvGii wKQy Ask, ˆbvqvLvjx ‰es dwi`cyi Mfxi ebf„wgGZ AvœQvw`Z wQj| cç`k kZvõxi ˆklw`GK ‰es ˆlvok kZvõxi ÷i‚GZ gymwjg kvmKMY ‰mKj ‰jvKvq K‡wlKvGhÆi cîb NUvGZ ÷i‚ KGib| ˆlvok kZvõxi ˆklw`GK cÉZvcvw`ZÅ my±`ieb Açj ‰es hGkvi ‰jvKvq Zuvi mvgËvRÅ MGo ˆZvGjb| my±`ieb AçGj AmsLÅ cÉvPxb emwZi a»smveGkl ˆm ‰jvKvq ewYÆZ mgqKvGj gvbe `Lj`vwiGZ½i Õ¼vÞi enb KiGQ|

‰fvGe K‡wli mÁcÉmviY I bZzb f„wgi weÕZ‡wZi dGj cƒeÆ I `wÞY evsjvi DeÆi µÏvebf„wgGZ bZzb bZzb emwZ MGo IGV| ‰B cÉwò×qvi avivevwnKZvq cieZÆxGZ ‰mKj ‰jvKvq emwZ ò×gk Nb nGq IGV ‰es XvKv I ˆmvbviMuvI mgMÉ AçGji ivR‹bwZK I A^Æ‹bwZK ˆK±`Ê wnGmGe MGo IGV| BÕ¡ Bw´£qv ˆKvÁ·vbx kvmGbi ÷i‚i w`GK evsjvG`Gki cÉvq 40 ˆ^GK 50 kZvsk ‰jvKv emwZi AvIZvfzî× wQj ‰es AewkÓ¡ ‰jvKv eb I Rjvf„wg «¼viv AvœQvw`Z wQj| JcwbGewkK kwî×i A^Æ‹bwZK ‰es ivR‹bwZK Õ¼v^Æ Av¯¦tAvçwjK RbmsLÅv Õ©vbv¯¦i ‰es emwZ mÁcÉmviGY ZvrchÆcƒYÆ cÉfve ˆdGjwQGjv|

`ywfÆÞ, gnvgvix A^ev mvgvwRK wbivcîvnxbZvi KviGY b`x DcZÅKv A^ev mgf„wg ‰jvKvi mbvZb emwZàGjv cwiZÅî× nGq cGowQGjv| dGj Avevi ˆmmKj ‰jvKvq cÉ^g cybeÆvmb msNwUZ nGqwQGjv| ‰fvGe 1870 mvGji gGaÅ evsjvi AwaKvsk ‰jvKv gvbe emwZ I K‡wli AvIZvq PGj AvGm| 

[mvwenv myjZvbv] 

Mɯ©cwé  Rc Dutt, The Economic History of India under Early British Rule, Paul, Trench, and Trubner, London, 1906; Hc Roychoudhury, ‘Physical and Historical Geography’ in RC Majumdar ed, 1963; A Bakar, ‘Human Settlement in the Bengal Basin in relation to Geological Setting’ in Journal of the Asiatic Society of Pakistan, 16(1), 1971.