Historical Dictionary of the Bengalis

The Bengali (Bangla) speaking people are located in the northeastern part of South Asia, particularly in Bangladesh and two states of India – West Bengal and Tripura. There are almost 246 million Bengalis at present, which makes them the fifth largest speech community in the world. Despite political and social divisions, they share a common literary and musical culture and several habits of daily existence which impart to them a distinct identity. The Bengalis are known for their political consciousness and cultural accomplishments.The Historical Dictionary of the Bengalis provides an overview of the Bengalis across the world from the earliest Chalcolithic cultures to the present. This is done through a chronology, an introductory essay, and an extensive bibliography. The dictionary section has over 750 cross-referenced dictionary entries on politicians, educators and entrepreneurs, leaders of religious and secular institutions, writers, painters, actors and other cultural figures, and more generally, on the economy, education, political parties, religions, women and minorities, literature, art and architecture, music, cinema and other major sectors. This book is an excellent access point for students, researchers, and anyone wanting to know more about the Bengalis.

About the Author

Kunal Chakrabarti is a professor of ancient Indian history at the Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, India, and his areas of interest include social history of religion, regional histories and early textual traditions. His book titled Religious Process: The Puranas and the Making of a Regional Tradition was published by Oxford University Press in New Delhi. Shubhra Chakrabarti is an associate professor of history in Dayal Singh College, Delhi University, New Delhi, India. Her publications are on aspects of modern Indian economic history.