Encyclopædia Britannica, Ninth Edition/Kuch Behar

KUCH BEHAR, or Coosh Behar, a native state in Bengal, India, lying between 25° 57′ and 26° 32′ N. lat., and 88° 48′ and 89° 55′ E. long. It is entirely surrounded by British territory, being bounded on the N. by Jalpáigurí, on the E. by Goálpára, on the S. by Rangpur, and on the W. by Purniah districts. The state forms a level plain of triangular shape, intersected by numerous rivers. The greater portion is fertile and well cultivated, but tracts of jungle are to be seen in the north-east corner, which abuts upon Assam. The soil is uniform in character throughout, consisting of a light, friable loam, varying in depth from 6 inches to 3 feet, superimposed upon a deep bed of sand. The whole is detritus, washed down by torrents from the neighbouring Himálayas. The rivers all pass through the state from north to south, to join the main stream of the Brahmaputra. Some half dozen are navigable for small trading boats throughout the year, and are nowhere fordable; and there are about twenty minor streams which become navigable only during the rainy season. The streams have a tendency to cut new channels for themselves after every annual flood, and they communicate with one another by cross-country water-courses. There are no embankments or artificial canals, nor are any mineral products known to exist.

The population in 1872 was 532,565, distributed over an area of 1307 square miles. The Hindus numbered 127,928; the Mohammedans, 48,086. The Koch or Rájbansí tribe numbered 111,125 adult, males, or 63 per cent. of the whole. This is a widely spread tribe, evidently of aboriginal descent, which is found throughout all northern Bengal, from Purniah district to the Assam valley. They are akin to the Indo-Chinese races of the north-east frontier; but they have now become largely Hinduized, especially in their own home, where the appellation “Koch” has come to be used as a term of reproach. Kuch Behar town, which contains the palace of the rájá, and has 7132 inhabitants, is the only populous place in the state. Even villages, in the ordinary sense of the word, are unknown, each well-to-do family living apart in its own homestead. Rice is grown on three-fourths of the total cultivated area. Jute and tobacco are largely grown for exportation over an increasing area year by year. The only special industries are the weaving of a strong silk from worms fed on the castor-oil plant, and of a coarse jute cloth, used for screens and bedding. The external trade is chiefly in the hands of Márwarí immigrants from Upper India. The chief exports are jute, tobacco, oil, timber; salt, sugar, and piece goods are imported. The net revenue in 1870–71 amounted to £112,093, of which £25,719 was derived from zamíndárí estates in British territory. The climate is damp and malarious, but not so hot as in other parts of Bengal. The average annual rainfall is 123 inches.

As in the case of many other small native states, the royal family of Kuch Behar lays claim to a divine origin in order to conceal an impure aboriginal descent. The greatest monarch of the dynasty was Nar Náráyan, the son of Visu Sinh, who began to reign about 1550. He conquered the whole of Kámrúp, built temples in Assam, of which ruins still exist bearing inscriptions with his name, and extended his power southwards over what is now part of the British districts of Rangpur and Purniah. To his reign also is attributed the introduction of the well-known Náráyaní currency, the privilege of coining which has not yet been entirely abolished. His son, Lakshmí Náráyan, who succeeded him in Kuch Behar, became tributary to the Mughal empire. In 1772 a competitor for the throne, having been driven out of the country by his rivals, applied for assistance to Warren Hastings. A detachment of sepoys was accordingly marched into the state; the Bhutiás, whose interference had led to this intervention, were expelled, and forced to sue for peace through the mediation of the lama of Tibet. By the treaty made on this occasion, April 1773, the rájá acknowledged subjection to the Company, and made over to it one half of his annual revenues. But, though the Bhutiás were driven out, the rivalry of domestic faction continued. In 1863, on the death of the rájá, leaving a son and heir only ten months old, a British commissioner was appointed to undertake the direct management of affairs during the minority of the prince, and many important reforms have thus been successfully introduced.