The Kamboja-Pala dynasty ruled parts of Bengal in the 10th to 11th centuries CE, after invading the Pala Empire during the reign of Gopala III. The last Kamboja-Pala ruler Dharmapala was defeated by the south Indian emperor Rajendra I of the Chola dynasty in the 11th century.Ancient Indian History and Civilization by Sailendra Nath Sen p.281The Cambridge Shorter History of India p.145West Bengal District Gazetteers: Nadīa p.63

Origins

The dynasty came into power in the 10th century, conquering north-west Bengal. Previously it was believed that it was a result of large-scale invasion by northwestern Kambojas, but R. C. Majumdar rejects this theory after citing the Irda copper plate grant, and states that, "The theory of a Kamboja invasion is not supported by any positive evidence, and appears to be highly improbable."RC Majumdar, History of Bengal, Dacca, 1943, pp 133–134 He further says that nothing is known about its origins with certainty, although he suggests that the founder of the dynasty, Rajyapala may have been same as Rajyapala, the Pala emperor, Kamboja being his maternal lineage.RC Majumdar, History of Bengal, Dacca, 1943, pp. 190–191. He further mentions other speculations that Tibetan sources name an eastern tract lying between Bengal and Burma as Kam-po-tsa and this dynasty might have come from there, that it might have arrived from Cambodia, or might be related to the Kambojas of northwest. The dynasty might have declared their independence from the Pala rule, due to it being weakened by the invasions of the Kamarupa king Ratna Pala and the Chandela ruler Yashovarman.History and Culture of Indian People, Age of Imperial Kanauj, p 85, Dr A. D. Pusalkar, Dr R. C. Majumdar

Sources There are several ancient inscriptions which attest Kamboja rule in Bengal. The most important sources are:

Dinajpore Pillar Inscription The Dinajpur Pillar Inscription records to a Kamboja king called the Kambojanvaya Gaudapati (i.e. lord of Gauda). The Pillar Inscription was originally established in a Śiva temple that was built by the king but removed to Bangar, about 40 miles east of Gauda, during the period of Muslim rule. During the 18th century, the Pillar was further moved to Dinajpore by maharaja Ram Nath and as a result, the inscription came to be known as Dinajpore Pillar Inscription.Ancient Kamboja, People and the Country, 1981, p 3-4, K. S. Dardi The Dinajpore Pillar Inscription dates to the second half of the 10th century.History and Culture of Indian People, The Age of Imperial Kanauj, p 54, 1964, Dr. R. C. Majumdar and Dr A. D. Pusalkar

Irda Copper Plate (Tamrapatra) The Irda Copper plate (Irda Tamarapatra) is another source on the Kamboja-Pala dynasty and was discovered in 1931.Epigraphia Indica, XXII, 1933–34, pp 150–158, Dr N. G. Majumdar It is written in Sanskrit and has 49 lines of text in ancient Bengali script. The Vamsa or the tribal identity of the rulers mentioned in the Irda Copper Plate is specifically stated to be Kamboja-Vamsha-Tilaka (i.e. Ornament of the Kamboja family or Glory of the Kamboja tribe). Like the Dinajpore Pillar Inscriptions, the Irda Copper plate is also thought to belong to the second half of tenth century. Hence the academic community believes that the Kambojanvaya Gaudapati of Dinajpore Pillar Inscriptions and the Kambojavamshatilaka Paramasaugata Maharajadhiraja parameshvara paramabhattaraka Rajyapala of Kamboja-Pala dynasty of Irda Copper Plate Inscriptions refers to the same Kamboja family. But whereas the Dinajpur Pillar inscriptions refer just to one Kamboja ruler with the appellation of "Kambojanvaya Gaudapati", the Irda Copper plate, mentions generation after generation of the Kamboja-Pala kings of Bengal i.e. Rajyapala, Narayanapala and Nayapala etc. The Kamboja-Pala kings of the Irda Copper plate had ruled north-west Bengal in the tenth or eleventh century.Ancient Kamboja, People and the Country, 1981, p 315, Dr J. L Kamboj; Ancient India, 1956, p 382–83, Dr R. K. Mukerjee, The Kambojas Through the Ages, 2005, p 208–210, S Kirpal Singh

Bangar Grant of Mahipala I Bangar CharterInscription No 5 of Mahipala I is the third very important ancient source of Kamboja rule in Bengal. The charter asserts that Mahipala had re-conquered nearly the whole of north and east Bengal "after defeating the usurpers who had seized his ancestral kingdom".hataskalavipashah sangre bahudarppad anudhikrit vilupatan rayamasadhya pitram nihitcharanpadamo bhubhutan murdhin tasmad abhavadvanipalah shrimahipaladehah || 11 || (verse 11, Inscription No 5) The same verse has been repeated in the Aamgaachhi Charter of Vigrahapala-3. But who were the usurpers the inscription does not tell, but other evidences indicate that the rulers belonging to the Kamboja family were in possession of the north and west Bengal.History and Culture of Indian People, The Age of Imperial Kanauj, p 55, Dr A. D. Pusalkar, Dr R. C. Majumdar; The struggle for Empire, p 24, Dr A. D. Pusalkar, Dr R. C. Majumdar Scholars believe that Mahipala's Charter alludes to the seizing of the northern parts of Bengal by Kamboja dynasty from the Gopala II or Vigrahapala II of the Pala dynasty, which the great king Mahipala I claims to have won back by the force of his armsSee: Candellas of Jejakbhukti, 2003, p 48, R.K. Dikshit; Ancient India, 2003, p 651, Dr V. D. Mahajan; History of Bengal, I, 133; Dr R. C. Majumdar, The Dynastic History of Northern India, II, 676, Dr H. C. Ray; Some Historical Aspects of the Inscriptions of Bengal, p 399, Dr B. C. Sen; Ancient Kamboja, People and the Country, 1981, p 312, Dr J. L. Kamboj; Bengal: Past and Present, P 77, by Calcutta Historical Society.

Extent No definite information is available on the precise geographical area of the Kamboja-Pala kingdom of Bengal. According to Irda Copper plate evidence, the Kamboja-Pala kingdom definitely comprised Varadhmana-Bhukti Mandala (modern Burdman division) and Dandabhukti Mandala within the Kamboja empire. The Dandabhukti division is believed to have comprised southern and south-western parts of Midnapore district as well as the lower parts of river Suvaranrekha in district Balasore. Evidence from Dinajpore Pillar Inscription attests that the Gauda country also formed parts of Kamboja-Pala kingdom. But as long as we do not include northern Ladha (Radha or W. Bengal) in Kamboja-Pala empire, the region does not constitute one viable political entity. Hence it appears likely that northern parts of Radha may also formed parts of Kamboja-Pala kingdom. Dr R. C. Majumdar says that Gauda and Radha both formed parts of Kamboja-Pala empire.History of Ancient Bengal, 1971, p 127, Dr Ramesh Chandra Majumdar – Bengal (India). The Kamboja power in Bengal received a severe jolt from the invasions of the Chandella king Dhanga & the Chandra king of East Bengal Kalyanachandra.Ancient Kamboja, People and the Country, 1981, p 315, Dr J. L. Kamboj This political scenario enabled the Pala king Mahipala I to re-conquer Gauda from the Kambojas. Ancient India, 2003, p 651, Dr V. D. Mahajan The last king of the Kambojas was Dharamapala who continued to rule Dandabhukti in the first quarter of the 11th century.Ancient Kamboja, People and the Country, 1981, p 315–16, Dr J. L. Kamboj; Decline of the Kingdom of Magadha, p 413, B. P. Sinha; Some Historical Aspects of the Inscriptions of Bengal, p 379–80, B. C. Sen etc The Kamboja ruler Dharamapala of Dandabhukti was defeated by the south Indian Emperor Rajendra Chola I who invaded Bengal and Bihar in the 11th century.Ancient Indian History and Civilization von Sailendra Nath Sen p.281 The Capital of the Kamboja Pala kingdom is stated to be Priyangu which has not been identified yet,Journal of the Asiatic Society of Bengal, VII, 619; History and Culture of Indian People, The Age of Imperial Kanauj, p 54, 1964, Dr. R. C. Majumdar and Dr A. D. Pusalkar though some scholars tend to identify the same with an old village known as Pingvani located in Garbeta Thana.Epigraphia Indiaca, Vol XXIV, p 46, Dr J. C. Ghosh; quoted by Dr J. L. Kamboj in Ancient Kamboja, People and the Country. 1981, p 334.

Known kings We know the names of three Kamboja rulers of the Kamboja Pala family for sure viz. Rajyapala, Narayanapala and Nayapala. The Charter (Copper Plate Inscription) was issued by Kamboja king Nayapala wherein he and his father are given the imperial titles like Parameshevara, Paramabhattacharya and Maharajadhiraja. The Copper Plate Inscription also attests that the founder of the Kamboja Pala dynasty was king Rajyapala. He has been referred to as Kambojavamshatilaka Paramasaugata Maharajadhiraja parameshvara paramabhattAraka-Rajyapala. This proves that this line of kings belonged to the Kamboja lineage. The second king is Narayanapala who was son of Rajayapala. Narayanapala was succeeded by his younger brother Nayapala, the author of the Irda Copper plate. Dr R. C. Majumdar states that the expression Kunjarghatavarshan of the Dinajpore Pillar Inscription indicates that Kunjarghatavarshan was personal name of Kambojanvaya Gaudapati of the Dinajpore Pillar Inscription. If this is so, then this Kambojanvaya Gaudapati is the fourth known Kamboja king of Kamboja dynasty of Bengal. Some scholars however believe that the Kambojanvaya Gaudapati of the Dinajpore Pillar Inscriptions is same as Kambojavamshatilaka Rajyapala of the Irda Copper plate. This does not seem to be true since Rajyapala of the Irda Copper plate is described as devotee of Buddha (Parama-saugata) whereas Kambojanvaya Gaudapati of Dinajpore Pillar Inscriptions claims in his own inscription to be a Siva devotee. It may however be possible that Kambojanvaya Gaudapati is same as Kamboja king Nayapala of the Irda Copper plate since king Nayapala also claims to be a Saivite (Siva devotee) in the Irda Copper plate. The last known ruler of the Kamboja Pala dynasty is stated to be king Dharmapala who ruled in Dandabhukti in first quarter of the 11th century.Some Historical Aspects of the Inscriptions of Bengal: Pre-Muhammadan Epochs, 1942, p 380, 383, Dr Benoychandra Sen – Bengal (India); Journal of the Varendra Research Museum, Vol.1–4 1972-1975/1976, p 109, Varendra Research Museum – Bangladesh; Ancient Kamboja, People and the Country, 1981, pp 318, 316 etc; History and Culture of Indian People, The Age of Imperial Kanauj, p 54, 1964, Dr. R. C. Majumdar and Dr A. D. Pusalkar; Decline of the Kingdom of Magadha, p 413, B. P. Sinha; Some Historical Aspects of the Inscriptions of Bengal, p 379–80, B. C. Sen

Religion