The Pen and the Crown: The Practice of English Literature in the Royal Court of Cooch Behar

Authors

  • Dr. Joylal Das

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.24113/smji.v14i7.11862

Keywords:

Princely State, Cultural Imperialism, Post Colonialism, Patriarchy, Feminism, Indigenous,

Abstract

The wave of writing in English reached the state of Cooch Behar when British modernity and cultural imperialism touched this princely state. Westernization started in Cooch Behar with the introduction of British Commissioner in the state in 1789. Education was the most important area in which the company intervened and dominated in Cooch Behar. Despite the Maharani's opposition, Narendra Narayan was sent to Krishnanagar and admitted to the college in 1853. The royal members of Cooch Behar educated in English education, and enlightened by European thought accelerated the Indian renaissance with new enthusiasm. It is against this backdrop that they started writing literature and other writings in English. When discussing the English literary practice of Cooch Behar, the names that come in the forefront is Suniti Devi, Nripendra Narayan, Gayatri Devi and so on.

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Author Biography

Dr. Joylal Das

Assistant Professor

Department of English

Alipurduar University

Tamil Nadu, India

References

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Ghose, Moonshi Jadunath. The Rajopakhyan Or History of Kooch Behar. Translated by R. Robinson, C. B. Lewis, 1874. Internet Archive, archive.org/details/dli.bengal.10689.18280

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Narayana, Nripendra. Thirty-Seven Years of Big Game Shooting in Cooch Behar, the Duars, and Assam: A Rough Diary. Bombay: The Times Press, 1908. Print.

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Sarkar, Subir. “Maharajas of Cooch Behar on Hunting Map of India.” Anandabazar Online. 11 Dec. 2018. Web. 19 June 2023.

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Published

27-07-2026

How to Cite

Das, D. J. (2026). The Pen and the Crown: The Practice of English Literature in the Royal Court of Cooch Behar. SMART MOVES JOURNAL IJELLH, 14(7), 287–307. https://doi.org/10.24113/smji.v14i7.11862

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