Keywords
Brahmanical
Pilgrimage
Port
Religious
River
Trade
How to Cite
Abstract
From antiquity, Tribeni in the Hooghly district has been revered as a significant pilgrimage site, frequently mentioned in literary accounts. Yet historians have long regarded the adjoining Saptagram primarily as a medieval river-port that flourished after the establishment of Islamic rule in Bengal. Thus, despite their geographical proximity, the two settlements appear to have had contrasting characters. But how accurate is this perception? Did such distinctions exist even in the early historical and early medieval periods, or did they emerge only in later times? To address these questions, a careful examination of the nature and context of Tribeni–Saptagram and their surrounding region during the early historical and early medieval phases becomes essential—an inquiry that forms the central focus of this essay. In pursuing the history of the subject, reliance has been placed on various literary sources, archaeological remains unearthed from Tribeni–Saptagram and its environs, as well as insights from foundational texts and scholarly interpretations.
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