Raja Kangsanarayan of Taherpur is popularly credited with staging the first grand, royal autumn Durga Puja in Bengal. Under him, a worship that had mostly been a private household ritual became a lavish public celebration. His name remains central to the festival’s origin story, especially in Rajshahi, which lies in present-day Bangladesh.
Who Was Kangsanarayan?
Kangsanarayan Roy Bahadur was a powerful landlord, or zamindar, of Taherpur, also spelled Tahirpur. The area lies in Bagmara Upazila of Rajshahi district. According to tradition, he was a prominent figure in the Mughal era. Some accounts say he served as Diwan, or chief revenue officer, of Bengal and Bihar under Emperor Akbar, and later retired to religious and charity work.
The Legendary First Puja
The best-known story says Kangsanarayan asked scholars for guidance, including a learned priest named Ramesh Shastri. They advised him to perform Durga Puja. He then organised an exceptionally grand autumn celebration at Taherpur, reportedly spending about nine lakh rupees. In those days, that was an enormous sum.
The puja is said to have taken place in the Bengali month of Ashwin, in the Bengali year 887. The matching English-calendar year is disputed. Some sources say 1480 Common Era (CE), while others place it in 1582 or 1606 CE. Because the dates differ so widely, it is wise to present any single year as tradition rather than proven fact.
Why His Puja Mattered
Kangsanarayan’s celebration is remembered less as the first time Durga was ever worshipped in Bengal and more as the first grand, royal autumn festival of its kind. Its size and public character are believed to have inspired other kings and zamindars to sponsor similar festivals. Over time, this helped build the community-centred Durga Puja that is now at the heart of Bengali culture.
The Temple at Taherpur
A temple linked to the raja, often called Raja Kangsanarayan’s temple, stands near his former estate in Taherpur. It is traditionally placed on the eastern bank of the Barnai river, at Ramrama village. For many devotees and visitors, it remains a living reminder of the festival’s royal beginnings.
What Historians Say
Scholars do not treat the “first Durga Puja” claim as settled. Other traditions give the credit to Bhavananda Mazumdar of Nadia, and some accounts also mention Lakshmikanta Majumdar. Dates and names differ across old chronicles and local memory, so no single version can be called final.
What can be said with more confidence is that Kangsanarayan became one of the earliest and most famous patrons of Bengal’s elaborate autumn Durga Puja. His Taherpur celebration is remembered as a turning point that helped the festival grow into a grand public institution.
Final Thoughts
The story of Raja Kangsanarayan shows how a festival can move from a family rite to a shared celebration of a whole region. Even with the debate over dates and firsts, his place in the memory of Durga Puja is secure. Each autumn, as Rajshahi and the wider Bengal region prepare for the festival, his name is still spoken with respect.
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