Chandradwip or Chandradvipa is a small region in Barisal District, Bangladesh. It was the ancient and medieval name of Barishal.
The history of Chandradwip goes back to the Pre-Pala Period.
Chandradwip was successively ruled by the Mauryas, Guptas and the Palas. Towards the end of the 10th century A.D., the Chandra Dynasty gave this region a "distinct political identity".
The prosperity of this kingdom reached its zenith during the time of Kandarpanarayan Rai. Many Chinese and European travelers left interesting accounts about this kingdom. The earliest Chinese accounts describe this region as "a famous place for the worship of the Hindu-Buddha-Tantric deity Tara". The Temple of Tara was situated near the seashore. It was visible from the sea. According to Banglapedia, Chandragomin, the sixth-century grammarian, is assumed to have written his hymns on Tara here. In a manuscript of 1015 A.D., the Tara-Temple was mentioned.[1]
The Chandras were succeeded by the Deva Dynasty. After a brief period of confusion, the Deva Dynasty occupied this region and established their capital at Kachua. They were followed by the Basu and Mitra Mazumdar families. Until the 18th century A.D., the Hindu rulers of Chandradwip were independent.[2] After that this kingdom became a zamindari, while the greater part of Chandradwip was named Bakerganj. The Chandradwip zamindari was auctioned off after the Permanent Settlement came into force in 1793.
Raja Ramchandra Basu's successor, Kirtinarayan Basu, notably converted to Sunni Islam and founded the Baklai dynasty of Keora.
During the Mughal Period, this region came to be known as Bakla-Chandradwip.
Rabindranath Tagore wrote Bou Thakuranir Haath, a book about the Basu Maharani of Chandradwip which was later filmed as Bou Thakuranir Haat.