BENGAL  THAT   WAS   ( 17 Th  CENTURY)
    As  written  by   Francis  Bernier ( 1620  -  1688)
  Travel  in the  Mughal  Empire( 1656-68);  Translated  by  A  Constable .
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"  .....inclines  me  to  believe  that  the  pre-eminence  ascribed  to  Egypt  is  rather  due to   Bengale.
The  latter  country  produces  rice  in  such  abundance  that  it  supplies  not  only  the  neighboring  but  remote  states.  It  is  carried  up  the  Ganges as far  up as  Patna  and  exported  by  sea  to  Maslipatam .

It  is  also  sent  to  foreign  kingdoms, principally to the  Island  of  Ceylon and  Maldives.
 Bengal  abounds , likewise in  sugar with  which  it  supplies  to  kingdoms  of  Golkonda  and  the  Karnatic.

For  a single  roupie  20  or  more  good  fowls  may  be   bought ---- and  pigs  are obtained  at  so  low  a  price  that  the  Potugese  settled  in  the  country. ........

In  a  word , Bengale   abounds  with  every  necessary   of  life  and  it  is  this  abundance  that  has   induced  so  many  Portugese , half -caste, and  other  Christians ,  driven  from  their  different  settlements   by  the  Dutch  to  seek  an   asylum  in this  fertile   kingdom............................................................
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Bengale  has  a  hundred  gates  open   for   entrance  but  not  one  for  departure ..
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From  " A  BOOK  OF   INDIA"  by  B . N .Pandey;  Published  by  Rupa  & Co,  15  Bankim  Chatterjee  Street, Cakcutta , - 700 073 (and  also  from Allahabad - 001, Bombay-004 and N. Delhi -002.)
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NOW    PASHCHIM  BANGA   THAT   IS   NOW  ( 2012 - 13 ).
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 Here  as  a   ' half  resident '  ,  I  am   not  competent  enough  to  write even  my  own  opinion.
 So,  let   some   one  from  the  previous  United Front  party , who  ruled  for  34   years   and  one  from  TMC   Party , the   present  Ruler    tell  the   tale  of   MODERN    PASHCHIM   BANGA   for    better  knowledge    for  all people    here .
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Submited  by  Dr. P. Basu  M.D ;  Legendary  poet , Poetry .com , USA;  also  Winner  of  BEST  POEMS  2012  AWARD   from  World  Poetry Movement, Utah , USA.
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