Koch Bihar

historical state, India

Also known as: Cooch Behar

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June 24, 2026

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Koch Bihar was a historical state in India, established in the 16th century by a Koch chief. The Koch people, now often calling themselves Rajbanshi, are an ethnic group dispersed across parts of India and Bangladesh. While their original language is Tibeto-Burman, many now speak Bengali or other Indo-Aryan languages. They primarily follow Hindu customs, though their claim to high caste status is not universally accepted. The state of Koch Bihar was later invaded by the Bhutanese in 1772, leading to its subjection to the East India Company.1

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Koch
…chief established the state of Koch Bihar, and they now call themselves Rajbanshi (“Of Royal Blood”), resent being called by the old tribal name, and follow Hindu customs. But their claim to the high status of the Kshatriya class of Hindus is not generally admitted, and many of the endogamous…
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…chief established the state of Koch Bihar, and they now call themselves Rajbanshi (“Of Royal Blood”), resent being called by the old tribal name, and follow Hindu customs. But their claim to the high status of the Kshatriya class of Hindus is not generally admitted, and many of the endogamous…
Read More