University Library, University of North Bengal

The areas of historical research are ever on the expansion mode and historical inquiries are at present always widening propelled by 'globalization' and advanced by 'information technology'. In fact, now a day anybody may do historical research on any aspect of human society at any period of time. This is likely to echo the forecast ofArnold J. Toynbee whose Civilization on Trial lifted the historian's horizon from the nation, the state and the civilization to the entirety ofhuman history. This seems to be a kind ofprophetic forecast about historical research and a befitting reply to those who consider history as nothing but a 'telephonic directory'. Because the 'truth' (but not 'absolute truth') behind history is that 'we cannot learn anything from history by merely initiating it or repeating it but by prying behind it and trying to discover the forces that move it'. It is, therefore, time to get to work and the work done by the historians, which in Reiner's phrase is 'the story of civilized human society down to the present day'. With this perception of the growth of history as a discipline many of our colleagues and friends are engaged in pursuing historical research and the production of this journal titled Karatoya (North Bengal Journal ofHistory) is out of such initiatives. The present volume contains articles on various aspects ofhistory. In particular, most ofthe articles are designed on the studies of social, cultural, political and economic aspects based on both primary and secondary sources. The views expressed in those articles are, however, the views of the authors themselves and are in no way of the editorial board.

In the process of publication of this volume, I am obliged to offer my thanks first to the authors who had responded readily and contributed papers as per their specialization. It is also my privilege to express gratitude to each and every member of the faculty and especially to Mr. Sudash Lama, the Associate Editor of this volume. My heartiest thanks are due to Ranjan and Moksed, once our students of the Department, who spent many of their valuable hours for compiling the articles and also to assist me in deferent occasions while I had to complete the editorial process. I wish them every success in their life. I am also to extend my thanks to the University Authority for their kind financial assistance towards the publication of the journal. Last but not the least, in terms of importance, is my duty to thank the Registrar, University ofNorth Bengal and the university press for undertaking the responsibility to bring the journal in the present form.

Ichhimuddin Sarkar
Department of History
University of North Bengal