Varendra (or Barind) was a region of Bengal, now in Bangladesh. It included the Pundravardhana or Pundra Kingdom region. According to Cunningham the boundary of Varendra was the Ganges and the Mahananda on the west, the Karatoya on the east, the Padma on the south, and the land between Koochbihar and the Terai on the north. The Varendra Brahmins originated from this region. The settlement of Varendra, spoken as Janakabhu (fatherland), was one of the most flourishing territories of the ancient Indian sub-continent. Literary and epigraphic evidence show that a separate school of artisans earned wide reputation here during the reign of Pala dynasty and the streams of art making were uninterrupted until the Sena dynasty. Some of the leading and enlightened citizens of Rajshahi felt the need for establishing an institution that would explore the past of this region. Hence, 'The Varendra Research Society' was established in 1910. The founder of the society,
Sarat Kumar Ray, the scion of the Dighapatiya royal family accompanied by Aksaya Kumar Maitreya, a leading lawyer and renowned historian;
Ramaprasad Chanda, a reputed scholar in history, art and archaeology; and others explored archaeological and historical artefacts excavated in villages of Rajshahi. Kumar believed that if a centre of archaeological research was to be established at Rajshahi, the finds should be preserved there as the nucleus of a local museum. Accordingly, to collect, preserve, study and research the history and culture of ancient and medieval Bengal in general, and of Varendra region in particular, the three individuals mentioned above strived to establish a museum. The Varendra Research Society and Museum was set up at Rajshahi in 1910. The role of the society concerning the museum was that of proprietor and caretaker. However, this was formally inaugurated on 27 September 1910 and was registered in 1914 in accordance with the Indian Society Act, 1860. Varendra Museum was the first museum to be established in erstwhile
East Bengal in 1910. It started as the collection for
Varendra Anushandhan Samiti or
Varendra Investigation Society and got its current name in 1919. The
Rajahs of Rajshahi and
Natore (notably
Prince Sharat Kumar Ray) donated their personal collections to Varendra Museum.
Varendra refers to an ancient
Janapada roughly corresponding to modern northern Bangladesh. Excavation at
Sompur Bihara was started by the society along with the
University of Calcutta in 1923. In 1964, the museum became a part of
Rajshahi University. == Activity ==