Pre-colonial Duars as Indo-Bhutan borderland: Towards a historical reconstruction
Abstract
Drawing upon official and local Indian sources, translations of Bhutanese sources, colonial records, oral history reports and field reports, this article aims to outline a connected history of a frontier region called Duars, and its role as Indo-Bhutan borderland during the pre-colonial period. The article highlights the need to rethink and interrogate how human history has been conventionally written by opening up the possibility of engaging with sacred/divine periods in the regional historical narratives and oral accounts that throws light on the nature and evolution of political and social formations of an ecoregion such as Duars.
Fields of Study & Subjects
Indigenous Cultures and History
South Asian Studies and Conflicts
Indian and Buddhist Studies
Publication details
- Journal / source
- The Indian Economic & Social History Review
- Volume
- 63
- Issue
- 1
- Pages
- 55–75
- Publication date
- 28 January 2026
- Language
- EN