Legacy of Maharani Sunity Devi:

A Vanguard of Progress and Social Reformation in and outside the Princely State of Cooch Behar

Abstract

The nineteenth century is very much exceptional in the history of world as well as in India. It is the century when industrialization gathered momentum and when more powerful nations of the West established colonies for themselves in Asia and Africa.  On the other hand, the Nineteenth century was in many ways also the age of women. The struggle for women’s rights in every sphere began to take shape from this period.  In the nineteenth century things were changing in India too, especially in two provinces- Bengal and Maharashtra. In the history of Bengal, the nineteenth century is marked as a glorious chapter. The wave of renaissance touched almost every sphere of Bengali lives. The influence of this new spirit was amply manifested in various fields of the society such as education, religion, literature, politics and the like. The advancement of women’s education and the pressing campaign for the abolition of Sati were two basic objectives of the women’s movement in Bengal. This spirit of movement also touched the Princely State of Cooch Behar through Sunity Devi, the Maharani of the State and the daughter of Keshab Chandra Sen, celebrated Brahmo reformer of Bengal. Born and brought up in the midst of a Brahmo Family and society, her early age was marked by privilege and progressive thinking. Overall she is very liberal, but sometimes she became conservative. By heart she was an activist for womenfolk. An attempt has been made in this paper to explore the role of Sunity Devi in carrying out different types of reform programmes for women in the Princely State of Cooch Behar and how much she was instrumental in the struggle for women’s rights in every sphere, both in and outside the Cooch Behar State.