THE RISE DECLINE & REVIVAL OF BUDDHISM IN BENGAL BY DIPEN BARUA - 2026

Certain communities in Bengal, such as the Baul, Rajbongshi, Nath, Vratya, and Harijan, are considered to be concealed Buddhists who have retained various Buddhist customs and beliefs, albeit in transformed and obscured forms due to the pressures of Brahmanical assimilation during the Sena dynasty. While many believe that Buddhism disappeared from India by the 8th or 13th century, Buddhists were not entirely uprooted from the region. Ethnic groups such as the Barua and Chakma in the Chittagong Division of Bangladesh have continued to practise traditional Buddhist customs, and the regions of Chittagong and southern Arakan State are recognised as areas where Buddhism has survived as a living tradition. Read the full article at the link in comments