Etymology of Cooch Behar - Possible Causes

Possible Causes

• The word Cooch Behar means the area where Koch people move about or stay.
• The word may have been given for the area where Kochkumari and Mahadev moved about.
• To distinguish from the Mughal occupied province of ‘Bihar’.
• From the Bengali word ‘Krore’ to ‘Koch’. In the fear of Parshuram the Khatriyas took shelter in the ‘Krore’ or ‘Koch’ of Bhagabati.
• From the Bengali word ‘sankoch’ or fear to koch. To bring out the fearing condition of the Khatriyas from Parashuram.
• Many people say that due to the situation on the bank of the Sankosh River it had turn from ‘kosh’ to ‘koch’.
• From ‘Kochk’ to ‘Kock’. In Dhruvananda Mishra’s Kulkarika, the residents of ‘Kochok’ have been named ‘Koch’..
• The Buddhist monasteries are called ‘Bihar’. It is estimation that there was an influence of Buddhism in the area.
• Many Kings of Koch Bihar have been name ‘Bihareshwar’.
• In the Tantra Books the name of Cooch Behar is ’Kochbadhupur’. It is told that this area is a favorite area of Mahadev to roam about or bihar.
• According to Buknan the name may have come from the Kush grass.