from around the 7th century ad till around the advent of british rule, for around a millennium, history of bankura district is identical with the rise and fall of the hindu rajas of bishnupur. the bishnupur rajas, who were at the summit of their fortunes towards the end of the 17th century, started declining in the first half of the 18th century. first, the maharaja of burdwan seized the fatehpur mahal, and then the maratha invasions laid waste their country.