under Nara Narayan During the reign of Nara Narayan, varnasrama or fourfold caste system was introduced in Koch Behar by a Brahmin priest named Siddhantavagisa. This event was followed by the advent of Srimanta Sankardeva, along with his two disciples Madhavdeva and Damodardev in the mid 16th-century which accelerated the sankritisation of Koch royal family from their tribal belief system. However, the introduction of this new religion and varna system came in direct conflict with the old tribal belief system of the Koch, Mech and Kachari people of the Koch-Kamata kingdom. This led to Naranarayan issue an official order to recognise the religious practices of the different groups residing in the area. Division of the kingdom In 1581 Raghu Deva, the son of his brother Shukladhvaj became the de facto ruler of the eastern part of his kingdom Koch Hajo, though under suzerainty of his uncle. After the death of Nara Narayan, he declared his independence. Nara Narayan's son Lakshmi Narayan succeeded him after his death, but only inherited the western part of his kingdom Koch Bihar. On 23 December 1596 Man Singh I married Nara Narayan's daughter Kshamadevi. Nara Narayan was a noted patron of literature. Apart from Sankardeva, a galaxy of saints and scholars freely studied art, culture and literature at Coochbehar making it a centre of Vaishnavite learning and teaching. For the housewives, Madhavdeva wrote Janma Rahashya following the request of Kamalapriya, the wife of Chilarai. Chilarai, younger brother of Nara Narayan requested Ram Saraswati to translate the verses from the Mahabharata. He also encouraged asked Sridhar to write Jyotish Sastra. Notes References . People from Assam Hindu monarchs 16th-century Indian people