COOCH BEHAR or KUCH BEHAR, a state of India, in Bengal, consisting of a submontane tract entirely surrounded by British territory. Area, 1318 square miles. Pop. (1921) 592,489; estimated revenue 3,867,000 rupees. The state forms a level plain of triangular shape, intersected by numerous rivers. The greater portion is fertile and well cultivated, but tracts of jungle are to be seen in the north-east corner, which abuts upon Assam. The rivers, of which the most important are the Tista and San kosh, all pass through the state from north to south, to join the main stream of the Brahmaputra. Rice is grown on three-fourths of the cultivated area. Jute and tobacco are also largely grown for export. The State is connected with the Eastern Bengal State railway by the Cooch Behar State railway.
The Koch or Rajbansi, from whom the name of the state is derived, were a widely spread tribe akin to the Indo-Chinese races of the north-east frontier, and were the masters of north-eastern Bengal and Lower Assam till they were overcome by the Moham medans and Ahoms. They have now become largely Hinduized, especially in their own home, where the appellation "Koch" has come to be a term of reproach.
Cooch Behar at the dawn of its history formed part of Kamarupa. In the 5th century it was held by Khen kings, and early in the next century became the centre of the kingdom of the Koch king Biswa Singh. The greatest monarch of the dynasty was Nar Narayan, the son of Biswa Singh, who extended his power over a large part of Assam and southwards over what is now part of the British district of Rangpur. His son became tributary to the Mogul empire. In 1772 the country was invaded by the Bhutanese and an appeal for assistance was made to War ren Hastings. A detachment of sepoys drove out the Bhutanese who were forced to sue for peace through the mediation of the Tashi Lama of Tibet. By the resulting treaty the raja acknowl edged subjection to the East India Company, and made over to it one-half of his annual revenues. The administration of the State is at present under a regent, H.H. the Maharani of Cooch Behar, on behalf of her son, H.H. Jagaddipendra Narayan Bhup Bahadur, who succeeded at the age of seven in 1922. There is a regency council, the vice-president of which is an officer lent by the British Government. The governor of Bengal acts as the agent of the governor general for the purpose of superintending the administration.
The town of Cooch Behar is situated on the river Torsa, and has a railway station. Pop. (1921) 11,46i. It contains a college affiliated to the Calcutta university.