India/Bangladesh: Jatamukuta Lokesvara, Pala Dynasty, Bengal, c. 11th-12th century CE. Photo by Jen (CC BY-SA 3.0 License). The Pāla Empire, one of the major middle kingdoms of India, existed from 750-1174 CE. It was ruled by a Buddhist dynasty from Bengal in the eastern region of the Indian subcontinent, all the rulers bearing names ending with the suffix Pala (Modern Bengali: পাল pāl), which means protector. The Palas were often described by opponents as the Lords of Gauda. The Palas were followers of the Mahayana and Tantric schools of Buddhism. Gopala was the first ruler from the dynasty.