Bardhaman Raj
Encyclopedia
The Bardhaman Raj was a zamindar
i estate that flourished from about 1657 to 1955, first under the Mughals and then under the British in the province of Bengal in India. At the peak of its prosperity in the eighteenth century, the estate extended to around 5000 square miles (12,949.9 km²) of territory and even up to the early twentieth century paid an annual revenue to the government in excess of 3,300,000 rupee
s.
The estate was established and owned continuously by the Kapoor family, which had its origins in the Punjab
. Its earliest known ancestor, Sangam Rai, is said to have migrated to Bengal and settled at Bardhaman in the sixteenth century. Bardhaman was never an independent territory since the chiefs of the family held it basically as the revenue collectors or zamindar
s of the Mughal governors of Bengal. Later, in British times after Lord Cornwallis
's Permanent Settlement
of 1793, the zamindars changed their status from revenue collectors to owners of the land they collected revenue from. Although its owners were both rich and powerful, with the chiefs of the family holding the title of Maharaja, the Bardhaman estate was not defined as a "Princely State
," with freedom to decide its future course of action at the time of Indian independence in 1947. (Cooch Behar
was the only princely state in Bengal and Tripura
was another on its border. There were several princely states in neighbouring Orissa, especially Mayurbhanj that had a presence in Kolkata
.)
In spite of its official status in the context of national history, it had a local importance and was respected as one of the forward looking feudal houses, who endeavoured to bring about an improvement in the conditions of its subjects. They patronised many poets, who had contributed substantially to the literature of the day. They were also great patrons of music. It had an army of its own and when the declining Mughals ceded their territory to the British, they even fought with the British. Later, when they made up with the British, they were entitled to their own coat of arms. After independence, they donated their palace, with a huge library of valuable books, for the formation of the University of Burdwan.
Their territory was centered on the Bardhaman district
, but extended beyond to eighteen more, to parts, for example, of what is now Bankura, Medinipur, Howrah, Hughli and Murshidabad districts. They hailed from as far away as Lahore
but identified themselves with the people of the lands they held and are considered to be benefactors of Bengali literature
and culture. While the Raj ended with the abolition of zemindaries in 1955, it passed into history. The eminent historians will keep their focus spread over the wide national scenario of a large country, Bardhaman Raj will evoke interest among numerous persons linked with this region and many others who would continue to be inquisitive about what happened in different regions of this country.
The highlights of each person of the Raj family are given below in chronological order. Normally, the son succeeded the father and when it was otherwise, it is specifically mentioned.
At that time, according to the historian Ramesh Chandra Majumdar: “Bengal was perhaps the most flourishing province in the whole of India… Almost every year a large number of Persians, Abyssinians, Arabs, Chinese, Turks, Moors, Jews, Georgians, Armenians, and merchants from some of the parts of Asia poured in Bengal.” Bardhaman
, then better known as Chakla or Chakla Bardhaman, was a particularly rich agricultural area.
Sangam Rai had set out on a pilgrimage and had reached Puri when the Afgan general Qutlu Khan Lehani, immortalised by Bankim Chandra Chaterjee in his novel Durgeshnandini, made his foray from Orissa into Bengal. He advanced up to Bardhaman but on his defeat there surrendered to the Mughals in 1584. Inspired by all the possibilities of wealth, Sangam Rai, made his way to Bardhaman and settled down at nearby Baikunthapur as a trader and moneylender. Baikunthapur is not there on the map of Bardhaman at present, but historians think that it was located 10 miles (16 km) north of Bardhaman.
had cast his eyes on her and sent Qutubuddin Koka to fight against Sher Afgan. Both were killed and lie buried at Pir Baharam in Bardhaman and Meherunissa was taken to the Mughal harem. She later emerged as Nur Jahan, the powerful empress.
Islam Khan, who succeeded Qutubuddin Koka as subdar shifted the Mughal capital of Sube Bangla from Rajmahal to Dhaka in 1612. It meant that the centre of power was shifted further away from Bardhaman.
followed Jahangir on the Mughal throne. Prince Suja was then subedar of Bengal. Ram Roy was zamindar of Chakla Bardhaman. The Mughal emperor despatched troops to quell a rebellion that had erupted in east Bengal. However, when the troops were around Bardhaman, it fell short of food supplies. Abu Rai, on receipt of information about shortage of food in the troop camp, voluntarily sent supplies. Ram Roy was stripped of his zamindari.
In 1657, the emperor, issued a firman, on the recommendation of Prince Suja, whereby in lieu of 532 sikkas, the responsibility for rent collection of three parganas of Rekabi Bazar, Mughaltuli and Ibrahimpur, as well as the Kotwali of Chakla Bardhaman, all under the Fouzdar of Sarifabad, was assigned to Abu Rai (1657–1665?). He was amply rewarded for his support to the Mughal emperor.
.
This place is now considered to be one of the most romantic place in Burdwan.
His son Jagatram Rai managed to escape but the victor moved forward to capture Bardhaman. Shova Singh had the ill-reputation of being a debauch and so, before he entered Bardhaman thirteen women of the Raj family committed suicide by taking poison, but the young and beautiful daughter of Krishnaram Rai, Satyabati, remained alive. When Shova Singh entered the palace and tried to take her in his embrace, she stabbed him to death and thereafter committed suicide.
For three years, chaos prevailed in the region till the Mughals re-established themselves in the area and put Jagatram Rai back in the seat of power. During the period, an Afghan rebel, Rahim Khan, had some control over the region. Later on, Prince Azim-ush-Shan, then dewan of Sube Bangla, extended his control over the area. He stayed back in Bardhaman for some time before returning to his capital at Dhaka.
During his reign, Bardhaman was hit by a serious drought. It was during this drought that Krishnaram Rai developed the Krishnasayer over a 30 acres (121,405.8 m²) land.
One interesting fall out of the period was that the purchase of the three villages of Kalikata
, Gobindapur and Sutanuti
by the East India Company from the Sabarna Roy Choudhury
, the zemindar of Barisha. The subedar of Sube Bangla is believed to have given his assent for the sale from Bardhaman, where he was engaged in suppressing the rebellious Afghans.
It was during his reign that Emperor Aurangzeb died in 1707, and the tussle for the throne took a bad turn. Murshid Quli Khan
virtually assumed independence as the Nawab of Bengal
and for the first time, the title of the Nawab also became hereditary. Prior to that, subedars of Sube Bangla were appointed on an individual basis by the Mughal emperor.
Kirtichand Rai extended his estates far and wide. At its height, it extended to around 5000 square miles (12,949.9 km²) and included many parts of what is now Bardhaman, Bankura, Medinipur, Howrah, Hughli and Murshidabad districts. After his victory against the king of Vishnupur, he constructed a victory gate, Baraduari (the outer gate), at Kanchannagar. It was a period when Vishnupur and Birbhum were virtually treated as independent kingdoms.
During his long reign, Kirtichand Rai constructed many temples and patronised many poets, who have written highly about him. His mother, Brajakishori, had a benign influence on him and he predeceased her.
s. Around 20,000-strong cavalry under the leadership of Bhaskar Pandit, attacked Bardhaman and other areas of Bengal and resorted to extensive looting. For sometime Chitrasen was forced out of his capital and even the Nawab, Aliverdy Khan, was unable to resist their onslaught. The fury of the Maratha attacks lessened, but did not cease, after Bhaskar Pandit was killed at Mankar in 1744.
conferred the title of ‘Raja Bahadur’ on Trilokchand Rai, and in 1753, he acquired the title of ‘Maharajadhiraj’ on the strength of a firman or notification of the Mughal emperor Ahmed Shah
. Subsequently, his descendants acquired the title through similar notifications.
In 1745, the Marathas once again attacked Bengal and Bihar, under the leadership of Raghuji Bhonsle of Nagpur
. Although he was defeated at Katwa
and thereafter returned to Nagpur, the Marathas continued with their hit-and-run attacks and looting, year after year, until they acquired some concessions from the Mughals.
These included:
Peace returned to the countryside which had been badly ravaged by the Marathas, but the Maratha attacks proved to be the forerunner of British rule in India. They dealt the last blow to the tottering Mughal empire.
In 1760, Mir Kassem, then Nawab of Sube Bangala ceded Bardhaman along with Medinipur and Chittagong to East India Company. This was three years after the Battle of Plassey
. Initially, the Maharajadhiraj of Bardhaman was inimical towards the British. With the attacks of the Marathas and other reasons, famine conditions prevailed in Bardhaman. The Maharajadhiraj was finding it difficult to collect rent from the cultivators. There were incidents of small skirmishes.
After the Battle of Buxar
in 1764, the great Mughals became pensioners of the East India Company. In 1765, the English acquired the diwani of Bengal, Bihar and Orissa from the Mughal Emperor Shah Alam II
. This led to formal peace with the British but sporadic troubles continued.
When Kashinath Kapoor of Lahore was on his way to Puri for a pilgrimage, Kamalkumari, his young daughter, charmed the Maharajadhiraj. She became his fifth wife. From then on, Kamalkumari’s brother, Paranchand Kapoor, played a key role in the affairs of Bardhaman Raj. Unfortunately, she did not bear any children. She and Paranchand plotted to remove Pratapchandra and ultimately succeeded. Tejendra adopted Chunilal Kapoor, the younger son of Paranchand. In the meantime, he had married for the seventh time and then married Basantakumari the 11-year old daughter of Paranchand. Five years later, in 1832, Tejendra died. The case of Jal (forged) Pratapchandra had kept Bardhaman anxious and enlivened for some time.
However, in spite of all his moral failings, which were common with the aristocracy in those days, Tejendra was a forward-looking person. He had set up the Bardhaman Raj School in his own compound around 1810. It formally moved to its own building in 1817. He appointed Englishmen for teaching English and as principals. For the Hindu College at Kolkata, he had donated a one-time sum. He also supported many Persian and Arabic Schools and Sanskrit toles. In other fields, also his contributions were many. As per family traditions, he also excavated large ponds. His mother, Bishankumari, constructed the 109 Shiva temples at Kalna and Nawab Hat during his reign.
When the Santhals organised the Hul rebellion
in 1855, and during the Sepoy Mutiny
of 1857, the Raj extended all support to the British and in return, they received support of the British. In 1862, the Maharaja secured formal permission to keep arms. In 1877, he was invited to attend the ceremony held in Delhi to announce the taking over of Queen Victoria as the Empress of India. At that time, he was allowed to keep 13 canons and use the title ‘His Highness’ before his name.
By the time Mahtabchand Bahadur assumed power, coal had been found in the district
(see Asansol for details). The leasing out of land for coalmining brought in substantial revenues for the Raj.
He spent some of the resources for the benefit of his tenants. He upgraded the Anglo vernacular school earlier established by Tejendra to a high English school, set up a girls’ school, and donated liberally to the Hindu school at Kalna. He spent liberally on development of education and welfare of pundits, maulavis and teachers, and in general could be termed a patron of western education in his estate. He set up a branch of the Brahmo Samaj
within the palace compound and was a great composer of devotional songs. One of the songs composed by him still finds a place in the Brahmasangeet of Sadharan Brahmo Samaj. He had great love for music and patronised it extensively.
In 1854, a Bengali translation of the Adikanda of the Ramayana in poetry form was published by the Raj. Bipradas Tarkabagish and Uma Kanta Bhattacharya translated it. Subsequently, other parts of Ramayana were translated and published in stages. It was during his period that a Bengali translation of Mahabharata was initiated. A collection of songs of the poet-devotee Kamalakanta Bhattacharya was published. He patronized many poets and scholars.
A strong supporter of Iswar Chandra Vidyasagar’s campaign for remarriage of widows, he published books on the subject. He established a charitable dispensary and sowed the seed for the establishment of a medical college. He was somewhat whimsical by nature and sometimes carried out his odd desires. Bardhaman municipality was initiated in 1865. According to the Municipality Deed on the basis of which Kanchannagar D. N. Das school was setup by the ‘D.N. Das Charitable Trust’ shows that the school was started in 25th June1906, though the school was originally setup in 25 June 1887 during Mahtabchand period. KanchannagarD.N.Das School is running from the year 1887 under the supervision of the great patriot & philanthropist Revd. Dinnonath Das. For smooth sailing, he formed a ‘D.N.Das Charitable Trust’ by donating Rs.50000 and his houses and land to achieve his goal “ Free Education & Health for All”. He started construction of the palace in the fashion of western architecture.
Iswar Chandra Vidyasagar had called him the ‘First Man of Bengal’. In his book Twelve men of Bengal, F.D.Bradley had termed him ‘one of the great men of the 19th century.
In 1851, Ramtanu Lahiri
, posted to Bardhaman as headmaster of a school, created a sensation in the small town by discarding his sacred thread. That was possibly the first such incident. Although a follower of Brahmo ideals, he had retained his sacred thread till then. People accused him of hypocrisy and so he removed it. The incident shocked the orthodox society and a campaign was launched to socially boycott him. Within a short period, he was transferred out of Bardhaman.
Rashbehari Kapoor, another son of Paranchand Kapoor, adopted Jahurilal, son of Gopallal Seth, and named him Banbehari Kapoor. He was a very efficient person and soon came close to the Mahtabchand. He became Dewan-i-Raj and contributed substantially towards development of Bardhaman Raj.
In 1844, he married Narayanikumari, daughter of Kedarnath Nanda, but she did not bear him a child. He adopted Brahmaprasad Nanda, son of Bangsagopal Nanda, his brother-in-law and named him his successor.
Aftabchand Mahtab died at the young age of 25 years and did not leave behind a successor. At the time of his death, he authorized his wife, Binodeyi Devi, to adopt a son. Family disputes delayed that. In 1887, she formally adopted Bijonbehari Kapoor, son of the estate manager, Banbehari Kapoor, and named him Vijaychand Mahatab. However, as the adoption took two years, Court of Wards took over the administration of the estates.
In 1903, the title of ‘Rajadhiraj’ was bestowed on Vijaychand Mahtab at the Delhi Durbar. A pompous coronation was organized in the palace at Bardhaman, where Lieutenant Governor Bordillian was present to bestow the honour. In 1908, as per a proclamation of Lord Minto, the title of ‘Maharajadhiraj’ was bestowed on a hereditary basis.
The national movement had started picking up. Three branches of Bharat Sabha set up by Surendranath Banerjee were established at Bardhaman. Jatindranath Bandopadhyay of Channa within the area of the Raj, secured army training in Baroda and joined the Anushilan group. Rashbehari Bose of Khandaghosh in the Raj had already become a revolutionary leader. In such an environment, Vijaychand Mahtab invited the Governor General Lord Curzon to the Bardhaman palace and constructed the Curzon gate in Gothic style at the junction of Vijaychand Road and Grand Trunk Road. In 1903, he saved the life of the Lieutenant Governor, Sir Andrew Fraser. In return for his loyalty to the British, he was honoured with the title of KCIE (Knight Commander of the Indian Empire) and Indian Order of Merit (class III). In 1906, he toured Europe.
It must be added that in spite of his loyalty towards the British, he provided warm hospitality to Mahatma Gandhi, when he visited Bardhaman in 1925 and welcomed cordially Subhas Chandra Bose when he visited Bardhaman in 1928 to campaign in the municipal elections.
He was a member of the Bengal Legislative Council from 1907 to 1918, and of the Imperial Legislative Council
from 1909 to 1912. He was associated with the state administration in subsequent years. In 1938, he was a member of the Francis Floud Commission to suggest changes in the Permanent Settlement of 1793. The commission recommended the replacement of the zemindari system by a ryotwari (tenancy) system in which the ownership of land would vest with the ryot (tenant) and the land revenue payable by him could be revised periodically. The recommendations could not be implemented because of differences in the Fazlul Huq ministry. However, it was evident that the days of zemindars were coming to an end. It was this realisation that led Vijaychand Mahtab to extend indirect support to the Congress.
Vijaychand Mahtab was deeply involved with Bengali literature. He was president of the reception committee in the 8th session of the Bangiya Sahitya Sammelan held at Bardhaman in 1914. From amongst the twenty books he wrote, mention may be made of Impression, The Indian Horizon, Meditation, Studies, Vijaygitika (collection of songs composed by him), Troyodashi (poem), Ranjit (play), and Manaslila (science-play).
He left behind two sons and two daughters, thereby ending the long succession of adoptions.
His accession to power was followed by the great famine of 1943. Historians feel that the Raj family did not do anything to alleviate the suffering of the poor, as it had done earlier. However, it must go to the credit of the Raj family that no communal disturbances took place in Bardhaman, even after the great Calcutta killings on 1946 and communal riots in many places across Bengal. The minority committee was well protected from disturbances.
In the first election after independence in 1952, Udaychand Mahtab lost to a freedom fighter and communist, Benoy Choudhury
, who later became the Land Reforms Minister of Bengal
, in spite of a campaign in his favour by Jawaharlal Nehru
. The election defeat was followed by legislation for abolition of the zemindari system in 1954. An embittered Udaychand Mahtab shifted from Bardhaman to the Vijay Manzil in Alipur, Calcutta. He became a director of IISCO
, set up in a part of his Raj, and several other leading mercantile firms of the day, such as Dunlop
, Metal Box
and Brooke Bond
.
He acceded to the request of the chief minister
, Dr. Bidhan Chandra Roy
and handed over his palace, Mahtab Manzil and Golap Bagh to the University of Burdwan, with Shri Sukumar Sen as its first vice chancellor. To the numerous employees of the Raj he gifted a piece of land in Bardhaman so that they could build a house there. With the end of the Raj, he immersed himself in his commercial and business interests.
He died on 10 October 1984, leaving behind three sons – Sadaychand, Malaychand and Pranaychand - and three daughters – Baruna Devi, Jyotsna Devi and Karuna Devi.
, Dehra Dun and Cambridge University. He too is involved in business ventures. His younger brother Dr. Pronoychand Mahtab holds a Ph.D. in history completed at the School of Oriental and African Studies
, University of London
. He is presently a member of the Board of Trustees of the Victoria Memorial Hall, Calcutta and President of the Bengal Home Industries, a charitable organisation.
Zamindar
A Zamindar or zemindar , was an aristocrat, typically hereditary, who held enormous tracts of land and ruled over and taxed the bhikaaris who lived on batavaslam. Over time, they took princely and royal titles such as Maharaja , Raja , Nawab , and Mirza , Chowdhury , among others...
i estate that flourished from about 1657 to 1955, first under the Mughals and then under the British in the province of Bengal in India. At the peak of its prosperity in the eighteenth century, the estate extended to around 5000 square miles (12,949.9 km²) of territory and even up to the early twentieth century paid an annual revenue to the government in excess of 3,300,000 rupee
Rupee
The rupee is the common name for the monetary unit of account in India, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Pakistan, Mauritius, Seychelles, Maldives, and formerly in Burma, and Afghanistan. Historically, the first currency called "rupee" was introduced in the 16th century...
s.
The estate was established and owned continuously by the Kapoor family, which had its origins in the Punjab
Punjab region
The Punjab , also spelled Panjab |water]]s"), is a geographical region straddling the border between Pakistan and India which includes Punjab province in Pakistan and the states of the Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Chandigarh and some northern parts of the National Capital Territory of Delhi...
. Its earliest known ancestor, Sangam Rai, is said to have migrated to Bengal and settled at Bardhaman in the sixteenth century. Bardhaman was never an independent territory since the chiefs of the family held it basically as the revenue collectors or zamindar
Zamindar
A Zamindar or zemindar , was an aristocrat, typically hereditary, who held enormous tracts of land and ruled over and taxed the bhikaaris who lived on batavaslam. Over time, they took princely and royal titles such as Maharaja , Raja , Nawab , and Mirza , Chowdhury , among others...
s of the Mughal governors of Bengal. Later, in British times after Lord Cornwallis
Charles Cornwallis, 1st Marquess Cornwallis
Charles Cornwallis, 1st Marquess Cornwallis KG , styled Viscount Brome between 1753 and 1762 and known as The Earl Cornwallis between 1762 and 1792, was a British Army officer and colonial administrator...
's Permanent Settlement
Permanent Settlement
The Permanent Settlement — also known as the Permanent Settlement of Bengal — was an agreement between the East India Company and Bengali landlords to fix revenues to be raised from land, with far-reaching consequences for both agricultural methods and productivity in the entire Empire and the...
of 1793, the zamindars changed their status from revenue collectors to owners of the land they collected revenue from. Although its owners were both rich and powerful, with the chiefs of the family holding the title of Maharaja, the Bardhaman estate was not defined as a "Princely State
Princely state
A Princely State was a nominally sovereign entitity of British rule in India that was not directly governed by the British, but rather by an Indian ruler under a form of indirect rule such as suzerainty or paramountcy.-British relationship with the Princely States:India under the British Raj ...
," with freedom to decide its future course of action at the time of Indian independence in 1947. (Cooch Behar
Cooch Behar
Cooch Behar is the district headquarters and the largest city of Cooch Behar District in the Indian state of West Bengal. It is situated in the foothills of the Eastern Himalayas and located at . Cooch Behar is the only planned town in North Bengal region with remnants of royal heritage...
was the only princely state in Bengal and Tripura
Tripura
Tripura is a state in North-East India, with an area of . It is the third smallest state of India, according to area. Tripura is surrounded by Bangladesh on the north, south, and west. The Indian states of Assam and Mizoram lie to the east. The capital is Agartala and the main languages spoken are...
was another on its border. There were several princely states in neighbouring Orissa, especially Mayurbhanj that had a presence in Kolkata
Kolkata
Kolkata , formerly known as Calcutta, is the capital of the Indian state of West Bengal. Located on the east bank of the Hooghly River, it was the commercial capital of East India...
.)
In spite of its official status in the context of national history, it had a local importance and was respected as one of the forward looking feudal houses, who endeavoured to bring about an improvement in the conditions of its subjects. They patronised many poets, who had contributed substantially to the literature of the day. They were also great patrons of music. It had an army of its own and when the declining Mughals ceded their territory to the British, they even fought with the British. Later, when they made up with the British, they were entitled to their own coat of arms. After independence, they donated their palace, with a huge library of valuable books, for the formation of the University of Burdwan.
Their territory was centered on the Bardhaman district
Bardhaman District
'Bardhaman district is a district in West Bengal. The headquarter of the district is Bardhaman, though it houses other important industrial towns like Durgapur and Asansol...
, but extended beyond to eighteen more, to parts, for example, of what is now Bankura, Medinipur, Howrah, Hughli and Murshidabad districts. They hailed from as far away as Lahore
Lahore
Lahore is the capital of the Pakistani province of Punjab and the second largest city in the country. With a rich and fabulous history dating back to over a thousand years ago, Lahore is no doubt Pakistan's cultural capital. One of the most densely populated cities in the world, Lahore remains a...
but identified themselves with the people of the lands they held and are considered to be benefactors of Bengali literature
Bengali literature
Bengali literature is literary works written in Bengali language particularly from Bangladesh and the Indian provinces of West Bengal and Tripura. The history of Bengali literature traces back hundreds of years while it is impossible to separate the literary trends of the two Bengals during the...
and culture. While the Raj ended with the abolition of zemindaries in 1955, it passed into history. The eminent historians will keep their focus spread over the wide national scenario of a large country, Bardhaman Raj will evoke interest among numerous persons linked with this region and many others who would continue to be inquisitive about what happened in different regions of this country.
The highlights of each person of the Raj family are given below in chronological order. Normally, the son succeeded the father and when it was otherwise, it is specifically mentioned.
Sangam Rai
Historians generally accredit Sangam Rai to be the founding father of the Bardhaman Raj family. He hailed from Kotalla in Lahore and settled in the region. Those were the fading years of the sixteenth century. Emperor Akbar was extending the boundaries of his empire but the Afghans still had pockets of power in eastern India, and were giving the great Mughal trouble from time to time. The Afghans were a spent force and the Mughals were on the rise. For fortune seekers, it was important to understand what was taking place.At that time, according to the historian Ramesh Chandra Majumdar: “Bengal was perhaps the most flourishing province in the whole of India… Almost every year a large number of Persians, Abyssinians, Arabs, Chinese, Turks, Moors, Jews, Georgians, Armenians, and merchants from some of the parts of Asia poured in Bengal.” Bardhaman
Bardhaman
'Bardhaman or Burdwan , is a city of West Bengal state in eastern India. It is the headquarters of Bardhaman District....
, then better known as Chakla or Chakla Bardhaman, was a particularly rich agricultural area.
Sangam Rai had set out on a pilgrimage and had reached Puri when the Afgan general Qutlu Khan Lehani, immortalised by Bankim Chandra Chaterjee in his novel Durgeshnandini, made his foray from Orissa into Bengal. He advanced up to Bardhaman but on his defeat there surrendered to the Mughals in 1584. Inspired by all the possibilities of wealth, Sangam Rai, made his way to Bardhaman and settled down at nearby Baikunthapur as a trader and moneylender. Baikunthapur is not there on the map of Bardhaman at present, but historians think that it was located 10 miles (16 km) north of Bardhaman.
Banku Behari Rai
He continued with his father’s business activities. There was an interesting episode at Bardhaman during the period. Meherunissa was the wife of Sher Afgan, fauzdar of Bardhaman. Emperor JahangirJahangir
Jahangir was the ruler of the Mughal Empire from 1605 until his death. The name Jahangir is from Persian جهانگیر,meaning "Conqueror of the World"...
had cast his eyes on her and sent Qutubuddin Koka to fight against Sher Afgan. Both were killed and lie buried at Pir Baharam in Bardhaman and Meherunissa was taken to the Mughal harem. She later emerged as Nur Jahan, the powerful empress.
Islam Khan, who succeeded Qutubuddin Koka as subdar shifted the Mughal capital of Sube Bangla from Rajmahal to Dhaka in 1612. It meant that the centre of power was shifted further away from Bardhaman.
Abu Rai
Emperor Shah JahanShah Jahan
Shah Jahan Shah Jahan (also spelled Shah Jehan, Shahjehan, , Persian: شاه جهان) (January 5, 1592 – January 22, 1666) Shah Jahan (also spelled Shah Jehan, Shahjehan, , Persian: شاه جهان) (January 5, 1592 – January 22, 1666) (Full title: His Imperial Majesty Al-Sultan al-'Azam wal Khaqan...
followed Jahangir on the Mughal throne. Prince Suja was then subedar of Bengal. Ram Roy was zamindar of Chakla Bardhaman. The Mughal emperor despatched troops to quell a rebellion that had erupted in east Bengal. However, when the troops were around Bardhaman, it fell short of food supplies. Abu Rai, on receipt of information about shortage of food in the troop camp, voluntarily sent supplies. Ram Roy was stripped of his zamindari.
In 1657, the emperor, issued a firman, on the recommendation of Prince Suja, whereby in lieu of 532 sikkas, the responsibility for rent collection of three parganas of Rekabi Bazar, Mughaltuli and Ibrahimpur, as well as the Kotwali of Chakla Bardhaman, all under the Fouzdar of Sarifabad, was assigned to Abu Rai (1657–1665?). He was amply rewarded for his support to the Mughal emperor.
Babu Rai
Babu Rai (1665?-1670?) shifted from Baikunthapur to Bardhaman, and extended his estates to three other parganas, including Bardhaman, on the strength of a firman from the Emperor AurangzebAurangzeb
Abul Muzaffar Muhy-ud-Din Muhammad Aurangzeb Alamgir , more commonly known as Aurangzeb or by his chosen imperial title Alamgir , was the sixth Mughal Emperor of India, whose reign lasted from 1658 until his death in 1707.Badshah Aurangzeb, having ruled most of the Indian subcontinent for nearly...
.
Ghanshyam Rai
Ghanshyam Rai (1670?-1675) is credited with having developed the Shyamsayer on 10 acres (40,468.6 m²) of land.This place is now considered to be one of the most romantic place in Burdwan.
Krishnaram Rai
Krishnaram Rai (1675–1696) acquired the title of Chowdhury from the Mughal Emperor in 1694. He also acquired authority to raise an infantry, as well as a cavalry force. He extended his estates to such an extent that the other big zamindari in the area started envying him and had doubts that some day he could also gobble up their zemindaries. When Shova Singh, the zamindar of Cheto Barda in Medinipur, started plundering the neighbouring areas, the zamindars in the area extended support to him. Cracks had started appearing in the Mughal empire and small rebellions had started erupting. In 1695, Shova Singh declared rebellion against the Mughal emperor. He garnered support of disgruntled Afghan elements and advanced against Bardhaman. At the battle of Chandrakona in 1696, Shova Singh defeated and killed Krishnaram Rai.His son Jagatram Rai managed to escape but the victor moved forward to capture Bardhaman. Shova Singh had the ill-reputation of being a debauch and so, before he entered Bardhaman thirteen women of the Raj family committed suicide by taking poison, but the young and beautiful daughter of Krishnaram Rai, Satyabati, remained alive. When Shova Singh entered the palace and tried to take her in his embrace, she stabbed him to death and thereafter committed suicide.
For three years, chaos prevailed in the region till the Mughals re-established themselves in the area and put Jagatram Rai back in the seat of power. During the period, an Afghan rebel, Rahim Khan, had some control over the region. Later on, Prince Azim-ush-Shan, then dewan of Sube Bangla, extended his control over the area. He stayed back in Bardhaman for some time before returning to his capital at Dhaka.
During his reign, Bardhaman was hit by a serious drought. It was during this drought that Krishnaram Rai developed the Krishnasayer over a 30 acres (121,405.8 m²) land.
One interesting fall out of the period was that the purchase of the three villages of Kalikata
Kalikata
Kalikata was one of the three villages which were merged to form the city of Kolkata in India. The other two villages were Gobindapur and Sutanuti. Job Charnock, an administrator with the British East India Company is traditionally credited with the honour of founding the city...
, Gobindapur and Sutanuti
Sutanuti
Sutanuti was one of the three villages which were merged to form the city of Kolkata in India. The other two villages were Gobindapur and Kalikata. Job Charnock, an administrator with the British East India Company is traditionally credited with the honour of founding the city...
by the East India Company from the Sabarna Roy Choudhury
Sabarna Roy Choudhury
Sabarna Ray Chaudhury family were the Zamindar of the Kolkata area, prior to the arrival of the British. On November 10, 1698, they transferred, by lease, their rights over the three villages – Sutanuti, Kalikata and Gobindapur - to the East India Company...
, the zemindar of Barisha. The subedar of Sube Bangla is believed to have given his assent for the sale from Bardhaman, where he was engaged in suppressing the rebellious Afghans.
Jagatram Rai
Jagatram Rai (1699–1702) won back his father’s estates because of his loyalty to the Mughals in their efforts to quell the rebellion of the Afghans. He was also bestowed with the title of Chowdhury and three more parganas were added by a royal firman in 1699. However, an unknown assailant assassinated him, while he was bathing in the Krishnasayer. His widow, Brajakishori, lived for a long time and patronised Pranballav Ghosh of Ambika Kalna, who composed the long poem Jahnabimangal.Kirtichand Rai
Kirtichand Rai (1702–1740) was the first person in Raj family to acquire hereditary right to the zemindari and the title Chowdhury on the basis of a firman issued by Emperor Aurangzeb in 1706. Till then, each person became a zemindar on a basis of a firman specially issued for the purpose. Even Kirtichand Rai was initially appointed a zemindar on the basis of such a firman. At that time, he could collect revenue from 39 parganas.It was during his reign that Emperor Aurangzeb died in 1707, and the tussle for the throne took a bad turn. Murshid Quli Khan
Murshid Quli Khan
Murshid Quli Khan was the first Nawab of Bengal. In fact circumstances resulted in his being the first independent ruler of Bengal post the death of Emperor Aurangzeb...
virtually assumed independence as the Nawab of Bengal
Nawab of Bengal
The Nawabs of Bengal were the hereditary nazims or subadars of the subah of Bengal during the Mughal rule and the de-facto rulers of the province.-History:...
and for the first time, the title of the Nawab also became hereditary. Prior to that, subedars of Sube Bangla were appointed on an individual basis by the Mughal emperor.
Kirtichand Rai extended his estates far and wide. At its height, it extended to around 5000 square miles (12,949.9 km²) and included many parts of what is now Bardhaman, Bankura, Medinipur, Howrah, Hughli and Murshidabad districts. After his victory against the king of Vishnupur, he constructed a victory gate, Baraduari (the outer gate), at Kanchannagar. It was a period when Vishnupur and Birbhum were virtually treated as independent kingdoms.
During his long reign, Kirtichand Rai constructed many temples and patronised many poets, who have written highly about him. His mother, Brajakishori, had a benign influence on him and he predeceased her.
Chitrasen Rai
In 1740, on the basis of a firman issued by the Mughal emperor Mohammad Shah, Chitrasen Rai (1740–1744), not only acquired the vast estates of his father but was also conferred the title of ‘Rajadhiraj’. The most notable feature of the short rule of Chitrasen Rai was the devastation brought about by the ravages of the MarathaMaratha
The Maratha are an Indian caste, predominantly in the state of Maharashtra. The term Marāthā has three related usages: within the Marathi speaking region it describes the dominant Maratha caste; outside Maharashtra it can refer to the entire regional population of Marathi-speaking people;...
s. Around 20,000-strong cavalry under the leadership of Bhaskar Pandit, attacked Bardhaman and other areas of Bengal and resorted to extensive looting. For sometime Chitrasen was forced out of his capital and even the Nawab, Aliverdy Khan, was unable to resist their onslaught. The fury of the Maratha attacks lessened, but did not cease, after Bhaskar Pandit was killed at Mankar in 1744.
Trilokchand Rai
As Chitrasen was childless, his cousin Trilokchand Rai (1744–1770) succeeded him. In 1746, the Mughal emperor Muhammad ShahMuhammad Shah
Muhammad Shah also known as Roshan Akhtar, was a Mughal emperor of India between 1719 and 1748. He was son of Khujista Akhtar Jahan Shah, the fourth son of Bahadur Shah I. Ascending the throne at 17 with the help of the Sayyid Brothers, he later got rid of them with the help of Nizam-ul-Mulk Chin...
conferred the title of ‘Raja Bahadur’ on Trilokchand Rai, and in 1753, he acquired the title of ‘Maharajadhiraj’ on the strength of a firman or notification of the Mughal emperor Ahmed Shah
Ahmad Shah Bahadur
Ahmad Shah Bahadur was born to Mughal Emperor Muhammad Shah. He succeeded his father to the throne as the 15th Mughal Emperor in 1748 at the age of 22. His mother was Udhambai, . When Ahmed Shah came to power the rule of the Mughal Empire was collapsing...
. Subsequently, his descendants acquired the title through similar notifications.
In 1745, the Marathas once again attacked Bengal and Bihar, under the leadership of Raghuji Bhonsle of Nagpur
Nagpur
Nāgpur is a city and winter capital of the state of Maharashtra, the largest city in central India and third largest city in Maharashtra after Mumbai and Pune...
. Although he was defeated at Katwa
Katwa
Katwa is the head quarters of Katwa subdivision in the district of Bardhaman, West Bengal. The area has a rural charm and natural beauty, but many trading and other business activities has made it clumsy and congested. It is mostly a middle class residential area.-History:The small town has a five...
and thereafter returned to Nagpur, the Marathas continued with their hit-and-run attacks and looting, year after year, until they acquired some concessions from the Mughals.
These included:
- All territory beyond the Subarnarekaha river would be under Maratha occupation and they would not cross it.
- Mir Habib would be naib nazim of Orissa, nominally under Aliverdy but paying revenue also to Raghuji Bhonsle.
- The Nawab of BengalNawab of BengalThe Nawabs of Bengal were the hereditary nazims or subadars of the subah of Bengal during the Mughal rule and the de-facto rulers of the province.-History:...
would give chauthChauthChauth was a tax or tribute imposed, from early 18th century, by the Maratha Empire in India. It was nominally levied at 25% on revenue or produce, hence the name....
every year to Raghuji Bhosnle.
Peace returned to the countryside which had been badly ravaged by the Marathas, but the Maratha attacks proved to be the forerunner of British rule in India. They dealt the last blow to the tottering Mughal empire.
In 1760, Mir Kassem, then Nawab of Sube Bangala ceded Bardhaman along with Medinipur and Chittagong to East India Company. This was three years after the Battle of Plassey
Battle of Plassey
The Battle of Plassey , 23 June 1757, was a decisive British East India Company victory over the Nawab of Bengal and his French allies, establishing Company rule in South Asia which expanded over much of the Indies for the next hundred years...
. Initially, the Maharajadhiraj of Bardhaman was inimical towards the British. With the attacks of the Marathas and other reasons, famine conditions prevailed in Bardhaman. The Maharajadhiraj was finding it difficult to collect rent from the cultivators. There were incidents of small skirmishes.
After the Battle of Buxar
Battle of Buxar
The Battle of Buxar was fought on 22 October 1764 between the forces under the command of the British East India Company, and the combined armies of Mir Qasim, the Nawab of Bengal; Shuja-ud-Daula Nawab of Awadh; and Shah Alam II, the Mughal Emperor...
in 1764, the great Mughals became pensioners of the East India Company. In 1765, the English acquired the diwani of Bengal, Bihar and Orissa from the Mughal Emperor Shah Alam II
Shah Alam II
Shah Alam II , also known as Ali Gauhar, was a Mughal emperor of India. A son of Alamgir II, he was exiled to Allahabad in December 1759 by Ghazi-ud-Din, who appointed Shah Jahan III as the emperor. Later, he was nominated as the emperor by Ahmad Shah.Shah Alam II was considered the only and...
. This led to formal peace with the British but sporadic troubles continued.
Summary:Bardhaman Raj during the Mughal period
| Bardhaman Raj | Mughal Empire | Sube Bangla |
|---|---|---|
| Sangam Rai | Akbar (1556–1605) | Khan-I-Jehan (1575–78) |
| Muzaffar Khan (1578–80) | ||
| Khan Azam (1582-84?) | ||
| Shahbaz Khan (1584?-1593) | ||
| Raja Man Singh (1593–1606) | ||
| Banku Behari Rai | Jahangir Jahangir Jahangir was the ruler of the Mughal Empire from 1605 until his death. The name Jahangir is from Persian جهانگیر,meaning "Conqueror of the World"... (1605–1627) |
Qutbuddin Koka (1606–1608) |
| Islam Khan (1608–1614) | ||
| Qasim Khan (1614–1617) | ||
| Ibrahim Khan I (1617–1639) | ||
| Shah Jahan Shah Jahan Shah Jahan Shah Jahan (also spelled Shah Jehan, Shahjehan, , Persian: شاه جهان) (January 5, 1592 – January 22, 1666) Shah Jahan (also spelled Shah Jehan, Shahjehan, , Persian: شاه جهان) (January 5, 1592 – January 22, 1666) (Full title: His Imperial Majesty Al-Sultan al-'Azam wal Khaqan... (1628–1658) |
Prince Shuja (1639–1659) | |
| Mir Jumla (1660–1663) | ||
| Abu Rai (1657–1665) | Shayesta Khan (1664–1688) | |
| Babu Rai (1665?-1670?) | Aurangzeb Aurangzeb Abul Muzaffar Muhy-ud-Din Muhammad Aurangzeb Alamgir , more commonly known as Aurangzeb or by his chosen imperial title Alamgir , was the sixth Mughal Emperor of India, whose reign lasted from 1658 until his death in 1707.Badshah Aurangzeb, having ruled most of the Indian subcontinent for nearly... (1658–1707) |
|
| Ghanshyam Rai (1670? – 1675) | ||
| Krishnaram Rai (1675–1696) | Khani-i-Jahan (1688–1689) | |
| Ibrahim Khan II (1689–1697) | ||
| Prince Azim-ush-Shan (1697–1712) | ||
| Jagatram Rai (1699–1702) | ||
| Kirtichand Rai (1702–1740) | Bahadur Shah I Bahadur Shah I Bahadur Shah was a Mughal Emperor, who ruled India from 1707 to 1712. His original name was Qutb ud-Din Muhammad Mu'azzam later titled as Shah Alam by his father. He took the throne name Bahadur Shah in 1707. His name Bahādur means "brave" & "hero" in Turko-Mongol languages... (1707–1712) |
|
| Jahandar Shah (1712–13) | Murshid Quli Khan Murshid Quli Khan Murshid Quli Khan was the first Nawab of Bengal. In fact circumstances resulted in his being the first independent ruler of Bengal post the death of Emperor Aurangzeb... (1717–1727) |
|
| Farrukhsiyar Farrukhsiyar Abu'l Muzaffar Muin ud-din Muhammad Shah Farrukh-siyar Alim Akbar Sani Wala Shan Padshah-i-bahr-u-bar [Shahid-i-Mazlum] was the Mughal emperor between 1713 and 1719. Noted as a handsome but weak ruler, easily swayed by his advisers, Farukhsiyar lacked the ability and character to rule independently... (1713–1719) |
||
| Mohammad Shah (1719–1748) | Shuja-ud-Din (1727–1739) | |
| Sarfraj Khan (1737–1740) | ||
| Chitrasen Rai (1740–1744) | Aliverdy Khan (1740–1756) | |
| Trilokchand Rai (1744–1770) | Ahmad Shah (1748–1754) | |
| Alamgir II (1754–1759) | ||
| Siraj-ud-Daulah (1756–1757) | ||
| Shah Jahan III (1759) | Mir Jafar Mir Jafar -Notes:# "Riyazu-s-salatin", Ghulam Husain Salim - a reference to the appointment of Mohanlal can be found # "Seir Muaqherin", Ghulam Husain Tabatabai - a reference to the conspiracy can be found... (1757–1760) |
|
| Shah Alam II Shah Alam II Shah Alam II , also known as Ali Gauhar, was a Mughal emperor of India. A son of Alamgir II, he was exiled to Allahabad in December 1759 by Ghazi-ud-Din, who appointed Shah Jahan III as the emperor. Later, he was nominated as the emperor by Ahmad Shah.Shah Alam II was considered the only and... (1761–1805) |
||
| Mir Kassem (1760–1764) | ||
Tejchandra
In the initial years, he was a minor and his mother, Bishankumari, was in effective charge. He faced many problems during his lifetime. From his first four wives Tejendra (1770–1832) had only one son, Pratapchandra by Nankikumari. One of his wives gave birth to three sons but all of them died. At the time of the birth of the fourth child, both the mother and child died. Pratapchandra was ordained Maharaja even when Tejendra was alive.When Kashinath Kapoor of Lahore was on his way to Puri for a pilgrimage, Kamalkumari, his young daughter, charmed the Maharajadhiraj. She became his fifth wife. From then on, Kamalkumari’s brother, Paranchand Kapoor, played a key role in the affairs of Bardhaman Raj. Unfortunately, she did not bear any children. She and Paranchand plotted to remove Pratapchandra and ultimately succeeded. Tejendra adopted Chunilal Kapoor, the younger son of Paranchand. In the meantime, he had married for the seventh time and then married Basantakumari the 11-year old daughter of Paranchand. Five years later, in 1832, Tejendra died. The case of Jal (forged) Pratapchandra had kept Bardhaman anxious and enlivened for some time.
However, in spite of all his moral failings, which were common with the aristocracy in those days, Tejendra was a forward-looking person. He had set up the Bardhaman Raj School in his own compound around 1810. It formally moved to its own building in 1817. He appointed Englishmen for teaching English and as principals. For the Hindu College at Kolkata, he had donated a one-time sum. He also supported many Persian and Arabic Schools and Sanskrit toles. In other fields, also his contributions were many. As per family traditions, he also excavated large ponds. His mother, Bishankumari, constructed the 109 Shiva temples at Kalna and Nawab Hat during his reign.
Mahtabchand Bahadur
When Tejendra died in 1832, Chunilal Kapoor, then a minor took over as Mahtabchand Bahadur (1832–1879). During the initial years, Paranchand and Kamalkumari effectively looked after the affairs of the state. In 1844, when he attained the age of 24, he took charge of the Bardhaman estate from the Court of Wards. There was a double change of scenario. First, the rule of the Rai family came to an end and the rule of the Mahtab family started. Second, the loyalty of the Bardhaman Raj shifted to the British in full measure. Till then, the Raj family had retained the mindset of support to the Mughal emperor and could not heartily accept British supremacy but from the time of Mahtabchand Bahadur, they heartily switched over loyalty to the British.When the Santhals organised the Hul rebellion
Santhal rebellion
The Santhal rebellion , commonly known as Santal Hul was a native rebellion in present day Jharkhand, in eastern India against both the British colonial authority and corrupt upper caste zamindari system by the Santal people...
in 1855, and during the Sepoy Mutiny
Indian Rebellion of 1857
The Indian Rebellion of 1857 began as a mutiny of sepoys of the British East India Company's army on 10 May 1857, in the town of Meerut, and soon escalated into other mutinies and civilian rebellions largely in the upper Gangetic plain and central India, with the major hostilities confined to...
of 1857, the Raj extended all support to the British and in return, they received support of the British. In 1862, the Maharaja secured formal permission to keep arms. In 1877, he was invited to attend the ceremony held in Delhi to announce the taking over of Queen Victoria as the Empress of India. At that time, he was allowed to keep 13 canons and use the title ‘His Highness’ before his name.
By the time Mahtabchand Bahadur assumed power, coal had been found in the district
(see Asansol for details). The leasing out of land for coalmining brought in substantial revenues for the Raj.
He spent some of the resources for the benefit of his tenants. He upgraded the Anglo vernacular school earlier established by Tejendra to a high English school, set up a girls’ school, and donated liberally to the Hindu school at Kalna. He spent liberally on development of education and welfare of pundits, maulavis and teachers, and in general could be termed a patron of western education in his estate. He set up a branch of the Brahmo Samaj
Brahmo Samaj
Brahmo Samaj is the societal component of the Brahmo religion which is mainly practiced today as the Adi Dharm after its eclipse in Bengal consequent to the exit of the Tattwabodini Sabha from its ranks in 1859. It was one of the most influential religious movements responsible for the making of...
within the palace compound and was a great composer of devotional songs. One of the songs composed by him still finds a place in the Brahmasangeet of Sadharan Brahmo Samaj. He had great love for music and patronised it extensively.
In 1854, a Bengali translation of the Adikanda of the Ramayana in poetry form was published by the Raj. Bipradas Tarkabagish and Uma Kanta Bhattacharya translated it. Subsequently, other parts of Ramayana were translated and published in stages. It was during his period that a Bengali translation of Mahabharata was initiated. A collection of songs of the poet-devotee Kamalakanta Bhattacharya was published. He patronized many poets and scholars.
A strong supporter of Iswar Chandra Vidyasagar’s campaign for remarriage of widows, he published books on the subject. He established a charitable dispensary and sowed the seed for the establishment of a medical college. He was somewhat whimsical by nature and sometimes carried out his odd desires. Bardhaman municipality was initiated in 1865. According to the Municipality Deed on the basis of which Kanchannagar D. N. Das school was setup by the ‘D.N. Das Charitable Trust’ shows that the school was started in 25th June1906, though the school was originally setup in 25 June 1887 during Mahtabchand period. KanchannagarD.N.Das School is running from the year 1887 under the supervision of the great patriot & philanthropist Revd. Dinnonath Das. For smooth sailing, he formed a ‘D.N.Das Charitable Trust’ by donating Rs.50000 and his houses and land to achieve his goal “ Free Education & Health for All”. He started construction of the palace in the fashion of western architecture.
Iswar Chandra Vidyasagar had called him the ‘First Man of Bengal’. In his book Twelve men of Bengal, F.D.Bradley had termed him ‘one of the great men of the 19th century.
In 1851, Ramtanu Lahiri
Ramtanu Lahiri
Ramtanu Lahiri was a Young Bengal leader, a renowned teacher and a social reformer. Peary Chand Mitra wrote about him, “There are few persons in whom the milk of kindness flows so abundantly...
, posted to Bardhaman as headmaster of a school, created a sensation in the small town by discarding his sacred thread. That was possibly the first such incident. Although a follower of Brahmo ideals, he had retained his sacred thread till then. People accused him of hypocrisy and so he removed it. The incident shocked the orthodox society and a campaign was launched to socially boycott him. Within a short period, he was transferred out of Bardhaman.
Rashbehari Kapoor, another son of Paranchand Kapoor, adopted Jahurilal, son of Gopallal Seth, and named him Banbehari Kapoor. He was a very efficient person and soon came close to the Mahtabchand. He became Dewan-i-Raj and contributed substantially towards development of Bardhaman Raj.
In 1844, he married Narayanikumari, daughter of Kedarnath Nanda, but she did not bear him a child. He adopted Brahmaprasad Nanda, son of Bangsagopal Nanda, his brother-in-law and named him his successor.
Aftabchand Mahtab
Brahmapasad Nanda adopted the name of Aftabchand Mahtab (1879–1885) and took over after the death of Mahtabchand Bahadur. He was then only 19-years old. Therefore, Banbehari Kapoor was in effective charge of affairs. He continued Mahtabchand Bahadur’s policies. He established an FA College, with provision for free tuitions, a public library and spent substantial amounts for water supply arrangements. He continued the patronage of poets and scholars. Translations of several parts of he Ramayana was completed and published. Some Bengali translations of Urdu literature was also done.Aftabchand Mahtab died at the young age of 25 years and did not leave behind a successor. At the time of his death, he authorized his wife, Binodeyi Devi, to adopt a son. Family disputes delayed that. In 1887, she formally adopted Bijonbehari Kapoor, son of the estate manager, Banbehari Kapoor, and named him Vijaychand Mahatab. However, as the adoption took two years, Court of Wards took over the administration of the estates.
Bijoychand Mahtab
His rule started in 1887 and lasted till 1941. It was the longest in the Bardhaman Raj. In 1887, he was only six years old. Therefore, the Court of Wards along with the Diwani-i-Raj, Banbehari Kapoor, ruled up to 1902. During the later part of the rule, there were allegations of financial corruption. Coupled with mismanagement, the affairs of the Raj were in shambles. In 1893, the title of ‘Raja’ was bestowed on Banbehari Kapoor. The government permitted the raj in 1897 to maintain an armed force of 600 people and 41 cannons. In 1899, Vijay Chand Mahtab passed the entrance examination of Calcutta University, and was the first in the Raj family to obtain a formal educational qualification.In 1903, the title of ‘Rajadhiraj’ was bestowed on Vijaychand Mahtab at the Delhi Durbar. A pompous coronation was organized in the palace at Bardhaman, where Lieutenant Governor Bordillian was present to bestow the honour. In 1908, as per a proclamation of Lord Minto, the title of ‘Maharajadhiraj’ was bestowed on a hereditary basis.
The national movement had started picking up. Three branches of Bharat Sabha set up by Surendranath Banerjee were established at Bardhaman. Jatindranath Bandopadhyay of Channa within the area of the Raj, secured army training in Baroda and joined the Anushilan group. Rashbehari Bose of Khandaghosh in the Raj had already become a revolutionary leader. In such an environment, Vijaychand Mahtab invited the Governor General Lord Curzon to the Bardhaman palace and constructed the Curzon gate in Gothic style at the junction of Vijaychand Road and Grand Trunk Road. In 1903, he saved the life of the Lieutenant Governor, Sir Andrew Fraser. In return for his loyalty to the British, he was honoured with the title of KCIE (Knight Commander of the Indian Empire) and Indian Order of Merit (class III). In 1906, he toured Europe.
It must be added that in spite of his loyalty towards the British, he provided warm hospitality to Mahatma Gandhi, when he visited Bardhaman in 1925 and welcomed cordially Subhas Chandra Bose when he visited Bardhaman in 1928 to campaign in the municipal elections.
He was a member of the Bengal Legislative Council from 1907 to 1918, and of the Imperial Legislative Council
Imperial Legislative Council
The Imperial Legislative Council was a legislature for India during the middle years of the British Raj.The Indian Councils Act 1909 increased the number of members of the Legislative Council to sixty, of which twenty-seven were to be elected...
from 1909 to 1912. He was associated with the state administration in subsequent years. In 1938, he was a member of the Francis Floud Commission to suggest changes in the Permanent Settlement of 1793. The commission recommended the replacement of the zemindari system by a ryotwari (tenancy) system in which the ownership of land would vest with the ryot (tenant) and the land revenue payable by him could be revised periodically. The recommendations could not be implemented because of differences in the Fazlul Huq ministry. However, it was evident that the days of zemindars were coming to an end. It was this realisation that led Vijaychand Mahtab to extend indirect support to the Congress.
Vijaychand Mahtab was deeply involved with Bengali literature. He was president of the reception committee in the 8th session of the Bangiya Sahitya Sammelan held at Bardhaman in 1914. From amongst the twenty books he wrote, mention may be made of Impression, The Indian Horizon, Meditation, Studies, Vijaygitika (collection of songs composed by him), Troyodashi (poem), Ranjit (play), and Manaslila (science-play).
He left behind two sons and two daughters, thereby ending the long succession of adoptions.
Udaychand Mahtab
Udaychand Mahtab (1941–1955) was the last representative of the Bardhaman Raj. He was the first graduate in the family and in 1937, he won the election to the Legislative Council defeating Bijoy Chandra Bhattacharya of Congress. He took over in a quiet coronation ceremony.His accession to power was followed by the great famine of 1943. Historians feel that the Raj family did not do anything to alleviate the suffering of the poor, as it had done earlier. However, it must go to the credit of the Raj family that no communal disturbances took place in Bardhaman, even after the great Calcutta killings on 1946 and communal riots in many places across Bengal. The minority committee was well protected from disturbances.
In the first election after independence in 1952, Udaychand Mahtab lost to a freedom fighter and communist, Benoy Choudhury
Benoy Choudhury
Benoy Choudhury was a revolutionary freedom fighter and politician, belonging to the CPI, who played a major role in land reforms in the Indian state of West Bengal.-Early life:...
, who later became the Land Reforms Minister of Bengal
Bengal
Bengal is a historical and geographical region in the northeast region of the Indian Subcontinent at the apex of the Bay of Bengal. Today, it is mainly divided between the sovereign land of People's Republic of Bangladesh and the Indian state of West Bengal, although some regions of the previous...
, in spite of a campaign in his favour by Jawaharlal Nehru
Jawaharlal Nehru
Jawaharlal Nehru , often referred to with the epithet of Panditji, was an Indian statesman who became the first Prime Minister of independent India and became noted for his “neutralist” policies in foreign affairs. He was also one of the principal leaders of India’s independence movement in the...
. The election defeat was followed by legislation for abolition of the zemindari system in 1954. An embittered Udaychand Mahtab shifted from Bardhaman to the Vijay Manzil in Alipur, Calcutta. He became a director of IISCO
IISCO
IISCO Steel Plant of Steel Authority of India Limited is located at Burnpur, near Asansol. The turbulent history of the plant, starting from its pioneering days, has found it a place in industrial history....
, set up in a part of his Raj, and several other leading mercantile firms of the day, such as Dunlop
Dunlop Rubber
Dunlop Rubber was a company based in the United Kingdom which manufactured tyres and other rubber products for most of the 20th century. It was acquired by BTR plc in 1985. Since then, ownership of the Dunlop trade-names has been fragmented.-Early history:...
, Metal Box
Metal Box
Metal Box is the second album by Public Image Ltd, released in 1979 by Virgin Records.The title refers to the album's original packaging, which consists of a metal 16mm film canister embossed with the band's logo and containing three 12" 45rpm records...
and Brooke Bond
Brooke Bond
Brooke Bond is a brand-name of tea owned by Unilever, formerly an independent manufacturer in the United Kingdom, known for its PG Tips brand and its Brooke Bond tea cards.- History :...
.
He acceded to the request of the chief minister
Chief Minister
A Chief Minister is the elected head of government of a sub-national state, provinces of Sri Lanka, Pakistan, notably a state of India, a territory of Australia or a British Overseas Territory that has attained self-government...
, Dr. Bidhan Chandra Roy
Bidhan Chandra Roy
Bidhan Chandra Roy, M.R.C.P., F.R.C.S. was the second Chief Minister of West Bengal in India. He remained in his post for 14 years as a Indian National Congress candidate, from 1948 until his death in 1962. He was a highly respected physician and a renowned freedom fighter...
and handed over his palace, Mahtab Manzil and Golap Bagh to the University of Burdwan, with Shri Sukumar Sen as its first vice chancellor. To the numerous employees of the Raj he gifted a piece of land in Bardhaman so that they could build a house there. With the end of the Raj, he immersed himself in his commercial and business interests.
He died on 10 October 1984, leaving behind three sons – Sadaychand, Malaychand and Pranaychand - and three daughters – Baruna Devi, Jyotsna Devi and Karuna Devi.
Sadaychand Mehtab and Pronoychand Mehtab
The present representative of the Burdwan Raj is Sadaychand Mahtab, who was educated at The Doon SchoolThe Doon School
The Doon School is an independent school located in Dehradun in the state of Uttarakhand in India. Established in 1935, it was founded by Satish Ranjan Das. Its first Headmaster was Arthur E...
, Dehra Dun and Cambridge University. He too is involved in business ventures. His younger brother Dr. Pronoychand Mahtab holds a Ph.D. in history completed at the School of Oriental and African Studies
School of Oriental and African Studies
The School of Oriental and African Studies is a public research university located in London, United Kingdom and a constituent college of the University of London...
, University of London
University of London
-20th century:Shortly after 6 Burlington Gardens was vacated, the University went through a period of rapid expansion. Bedford College, Royal Holloway and the London School of Economics all joined in 1900, Regent's Park College, which had affiliated in 1841 became an official divinity school of the...
. He is presently a member of the Board of Trustees of the Victoria Memorial Hall, Calcutta and President of the Bengal Home Industries, a charitable organisation.
External links
- "Burdwan" genealogy of ruling dynasty, by Henry Soszynski.