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Historical Account of Burdwan Raj A Tribute to Mahtab Family of Burdwan

By Amarjit Singh Dhillon (Dr.)

E-mail amarjitdhillon15@msn.com

1st Edition 2014 Copy Right: Open

Price: Your love & affection for Burdwan

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Contents Preface

Chapter Page Introduction (The crux of the Burdwan Ruling Dynasty) 1. Origin of Name & Early History2. Foundation of Burdwan Raj & Early Years3. Burdwan Raj during Mughal Period4. Burdwan Raj during British Period & After5. Burdwan Raj & Freedom Struggle6. Burdwan Raj & Education 7. Royal Family’s Concern with the people’s health8. Historic Buildings & Places of Interest9. Ruling Family’s Contribution to Burdwan Development

Appendixes I Kapoor Tribe (Historical Perspective) II Time Line of Ruling Heads of Burdwan Raj III. Sequence of Titles To The Ruling Family of Burdwan Raj

IV Speech by Sir Bijay Chand Mahtab in The Imperial Confefence 1926

V Bardhwan House VI Summer Palace VII Some Additional Significant & Rare Photographs VIII Mubarak Manzil IX Ambika Kalna – The Temple City References

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Preface

I learnt the name of Burdwan in early 1950s when I participated in “Burdwan Trophy” in Shooting as a N.C.C. cadet from Faridkot. But I never knew about its fame at that point of time. My curiosity to know about Burdwan increased when I learnt that the most enlightened statesman and last Recognized Ruler of Faridkot State, Maharaja Harinder Singh Brar, in 1959, married his affectionate daughter Deepinder Kaur (whom we respectfully call Bibaji), in the Ruling Family of Burdwan, with Saday Chand Mahtab (the then Rajkumar of Burdwan). After the sad demise of Maharaja Harinder Singh Brar in 1989, his entire property/estate stood entrusted to The Maharawal Khewaji Trust as per his Will, The Chair-Person of which is Bibaji Deepinder Kaur Mahtab and her son Rajkumar Jai Chand Mahtab (a humble man) became its Vice-President. While I was preparing the Manuscript of “Historical Account of Faridkot State”, I came to know the services of Chair-Person Bibaji Deepinder Kaur Mahtab and Vice-President Jai Chand Mahtab of Maharawal Khewaji Trust being rendered to preserve the Heritage of Faridkot and also to upgrade the Museum.. From the work being done by these two important members of the Burdwan Ruling Family in the field of preservation of Heritage and also Charity services for the people of this area, my interest to know the History of the Family, from where they were ‘graphted’ this spirit, grew and the present work entitled “Historical Account of Burdwan Raj: A Tribute to Mahtab Family of Burdwan” is the outcome. Rabindranath Tagore (1861-1941) in his “The Hungry Stones and Other Stories” in The Story entitled ‘The Babus of Nayanjore’ had also written “the Chhota Lord had been heard to say that in all Bengal, the only really respectable families were those of the Maharaja of Burdwan and the Babus of Nayanjore.”(Translated from the original Bengali by various writers, New York: The Macmillan Company, 1916)

In this endeavour of mine, I have mostly relied on the material made available to public by scholars, writers and other sources on the Internet. I am indebted to the Computer and through it to all the

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sources. Some of the important Photos of the Family were made available on the Internet by Dr. P.C. Mahtab, brother of Maharaj Saday Chand Mahtab. In addition to Introduction, I have divided this small book in Nine Chapters starting from The Origin of Name and Early History of Burdwan to The Ruling Family’s Contribution to Burdwan Development. Nine Appendixes have also been given, including Burdwan House Alipore, Summer Palace Darjeeling and Some Additional and Significant & Rare Photographs. I am thankful to my respected Bhabiji Sardarni Jatinder Kaur Brar w/o Sardar Bhupinder Singh Brar, Mehmuana House, Faridkot, for clarification on some important points. I may be forgiven for the shortcomings if any. I know there may be many.

Amarjit Singh Dhillon (Dr.) 7543 Lockington Cres. Malton (ON), L4T2V6 Canada 13.2.2014

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Introduction (The crux of the Burdwan Ruling Dynasty)

*The Punjabi Maharajas of Bengal…The Royal Kapoor Dynasty*                        When a person hears the words like “Kapoor Khandan” or Kapoor Dynasty, then one surly thinks, about all those Kapoors, from the Hindi film industry but very few are aware that there existed a Raj-Vansh or Royal Family named Kapoor, who gave a patronage to many scholars and artists. This Royal Kapoor Family actually belonged to Lahore and it’s out-skirts, presently in Pakistan. These Kapoors from Lahore are famous for their kind-heartedness, excellent mannerisms, cool-soothing behavior and charismatic personality. They were blessed by their subjects as they took pains for the well-fare of the people.            The Royal Kapoor Family ruled Burdwan in Bengal. The actual name of this place was “Vardhaman” which later got distorted as “Bardhman” (now spelles Burdwan) during British Rule. The founder of this family was Sangram Rai Kapoor who belonged to a place called Kotli near Lahore. This Sangram Rai Kapoor and his son Raijada Banke Bihari while on pilgrimage to Puri, in Orissa, on their way they visited Bardhman and liked that place very much. So they migrated and settled at Baikunthpur. They were the land lords, rich- bankers, so got the title “Ray” or “Rai” attached with their last name as Suffix/Postfix.              In 1657 Banke Bihari Rai Kapoor‘s son Raijada Abu, who was very efficient, good administrator had provided the Mughal Emperor’s army the supplies at a very short notice, was then appointed the officer in charge of revenue collection and of the maintenance of public order in two precincts, ‘Rekabi Bazaar’ and ‘Mughultulli’ of district Burdwan, as a reward for his excellent performance of the duty. This Kapoor family started flourishing since then. The descendents added more and more landed property. In 1689 during Aurnagzeb’s time, Krishna Ram Rai Kapoor, son of Ghanshyam Rai Kapoor the biggest land lord, got the knight hood or the rank of nobleman. In 1744 these Kapoors became very powerful and got the title as “Raja”. These Kapoors then were mentioned as premier noble-men of lower Bengal in various gazettes.             In 1855-56 Raja Mahtab Chand Kapoor helped the Britishers a lot, during Santhal Rebellion and supported the Britishers against the

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so-called “Sepoy Mutiny” in 1857, which was claimed as a great struggle for the national independence. As Britisher’s were happy with his loyalty expressed towards them; he was declared as ‘Maharaja’. He got the title as “His Highness” and was rewarded with the grant of a coat of arms in 1868 and the right to a personal salute of 13 guns in 1877. In 1864, Mahtab Chand Kapoor was appointed as an additional member of the Governor-General's Legislative Council. He was the first Bengali Raja to receive that honour.                Maharaja Mahtab Chand Kapoor, the founder of “Royal Kapoor Dynasty” was a far sighted king who donated a lot of money, generously on education .He was the first one to start the schools for girls and also English Medium School He had supported the “Brahma Samaj” which had created little-bit displeasure amongst the “sanatanis” or “staunchly religious” subjects. As he was issueless, he adopted B. P. Nanda, his brother in law’s (wife’s brother) son, (outside the Kapoor clan) and named him as “Aftab Chand Rai-Bhadur Kapoor”; who became “Maharaja” after his death.                The prosperity, prestige of Kapoor Dynasty was at the peak in the reigns of Maharaja Bijay Chand Kapoor. He was actually son of Raja Vanvihari Singh Kapoor, from a place near Lahore and was adopted by Maharaja Aftab Chand Kapoor in 1887.He in December 7 1908, had risked his own life and saved the life of Sir Andrew Fraser, Lieutenant-Governor of Bengal, when an attempt was made to assassinate him. The Maharaja Bijay Chand Kapoor was then very highly praised world-wide. This Maharaja was a great scholar and a very good writer. He wrote various books on different subjects like meditation, management, science-fiction etc. His collection of melodies called “Vijay Geetika” and “Trayodashi” were very popularly read. He also wrote a play called “Ranjit”. His wife Radharani was a very graceful lady from the respected Mehra family of Lahore. He had two daughters and two sons named “Uday Chand” and “Abhay Chand”. The elder son, Uday Chand was enthroned and became Maharaja in 1941. Maharaja Uday Chand Kapoor had three sons, “Saday Chand”, “Malay Chand”, and “Dr Pranay Chand”.          Maharaja Sadya Chand Mahtab Kapoor is the present head of the Royal family. He was born in 1936 and got married to Maharani Deep Inder Kaur daughter of Maharaja Sir Harinder Sigh Brar of Faridkot.        During the three centuries this Kapoor Dynasty held the huge estate of Burdwan. The Kapoor Family contributed richly to the

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development of Burdwan as a cultural center. In particular, Maharaja Mahtab Chand and Maharaja Bijay Chand are credited with having extended patronage, to scholars and artists. The family also constructed several tanks and temples. Ghanashyam Rai, son of Abu Rai Kapoor, constructed a large tank, the ‘Shyam Sagar’. His son Krishna Ram Rai Kapoor constructed the ‘Krishna Sagar’ tank. His grandson Kirti Chand Rai Kapoor, founded the town of ‘Kanchan Nagar’, also re- constructed, the excavated the ‘Yadeswardiha’ tank.                  The famous ‘Ranisagar’ tank was excavated by order of Kirti Chand's mother Brajakishori, who also erected the ‘Baikunthanath-Shiva’ temple at Kalna. Kirti Chand Rai Kapoor’s son, Chitra Sen Rai Kapoor built the famous ‘Siddheswari Temple’ in Kalna which is unique in India. His son Tilak Chand Rai Kapoor’s had built several temples /shrines. His mother Lakshmi Kumari erected the ‘Sri Krishna’ temple at Kalna, while his wife Changa Kumari erected the ‘Jagannath temple’ at Kalna. Other legacies include the ‘Bijay Toran’ and ‘Rajabari’ or the palace.                 There is also a mysterious story about one heir of this dynasty. Raja Pratap Chand Kapoor, (who later had become very pious and religious due to the preaching of his mother Nanaki Kaur), the actual blood heir, was mysteriously disappeared, lost without trace and then was declared dead.  Later he had re-appeared as a Yogi or monk, claimed the throne. This “Jogi-Thakur” couldn’t win the legal battle, had failed to prove himself, hence the adopted son Mahatab Chand Kapoor was declared as Maharaja by Britishers. This "jogi-thakur" died in 1823 in Kolkota in penury. Tale Piece to Introduction:                                 The Kapoor Dynasty from Peshawar, great artists, film stars has ruled over the film industry for three generations; while this much-loved Kapoor Dynasty from Lahore affectionately ruled Burdwan for more than three centuries.

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Chapter 1

Origin of Name & Early History

The history of Burdwan is known from about 5000 BC and belonging to the Mesolithic or Late Stone Age. The name Burdwan is an anglicized form of the Sanskrit word Vardhamana. The first epigraphic reference to the name occurs in a 6th. Century AD copper -plate found in the village of Mallasarul in Galsi Police Station.

There are two views about the origin of the name Burdwan. One, it might have been named after the 24th. JainaTirthankar or barddhamanasvami. According to the Kalpasutra of the Jains, Mahavira spent sometime in Astikgrama which was formerly known as Burdwan. According to the other view, Burdwan means prosperous growth centre. In the progress of Aryanisation from the upper Ganges valley, the frontier colony was called Burdwan as a landmark of growth and prosperity.

(Burdwan, 95 km to the northwest of Kolkata, is the Headquarter of Burdwan District.)

Early History The excavations of 1954 and 1957 revealed that the Mesolithic Age has been traced at Birbhanpur in Durgapur Thana. These discoveries are results of excavations carried on during 1962-65 at Pandu Rajar Dhibi in the valley of the river Ajay (near Bhedia) and in several other sites on the Ajay, Kunur and Kopai rivers. This Dhibi has revealed that the people of those days were capable of building well-planned towns with pavements and streets. They lived in citadels and houses built of unfired clay reinforced with reeds and having plastered walls and floors of beaten peletty laterite. They knew the use of copper. Agriculture and trade was the mainstay of their economy. Vardhhamana continued to be a well-known division of the ancient Bengal. In the 6th century epigraphic evidence points to the existence of Vardhhamana as a famous Bhukti and in that age it was also mentioned as Radhadesa or Radha. Radha-Varddhamana area became a part of the Maurya Empire and remained so throughout. But

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following the dissolution of the Gupta Empire, one or more independent Kingdoms were established in Bengal.

a) Before Muslim Invasion

Towards the close of the 3rd. century AD a Varman Dynasty rose to power in West Bengal. Chandra Varman may be regarded as the king of Radha. After that Gupta Dynasty came in to power and Vinay Gupta was in charge of this area. And then, Sasanka, the first independent paramount sovereign of Bengal and then Jayanaga was in charge of this area. The history of the area is blank from the middle of Dharmapala, the the 7th century till the rise of the Palas in the later part of the 8th century. The Khalimpur copper plate of son of Gopala-I, states that Gopala-I was elected king by the people to save the country from Matsyanayaya. After the Pala Dynasty Sena Dynasty took over the charge of Bengal in about AD 1130. Vijayasena was the first king of Senas according to Deopara incription. Before the begining of Muslim invasion Sadgop Dynasty of Gopbhum which was in Bardhman district ruled  for a short time.. b) After Muslim Invasion The first Muslim invasion of Bengal took place during the reign of Lakshmanasena by Baktiyar Khilji. After ten years, during the reign of Hasmuddin Iwaz a portion of the northern Radha was occupaied by the Muslim ruler of Lakhnauti or Goudha. Then the battle to capture this region was continuing between the Muslim ruler and the Kings of Orissa.

The political condition of the entire Bardhman district as at present constituted was not clearly known at that time. But the Gangetic part certainly continued to remain under the rule of Lakhnauti (Goudha). An inscription of Nasiruddin Mahmud Shah found at Saptagram proves his holds over Gangetic area of Burdwan District. The next king , his son, Ruknuddin Barbak Shah extended his patronage to literal activist Maladhar Basu, the poet of Srikrishnavijaya. Maladhar Basu was a resident of Kulingram in Bardhman district and he received the title of Gunaraj Khan from the king of Lakhnauti. Another celebrated poet, who flourished in Bardhman at this time, was Ruparam who composed  Dharmamangala.

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In 1606, Qutbuddin Khan Koka, a foster-brother of Jehangir, was appointed the Governor of Bengal. Sher Afgan Istajhi, a Turkish nobleman, was at that time the jagirdar or fouzdar of Bardhman. His wife Meherunnessa   was a lady famous for her beauty. Qutbuddin Khan Koka paid a visit to Bardhman, shortly after his arrival in Bengal. There was a fight between Sher Afgan and Qutbuddin in the course of which both were killed. Meherunnessa became the consort of Jehangir who conferred on her the title of Noor Jahan. The tomb of Sher Afgan and Qutbuddin lie side by side within the town of Bardhman.

Shah Jahan (Prince Khurram) rebelled against his father Emperor Jehangir in 1622. he was then in Deccan. He left Burhanpur in the Deccan, crossed Tapti river and proceeded to Bengal through Orissa. Then Bardhman was occupied by the rebel prince who gave it as a fief to Bairam Beg. Shah Jahan ascended the throne of Delhi in 1628 and appointed Qasim Khan Juyini as the Subedar of Bengal. 

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Chapter 2

Foundation of Burdwan Raj & Early Years

Burdwan Raj was a zamindari estate that flourished from since 1657, first under the Mughals and then under the British in the Province of Bengal in India. The estate was established and owned continuously by the Kapoor family, which had its origins in the Punjab. Its earliest known ancestor, Sangram Rai, is said to have migrated to Bengal and settled at Burdwan in the sixteenth century.

Burdwan was never an independent territory since the chiefs of the family held it basically as the revenue collectors or zamindars 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 Burdwan 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.

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Their territory was centered on the Burdwan District, but extended beyond to eighteen more 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, the eminent historians keep their focus spread over the wide national scenario of a large country. Burdwan Raj evokes interest among numerous persons linked with this region and many others who continue to be inquisitive about what happened in different regions of this Early Years

1. Sangram Ray (1607-1657)

Historians accredit Sangram Rai to be the founding father of the Burdwan Raj family. He hailed from Kotli 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 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.” Burdwan, then better known as Chakla or Chakla Burdwan, was a particularly rich agricultural area.

Sangram 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 Burdwan but on his defeat he surrendered to the Mughals in 1584. Inspired by all the possibilities of wealth, Sangram Rai, made his way to Burdwan and settled down at nearby Baikunthapur as a trader and moneylender. Baikunthapur is not

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there on the map of Burdhwan at present, but historians think that it was located 10 miles (16 km) north of Burdwan Banke Behari Ray helped his father in business activities.

There was an interesting episode at Burdwan during the period. Meherunissa was the wife of Sher Afgan, Fauzdar of Burdwan. Emperor Jahangir 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 Burdwan and Meherunissa was taken to the Mughal harem. She later emerged as Nur Jahan, the powerful Empress.

Islam Khan, who succeeded Qutubuddin Koka as Subedar shifted the Mughal capital of Suba Bangla from Rajmahal to Dhaka in 1612. It meant that the centre of power was shifted further away from Burdwan.

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Chapter 3

Burdwan Raj during Mughal Period

2. Abu Ray (1657-1665?)

Emperor Shah Jahan followed Jahangir on the Mughal Throne. Prince Suja was then Subedar of Bengal. Ram Roy was zamindar of Chakla Burdwan. The Mughal Emperor despatched troops to quell a rebellion that had erupted in east Bengal. However, when the troops were around Burdwan, 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 Burdwan, all under the Fouzdar of Sarifabad, was assigned to Abu Rai (1657–1665?). He was amply rewarded for his support to the Mughal Emperor. He owed this appointment to his ability to supply the army passing through Burdwan with adequate provisions at short notice. The family continued to flourish in trade.

3. Babu Ray (1665?-1670?)

Babu Rai (1665?-1670?) shifted from Baikunthapur to Burdwan, and extended his estates to three other parganas, including Bardhaman, on the strength of a firman from the Emperor Aurangzeb. (He purchased Burdwan and three other estates from Ram Ray, an important Zamindar of the area.)

4. Ghanshyam Ray (1670?-1675)

Ghanshyam Rai (1670?-1675) is credited with having developed the Shyamsayer on 10 acres (40,000 m) of land.This place is now considered to be one of the most romantic place in Burdwan.

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5. Krishna Ram Ray (1675-1696)

Krishna Ram Ray (1675–1696), son of Ghanashyam Ray, obtained letters patent from Aurangzeb in 1689 A.D., recognizing him as Zamindar of these estates and extending to Burdwan and some other areas the offices already held by the family in Rekabi Bazar and Mughultuli. The family thus entered the ranks of the nobility. Krishnaram Ray was ordered to not realize any new taxes from the peasantry but to encourage cultivation and maintain law and order. The nazarana for the land was set at Rs. 200,000/. He 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.

The family was however hard put to maintain their newly acquired estates. Lawlessness was rampant and grew worse during the Governorship of Ibrahim Khan, an incompetent administrator who was appointed to that office by the Mughal Emperor in 1689, the same year in which letters patent were granted to Krishna Ram Ray.

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 Burdwan. At the battle of Chandrakona in 1696, Shova Singh defeated and killed Krishna Ram Ray.

His son Jagat Ram Ray managed to escape but the victor moved forward to capture Burdwan. Shova Singh had the ill-reputation of being a debauch and so, before he entered Burdwan thirteen women of the Ray family committed suicide by taking poison, but the young and beautiful daughter of Krishna Ram Ray, 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.

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For three years, chaos prevailed in the region till the Mughals re-established themselves in the area and put Jagat Ram Ray 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 Burdwan for some time before returning to his Capital at Dhaka.

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 Burdwan, where he was engaged in suppressing the rebellious Afghans.

(For three years i.e.1696-1699, chaos prevailed in the region till the Mughals re-established themselves in the area and put Jagat Ram Ray back in the seat of power)

6. Jagat Ram Ray (1699-1702)

Jagat Ram Ray (1696–1702) 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 in 1702, while he was bathing in the Krishnasayer. He left two sons, Kirti Chand Ray and Mitra Sen Ray. His widow, Brajakishori, lived for a long time and patronised Pranballav Ghosh of Ambika Kalna, who composed the long poem Jahnabimangal.

7. Kirti Chand Ray (1702-1740)

Kirti Chand Ray (1702–1740), inherited the estates, while Mitra Sen Ray was granted a fixed annuity from the estate's exchequer. Kirti Chand Ray made the best of the then prevalent lawless situation: he fought with the Rajas of Chandrakona, Barda and Bishnupur and added the parganas of Chitua, Bhursut, Barda and Manoharshahi to his fief. He was the first person in Ray 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.

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Even Kirti Chand Ray 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 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. In 1736, he received a firman from the powerless, figurehead Mughal Emperor Muhammed Shah, confirming him in his new acquisitions and recognizing him as Zamindar of Chandrakona.

Kirti Chand Ray extended his estates far and wide. At its height, it extended to around 5,000 square miles (13,000 km) and included many parts of what is now Burdwan, 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, Kirti Chand Ray 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. He made Kalna “The Center of Family’s Devotional Activities.”

8. Chitra Sen Ray (1740-1744)

In 1740, on the basis of a firman issued by the Mughal emperor Mohammad Shah, Chitra Sen Ray (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 Chitra Sen Ray was the devastation brought about by the ravages of the Marathas. Around 20,000-strong cavalry under the leadership of Bhaskar Pandit, attacked Burdwan and other areas of Bengal and resorted to extensive looting. For sometime Chitra Sen 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.

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9. Trilok Chand Ray (1744-1771)

As Chitra Sen was childless, his cousin Trilok Chand Ray (1744–1771) succeeded him. In 1746, the Mughal Emperor Muhammad Shah conferred the title of ‘Raja Bahadur’ on Trilok Chand Ray, 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:

1. All territory beyond the Subarnarekaha river would be under Maratha occupation and they would not cross it.

2. Mir Habib would be Naib Nazim of Orissa, nominally under Aliverdy but paying revenue also to Raghuji Bhonsle.

3. The Nawab of Bengal would give chauth every year to Raghuji Bhonsle.

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.

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A Noble Gesture byThe Royal Family: Establishing Maijir Bari

(In the 18th Century A.D the Mahtab Family ruled over Burdwan with Ambika Kalna as its Capital.)

In the year 1752 A.D, one day after a bath in the river Bhagirathi at Kalna the Rajmaata saw an old lady sitting and crying on the banks of the river. Out of curiosity Rajmaata asked the lady about her problem. The lady replied that she was a maithili widow out on pilgrimage; she had a daughter and no one else in her life, neither a place to settle down.

Rajmaata took her to the town and gave her a piece of land whereby stood an old temple (the present Pancharatna Mandir at Maijir Bari, Kalna). The Idol of Lalji was the Official Deity of the Royal Family. Rajmaata and the widow decided on an idol marriage between Radharani (daughter of Lalji) and Shyamchand (son adopted by the widow). The marraige took place and a Temple was built, where the idols were established.

Later on the Maharaj addressing the widow as 'Maiji' helped her to replace the Shyamchand Idol by an Ashtadhatu Idol brought all the way from Vrindavan. Rigorous religious rites and rituals were performed to bring the Deity from Vrindavan. The Temple was further reconstructed into a typical Aatchali Mandir as found in the region along with a Chandni Bari, Dol-moncho and a Rath. The place was named after Maiji as 'Maijir Bari'.

Maiji passed on the Shebahit Rights on to her son in Law Shri Jugalkishore Pandey. His son Badan Pandey died at a very young age. Shri Jugal Kishore Pandey had to remarry at an old age and his wife gave birth to a daughter. After the marriage of his daughter, the lady gave birth to a son who was later named as Shri Ishwar Chandra Jha. He was made the Shebahit. Shri Ishwar Chandra Jha did not have a son. In the year 1892 he got his daughter married to Shri Bardakanta Thakur, who was also an engineer by Profession working with the

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Archeological Survey of India. Shri Baradakanto Thakur was given the Shebahit Rights. Thus the Shebahit Rights were passed on between several families for nearly two centuries.

Later on Shri Baradakanto Thakur's descendants went ahead to continue the work as the Shebahit of Shymchandji and Radharani at Maijir Bari. During Dol-purnima, the tradition of Shyamchandji and Radharani visiting Lalji Bari is maintained every year. Ratha Yatra is celebrated and on the Pratipad Day after Kali puja, Annakot is performed and hundreds of devotees from all sections of the society irrespective of class, caste and religion come to eat Shyamchandji's prashad.

Maijir Bari has the Shyamchand Radharani Mondir

It has preserved a tradition of nearly 300 years

and even today festivals like Dol Purnima, Rath Yatra, Jhulan Purnima, Annakot and Rash are celebrated every year involving the people of the region irrespective of caste, creed or religion.

The East India Company It was during the era of Trilok Chand Ray that the British East India Company acquired Bengal. After the battle of Plassey (1757), the revenue of the district was mortgaged to them; later, in September 1760, the entire district was ceded to the HEIC by Mir Qasim, the Nawab of Bengal. This was three years after the Battle of Plassey.This

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cession was confirmed by the mughal emperor Shah Alam II by the treaty of Allahabad, 1765.

Initially, the Maharajadhiraj of Burdwan was inimical towards the British. With the attacks of the Marathas and other reasons, famine conditions prevailed in Burdwan. 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 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.

In the initial years, the HEIC and its officers was notoriously rapacious, both in exacting revenue for the company and "gifts" and trade concessions for the officers personally. The amount of revenue demanded by the company was set arbitrarily at an unreasonable figure and could not be paid regularly. When Trilok Chand proved irregular in the payment of revenue, the HEIC threatened to deprive him of his fief. In alliance with the Zamindar of Birbhum, Trilok Chand faced a British force at a ford on the river Banka near Sangotgola and was defeated. This was on December 29, 1760. (Note: In 1757, Trilok Chand earned the displeasure of the British when he refused to help Lord Clive against Siraj-ud-Daullah. Trilok Chand turned to religion for solace and it marked the golden period of temple architecture in Kalna. Nineteen temples – seven large and 12 small –were built in Burdwan between 1752 and 1766.)

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25

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Chapter 4

Burdwan Raj during British Period & After

10. Udwat Chand Ray? Zamindar of Burdwan, son of Swarup Chand and brother of Setha Bai.

11. Tej Chand (1771-1832)

In the initial years, he was a minor and his mother, Bishan Kumari, was in effective charge. He faced many problems during his lifetime. From his first four wives Tej Chand (1770–1832) had only one son, Pratap Chand by Nanki Kumari. 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. Pratap Chand was ordained Maharaja even when Tej Chand was alive.

When Kashi Nath Kapoor of Lahore was on his way to Puri for a pilgrimage, Kamal Kumari, his young daughter, charmed the Maharajadhiraj. She became his fifth wife. From then on, Kamal Kumari’s brother, Paran Chand Kapoor, played a key role in the affairs of Burdwan Raj. Unfortunately, Pratap Chand disappeared under the mysterious circumstances. Tej Chand adopted Chuni Lal Kapoor, the younger son of Paran Chand and he took over as Mahtab Chand. In the meantime, he had married for the seventh time married Basanta Kumari the 11-year old daughter of Paran Chand. Five years later, in 1832, Tej Chand died.

However, in spite of all his moral failings, which were common with the aristocracy in those days, Tej Chand was a forward-looking person. He had set up the Burdwan 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 big sum. He also supported many Persian and Arabic Schools and Sanskrit Institutions. In other fields, also his contributions were many. As per family traditions, he also excavated large ponds. His mother, Bishan Kumari, constructed the 108 Shiva Temples at Kalna during his reign.

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11. Mahtab Chand Bahadur (1832/1844-1879)

When Tej Chand died in 1832, Chuni Lal Kapoor, then a minor took over as Mahtab Chand Bahadur (1832–1879). During the initial years, Paran Chand and Kamal Kumari effectively looked after the affairs of the S Estate. In 1844, when he attained the age of 24, he took charge of the Burdwan Estate from the Court of Wards. There was a double change of scenario. First, the rule of the Ray family came to an end and the rule of the Mahtab Family started. Second, the loyalty of the Burdwan Raj shifted to the British in full measure. Till then, the Ray Family had retained the mindset of support to the Mughal Emperor and could not heartily accept British supremacy but from the time of Mahtab Chand Bahadur, they heartily switched over loyalty to the British.

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 cannons and use the title ‘His Highness’ before his name.

By the time Mahtab Chand Bahadur assumed power, coal had been found in the district (in Asansol ). 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 Tej

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Chandra 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 Pandits, 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 desires. Burdwan Municipality was initiated in 1865. According to the Municipality Deed on the basis of which Kanchan Nagar D. N. Das School was set up by the ‘D.N. Das Charitable Trust’.The School was started on 25th June1906, though the School was originally setup in 25 June 1887 also during Mahtab Chand Period. Kanchan Nagar D.N.D as 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 its Edition of 1911, the Encyclopedia Britannica had noted that “The town owes its importance entirely to being the head-quarters of

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the Maharaja of Burdwan, the premier nobleman of lower Bengal, whose rent-roll is upwards of £300,000……… The great prosperity of the Raj was due to the excellent management of Maharaja Mahtab Chand”( Volume V04, Page 811 of 1911)

In 1851, Ramtanu Lahiri, posted to Burdwan as Headmaster of the 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 Burdwan.

Rashbehari Kapoor, another son of Paran Chand Kapoor, adopted Jahuri Lal, son of Gopal Lal Seth, and named him Ban Behari Kapoor. He was a very efficient person and soon came close to the Mahtab Chand. He became Dewan-i-Raj and contributed substantially towards development of Burdwan Raj.

In 1844, Mahtab Chand married Narayani Kumari, daughter of Kedar Nath Nanda, but she did not bear him a child. He adopted Brahma Prasad Nanda, son of Bangsa Gopal Nanda, his brother-in-law and named him his successor.

13. Aftab Chand Mahtab (1879-1885)

Brahma Prasad Nanda adopted the name of Aftab Chand Mahtab (1879–1885) and took over after the death of Mahtab Chand Bahadur. He was then only 19-years old. Therefore, Banbehari Kapoor was in effective charge of affairs. He continued Mahtab Chand 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 Ramayana was completed and published. Some Bengali translations of Urdu literature was also done.

Aftab Chand 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

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Manager, Ban Behari Kapoor, and named him Bijay Chand Mahtab. However, as the adoption took two years, Court of Wards took over the administration of the estates.

Court of Wards: (1885-1887)

14. Bijay Chand Mahtab (1887-1941)

Brief Biography: Some Significant Aspects

Maharajadhiraja Shri Sir Bijay Chand Mahtab Bahadur, Maharaja of Burdwan, GCIE (1 January 1924, KCIE 1 January 1909), IOM 3rd Cl (c 1909), KCSI (12 December 1911).GCIE (1 January 1924), born 19th October 1881, son of Raja Ban Behari Kapur. Succeeded on the death of his maternal uncle, 1887

Received by HM The King-Emperor Edward VII at Buckingham Palace 1906, and HM The King-Emperor George V 1926. Member Imperial LC 1909-1912, MLC Bengal 1907-1918, MEC Bengal 1918 and 1919-1924, Member Indian Reforms Enquiry Committee 1924, Indian Taxation Enquiry Committee 1924-1925. President British-Indian Assoc. 1911-1918, 1925-1928, and 1935-1941. Trustee Victoria Memorial, Calcutta 1914-1941. President Bengal Volunteer Ambulance Committee, Bengali Regimental Committee and the Agricultural-Horticultural Society of India. Chairman Calcutta Imperial Reception Committee 1911-1912. Received Freedom of the Cities of Edinburgh, Manchester and Stoke-on-Trent, 1926. FRGS, FRSA, FRCI, FNBA, MRAS, FZS, FRHortS. Hon LLD (Edinburgh and Cambridge University). Poet, Author and Dramatist.

His rule started in 1887 and lasted till 1941. It was the longest in the Burdwan Raj. In 1887, he was only six years old. Therefore, the Court of Wards along with the Diwani-i-Raj, Ban Behari Kapoor, ruled

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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 Ban Behari Kapoor. The government permitted the Raj in 1897 to maintain an armed force of 600 people and 41 cannons. In 1899, Bijay 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 Bijay Chand Mahtab at the Delhi Durbar. A pompous coronation was organized in the Palace at Burdwan, 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 Burdwan. Jatindra Nath 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, Bijay Chand Mahtab invited the Governor General Lord Curzon to the Burdwan Palace and constructed the Curzon Gate in Gothic Style at the junction of Bijay Chand 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.

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 Bijay Chand Mahtab to extend indirect support to the Congress.

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Bijay Chand 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 Burdwan 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).

In 1908, he again went to tour of England and Europe and letter penned a book named Diary of a European Tour.

He was also noted for his philanthropy, especially in field of education and health welfare. For example, in 1908, he donated Rs. 40,000/- towards construction of hostel and other facilities for Ranchi Arts College, Ranchi, where Burdwan Raj also held large estates. Bijoy Chand Hospital was also founded by him during his reign in decade of 1910.

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 and Member of Executive Council of Bengal for the years 1919-1924.

He was also the President of British Indian Association from 1911- 1918 and again in 1925.

In 1914, he was appointed as one of the was members of the committee that investigated in to riots of Budge Budge and Komagata Maru incident

In 1924, he was one of the members of a committee headed by Sir Charles Todhunter, which looked in to taxation reforms in British India, which submitted its report in 1925 and was also the member of Indian Reforms Enquiry Commission of 1924.

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 Bardwan in 1928 to campaign in the municipal elections.

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An Interlude 1929-1936

During the later part of his rule, however, there were allegations of financial corruption coupled with mismanagement and the affairs of the Raj were in shambles. The British administrator took over the complete management of Burdwan Raj and Bijoy Chand was deprived of management from the years 1929-1936.

In 1936, he was handed over the reign of his Estate back by British.

He married, 1897, Radharani Devi (styled Lady Mahtab 1909), born 14th August 1888, died 21st November 1972, daughter of Lala Jhanda Mal Mehra of Lahore, Maharaniadhirani from 1903, Maharaniadhirani Rajmata Thakurani after her husband's death, and had issue, two sons and two daughters. He died 29th August 1941.

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As a rare gesture the Journal of the Royal Asiatic Societyin its Edition published an “Obituary” on the demise of Sir Bijay Chand Mahtab:-

He died in 1941 at Burdwan. His reign which began in 1887 and lasted till 1941, was the longest in history of Bardwan Raj.He left

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behind two sons Uday Chand and Abhay Chand and two daughters, thereby ending the long history adoptions for succession in Burdwan Raj:-

← 1.Maharajadhiraja Bahadur Sir Uday Chand Mahtab

2. Maharaj Kumari Sudharani Devi, born 16th September 1907, married 1918, Nandlal Khanna, born 1900, died 1963, son of Lala Sriram Khanna of Lahore, and had issue. She died 6th February 1946.

← (Lt.-Col. (ret'd.) Amrit Kumar Khanna, born 21st May 1924, married 1946, Champak Santanam, born 7th August 1923, died 4th May 1995, daughter of Pandit K. Santanam, and had issue. He died 5th July 1991.

Urvaishi Sudharani Kumari Khanna, born 19th September 1948, married 1975, Gordon Conlan, born 2nd March 1951, and has issue. She died 11th January 2011.

Victoria Kumari, born 2nd March 1977, married 20th March 2012, Mr. Harald Kumar Erharter. )

← 3.Maharaj Kumari Lalitarani Devi, born 2nd November 1911, married 1927 , Bhagabati Prasad Mehera, born 20th September 1908, died 6th October 1947, son of Lala Ishwari Prasad Mehera of Burdwan, and had issue, one son. She died 12th January 1947.

← (Saroj Kumar Mehera, born 27th March 1928, Knight, 1st Class, Royal Norwegian Order of Merit, 1996; Knight, 1st Class, Order of the White Rose of Finland, 1996; married 1956, Savita, born 9th February 1935, daughter of Shri Baldev, and has issue.

Sanjeev Mehera, born 23rd September 1957, married 1983, Amarantha Bedi, born 2nd October 1959, daughter of Ranga Trilochan Bedi, and has issue, two daughters.

Diah Mehera, born 19th November 1984.

Vedika Mehera, born 14th August 1988.

Ratan Mehera, born 18th May 1961, died 11th August 1962.

Tilak Mehera, born 13th December 1963.)

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← 4. Capt. (ret'd.) Maharaj Kumar Abhay Chand Mahtab, born 26th September 1915, educated at Harrow 1929/1932, married 1948, Charan Kumari, born 31st August 1925, daughter of Lala Sada Nand Malhotra (Mehra). He died 18th August 1993.

15. Uday Chand Mahtab (1941-1984)

He was eldest son of Bijoy Chand Mahtab born 14 July 1905. During regency of his father he served as Dewan-i-Raj for several years and succeeded to the throne of Burdwan Raj after death of his father. He married in 1929 to Radharani Devi, born 25th August 1911, died 30th June 1963, styled Badhurani 1929/1941 and Maharaniadhirani 1941/1963, daughter of Lala Dhuni Chand Mehra of Amritsar.

Uday Chand Mahtab was educated at Presidency College, Calcutta and Calcutta University (B.A. 1926); succeeded his father in 1941, installed 1943 as Maharajadhiraja Bahadur of Burdwan; Honourary Manager of the Burdwan Raj 1930/1937; Dewan-i-Raj 1927/1929 and 1937/1941; President of Non-Muslim block of Bengal Partition meeting 1947; M.L.A. Bengal 1937/1952; Member of Damodar Canal Enquiry Committee 1938 and of Select Committee on Calcutta Municipal (amendment) Bill 1940; Chairman of Burdwan District Flood Relief and Bengal Central Flood Relief Committees 1943/44; Chairman of Indian Red Cross Appeal (Bengal) 1943/1946 and of Calcutta War Committee 1943/1946 and of Damodar Flood Central Enquiry Committee 1944; Member of Bengal

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Tanks Improvement Bill Select Committee 1944 and of Advisory Committee on Terrorist Convicts in Bengal 1944; Member of West Bengal Forest Denudation Enquiry Committee 1944 and of Select Committee on Bengal Agricultural Income Tax Bill 1944; Member of the Indian Constituent Assembly 1946/1947; President of British Indian Association; Member of Central Jute Board 1951/1952; Director of over 30 business firms and Chairman of several boards, Member of Managing Body of several Government organisations; awarded Silver Jubilee (1935) and Coronation (1937) medals; Member of Calcutta Club, Calcutta and Gymkhana Club, Darjeeling and Aftab Club, Burdwan,

After abolition of Zamindari system in 1955, he shifted from Burdwan to family's house at Alipur in Calcutta. Here he became a director of IISCO, 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 of West Bengal, Dr. Bidhan Chandra Roy and handed over his palace, Mahtab Manzil and Golap Bagh to the University of Burdwan.

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 was also a Steward of the Royal Calcutta Turf Club. He instituted a fund for The Maharajadhiraja Uday Chand Mahtab Of Burdwan Memorial Cup at Calcutta Race Course.

He died 10 October 1984 leaving behind three sons and three daughters:-

← 1. MaharajKumari Barunarani Devi [Varuna Devi], born 17th November 1932, married 1950, Major (ret'd.) Shiv Kumar Singh Rathore, born 5th November 1920, and has issue.

← (Kumari Usha Devi, born 25th April 1951, married 1975 (div'd.), Kenneth McAndrew, and has issue.

Nikhil Kristian McAndrew, born 5th March 1980.

← Kumari Radha Devi, born 4th April 1955, married 1stly, Abdul Karim Jamal, born 26th December

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1950, died 18th July 1992, married 2ndly, 2001, Aspi J. Darukhanawala, born 29th November 1960, and has issue.

Shaheen Jamal, born August 1980. Tasneem Jamal, born August 1985.)

← 2.Maharajkumari Jyotsnarani Devi, born 22nd May 1935, married 1stly, 1961 (div'd.), Brian de Breffney, born 14th January 1931, died 11th February 1989, married 2ndly, 1964 (div'd.) Anthony Mayer, 30th September 1932, died 12th February 1995, married 3rdly, 1970, Major-General (ret'd.) Ashish Ranjan Dutt, born 6th October 1926, died 8th August 1998, and has issue.

← (Sita-Maria Arabella de Breffney [Sita, Viscountess de Vesci], born 4th July 1962, married The Hon. Thomas, 7th Viscount De Vesci, born 8th October 1955, and has issue.

The Hon. Damian Brian John Vesey, born 24th November 1985.

The Hon. Cosima Frances Vesey, born 22nd July 1988.

The Hon. Oliver Ivo Vesey, born 16th July 1991.

← Dr. Tobias Mayer Ph.D., born 14th July 1965, married Farhana, born 16th October 1967, and has issue.

Nadia Mayer, born 21st December 1998.)← 3.Maharajadhiraja Bahadur Dr. Saday Chand Mahtab

[Prince Henry] (see below)← 4. Maharajkumari Karunarani Devi (twin), born 11th

September 1937, married 1966 (div'd.), Shivantha Thambiaiah of Colombo, born 1938, died 1996. She died 4th July 2010.

← 5. Maharajkumar Malay Chand Mahtab (twin), born 11th September 1937, died unmarried 9th March 2000.

← 6. Maharajkumar Dr. Pranay Chand Mahtab [Prince Danny] Ph.D., married 1964, Nandini Ray, born 11th December 1942, daughter of Benoy Bhushan Ray, and has issue.

← (Rajkumar Ajoy Chand Mahtab, born 1st April 1967, married 1995, Tarina Ghai, born 24th September 1966, daughter of M. M. Ghai, and has issue.

Kumar Karanjay Chand Mahtab, born 9th October 1999.

Kumar Vivaanjay Chand Mahtab, born 7th October 2001.)

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Uday Chand Mahtab 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. It must go to the credit of the Raj Family that no communal disturbances took place in Burdwan, even after the great Calcutta killings in 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, Uday Chand Mahtab lost to a freedom fighter and communist, Benoy Choudhury, who later became the Land Reforms Minister of Bengal.The election defeat was followed by legislation for abolition of the zemindari system in 1954. An embittered Uday Chand Mahtab shifted from Burdwan 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 was also a Steward of the Royal Calcutta Turf Club.

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 Burdwan 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 and three daughters –

1. Maharajkumari Barunarani Devi [Varuna Devi], born 17th November 1932, married 1950, Major (ret’d.) Shiv Kumar Singh Rathore, born 5th November 1920, and has issue. Died on 3-1-2013.

o Kumari Usha Devi, born 25th April 1951, married 1975 (div’d.), Kenneth McAndrew, and has issue.

Nikhil Kristian McAndrew, born 5th March 1980. Kumari Radha Devi, born 4th April 1955, married

1stly, Abdul Karim Jamal, born 26th December 1950, died 18th July 1992, married 2ndly, 2001, Aspi J.

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Darukhanawala, born 29th November 1960, and has issue.

Shaheen Jamal, born August 1980. Tasneem Jamal, born August 1985.

2,Maharajkumari Jyotsnarani Devi, born 22nd May 1935, married 1stly, 1961 (div’d.), Brian de Breffney, born 14th January 1931, died 11th February 1989, married 2ndly, 1964 (div’d.) Anthony Mayer, 30th September 1932, died 12th February 1995, married 3rdly, 1970, Major-General (ret’d.) Ashish Ranjan Dutt, born 6th October 1926, died 8th August 1998, and has issue.

o Sita-Maria Arabella de Breffney [Sita, Viscountess de Vesci], born 4th July 1962, married The Hon. Thomas, 7th Viscount De Vesci, born 8th October 1955, and has issue.

The Hon. Damian Brian John Vesey, born 24th November 1985.

The Hon. Cosima Frances Vesey, born 22nd July 1988.

The Hon. Oliver Ivo Vesey, born 16th July 1991. Dr. Tobias Mayer Ph.D., born 14th July 1965,

married Farhana, born 16th October 1967, and has issue.

Nadia Mayer, born 21st December 1998.

3. Maharajadhiraja Bahadur Saday Chand Mahtab [Prince Henry] (See Below)

4. Maharajkumari Karuna Devi (twin), born 11th September 1937, married 1966 (div’d.), Shivantha Thambiaiah of Colombo, born 1938, died 1996. She died 4th July 2010.

5. Maharajkumar Malay Chand Mahtab (twin), born 11th September 1937, died unmarried 9th March 2000.

6. Maharajkumar Dr. Pranay Chand Mahtab [Prince Danny] Ph.D., married 1964, Nandini Ray, born 11th December 1942, daughter of Benoy Bhushan Ray, and has issue.

o Rajkumar Ajoy Chand Mahtab, born 1st April 1967, married 1995, Tarina Ghai, born 24th September 1966, daughter of M. M. Ghai, and has issue.

Kumar Karanjay Chand Mahtab, born 9th October 1999.

Kumar Vivaanjay Chand Mahtab, born 7th October 2001.

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16. Saday Chand Mahtab (1984 till date)

Maharajadhiraja Bahadur SADAY CHAND MAHTAB [Prince Henry],Head of the Burdwan Raj family since 1984.

Saday Chand Mahtab, eldest son of The Maharajadhiraja Sir Uday Chand Mahtab Bahadur of Burdwan, KCIE, by his wife, Maharani Radharani Devi, of Amritsar, Punjab, was born 26th May 1936, married 1959, Maharaniadhirani Deep Inder Kaur [Princess Bunty], born 17th July 1936, daughter of Raja Sir Harindar Singh Brar of Faridkot, and has issue

(Maharajkumari Nisharani Devi, born 4th December 1961, married 1987, Rajiv Kehr, born 27th January 1962, and has issue.

← Aditya Kehr, born 12th February 1989.

Maharajkumar Jai Chand Mahtab, born 28th September

1966, married 1991, Maharajkumari Bhawani Devi, b. at Brijraj Bhawan, 19 October 1967 (d/o Uttara Devi) m. at Brijraj Bhawan, Kotah daughter of Maharao Shri Brijraj Singh Bahadur of Kotah, and has issue, two daughters.

← Rajkumari Menaka Kumari, born 29th November 1993.

Rajkumari Kritika Kumari, born 18th May 1997)

The present representative of the Burdwan Raj is Saday Chand Mahtab was educated at The Doon School, Dehra Dun and Cambridge University. He too is involved in business ventures. His younger brother Dr. Pranay Chand Mahtab holds a Ph.D. in history completed at the School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London.

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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.

The comments made by his sister Rajkumari Karuna Devi in 2010 are significant:-

“In these days, things were just like a fairy tales. We had several palaces, elephants, horses, soldiers, hundreds of servants, everything. My family has ruled over Burdwan for centuries. We have established many notable institutions and places of worship during Burdwan Raj. It was all perfect, until everything was taken away from us in 1954 with the abolition of zamindari system in India. My father was the worst affected, but life had to go on. He was an extremely generous man and a true nationalist. He gave away his Palace and Golap Bag for establishing the University of Burdwan. Honestly, I’m still trying to come to terms with the end of Burdwan Raj.”

Chapter 5

Burdwan Raj & Freedom Struggle

The British Crown assumed Government of India by the proclamation of Queen Victoria in 1857. The Permanent Settlement with its huge revenue demands put all the zaminders under pressure and this pressure was gradually but inexorably transmitted down to the ryots. The Burdwan Sanjivani in 1878 criticized the government for its failure to protect the ryots. Jatin Banerjee of Channa in Galsi Thana area was the first to preach the adoption of revolutionary methods for attaining Independence. The Sakti Samiti, an athletic club, was established in Kalna town and the members of the club had to take a vow to abjure foreign goods, tobacco and liquor. A similar club, Joydev Sevak Sampradhi was established in Raniganj in 1908.

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The people of Burdwan reacted sharply to the proclamation of 1905 partitioning of Bengal. A number of meeting were held in the district, 60 boys had to leave school at Asansol, a number of students of Burdwan Raj College were expelled for crying Vandemataram. A National School was opened at Kalna in 1908. The Khilafat Movement also spread among the Muslim of the district. A hartal was observed throughout the district on 18 March 1923.

The Swaraj Party's nominees were elected from six out of the ten seats at the Kalna Municipality election, while at Katwa the leader of the local non-cooperators was elected Chairman of the Municipality in 1924. In 1930, when Gandhiji was arrested there was complete hartal at Burdwan. In September 1931, bombs were thrown into the thana compound at Kalna and in the quater of the SI of police, Memari. Subhas Chandra Bose paid a visit to Burdwan in December 1931 and had addressed a meeting.

The conditions were such that Bengal Public Security Act 1932 was promulgated in the Asansol Subdivision. Kazi Nazrul Islum, the noted Bengali poet was born at Churulia in Raniganj. His poems provided inspiration to the people for attainment of Independence. The people of Burdwan responded to the call of the country during the Quit India Movement of 1942. The Post Office of Kashiara was burnt as also the Railway Station of Kalna. Political agitation in different forms continued till the eve of Independence.

(Source: District Gazetter, Burdwan.)

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Chapter 6

Burdwan Raj & Education (Educational Contribution of Burdwan Mahtabs)

The Royal Family of Burdwan Mahtabs have done immensely in developing the education of Burdwan District. In 1881, the Mahtab family established the Burdwan Raj College from the money of the royal estate.Later when University of Burdwan was established in 1960, the family donated their residential abode to house the university.Presently, the current scion Dr.P.C.Mahtab brother of Maharaja Saday Chand Mahtab, is one of the pillars behind the restoration of Victoria Memorial in Kolkata.

I. Burdwan Raj College (established in 1881)

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The origin of the College goes as far back as 1817 when Maharaja Tej Chand founded an anglo-vernacular school within the premises of his palace at Burdwan. It was extended and renamed ‘High English School’ by Maharaja Mahatab Chand in 1854. Inspite of Bengal renaissance slowly transforming the social fabric, Burdwan remained rather indifferent to higher English education until Aftab Chand became the Maharaja of Burdwan 1881. In the same year, he shifted the school to Natunganj and introduced Liberal Arts courses in accordance with the permission of the University of Calcutta and christened the new unit Maharaja’s College. The school became eventually named ‘Raj Collegiate School’ and the College ‘Burdwan Raj College’

Since then, the progress of the College was steady as well as remarkable. Among the major incidents of its history, mention may be made of its transfer to Aftab House in 1941. Aftab House stands in the north-west corner of the picturesque Shyamsayar at a distance of about one kilometre from Burdwan Railway Station. Its campus measures 13 acres and is almost contiguous to that of the University of Burdwan.

  The royal patronage of Burdwan Raj College was taken over by the Government of West Bengal in 1956 under the sponsoring scheme and finally its necessary parting from the University of Calcutta became effective. Eventually, Burdwan Raj College was affiliated to the University of Burdwan in 1960.

II. Burdwan University

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Rajbati, the Residential Palace of the Mahtab family, now houses the University of Burdwan which was established in 1960.

The vintage building housing the administrative headquarters of

Burdwan University may soon have a heritage tag as reported in

August 2012.  

"The demand for preservation of the age-old BU administrative

headquarters at Rajbati has already been placed to the Archaeological

Survey of India and we have consistently been demanding the

heritage tag of the building,” said University Vice-Chancellor Smriti

Kumar Sarkar.     

The State Higher Education Minister, Mr Bratya Basu, after a

detailed briefing on the Vice-Chancellor's demand, said: “Truly this

structure needs to hold a heritage tag and we shall extend every

support to this idea.”  

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While the university's academic activities centre mainly around the

Golapbag Campus , the administrative work is still mostly done at

Rajbati ~ the Palace of the Burdwan Maharaja. It was erected

between 1851 and 1860 by the construction by firm Mackintosh Burn.

The Palace was designed and planned by an Italian architect as per

the order of Maharaja Mahtab Chand in 1851, when the Royal Family

shifted from its previous residence at Kanchannagar, according to the

Burdwan Royal Family’s archival records.  

The Palace was decorated with Italian marble semi-precious stones.

All the woodwork was done with imported teak. The Rani's Palace had

indoor swimming pools, a tennis court and fountains. When Warren

Hastings, the Governor-General of Bengal left the State, the Raja of

Burdwan purchased all his belongings and added them to his estate.   

After the abolition of the zamindari system in the 1950s, Uday

Chand Mahtab, the last representative of the Burdwan Raj, showed his

magnanimity in leaving almost his entire property to the State

Government. This, coupled with the initiative of Chief Minister Bidhan

Chandra Roy, facilitated the establishment of the University.

Burdwan University started on 15 June 1960, with Sukumar Sen, an

Indian Civil Service Officer, as its first Vice-Chancellor.

(Rajbati Complex, was demolished to allow for improvements to a women's college. The Sukumar Sen-founded Rarh Sanskriti Parishad. In May 2004, the Mubarak Manzil, the Rani's Palace within, had placed an appeal to the Governor of West Bengal against the demolition work. Former Burdwan district magistrate Subrata Gupta had ordered a probe. )         

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Chapter 7

Royal Family’s Concern with the People’s Health

The Burdwan Ruling Family took all possible steps to look after the health of the people and also helped the organizations working in the field of health care. Burdwan Municipality was initiated in 1865. According to the Municipality Deed on the basis of which Kanchannagar D. N. Das School was set up by the ‘D.N. Das Charitable Trust’ under the supervision of the great patriot &

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philanthropist Revd. Dinnonath Das the goal of which was to provide“ Free Education & Health for All”. 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 Burdwan 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 Burdwan.

He was also noted for his philanthropy, especially in field of education and health welfare. For example, in 1908, he donated Rs. 40,000/- towards construction of hostel and other facilities for Ranchi Arts College, Ranchi, where Burdwan Raj also held large estates. Bijoy Chand Hospital was also founded by him during his reign in decade of 1910.

All this was done during the Rule & under the Patronage of Maharaja Mahtab Chand and Maharala Bijay Chand Mahtab.

The concern and involvement of the Ruling Family in the medical profession is also reflected when at the Inauguration Ceremony of Charitable Dispensary, the Maharaja of Burdwan (Sir Bijay Chand Mahtab), in his opening Speech said “my coming here this morning has been prompted by a duty that I owe to the representative of the late Dr. Budden Chandra Chowdhury in consideration of the esteem and regard in which His Highness the late Maharaja Mahtab Chand Bahadur of Burdwan held the late Doctor”.( Contesting Colonial Authority: Medicine and Indigenous Responses in Ninteen and Twentieth Century India, Edited by Poonam Bala, Lextington Books, 2012, Page 63)

One of the serious challenges faced by the Burdwan Raj was the Epidemic of Kala-Azar in the last quarter of the Nineteen Century. It was called by different names such as Assam Fever, Black Sickness, Burdwan Fever, Cachectic Fever, Dum Dum Fever, Kala-Azar, Tropical Splenomegaly. Defined:-

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(Word kala-azar consists of “Kala”(in Hindi means “Black”) & “azar”(in Hindi means “Fever)”Fever associated with dark complexion “Black Sickness”would have been appropriate “Kala”or “Kal”in Hindi also means “fatal”just as “kala-swarp”means “deadly snake” Kala-azar means “Fatal Illness” Ross pointed out that blackdeath signifies plague.Historically, the cutaneous form of leishmaniasis is a disease of antiquity and was recognized in the Old World with various names such as oriental sore, Delhi Boil, Baghdad Sore, and so forth. This is an ancient disease. In the 10th century Arab physicians have described it as the Oriental Sore.)

The history of Kala-Azar or Kala Jwara in India dates back to the 1880`s. The disease was earlier dominant in parts of Mediterranean Europe and Africa. It is believed that the disease was transported to the orient by European traders. The disease slowly spread in the eastern parts of India. After 1885 the British gradually assumed power and authority over entire India. During that period the government was gravely concerned about the news of an epidemic of quinine resistant fever in the Burdwan district and Hooghly district. The government in Calcutta (now Kolkata) received news about an epidemic fever that affected the Burdwan. It was later discovered to be Kala-Azar by Sir Leonard Rogers.

The earliest Kala-Azar epidemic recorded in India was in 1870 in Assam. The disease is similar to malaria but it could not be cured with the drugs that were used for curing malaria. The disease was highly fatal. The locals addressed it as `Sarkari Bimaari.It had a devastating effect in the 1890`s in Assam. It also spread in Burdwan district and Kolkata. The disease was known as Burdwan Fever and Dum Dum Fever in the two districts respectively. It soon spread all over India. Kala-Azar out broke in Assam five years after the second epidemic in 1885. It lasted till 1900. Kala-Azar spread through the hilly regions of north east India and extended to some parts of the plain. The fatal disease depopulated several villages and killed many people. Another epidemic affected Assam and Bengal in 1917 and lasted till 1925. In 1931 Kala-Azar subsided completely. (Later in 1937 it affected Bihar and killed several people. Recently, in 1978 it swept through Uttar Pradesh and Bihar.) Discovery of Cause of Kala-Azar Till the end of 19th century the cause of this disease remained

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unknown. Research work began in full swing to identify the germ for Kala-Azar. The first discovery was made in 1903 by Dr. William Leishman. He was a lieutenant in the British Indian Army and worked as a physician in his regiment. He had served several patients suffering from Kala-Azar during his service in India. He extensively studied blood samples and discovered strange bodies in the blood cells. These germs were later named as `Leishman bodies`. About the same time an Irish physician Charles Donovan also researched on Kala-Azar. He was a professor of physiology at the Madras University Medical College. He participated in the sanitary service of the British Crown in India. He also studied the blood samples of the patients and successfully discovered a new germ. James Homer Wright also described the first case of Leishmania infection in an Armenian patient. Their works were published and the parasite was named as Leishmania Donovani.

The researchers then worked to understand how the germ was transmitted to control the spread of the disease. In 1907, Patton in India discovered that the germ for Kala-Azar multiplied in the gut of the bedbug. It then gradually changed into a form that was infectious for man. The Kala-Azar Commission under the leadership of Christopher, Shortt and Barraud began their work in Assam in 1924. In 1925 Shortt and his colleagues concluded that the bedbug was not the cause of transmission of Kala-Azar. A year before Knowles, Napier, and Smith had discovered that many sandflies became infected when they were fed with the blood of patients suffering from Kala-Azar. This discovery was confirmed by Shortt`s group. Several research works were conducted for years together on Kala-Azar. The drug urea stibamine was then finally discovered by Sir U. N.Brahmachari. This timely discovery prevented the spread of the disease over other parts of Assam and Bengal. The use of DDT to control malaria after World War II also substantially declined the spread of Kala-Azar. The Burdwan Ruling Family made all efforts possible at that time to control it and gave the available medicine to the public if the Estate.

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Chapter 8

Historic Buildings & Places of Interest

Though their roots were in Punjab, the royal family of Burdwan contributed immensely to the glory of ancient Bengal. The Royals were keen patrons of the arts and several temples of burnt clay were constructed during their reign.

1 Devi Sarbamabgla Temple

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Devi SarbamanglaTemple has a unique architecture consisting of three layers. The second layer of the temple has four chariots, whereas, the third layer has five chariots.

Sarbamangala was the Official Deity of the Burdwan Royal Family. The massive structure was built in 1740 by Raja Kirti Chand Ray. It is one of the rare Durga Temples in the State.

The premises are well-maintained. The temple has recently been painted pink and white. Of the other structures in the compound, two Shiva temples stand out. Both are adorned with terracotta sculptures. A deul-style temple also catches the eye.

Nine towers, at two levels, border the central edifice. The first level houses four towers, called raths. The other five raths are built on the higher level. The deity has 18 hands. Durga puja is the best time to visit this landmark. The statue in this temple is made of touchstone. There are finger-made symbols or weapons in the eighteen hands of the statue of Devi. This temple attracts huge number of devotees during Durga Puja and the first day of Baishakh.

2. 108 Shiva Temple

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108 Shiva Temple: A complex comprising of 108 deities of Lord Siva housed in 108 temples in picturesque surroundings, a beautiful garden and a lake , constructed by Maharani Bishnu Kumari.(Burdwan - I Block) The 108 Shiv Mandir situated at Nawab Hat is an epitome of beauty and solitude. One is awestruck to see a group of 108 Siva lingam temples.One circle has 74 temples where another has 34 temples. Built in 1788 by Maharani Bishnu Kumari of Burdwan, the temples are a spectacle to behold. This is a rare place in India or even in the world to have 108 separate temples within the same premises. Each year, a week long festival is celebrated on the occasion of Maha Shivratri.

3. Siddheswari Temple

Temple of presiding Goddess Siddheswari Ambika, surrounded by Siva Temple. Famous for Terracotta works

It is a major landmark and is dedicated to Devi Ambika, and it is after her that Kalna is also known as Ambika Kalna.

4. Gopaldaspur

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Rakhalraj is the most worshipped deity here. The wooden idol of Radhakanta is housed in a beautiful temple. (Kalna -II Block)

5. Antpur Radha-Govinda Temple

The most famous temple in Antpur is that of Radha-Govinda with exquisite terracotta carvings depicting stories from all the 18 puranas. This 100 feet high temple was constructed by Krishna Ram Mitra, the Diwan of Bardhaman Raj in 1786. Its Chandi Mandap and Dol Mancha have beautifully crafted wood carvings.

The period when the temple was built was curious. Muslim rule was ebbing out and the Europeans were making forays into the country. It is said that Krishna Ram Mitra built the temple to enthuse the Hindus. Terracota work which was earlier an exclusive preserve of Bishnupur artisans was no more so. While Radha and Krishna are predominant in the carvings, there also is the goddess Durga.

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7. Krishna Chandra Temple Lalna

The Krishna Chandra Mandir, with its 25 steeples, is popular landmark. Scenes from the epics are depicted on its terracotta walls. It was constructed in 1751-1752 A.D. on the orders of Raja Trilok Chan

7. Gurudwara

Gurudwara: In the sixteenth century, Guru Nanak, the founder of Sikh religion, stayed for some days near Gargara Ghat at Shyambazer. Later a Gurudwara was set up at that place by the name of Guru Nanak Charankamal. At present the main Gurudwara which is situated on the G.T. Road near the municipality was founded by a civil surgeon Lieutenant Colonel Baba Harikishan Singh. The building was constructed between1930-1935. Lt. Singh set up this Gurudwara in memory of his parents. 

8. Hawa Mahal (Golapbag) Hawa Mahal (Golapbag)

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The long path of red mud, shade of Deodar, Shaal , Arjun the water surrounded.All these will give you a charming atmosphere when you come to Golapbagh. Golapbagh was once set up as the pleasure-garden of the kings. Inside this garden there is a beautiful palace named Darulbahar, which was used as a rest house in summer. This palace is an instance of Roman gothic architecture

9. Meghnad Saha Planetarium, Golap Bag Meghnad Saha Planetarium, Golapbag

Meghnad Saha Planetarium: This planetarium is a wonder of technology constructed by the famous Japanese Goto optical manufacturing company. The building was set up on the 5.1 acres of land provided by Burdwan University and in grant of the governments of Japan and India and common people. The building was inaugurated on Jan 9, 1994. In the north of Golapbagh beside GT road, this center is open for all from 1 pm to 7 pm. The solar system, the revolution of earth etc are shows here in automatic exhibition. 

10Burdwan Church

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Christ Church: In 1816 the Church Missionary Society bought the land between Bijoy Toron and the head post office from the then king at Rs 12.50 per annum as revenue. The principal organizer was Captain Charles Stuart who was an officer of the East India Company. This Church made of bricks is a wonderful instance of European Architecture. 

11. Baroduari

Baroduari: Before the construction of Mahatab Manjil the Palace of the King was at kanchananagar. Shova Singh, the Jamindar of Chitua and Baroda of Midnapur besieged the Palace of Burdwan Princess Satyabati who was tortured by the Jamindar, murdered him and committed suicide. To avenge this Maharaj Kirti Chand conquered Chitua and Baroda in 1337. To commemorate this victory he built twelve gateways of which one has survived struggling with the ravages of time. This Kanchanagar was once famous for manufacturing knives and scissors. But this cottage industry is going to be extinct today

12. Curzon Gate (Bijoy Toran)

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Curzon Gate:A historical Monument constructed by Maharaja Bijay Chand of Burdwan to welcome Lord Curzon, the then Viceroy of Bengal at the entrance of Burdwan Town Now Known as Bijoy Toran. The eye-soothing tower is set up following the pattern of the gateway of India of Mumbai. This tower is situated at the meeting place of G.T Road and B.C. Road. The tower got its shape in the hands of an Italian sculpture. The previous name of this tower was ‘Star of India’. A.F. Hugh had painted a picture of it and gifted it to the citizens of Burdwan. The pillars, the lions of bothsides, cornice, the fretted decorations and the three fairies at the top of this structure are one of the best instances of sculpture. The two side arches and the main arch deserve your passing glance.

12. The Palace of Burdwan Maharaja

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14. Rajbati or Mahatab Manjil "The Palace of the Maharajah of Burdwan, in Burdwan." This was photographed on a tour conducted by American Red Cross for US military personnel stationed nearby

(Photograph by Glenn Hensley, 1944)

Rajbati or Mahatab Manjil was built by Mahtab Chand Bahadur in 1851. The entire architectural outlook is extraordinary to look at. Presently, it houses the administrative office of Burdwan University. Maharajdhiraj Uday Chand Women’s College and the settlement office are also adjacent to this building. (Details given brfore in Chapter 6)

15. Vijay Manzil

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Vijay Manzil of Burdwan Royal Family in Kolkataat 1 Burdwan Road is built on a 24 acre estatewhich was acquired by Maharaja Aftab Chand Mahtabfrom Stephen Arathoon in the late 19th centuryThe main building was constructed between 1902-1904The family still resides here and the halls and gardens are let out for weddings

16. Golap Bagh and Darulbahar

Golap Bagh and Darulbahar: The extended path of red mud, cool shade of Deodar , Shaal , Arjun the soothing cool water surrounded by a moat - all these will provide you a charming atmosphere when you come to Golap Bagh. Golap Bagh was once set up as the pleasure-garden of the kings. Inside this garden there is a beautiful Palace named Darulbahar, which was used as a rest house in summer. This Palace is an instance of Roman gothic architecture. Now this place is resounded with the murmuring of the university students

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17. Krishnasayar

Krishnasayar: In 1691 at the west of this town a big lake was dug out by the then king of Burdwan covering 33 acres of land. This lake is called Krishnasayar. Previously there was a high bank surrounding this lake the remnants of which are still here. The Trustee Board helped to reorganise Krishnasayar as a park and now this place is famous for visiting and boat rowing. State level dance festival is organised at the occasion of dolyatra and a fair of handicrafts takes place from 1st January onwards and continues for 10 days. At the time of this fair flower exhibition, art exhibition, folk song, reading of story and poetry are arranged here. The murmuring of birds, the cool shade of trees and the sweet fragrance of flowers seem to create a part of Eden.

18. Pirbaharam Sikka

Tomb of Sher Afgan, subject of Akbar the Great & Kutubuddin, Subedar of Bengal.

19. Kanchannagar

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Kankaleswari Kali is one of the famous holy places of Bardhaman and the idol of Goddess Kali is engraved in stone. This temple is devoted to Goddess Kali which is the main attraction of this temple and the idol placed inside the temple has eight hands. It is ornamented with terracotta panels and is a very famous for Hindus. The deity resembles a human Skelton. Each and every bone of the body is clearly visible. The idol is engraved in stone, having eight hands and garlanded with the heads of human beings. Devi holds a trident in her hand, which is supposed to hurt the male idol lying under her legs. The body of the statue is uneven

20. Khwaja Anwar Berk

Tombof Khwaja Anwar, the famous Mughal Warrior. (Burdwan Municipality)

21. Tomb of Sher Afghan

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The Tomb of Sher Afghan, the last of the Afghan Jagirdars in Bardhaman, is located near Rajbati or Rajbari (Burdwan Royal Palace of Maharaja). Sher Afghan married to Nurjahan. He revolt against Mughal Samrat and to control this, Mughal Samrat Jahangir hadto control this, Mughal Samrat Jahangir had sent Kutubuddin. Both were died at war and both were buried at this burial ground. Distance from Bardhaman railway station is about two and half km

22. Burdwan Raj College

Chapter 9

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Ruling Family’s Contribution to Burdwan Development

During the three centuries that they held the estate of Burdwan, the Kapoor Family contributed richly to the development of Burdwan as a cultural center. In particular, Mehtab Chand Ray and Bijay Chand Ray are credited with having extended patronage to scholars and artists, including:

Paramhansa Yogananda, teacher of meditation and yoga Sadhak Kamalakanta, Bengali poet and singer Gopeswar Banerjee, noted musician of Vishnupur Dasharathi Roy, poet and composer of Panchali Padmalochan, a disciple of Sri Ramakrishna

In 1882, the Burdwan Raj College was started in Burdwan, which was supported entirely by the revenues of the estate.

The family also constructed several tanks and temples. Ghanashyam Rai, son of Abu Ray, constructed a large tank, the Shyam Sagar. His son Krishna Ram Ray constructed the Krishna Sagar Tank. His grandson Kirti Chand Ray, who founded the town of Kanchannagar, constructed the Yadeswardih Tank. The Rani Sagar Tank was excavated by order of Kirti Chand's mother Brajakishori, who also erected the Baikunthanath Siva Temple at Kalna. Kirti Chand's son Chitra Sen Ray built the famous Siddheswari Temple in Kalna. During the rule Chitra Sen's son Trilok Chand, several temples were built. His mother Lakshmikumari erected the Sri Krishna Temple at Kalna, while his wife Chhangakumari erected the Jagannath Temple at Kalna. Other legacies include the Sarbamangala Temple, the Baikunthanath Siva Temple, the Bijoy Toran and the Rajbadi (palace).

Antpur in the district of Hooghly in West Bengal has a number of terracotta temples that have won applause from lovers of antpur.

All the monuments in Antpur are located in land owned by the Mitra Family, an erstwhile Zaminder of the area. To Krishna Ram Mitra, a Dewan of Maharaja Kirti Chand of Burdwan Raj, goes the credit of erecting the most richly decorated terracotta temple of Radha-Govinda.

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This temple, founded in 1786, is of well-known Bengali hut atchata-type with a do-chala ante-chamber in the front. On three sides, east, south and west, is found opulence of carved terracotta figurines depicting legends from the Ramayana, Mahabharata and the Puranas. Battle scenes of Rama-Ravana confrontation are depicted on the central frieze of the south facade of the temple. The western facade depicts Kali killing demons in a fierce battle. There are also many secular scenes like hunting, soldiers marching, the local Zaminder or Raja being carried in a palanquin.

Outside the compound of the Radha-Govinda Temple there are a few brick temples belonging to the second half of the eighteenth century.

References

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1. Bardhaman Jelar Itihas O Lok Sanskriti (History and Folklore of Bardhaman District) in Bengali by Akkari Chattopadhyay.

2. History of the Bengali-speaking People by Nitish Sengupta. 3. "Burdwan Raj" in Imperial Gazeteer of India, New Edition

(Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1908–1931), Vol. 9. p.1024. The District Gazetter, Burdwan.5. Land and Local Kingship in Eighteen Century Bengal By John

R. McLane, Cambridge Univ. Press, 1993

( This book examines the politics and culture of landholding in eastern India. Professor McLane explores the dual and sometimes conflicting roles of the zamindars, the landed chiefs, in eighteenth-century western Bengal during the decline of the Mughal Empire and the rise of the British Hegemony. He focuses on zamindari rent extraction, techniques of coercion, and the meaning of gift-giving and gift-receiving. He shows how the zamindars kept alive the rituals, patronage, and other traditions of normative Hindu Kingship for their subjects in the villages while they extracted revenue from the peasantry and intermediate gentry for the government of the Mughals and then the English East India Company. He argues that the increased commercialization and efforts to maximize land revenues imposed severe strains on the paternalistic and gift-oriented culture of Bengal’s huge landlords. This analysis is illustrated with a case study of Bengal’s most important and controversial zamindari, the Burdwan Raj.)

6. A Geneological Account of Burdwan Family, Translated from Persian Manuscript , Hindoo Patriot 26 March,1857

Appendix I

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Kapoor Tribe (Historical Perspective)

Kapoor or Kapur is a very famous surname in south East Asian Community. It is the name of a gotra of North Indian descent belonging to the Dhai-Ghar Khatri Caste (Robert Vane Russell, Volume 1 of The Tribes and Castes of the Central Provinces of India, , Publisher Macmillan and Company limited, 1916)

Lineage

The Dhai-Ghar originally consisted of three family groups of North India – Kapoor, Khanna and Mehra (also known as Mehrotra or Malhotra).They were later expanded to form the Char-Ghar Khatris (Khatris of four houses) by including the Tandon clan or the Seth clan. All of these communities have been urban communities unlike other communities like Jats and Ahirs that have been largely rural communities of India. They were regarded as Kshatriyas of two and a half houses because a grouping of three is considered unlucky; more so because half the house of Mehras, those who remained in the Himalayas (present day Uttarakhand) had not joined the new group. They were also regarded as Khatri, especially after their expansion into Char-Ghar (four houses). Aurangzeb banished many Khatris from the Moghul military and administrative roles because of their non-cooperation and since that time many of the Dhai-Ghar Khatris adopted trading, business and other urban professions that many other Khatris were already engaged in and from where they frequently took wives for their sons, while giving their daughters only to the other Dhai-Ghar Khatris in marriage. To quote from Sir Edward Blunt's book, “A Dhai-Ghar man can take a wife only from the Dhai-Ghar or Char-Ghar groups whilst a Dhai-Ghar woman can marry only a Dhai-Ghar man. The Dhai-Ghar are therefore exogamous as regards men and endogamous as regards women.”(Sir Edward Blunt, The Caste System of Northern India, Edition reprint, Publisher Gyan Publishing House, 1931, Page 47)

However, beginning in the nineteenth century, the community has progressively relaxed restrictions for marriage and modern Dhai-Ghar Khatris marry at times across other communities.

Origin

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The origin of this Caste is not clear and requires further research but it appears that they are a relatively recent addition to the Khatri Clan as may be inferred from Ain-i-Akbari (Eyes for the Emperor, Compiled in 1590) by Abu’l Fazal a prominent historian of Emporar Akab who recorded the Khatri Gotras. (The Ain i Akbari by Abul Fazlallami, translated from the original Persian, by H. Blochmann, M.A. and Colonel H. S. Jarrett, Volume 1, Page 376, Low Price Publications India).

But there are many theories regarding their origin. One legend relates that Parashurama (Rama, 6th incarnation of Vishnu) wanted to massacre the Kshatriyas and caused every Kshatriya woman to miscarry. However, some women escaped and took shelter in Brahmin (highest priestly caste) houses. The Brahmin declared them to be Brahmin and even ate with them in order to show Parashurama that the Kshatriya women were from their caste, and thus saved them. According to this story, the children born of these women became the Khatri.

The Khatri claim to be Rajput: the second highest class of warriors in the fourfold Hindu caste system. They believe that their name is a corrupt derivation of the Sanskrit word Kshatriya, which is a synonym of Rajput. During the British rule of the 19th century, the Khatri virtually had a monopoly over trade in Punjab. There is no doubt that the Khatri is an influential community of northwestern India; one that has emerged as one of the most progressive and dynamic in recent years. Before India’s independence and resultant partition in 1947 the Khatris were settled mainly in the western part of pre-partition Punjab (now in Pakistan) and shortly after began migrating to India.

Punjabi Khatris became conscious of their caste identity about 200 years ago. The British with their fetish for categorization and documentation felt that all extant Indian castes should be fit into the Vedic framework of the four varnas. “It was decided by the Government of India in 1885 to make a comprehensive field survey for precise information about the way of life, manners and customs, rituals, marriage practices etc. of the tribes, castes, sub-castes of the country for better administration and ethnographic research.” The task was assigned to a Bengal Indian Civil Service Officer, Herbert Hope Risley, who in 1891-92 published his The Tribes and Castes of Bengal, after “six years of intensive study and survey”. Much to the chagrin of the Khatris through out north India, Risley declared that “If then, it is

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at all necessary to connect the Khatris with the ancient fourfold system of castes, the only group to which we can affiliate them is the Vaisyas”. This was unacceptable to the Khatris for whom the villain of the piece was “One Babu Jogendra Nath Bhattacharya, M.A., of Bengal”. Risley had based his conclusion on the study by Bhattacharya who in turn was alleged to have deliberately degraded the Khatris “under the influence of a personal grudge against the Burdwan Raj, publicly attributed by the Honourable Raja Ban Bihari Kapur, Manager of the State, in his speech delivered before the Khatri Conference at Bareilly, in June 1901”

The Khatris marshalled a whole lot of evidence in favour of their higher social status and, wishing to be suitably classified in the 1901 census, submitted a “manuscript volume of about 300 pages of foolscap, dealing with the question in detail” to the census superintendent for North West Province and Oudh (corresponding to the present Uttar Pradesh). The response of the authorities was rather unexpected. It was now proposed to classify “the Khattris, the Kurmis and the Kayasthas” all in a new group called “Castes allied to Kshatriyas who are considered to be of high social standing , though their claim is not universally admitted”. This “night-mare of impending social degradation” propelled Khatris into concerted action. A three-day conference of “more than four hundred representatives of the numerous Khattri Sabhas, Committees and Associations scattered over the country” was held in Bareilly in June 1901 under the chairmanship of Raja Banbihari Kapur. The Khatri leadership was eventually able to convince the British authorities that “the Khattris are generally believed to be the modern representatives of the Kshatriyas of Hindu tradition”.

It is noteworthy that the debate centred on the position of  Khatris vis-à-vis  Vaishyas , Kayasthas and other castes in Bengal and (what is now ) Uttar Pradesh rather than in the original Khatri habitat, Punjab. 

The results of the campaign were summarized in a 1905 book “A Brief Ethnological Survey of the Khattris” written by Moti Lal Seth, Deputy Inspector of Schools and member Khattri Hitkari Association, Agra. This remains one of the primary sources of information on Khatris. A valuable additional and more general source is the three-volume Glossary of the Tribes and Castes of the Punjab and the North

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West Frontier Province, compiled by a British  Civil Servant  Horace Arthur Rose, superintendent of Punjab census operations. The Glossary is based on Punjab Census Reports of 1881 and 1891 prepared  by Denzil  Charles Jeff Ibbetson and   Edward  Douglas Maclagen respectively .It also “embodies some of the materials collected in the Ethnological Survey of India which was begun in 1900, under the scheme initiated by Sir Herbert Risley”. 

It must be stated at the outset that  in the following, the  cultural and geographical setting, rules of endogamy and exogamy as well as hierarchical ordering,    etc.,  that are described here  are   as  they  obtained a century ago, even though present tense is  employed . There is no implicit approval or disapproval of any practice that is reported. Needless to say, various social groups are far more flexible now than they were in the past. The changes have been particularly rapid after the partition.   

Greek historians mention that people called Kathaians who lived to the east of river Ravi and gave a tough fight to Alexander’s army. They also valued beauty very much to the extent that the “handsomest man was chosen as king” (Raychaudhuri 1972 ).

There is a story that the grouping was formed by the families of three administrators - Kapur Chand, Khan Chand and Mehar Chand who had come to work in Akbar’s court from Multan. But this story appears to be a fictional one since the Mehra, Khanna and Kapoor clans have pre-existed in India as a Kshatriya clan. Historically one of the Ratna's in Mughal Emperor Akbar's Nine-Ratnas was a Khanna known as Todar Mal Khanna It is more likely that the grouping was formed in Akbar’s time for marriages from three existing kshatriya family groups - the Kapoors, Khannas and Mehras that preexisted in India. The basis for the grouping appears to be suryavanshi roots rather than any other consideration. It is for this reason that the group included other suryavanshi clans that they encountered in the regions they came to inhabit such as the Tandons and the Seths. These groupings were based on the belief that all of these clans are descendents of ancient suryavanshi kshatriya clans (Kumar Suresh Singh, B. R. Sharma, A. R. Sankhyan, Volume 24 of People of India: State series, Anthropological Survey of India, 1996, 715 pages)

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The name Mehra appears to be derived from Mihira or Mihir which means Sun. (Bombay (India : State) (1901). Gazetteer of the Bombay Presidency, Volume 9, Part 1. Govt. Central Press. p.47.) Some members of the Mehra family also adopt the alternative family names of Malhotra, Mehlotra or Mehrotra.

To protect their lineage the Dhai-Ghar Khatris traditionally did not permit their daughters to marry with other khatris outside the dhai-ghar. However when necessity demanded they took daughters of other khatris in marriage for their sons. The group has expanded rapidly since the time of Akbar and spread across entire North India.

Amongst these three family groups it is likely that the Kapoor family are ancient migrants into India from Eastern Europe since many members of the Dhai-Ghar Khatris have very fair complexions (Robert Vane Russell, Volume 1 of The Tribes and Castes of the Central Provinces of India, , Publisher Macmillan and Company limited, 1916 ) To quote from R. V. Russel "They are a handsome fair-skinned class, some of them with blue or grey eyes" and "the proverb runs, A Khatri woman would be fair without fine clothes or ornaments,' and, ' Only an albino is fairer than a Khatri woman.'" These remarks are not fully applicable in modern India. Although some of the community continue to be fair complexioned there are many who are quite dark probably as a result of the inter marriages with other khatris.

The Mehra family may have migrated from a village near Nainital in Uttarakhand where an ancient village by the name of Mehra Village exists that was established by the Rajput and other kshatriya migrations migrations into Kumaon (James F. Fisher, Himalayan Anthropology: The Indo-Tibetan Interface World Anthropology, Walter de Gruyter, 1978) later returning to the plains to serve in the army of Emperor Akbar along with Rajputs from other parts of India.

Contemporary Occupatioms

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The Khatris is a trading and mercantile community, who originated in Punjab and spread to the many states in which they now live. Numbering around 2.5 million, they live in Punjab, Delhi, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat, Jammu & Kashmir, Maharashtra, Himachal Pradesh, Bihar, Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Chandigarh. In all, they are distributed in over 132 districts in the country and have 241 segments.

The Khatri are businessmen, traders, professional moneylenders and financiers. Their business pursuits range from owning and operating village shops to being major wholesale traders and industrialists. However, there are also some who practice agriculture and rear animals. Many are contractors and transporters, while a few are employed in government and private sectors. The Khatri of Gujarat are known for their cloth which they print and dye as well as the specialized art of bandhini (tying and dyeing fabrics), while in Maharashtra they are the traditional weavers of silk saris, especially the famous paithani saris.

The Khatri are also engineers, doctors, scientists, army, police, administrators, politicians and creative artists. Generally, they are highly literate. They encourage both sons and daughters to study.

In modern times the Dhai-Ghar community is engaged in diverse professions in India ranging from administration to the army.The Khatri are businessmen, traders, professional moneylenders and financiers. Their business pursuits range from owning and operating village shops to being major wholesale traders and industrialists. However, there are also some who practice agriculture and rear animals. Many are contractors and transporters, while a few are employed in government and private sectors. The Khatri of Gujarat are known for their cloth which they print and dye as well as the specialized art of bandhini (tying and dyeing fabrics), while in Maharashtra they are the traditional weavers of silk saris, especially the famous paithani saris.It is significabt to note that The Zamindars of Burdwan in Bengal belong to the Kapoor Clan and held the title of Maharaja, the deiai;s of which have been given in this “Historical Account of Burdwan Raj”.

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Usha Devi Malhotra (HH Maharanidhiraja Rani Rajeshwar Sawai Shrimant Akhand Soubbagyavati Usha Devi Malhotra, XV Bahadur, 15th Maharani of Indore) was appointed as the successor of Holkar State in a grand ceremony in presence of the then President of India Dr.Rajendra Prasad, Prime Minister Jawahar Lal Nehru and Home Minister Sardar Vallabh Bahi Patel in 1961. She has been conferred with the title of Maharani of Indore. In modern India the monarchy is officially notional, however, it continues in popular tradition.

Two of the Indian Army Chiefs – General Deepak Kapoor and General Om Prakash Malhotra belong to this community. Since many from this community are good looking they have done rather well in the Indian film industry. Foremost among them is theKapoor Family of Bollywood

Arts and Films:

Anil Kapoor, Bollywood actor, film producer,Anish Kapoor, sculptor,Anu Kapoor, Bollywood actor,Bharat Kapoor, director, writer, producer,Boney Kapoor film director and producer,Ekta Kapoor producer for television and movies (Bollywood),Gita Kapoor, Bollywood dancer,Ishaan Kapoor, actor,Kareena Kapoor, Bollywood actress,Karisma Kapoor, Bollywood actress,Namitha Kapoor, South Indian movie actress,Neha Kapur, Beauty queen,Pankaj Kapur, Bollywood actor, film-maker,Prithviraj Kapoor, a pioneer of Indian theatre and of the Hindi film industry,Raj Kapoor, Bollywood actor, producer and director,Ram Kapoor, TV actor,Ranbir Kapoor, Bollywood actor, son of Rishi Kapoor,Ravi Kapoor, British actor,Rishi Kapoor, Bollywood actor,Sanjana Kapoor, Bollywood actress, theatre-person, owner of Prithvi Theatre,Sanjay Kapoor, Bollywood actor,Sanjeev Kapoor, gourmet chef,Shahid Kapoor, Bollywood actor, son of Pankaj Kapur,Shakti Kapoor, Bollywood actor, Shammi Kapoor, Bollywood actor,Shashi Kapoor, Bollywood actor, director and producer, founder of the Prithvi Theatre,Shekhar Kapur, film-maker,Sonam Kapoor, Bollywood actress,Steven Kapur, also known as "Apache Indian", a pop singer,Surinder Kapoor, Bollywood film producer,Tirlok Kapoor, Bollywood film actor ( brother of Prithvi Raj Kapoor),Tusshar Kapoor, Bollywood actor,Jeetendra (Ravi Kapoor), Bollywood actor, owner of Balaji Telefilms

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Literature:

Navrattan Kapoor Narinder Singh Kapoor

Education and social work:

Raj Narain Kapoor

Language

The language spoken by the Khatri people varies from state to state. In Punjab, Haryana and Jammu and Kashmir, the Indo-Aryan language, Punjabi, is their first language and the Gurumukhi script is used to write it. However, in the State of Jammu and Kashmir, they also speak Dogri and Bhadrawahi. Hindi is the primary language in Delhi and Uttar Pradesh and it is written in the Devanagari Script. They speak Maithili in Bihar, Mewari or Marwari in Rajasthan, Bengali in Bengal, Pahari in Himachal Pradesh and Kacchi in Gujarat. Most Khatri are also fluent in Hindi language and many educated Khatri speak English.

Their Beliefs

According to one analysis the Khatris are 69 % Hindu, 22 % Muslim or 11 % Sikh by faith and strictly adhere to the tenets of their respective religions. Some belong to the egalitarian Arya Samaj and the Guru-centric Radhasoami and Nirankari sects. Sikh Khatri hold the ten Gurus of their religion in high esteem. Guru Nanak, the founder of Sikhism, as well as Guru Govind Singh, the tenth guru was a Khatri. The Muslims among the Khatri live mainly in Gujarat and adhere to the tenets of the Islamic faith, and belong to the dominant Sunni Sect.

Appendix II

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Appendix III

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Appendix IV

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SPEECH BY SIR BIJAY CHAND MAHTAB, THE MAHARAJA OF BURDWAN ON BEHALF OF THE INDIAN DELEGATION

Lord Winterton: Prime Minister- I am representing the Secretary State of India. It had been Lord Birkenhead’s intention, had he been present, to ask the Maharaja of Burdwan to speak, and now on Lord Birkenhead’ behalf, Itherefore now do so. The Maharaja of Burdwan: Prime Minister- I feel very complimented indeed at having been asked by the Secretary of State for India to speak on behalf of the Indian Delegation at the opening

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(Note:The Imperial Conference of 1926 was the sixth in a series of increasingly formal meetings of the Prime Ministers of the Dominions of the British Empire, which usually took place in London. The 1926 Conference met shortly after the League of Nations’ General Assembly in 1926.

The most influential conclusion made at the 1926 Imperial Conference was the Balfour Formula or Balfour Declaration (this should not be confused with the 1917 Balfour Declaration which declared British support for the establishment of a national home for the Jewish people in Palestine). Arthur Balfour, who had been Prime Minister from 1902-5, and Foreign Secretary from 1916-19, was in 1926 Lord

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President of the Council, and thus responsible for presiding over meetings of the Privy Council. At the Imperial Conference Balfour chaired the Inter-Imperial Relations Committee, who were appointed on the 25 October 1926 'to investigate all the questions on the Agenda affecting Inter-Imperial Relations.' This Committee was comprised of Prime Ministers and Heads of Delegations. The central conclusion that the Inter-Imperial Relations Committee drew was that the Dominions were, 'autonomous Communities within the British Empire, equal in status, in no way subordinate to one another in any aspect of their domestic or external affairs, though united by a common allegiance to the Crown, and freely associated as members of the British Commonwealth of Nations'. The statement was ratified by the Conference on 19 November 1926.

Notably, this was not a constitution for the British empire, for which some, including Jan Smuts of South Africa, had campaigned. Furthermore, while the report called for an equality of status of the Dominions, it did not suggest that their functions were anything but different. A tension existed between the self-governing Dominions of the British Commonwealth, whose status was addressed at the Imperial Conference, and the non-self-governing elements of the British empire. The unique status of India in terms of self-determination and continuing inclusion in the British empire in some ways set it apart from the Dominions discussed at the Conference. The Maharaja of Burdwan, the representative for India, gave a lengthy opening speech which addressed India’s loyalty to the British empire and her recent economic developments. The discussions were relevant, however, in terms of the continuing evolution of the British empire and Commonwealth. The Formula was enshrined in law only in 1931, under The Statute of Westminster.)

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Appendix V

Burdwan House

Burdwan(Bardhaman) House,(Bangla Academy) 11/2009

Burdwan House, the Maharaja of Burdwan, Sir Bijoy Chand Mahtab, a member of the Administrative Council (1919-1924) came to Dhaka on official work once a year. It is said that he built the Burdwan House in 1906 for his convenience. The Burdwan House contains an exclusive colonial style of late 19th and early 20th centuries. A two storied building, is rectangular in plan, the central bay holding the main entrance portico being projected out. A wide arcaded verandah runs in front of the building at both levels with balustrade railings. The arches are all semicircular which conform to the 19th century style.

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Appendix VI

Summer Palace, Darjeeling

Summer Palace of the Maharaja of Burdwan

In 1829 the British Indian Government sent Lloyd and Grant, two officers of the East India Company, to inspect an old and deserted Gurkha Military station known as Darjeeling where waste jungle lands were put up for auction. Zamindar Mahtab Chand, tenth in line of succession after Abu Ray on the Gaddi of Burdwan Raj, promptly moved into Darjeeling at this juncture. Soon after his arrival, the Maharaja purchased eleven acres of building site named Rose Bank for his family’s residence from Dr. Chambell in 1860 and got it declared as freehold property by the Secretary of State for India. Since then Darjeeling became an integral part of the Burdwan Raj Family home. The hub of the purchased plot was a two acres flat piece of ground jutting out on the edge of a ridge, which dropped into ravines of a Mountain streams on its two sides. From this spot could be seen a circular view of the entire mountain range with the gigantic snow capped peak of Kanchanjanga as the backdrop. On this picturesque plot the Maharaja constructed a large and sprawling building on the lines of a hill cottage and named it with Perso-Mughal Connotation ‘Mahtab Nasin’ after his first name and a smaller guest house which he called in keeping with the local Nepali language ‘Chandra Khoti’ after his second name. In 1897, Mahtab Chand’s grandson, Bijay Chand had the privilege of receiving Swami Vivekananda as his personal guest at his Darjeeling residence to contemplate divine guidance in his project to launch the famous Ram Krishna Mission. The original construction of Mahtab Nasin collapsed during the devastating Bihar Earthquake of 1934. Subsequently exact replicas were reconstructed on the original constructed site and the original idols, which had escaped the

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devastation, were reinstalled back again. The earthquake had also completely demolished Bijay Chand’s residence, as a replacement for which he planned a new house on the same plot at Rose Bank commissioning the task to W.I.Keir, a renowned English Architect of Darjeeling, who submitted his design, a circular single floor house, for approval in April 1934. However, with Great Britain declaring war on Germany before the construction work could begin, some delays took place. Subsequently, with the conclusion of the war, in 1946 Bijay Chand along with his son-and-heir, Uday Chand, restarted building activities on the new home of the Burdwan Raj Family and completed it under the supervision of his household comptroller, R.B. Gurung by 1949. He called it Uday Mahal after his own name. With the abolition of zamindar by the West Bengal Estate Requisition Act of 1953, the Burdwan Raj was brought to an end with the 2162 acres estate acquired by Mahtab Chand being vested to the government. The last Maharaja Uday Chand, was allowed to retain from it only 2.08 acres for his personal uses, thereby ending the five-generation dynastic history of the Maharajas of Burdwan in Darjeeling.

Architectural character

Having understood the historical developments one can infer that this residence saw a large amount of changes both stylistically over time and from the socio-political scenario of the era. A significant change in this respect was that of Uday Chand modifying the design of Bijay Chand to suit his own taste in keeping with the Art Deco style popularized in the 1930. This house therefore does not follow the typical pattern of the zamindar mansions and is closer in character to a colonial bungalow, probably also because of its siting. Uday Mahal was circular in shape with semi-circular arched beams used to support the ceilings while the rooms on the ground and first floor were hexagonal. This circular plan was divided symmetrically, which each quadrant further subdivided to take on various natures of functions. The sequence of movement is from the entrance lobby into a main central hall which then further branches onto the various activity areas. The central hall and the upper gallery were octagonal while the grand staircase and bathrooms were triangular. The upper floor has individual suites in each quadrant, which all open onto verandahs that run along the entire perimeter of house while an inner gallery overlooks the central hall below. While verandahs had geometrical

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patterns, the inner doors and upper galleries were topped by semicircular ventilators. An eye catching single lofty dome made of blue enamel tiles topped the edifice. The fireplaces in rooms were also fitted with different bright coloured enamel tiles and highly polished stones. The rooms are lavishly designed with period furniture, paintings &artefacts collected over generations.

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Appendix VII Some Additional Significant & Rare Photographs

1. Maharaja Mahatab Chand Bahadur (1820 – 1879)

2. Mahtab Chand of Burdwan, .

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3 Maharaja Bijay Chand Mahtab

. during his teens, 1889

4. Maharajadhiraja of Burdwan Sir Bijay Chand Mahtab with his wife Maharanidhirani Radharani Devi in 1905

in all bejewelled regalia.

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5. Sir Bijay Chand Mahtab at the Delhi Durbar of 1931

6. Maharanidhirani Radharani Mahtab, wife of Sir Bijay Chand Mahtab, Maharajadhiraja of Burdwan, 1950.

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7. Sir Bijay Chand Mahtab ( sitting ) with younger son Abhay Chand Mahtab (standing left ) with son in law and daughter in law

8. Maharaja Uday Chand Mahtab with his wife, 1930.

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8. Maharaja Uday Chand Mahtab with his wife and five of his children. Children : Standing- Baruna Mahtab, sitting- twins Karuna and Malay Mahtab on their parent's lap, front sitting- Jyotsna Mahtab at right,Henry Mahtab at left, 1937.

9.Princess Baruna Mahtab's wedding, 1950 - Standing from right- Princess Karuna Mahtab, Prince Saday Chand Mahtab,Prince Abhay Chand Mahtab, Princess Baruna Mahtab, her husband Maj. Shiv Kumar Singh Rathore, Princess Jyotsna Mahtab, Maharaja Uday Chand Mahtab. Sitting on extreme right - Mrs. Abhay Chand Mahtab, in the center: Prince Malay Chand Mahtab and Prince Pranay Chand Mahtab and on the left sitting is Maharani of Burdwan ,Mrs .Uday Chand Mahtab. Courtesy - Dr. P. C.

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10. Burdwan Palace from The North Side 11. Mahtab Manzil Burdwan

12, Burdwan Raj College

Photographer Unknown : Year 1904 Above 3 Photographs of the Palace of Burdwan and Burdwan Raj College taken by an unknown photographer around 1904. These are part of a album of photographs presented to Lord Curzon, the Viceroy of India, by Bijay Chand Mahtab of Burdwan (r.1887-1941), on his short visit to the city on 2nd April 1904. (Source: British Library)

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13. Maharaja Bijay Chand Mahtab seen with family members returning

to India from Britain after a span of 8 years in 1935.

14. Princess Baruna Mahtab's wedding, 1950 - Standing from right- Princess Karuna Mahtab, Prince Saday Chand Mahtab,Prince Abhay Chand Mahtab, Princess Baruna Mahtab, her husband Maj. Shiv Kumar Singh Rathore, Princess Jyotsna Mahtab, Maharaja Uday Chand Mahtab. Sitting on extreme right - Mrs. Abhay Chand Mahtab, in the cente : Prince Malay Chand Mahtab and Prince Pranay Chand Mahtab and on the left sitting is Maharani of Burdwan ,Mrs .Uday Chand Mahtab.

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15. Both the Princesses of Burdwan Lalitarani and Sudharani .

are present in this pic in Whitehall, UK in 1928

16. A rare photo showing from left - Maharaja of Burdwan Sir Uday Chand Mehtab , Maharani of Coochbehar Indira Devi , then Governor of West Bengal Padmaja Naidu , Pat Williamson of Williamson Magor in 1958

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17. Faridkot - Burdwan Wedding, 1959 - Princess Deepinder Kaur ( center ) at the day of her wedding to the then Maharajakumar Saday Chand Mahtab of Burdwan, later known as Maharaja of Burdwan. Seen with the ladies of Faridkot Royal Family. (Courtesy - Dr. P.C. Mahtab)

18. The Maharaja of Burdwan with family and guests at the Elgin (Jul 2010)

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19.

Maharaj Kumari Sudharani Devi of Burdwan (b.1907-d.1946) Daughter of Sir Bijay Chand Mahtab, Maharaja Bahadur of Burdwan Photographs shot in 1927 and 1931

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20.

Maharaj Kumari Lalitarni Devi of Burdwan (b.1908-d.1947)

Daughter of Sir Bijay Chand Mahtab, Maharaja Bahadur of Burdwan Photographs shot in 1927 and 1931

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21. Maharajkumari Kruna Devi D/O Maharaja Uday Chand Mahtab of Burdwan in a rare photo (little distorted ) shot in Darjeeling in 1963 . Image Courtesy - National Geographic

Photo by Lee E. Battaglia Narch 20, 1963

(b.1937 d.2010) 22.

Rajkumari Karuna Devi

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Appendix VIII

Mubarak Manzil (For the `sake of modernisation') As reported in May 2004

A portion of the famous Burdwan Rajbati complex& heritage is all set to be history itself for the `sake of modernisation'. A major portion of the Mubarak Manzil or the Maharani's Palace has been demolished by the administration of M.U.C. Women's College who are the current occupier of the portion of the palace without the knowledge of the district administration & heritage committee. The Rarh Sanastriki Parishad founded by Dr. Sukumar Sen had already appealed to the Governor through the district magistrate for preservation of Burdwan Raj Palace & stop such destruction. The member of parliament of Burdwan & the fund donator of the project, Nikhilananda Sar said, "the building was indeed in very bad shape. Also being the Rani Mahal of the Rajbari, the structure was not suited for classrooms, the purpose it is used presently. I had instructed the college authority to keep the architecture & the heritage intact & remove the inner part of the building for construction of newer classrooms. I have promised them to grant Rs. 10 lacs for construction of the new building."

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    The Palace built between 1851-1865 AD by the then Maharaja Mahtab Chand was later handed over to an educational trust by Uday Chand Mahtab, the Maharaja of Burdwan. The current ancestor of the Raj Family, Burdwan Raj, Dr. Pronoy Chand Mahtab have expressed deep concern about the incidence. He said to bardhaman.com from his Darjeeling Residence, "I'll meet the Governor on the first week of June (2005), bring into his notice this act & seek his assistance in this matter. Our family donated the Palace to the Burdwan University for the betterment of education of the local people. It doesn't mean that, the whole heritage was handed over for destruction." While the Vice-Chancellor of the Burdwan University, Prof. Amit Mallick said, "I don't have an idea about this" & instructed this correspondent to enquire about the matter in the estate department of the University 'during any working day'.

The District Magistrate, Burdwan, Subrata Gupta have instructed the ADM(Gen) Vinod Kumar to initiate a probe in the matter. He said, "We should have to stop destruction of heritage at any cost. I have instructed to take proper action in this matter & explanation is to be asked from the concerned authority." 

The Palace was designed & planned by an Italian architect as per the order of Maharaja Tej Chand Mahtab in the year 1851 A.D. when the Royal Family shifted from their past residence at Kanchannagar, Burdwan. The Palace was decorated with Italian marbles & semi-precious stones. All wooden works were done with imported valuable teak. The Maharani's palace was all set with indoor swimming pools, tennis court & fountains. When Warren Hastings, the then Governor General of Bengal left the State, the Raja of Burdwan purchased all his belongings & added it to the Raj-asset. 

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Sailendranath Samanta, an ex-curator of the Burdwan University Museum & a member of the heritage committee informed, "Mubarak Manzil, built in 1865 AD is one of the finest building & the gem of the Rajbari complex. Rani Mahal or the Rani's mansion was delicately built  & a superb architectural specimen of Indo-Italian style in Bengal. It is sad that such a building of heritage value & a part of the history has been ruthlessly demolished by its current occupier." He also said, "this property belongs to an educational trust founded by Maharaja Uday Chand Mahtab himself under the guidance of Dr. B. C. Roy, the then Chief-Minister of the State for betterment & education of the people. This barbaric act is totally illegal."

The college administration however denied the charges. The Principal of the MUC Women's College, Sukriti Ghoshal informed, "we are not demolishing any heritage but only cleaning up the already demolished debris. The building was already in the worst shape & was a life threat to the students & staffs of the college." When he was informed about the concern & protest of the heritage committee about the matter, he said, "where were the committee when slabs of the roof of the building cave in during working hours? We had repeatedly said we cannot maintain this building at our own cost. I'm sorry to inform the heritage committee is yet to publish a list of their acclaimed heritage buildings in the city. Although history is irrecoverable, we would like the committee to help us to restore the present building of the palace which may also cave in any day."

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A noted historian on the city, Sudhir Chandra Dawn by virtue the President of the Rarh Sanastriki Parishad informed that, "already we had appealed to the Governor to stop such destruction of heritage buildings by the university authority. Six months back when the college authority published tender notice at two local newspapers for the work, we had put our objection to the college but they continued with their plans. The heritage committee also doesn't have any knowledge about this act of the college."

The Vice-Chairman of the Burdwan Municipality & a member of the heritage committee Ainul Haque informed that, "no permission has been taken from us for such work. However we will see into the matter & take necessary action."

The comments on this situation were as follows:- Sudip Mondal, Los Angeles, USA. The Mubarak Manzil, as has been rightly mentioned, a superb architectural specimen of Indo-Italian style in Bengal is a pride of Burdwan. It is unfortunate to learn that the MUC Women's College authority, without the knowledge of the local municipality and the

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district administration, has demolished a part of it. In a time when efforts are being made to restore and preserve the heritage buildings it is foolish on the part of college administration to even think of demolishing this building. Burdwan being my home town this is a very shocking news to me. If this is what an academic institute does what can we expect from others? How stupid (sorry... but I can't resist myself from using this specific word) can a Principal of a College be to make a statement that why this building was not claimed as a heritage building by the Heritage Committee. Is he short of realising this simple truth?? At the same time I do admit that efforts should be made to alter and modernise the building for proper running of classes. It would have been wise if the college authority had discussed with all concerned authorities to figure out a better solution before breaking it down. Given the present situation, the destruction should be stopped immediately and steps from every corner of the administration must be taken to keep the exterior look of the building as it was and do the necessary renovations.

Subir Mohanta, Kuwait. I fully agree with the comments made by Mr. Sudip Mondal. Burdwan being my home town too. This is a very shocking news to me. Are we doing all this in the name of progress? Then it is really shameful. I think, there must be other alternatives for expanding college building without damaging this heritage buildings. We always took pride for having this heritage buildings in our town. So we should preserve it by any cost. I don't know who are there behind all these destructive activities. But I think there are lot of qualified people in our district who are having the same feelings likeus.They should raise their voice to stop all this nonsense.

Oindrilla Ghosh, Durgapur I'm really shocked with the news of the heritage being demolished by a college. I have appeared in my board exams this year & hope to join college after the results are out. I'm really scared if the people of this mentality run a college, what can we learn from them during our days in the college.

Appendix IX

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Ambika Kalna – The Temple City

Ambika Kalna or simply Kalna is a town, a municipality and head quarters of Kalna subdivision in Burdwan District in the Indian state of West Bengal. It is situated on the western bank of the Bhāgirathi. The town is more popularly known as Ambika Kalna, named after a very popular Deity of Goddess Kali, Maa Ambika. It has numerous historical monuments such as the Rajbari (the palace) and the 108 Shiva Temples. The town of Kalna, is 60 kilometres (37 mi) from Bardhaman, the district headquarter.

Though part of the Burdwan district of West Bengal, it is located near the border with Nadia and Hooghly District, and is very near to the famous pilgrimage place called Nabadwip and Mayapur, famous for the centre of ISKCON. Kalna is located on the agriculturally rich alluvial plains between the Bhagirathi, Ajay and Damodar rivers. Temperatures in this region varies from 17-18 °C in winter to 30-32 °C in summer

The peerless architecture of the temples of this town and their history leave few

untouched. The grandeur of the terracotta structures is comparable to those of Bishnupur.

The two places are, in fact, inextricably linked. In 1806, the Bishnupur Royal Estate was purchased by the king of Bardhman, who then settled in Kalna. Ever since, the magic of terracotta has enriched both places.

The first reference to Ambika Kalna is found in a 6th century text named Kubjika Tantra. Some historians are of the opinion that during the Gupta era, the place was part of the famous Tamralipta port.

In 1702, Aurangazeb appointed Raja Jagat Ram as the administrator of Kalna, which reached an advanced stage of development under his son Kirti Chandra, who took over in 1729.

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Though their roots were in Punjab, the Royal Family of Bardhman contributed immensely to the glory of ancient Bengal. The royals were keen patrons of the arts and several temples of burnt clay were constructed during their reign.

In 1757, Tilok Chand, then Raja of Bardhman, refused to help Lord Clive against Siraj-ud-Daullah. Tilok Chand was later vanquished by the British in 1760 and he turned to religion for solace. His change of heart coincided with the golden period of temple architecture in Kalna. Between 1752 and 1766, seven large and 12 small temples were built in Bardhman.

The most eye-catching of the Kalna landmarks is a set of 108 Shiva Temples (The Nava Kailash) within a single complex. Maharaja Tej Chandra sponsored the temples, completed in 1809. The project celebrated the transfer of ownership of the Bishnupur Royal Estate.

Kalna Temple Complex

The temples are divided into two rows. The first row has 64 temples, out of which 32 have white and 32 black Shiva lingas. The other row consists of the rest of the temples, of which two are empty. All the constructions are in the typical aatchala style.

Across the complex is the main attraction of Kalna, the Pratapaditya temple. Prince Pratapaditya died in 1821. The temple was constructed in his memory in 1849 by his first wife Priya Kumari.

The architectural style deviates from the Bengal school and is akin to Rekhadeul, characteristic of the Orissa school.

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Designed by Ramhori Mistry, the temple is one of the best terracotta structures in Bengal. The figures on its walls depict the life of Krishna, Ravana Durga puja, Vaishnavites and even the Europeans.

Near Pratapaditya temple is another wonder ; the majestic 60-ft-tall Krishnachandra Temple. Built by Raja Tilok Chand in 1752, the 25 towers of the structure are quite unique. This temple, too, has been constructed in the aatchala style with fabulous terracotta sculptures on the walls. Episodes of Ramayana and Mahabharata, hunting scenes, childbirth and erotica are carved to perfection. The dilapidated royal palace and the rashmancha are in the same complex.

A two-minute walk away is the Lalaji Temple, also with 25 towers. Rajmata Brajokishori built this in 1739, after her return from Vrindavan. Garuda, the mount of Vishnu, is worshiped here.

Another landmark that will capture your attention is the Ananta Basudeva temple. Raja Tilok Chand;s pet project was built in 1754 in the double aatchala style. Unfortunately, only a few of its terracotta sculptures remain. The temple was renovated by the Birlas in 1964.

Then there is the Sidhesheswari Temple, the oldest in Kalna. The ekchala construction has 14 steps leading up to it, the first five signifying the tantrik cult, the next nine indicating the Nabagraha. Besides, there are two small Shiva temples.

Siddheswari Kalibari

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Gopalbari Mandir consisting with 25 monuments signifies a perfect sculpture. On the walls of this Temples many Terracotta are ornamented. There is an image of copulation engraved here. A hall adjacent to the Temple for devotional dancing and musical performances was erected. It is an indication of traditional sculpture, located in Bhaduri Para. The terracotta works on the panels of Gopalbari mandir are also worth a visit.

In 1754, Indrakumari, the queen of Bardhman, had established two Shiva temples in Jagannathbari. Both are 15-ft tall with a 5-ft-high foundation. If you are interested in terracotta sculpture, don't give these temples a miss.

Episodes from Hindu mythology and the epics are etched in fine detail on both. Intricate alponas are also carved in terracotta on the temple premises.

Anantabasudev Mandir is situated at Shyamrai Para. It is about 250 years old. His Honour, Maharaj Bahktipromode Puri Goswami had renovated this Temple about 60 years back. Now Moharaj’s nephews, nieces and their husband have got the responsibility of looking after it. About 250 years back, Maharaj of Burdwan founded this Temple.

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