Munshi Balaram Das
Balaram Das | |
|---|---|
| মুন্সি বলরাম দাস | |
 Portrait attributed to Munshi Balaram Das | |
| Born | 17th century |
| Died | |
| Successor | Babu Radhakrishna Munshi |
| Children | Childless |
| Father | Majumdar Rajivlochan Das |
Munshi Balaram Das (Bengali: মুন্সি বলরাম দাস, c. 17th century) was a Bengali aristocrat and zamindar who founded the Kadirpara Estate. He served as the Munshi of Raja Sitaram Ray, the 17th century independent Hindu zamindar who revolted against Mughal empire.[1][2]
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Background
[edit]Satish Chandra Mitra, in his book History of Jessore-Khulna (Bengali: Jashor Khulnar Itihash), has mentioned that Munshi Balaram Das belonged to the 17th century aristocratic Das family, which settled in Shailkupa, along with Nandy and Chaki families, upon a conflict of Tilak Karkat and Jatadhar Nag with Ballal Sena of Sena Dynasty, establishing their own state.[1] Some accounts also mentioned that Munshi Balaram himself established the Shailkupa state.[3][4] The Dases belonged to Barendra Kayastha clan. Several accounts stated Mahatma Narasimha Das, a contemporary noble man during Ballal Sena's reign, to be the progenitor of the Dases, who belonged to the Barendra Kayastha clan. After ceaseless wars, his descendants finally settled at Shailkupa, having a fortune to devote themselves in the service of Shri Shri Ram Gopal Temple once established by a monk.[1][2]
Family
[edit]The first individual from Das family to settle in Kadirpara was Majumdar Rajivlochan Das, who used to carry the hereditary Majumdar title conferred to the Dases by the Nawab of Bengal. Rajivlochan had three sons named Hariram, Ramram and Balaram, respectively. All the three siblings used to possess high intellect and mighty personality, which grabbed attention of Raja Sitaram Ray.[1] The ancestors of Balaram were conferred with the titles like Roy and Sarkar apart from Majumdar for their roles in society.[2] The Dases, upon ceaseless joint attacks by Arakanese and Portuguese pirates, moved from Shailkupa to Dariapur, followed by Kadirpara.[1]
Rise to power
[edit]According to Satish Chandra Mitra, Balaram along with his sibling Ramram once fought off fearsome robbers with immense courage. Raja Sitaram Ray, impressed with their courage, granted the siblings a whole village called Bilpakuria in exchange of no tax.[5] The Raja appointed Balaram as Munshi in his court, and since then his descendants carry the hereditary title across generations.[6] As a result of his rise to power, Munshi Balaram accumulated vast wealth in Kadirpara, which ultimately led to the establishment of the Kadirpara Estate.[5]
Kadirpara Estate
[edit]Kadirpara Estate was founded by Munshi Balaram at Kadirpara during 17th century. Balaram Das, being childless, was succeeded by his sibling Ramram's son Radhakrishna.[5] The remains of the zamindari palace, commonly referred to as Kadirpara Babu Zamindar Bari, still stand today. It is a notable site of interest in the Magura District of present-day Bangladesh.[7]
Family tree
[edit]- Majumdar Rajivlochan Das
- Hariram Das
- Premnarayan Munshi
- Krishnakanta Munshi
- Sambhunath Munshi
- Harinath Munshi
- Sambhunath Munshi
- Krishnakanta Munshi
- Premnarayan Munshi
- Ramram Das
- Radhakrishna Munshi
- Raghunath Munshi
- Gabindanath Munshi
- Gatinath Munshi
- Tejendra Munshi
- Hemendra Munshi
- Chandranath Munshi
- Jatindranath Munshi
- Gopendranath Munshi
- Gatinath Munshi
- Krishnanath Munshi
- Dwarakanath Munshi
- Trailakyanath Munshi
- Jadunath Munshi
- Dwarakanath Munshi
- Gabindanath Munshi
- Raghunath Munshi
- Radhakrishna Munshi
- Munshi Balaram Das (childless, succeeded by Ramram's son Radhakrishna)[5]
- Hariram Das
References
[edit]- ^ a b c d e Satish Chandra Mitra (2001). Jashor Khulnar Itihash. Dey's Publishing. p. 637. ISBN 81-7612-766-3.
- ^ a b c Jadunath Bhattacharya (1910). Raja Sitaram Ray. Nagendranath Seal. p. 69.
- ^ Jashor Jelar Itihash. National Institute of Local Government (Bangladesh). 1989. p. 203.
- ^ Jhinaidaher Itihash. Jela Prakashak. 1991. p. 52.
- ^ a b c d Satish Chandra Mitra (2001). Jashor Khulnar Itihash. Dey's Publishing. p. 638. ISBN 81-7612-766-3.
- ^ Satish Chandra Mitra (2001). Jashor Khulnar Itihash. Dey's Publishing. p. 639. ISBN 81-7612-766-3.
- ^ Kadirpara Babu Zamindar Bari (in Bengali). বাংলাদেশ জাতীয় তথ্য বাতায়ন.
Further reading
[edit]- Salim, Ghulam Husain (1898). Riad al-Salatin. Translated by Salam, Abdus. Bibliotbeca Indica. p. 264.
- Stewart, Charles (1813). History of Bengal from the First Mohammedan Invasion until the Virtual Conquest of Bengal by the English in 1734. London.
- Westland, J. (1874). A Report on the district of Jessore, its antiquities, its history, its commerce (2nd ed.). Bengal Secretariat Press. pp. 25–38.
- Sen, Dinesh Chandra (1999). Brihatbanga. Dey's Publishing. ISBN 81-7079-186-3.