Midnapore Raj

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The Midnapore Raj or Karnagarh Raj was medieval dynasty and later a zamindari estate of Sadgop (Gop)[1] during the British period in the Paschim Medinipur district in the state of West Bengal, India.[2]

Midnapore Raj
1568–1947
CapitalKarnagarh
Common languagesBengali,
Santali
GovernmentMonarchy
(1568–1800)
Zamindari Estate
(1800–1947)
Raja 
• 1568-1661
Raja Laxman Singh (first)
• 1947
Unknown (last)
History 
• Established
1568
• Acceded to India
1947
CurrencyIndian Rupee
 Succeeded by
Dominion of India
Today part ofWest Bengal,
Republic of India
Dandesvara and Mahamaya Temple

The kings of Karnagarh ruled over a zamindari that included Midnapore and the surrounding areas. They belonged to the Sadgop community and had a close link with the rulers of Narajole Raj.[3][4]

History[]

Karnagarh or Midnapore Raj was established by Raja Lakshman Singh in 1568.According to Binoy Ghosh, the kings of Karnagarh ruled over a zamindari that included Midnapore and the surrounding areas. The Sadgop dynasty that ruled over Karnagarh included Raja Lakshman Singh (1568-1661), Raja Shyam Singh (1661-1668), Raja Chhotu Roy (1667), Raja Raghunath Roy (1671-1693), Raja Ram Singh (1693-1711), Raja Jaswant Singh (1711-1749), Raja Ajit Singh (1749) and Rani Shiromani (1756-1812).

The kings of Karnagarh belonged to the Sadgop community and had a close link with the rulers of Narajole Raj. The last king of Karnagarh, Raja Ajit Singh died childless. His property went into the hands of his two queens, Rani Bhabani and Rani Shiromani. During the Chuar rebellion, the leader of the Chuars, Gobardhan Dikpati, occupied the palace. Both the queens met the king of Narajole, Raja Trilochan Khan, who provided them shelter and promised to recover their property. Rani Bhabani died in 1161 Bangabda (1754 AD) and Rani Shiromani handed over the entire property to Anandalal of the Narajole family even before she died in 1219 Bangabda (1812 AD). However, the East India Company were suspicious that Rani Shiromani had links with those involved in the Chuar rebellion, and as a result they considerably restricted the amount of sovereignty she held in response.

There, however, are other sources that say that the Chuar rebellion took place as a series of insurrections by people who lived off the jungles and a sort of primitive agriculture in the old Manbhum, Bankura and Midnapore districts between 1771 and 1809, generally under dispossessed zamindars that included Rani Shiromani of Karnagarh [5]

List of rulers[]

  • Raja Lakshman Singh (1568-1661)
  • Raja Shyam Singh (1661-1668)
  • Raja Chhotu Roy (1668-1671)
  • Raja Raghunath Roy (1671-1693)
  • Raja Ram Singh (1693-1711)
  • Raja Jaswant Singh (1711-1749)
  • Raja Ajit Singh (1749)
  • Rani Shiromani (1756-1812)

Karnagarh fort[]

Karnagarh fort consisted of about 100 bighas of land, stretching for about 4 miles, that was surrounded by the Parang River. It was about 4 miles north of Midnapore. The inside of the fort was divided into two parts, the andar mahal for the royal family and the sadar mahal for others.[6] The temples of Dandesvara and Mahamaya, the ruling deities of Karnagarh, were located to the south of the fort. Now, hardly anything, other than memory, remains.[7][8]

The Midnapore Raj family had two other forts nearby at Awasgarh and Jamdargarh.[9]

See also[]

Reference[]

  1. ^ Sanyal, Hitesranjan (1981). Social Mobility in Bengal. Papyrus.
  2. ^ Panda, Chitta (1996). The Decline of the Bengal Zamindars: Midnapore, 1870-1920. Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0-19-563295-8.
  3. ^ Agrawal, C. M. (1993). Dimensions of Indian Womanhood. Shri Almora Book Depot. ISBN 978-81-85865-02-7.
  4. ^ Ghosh,Sarat,Chandra,Sadgop Tatwa, (in Bengali),part I,1938 edition, page 40,The Fine Printing Works, 43-A Nimtola Street, Calcutta 3.
  5. ^ Ray, Niharranjan; Chattopadhyaya, Debiprasad (1978). History and Society: Essays in Honour of Professor Niharranjan Ray. K. P. Bagchi.
  6. ^ Bengal, India Superintendent of Census Operations, West (1965). District Census Handbook, West Bengal: Midnapore (2v.). Superintendent, Government Print.
  7. ^ Epigraphia Indica. Manager of Publications. 1937.
  8. ^ Office, West Bengal (India) Census; Mitra, Asok (1952). District Handbooks: Hooghly. s.n. Guha Ray.
  9. ^ Agrawal, C. M. (1993). Dimensions of Indian Womanhood. Shri Almora Book Depot. ISBN 978-81-85865-02-7.
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