The Nashipur Raj family is of considerable antiquity and historical importance. It claims Raja Sagara of the Solar Dynasty (Suryavansha) as its founder. This clan was the oldest and biggest kshatriya clan of India which was also known by many synonyms as Adityavamsha, Mitrawamsha, Arkawamsha, Raviwamsha, etc. The early Suryavanshis considered Sun-god ('Surya', 'Aditya' or 'Arka'). as their kul-devta (clan God) and mainly practised sun-worship. The Nashipur Raj may be traced as far back to Maharaja Tarawah, who was the ruling chief of Bijapur, in the Deccan, in the fourteenth century. After the Maharaja Tarawah, his son Prince Madan Sinha came into possession of the vast zamindary. Later Ajit Sinha, grandson of Tarachand Sinha, of Panipat, was in recognition of distinguished services under the Mughal Emperor Jahangir, invested with the title of "Rai". Later in the Nashipur Raj ancestry, Rai Sambhunath, was appointed by the Emperor of Delhi as Subahdar and Nazim of the whole tract of country from Shahranpur to Meerut, and his brother, Rai Badrinath, took part in the battle of Shamli in May 1857, under Colonel Burn.
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Debi Sinha

Rai Ajit Sinha's eldest son was Amar Sinha, who left four sons, of whom the youngest was Diwali Sinha. Raja Debi Sinha Bahadur, the founder of the Nashipur Raj family, was the second son of Diwali; the eldest was Takiram Sinha, and the youngest Bahadur Sinha. Debi Sinha migrated to Bengal in 1756, and rose to prominence by farming the districts of Purnea, Edrakpore, Rangpore and Dinajpore, under a lease dated the 18^th May, 1781. Debi Sinha entered the service of the Honourable East India Company in the Revenue Department, in which he held a high and responsible position in connection with the permanent settlement of Bengal. Having rendered important services to Lord Clive at the Battle of Plassey পলাশী he was honoured with the title of Maharaja Bahadur. On the formation of the provincial councils in 1773 AD, Raja Debi Sinha became Steward or Secretary to the provincial council of Murshidabad. The office of Dewan of the revenue administration of Bengal, then newly created was conferred upon him. The revenues increased considerably and it was alleged that Debi Sinha had inflicted a variety of punishments to effect this. In 1783 AD, the riots of Rangpore broke out into open rebellion, Debi Sinha was removed from official trusts and a commission was subsequently appointed to investigate into this matter. Sir John Shore was of opinion that many of the worst accusations were against Debi Sinha, had no foundation whatever. Warren Hastings in 1783 AD and John Macpherson and Lord Cornwallis sewed the most laudable and anxious desire to do strict justice to Debi Sinha. On his death, Mr. R.F. Bevan, the collector of Murshidabad, wrote to the Board of Revenue - "I beg leave to report to you the decease on the 18^th instant (April, 1805) of Maharaja Debi Sinha Bahadur, Zamindar of Huda Ekoori etc., has left no children. His property will devolve to (sic) his brother and his nephews".
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Raja Udwanta Sinha

Debi Sinha died without issue, and his vast estates passed into the hands of Raja Balawant Sinha, the eldest son of his brother, Bahadur Sinha. Balawant Sinha was succeeded by his son Raja Gopal Sinha. The inheritance next fell to Raja Udwanta Sinha Bahadur, the third son of Bahadur Sinha. Raja Udwanta Sinha was for some time, Dewan of Nawab Nazim Ali Jah. A controversy having arisen regarding the disposal of certain Nizamat property, a Commission of enquiry was appointed by Government and the evidence of the Raja having become necessary, he attended the Commission on the 5^th August, 1822 AD, and stated that he could not depose an oath, as he had never appeared as witness in a Court of Justice. Interrogatories were therefore furnished to him to answer them solemnly. In September, 1822 he set out on a pilgrimage to Gaya (Bihar) and paid visit to the Maharaja Sirdat Nath Sinha of Ramgarh, where he fell ill. Raja Udwanta Sinha who was widely known for his liberality, and it was during his time that the Thakur Bari, which is not only picturesque but grand, was constructed. Raja Udwanta Sinha died in 1832 AD without issue, and was succeeded by Raja Krishna Chandra Sinha Bahadur, the only son of his elder brother, Hanumanta Sinha. The Khillut of the title of Raja Bahadur was conferred upon Krishna Chandra Sinha by Major Cobb, the Agent to the Governor General at Murshidabad. Raja Krishna Chandra died in 1850 AD He left two sons; the elder, who got the inheritance, was Raja Kirti Chandra Sinha Bahadur, and the younger was Kumar Uday Chandra Sinha, who died at an early age. Raja Kirti Chandra Sinha died in 1864 AD.
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Raja Ranjit Sinha

Raja Kirti Chandra Sinha's son, Kumar Ranjit Sinha (Born 9^th June, 1865), succeeded to the family title and estates, in the management of which he has exhibited remarkable capacity, within a very short time and though burdened with heavy litigation in which he found himself involved on taking over his estates from the hands of the court of Wards, he made considerable additions to the family property. His extensive zamindary, situated in the districts of Birbhum, Murshidabad, Malda, Pabna, Bogra, and Rajshahi (of which the Government revenue was Rs. 3,32,000), was managed by the Court of Wards during his minority. The young Maharaja received his early education at the Berhampore College, where he had a brilliant career, and he devoted himself specially to mathematics, in which branch of study he made considerable progress. From his boyhood he was remarkable for punctuality and steady habits, and his high intelligence attracted the notice of his teachers and professors.

On the attainment of his majority on 9^th June 1886, he assumed control of his extensive estates. He gave to the city of Murshidabad its Victoria Jubilee Hall. The Maharaja's public career began in the year 1887, when he was appointed as an honorary magistrate of the Lalbagh Independent Bench. In 1888 he was elected chairman of the Murshidabad municipality, and during his incumbency of that office he introduced many sanitary reforms which made him highly popular. In the year 1889, when he was still chairman of municipality, the town of Murshidabad was heavily inundated, and many families were reduced to the brink of starvation and ruin, their houses having been swept away by floods. The Maharaja, risked his own life, for saving the lives and houses of many of these families, and for this benevolent and heroic act Sir Steuart Bailey, the then Lieutenant-Governor of Bengal, applauded his services very highly. The Government conferred on him the title of "Raja", on the 1^st of January 1891 [1]. At the Durbar held at Belvedere on the 4^th March 1892, Sir Charles Elliot in addressing him said - "It is a very great pleasure to me to convey to you the Sanad of the title of 'Raja' which the Viceroy has been pleased to confer upon you. The title is one which had been honorably borne by your family for many generations and it is committed to you to hold untarnished. One of your ancestors, Raja Debi Sinha rendered very valuable services to Lord Clive at Plassey, and the continued favour in which your family has been held and the honour which is to-day entrusted to you, is a proof that the Government of India is never too slow to recognise and never forget services rendered to it by the houses in this country. You have lately attained your majority and succeeded to your property. I trust you will manage your estate in a manner worthy of your ancestry and that your career may compare favourably with that of other Zamindars in the province; and that it will distinguish that further honours will be conferred upon you, not on account of the good work of those who have gone before you, but as a reward for your own merit and exertions".

In 1894 he was invested with the powers of a magistrate of the second class, empowered to sit singly. In this capacity he displayed so much zeal and ability that the Government in appreciation of his services conferred upon him the powers of a magistrate of the first class on March 1, 1897, and entrusted him with powers to take cognizance of offences on complaints and reports of police. It was during that time that he was placed in entire charge of the Lalbagh Bench, and he virtually discharged the duties of a Sub-Divisional Officer after the abolition of the Lalbagh Sub-Division. In 1897, and again in 1903, he was re-elected as chairman of the Murshidabad municipality, and in that capacity he was at the helm of its administration for about ten years. The Government hold him in high esteem, in January 1899, he was appointed to a seat in the Bengal Legislative Council, in succession to the late Maharaja Bahadur of Durbhunga. In recognition of his great services in the Council, the District and Local Board members of the Presidency Division elected him again as their representative in the Governor's Council on January 6, 1913.

On the 22^nd of June 1897, he was created a "Raja Bahadur" [2]. When conferring that title upon him Sir Charles Stevens observed as follows : "Raja, you are a scion of a very ancient and respectable family, and as the proprietor of extensive zamindaries, have conducted yourself in a manner worthy of your origin and of your rank and responsibilities; you have the reputation of being a good and liberal landlord to your own ryots; but your desire to do good service to the public has led you to enter a more extended sphere of usefulness. As a municipal commissioner and an honorary magistrate you have rendered great assistance to the local authorities. It has been deemed just and proper that you should be raised to the dignity which your father enjoyed. You have therefore been created a Raja Bahadur, and it gives me great satisfaction to hand you the Sanad and the Khillut which mark your elevation to that rank".


The Maharaja was always a kind patron and benefactor, particularly to the inhabitants of Nashipur, for whom he has sunk wells, founded schools, and established a charitable dispensary called the "Nashipur Raj Charitable Dispensary". He was the first among native princes who responded to the call of Government for aid in the suppression of anarchism in India. In private life the Raja was a model of what a man in his high position ought to be. His amiability and gentleness, his lofty conception of the obligations of his rank, and his intelligence, have made him a general favourite. His book, named "The Rules for the Management of the Nashipur Raj Estate", though prepared with the chief object of controlling his own estate, was a model guide to zamindary matters, and it showed the close and comprehensive grasp which the author has of such questions. His officials were governed by those rules, and enjoyed privileges, such as leave and pension, while everything was conducted in accordance with the strict rules and procedure laid down in the book.

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Archive

[1] Sanad Confirming the Title of "Raja" to Kumar Ranajit Sinha, by Henry Charles Keith Petty-Fitzmaurice - 5^th Marquis of Lansdowne (1845-1927 AD), Dated 1^st January, 1891 AD.

[ Photo Courtesy : Sri Ranjoy Sinha, Nashipur Rajbati, Copyright © ]

Lansdowne was appointed Viceroy of India in 1888, having already served as Governor General of Canada, Foreign Secretary of Great Britain and deputy leader of the Conservative Party. Lansdowne's administration was a period of peace, progress and some development work. Railway and irrigation works were extended, China recognised the British conquest of Burma, the kingdom of Sikim was brought under British protection in 1888 and its boundary with Tibet and the India-Afghan border (the Durand Line) were demarcated. Lansdowne retired from the post of Viceroy in 1894 and was appointed Britain's secretary of war in 1895, which he held until 1900 AD. Back
[2] Sanad Confirming the Title of "Raja Bahadur" to Raja Ranajit Sinha, by Victor Alexander Bruce, 9^th Earl of Elgin, 13^th Earl of Kincardine (1849-1917), Dated 22^nd June, 1897 AD.

[ Photo Courtesy : Sri Ranjoy Sinha, Nashipur Rajbati, Copyright © ]

Bruce was born in Canada during his father's tenure there as Governor-General. He was known to be a modest and retiring man but was persuaded to take the position of Viceroy of India. He served from 1894 to 1899 during a particularly troubled period in India's history and consequently his tenure was not viewed as successful. He later was Chairman of the Royal Commission that investigated the conduct of the Boer War (1902-03) and was Colonial Secretary from 1905 until 1908. Bruce was given the Freedom of the City of Edinburgh in 1893 and appointed a Knight of the Garter in 1899. He died in Dunfermline, Scotland. Back

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Nashipur Palace Gallery