Kharagpur Raj

2021-06-17T12:41:12Z

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{{Infobox Former Country
|native_name =
|conventional_long_name = Kharagpur Raj
|common_name = Kharagpur
|continent =
|religion =
*[[Hinduism]] (1503 - 1615)
*[[Islam]] (1615 onwards)
|region =
|era = [[Medieval India|Middle Ages]]
|status =
|government_type = Tributary to the [[Mughal Empire]]
|life_span =
|year_start = 1503
|year_end = 1840
|event_start =
|date_start =
|event1 =
|date_event1 =
|event2 =
|date_event2 =
|event_end =
|date_end =
|capital = [[Haveli Kharagpur]]
|leader1 = Babu Dandu Rai <small>(first)</small>
|leader2 = Rahmat Ali Khan <small>(last)</small>
|year_leader1 = 1503
|year_leader2 = 1840
|title_leader = [[Raja]] }}
'''Kharagpur Raj''' was a prominent chieftaincy in medieval [[Bihar]] situated mainly in modern-day [[Munger district]].<ref name=Ansari2001>{{cite journal | title=Kharagpur Raj Under Akbar | author= Tahir H Ansari | journal=Proceedings of the Indian History Congress |volume = 62| year=2001 | pages= 1096–1097|jstor = 44155867}}</ref> They were notable for being one of the few chieftaincies in Bihar to convert to Islam and many of the rulers became firm allies of the Mughal authorities. At its peak, the Kharagpur Raj encompassed parts of the modern-day districts of [[Munger district|Munger]], [[Bhagalpur district|Bhagalpur]], [[Jamui district|Jamui]], [[Lakhisarai district|Lakhisarai]], [[Godda district|Godda]] and [[Deoghar district|Deoghar]].<ref name=Roy1999>{{cite journal | title=Agrarian Reforms in "Sarkar" Munger under Raja Bahroz Singh (1631-76) Of Kharagpur | author= Yogendra P. Roy | journal=Proceedings of the Indian History Congress |volume = 60| year=1999 | pages= 287–292|jstor = 44144095}}</ref>

==Origins==
The chieftaincy of Kharagpur Raj was founded by the [[Hindu]] [[Kinwar]] [[Rajput]] Babu Dandu Rai in 1503.<ref name=Roy1992>{{cite journal | title=Tahawar Singh-A Muslim Raja of Kharagpur Raj (1676 - 1727) | author= Yogendra P. Roy | journal=Proceedings of the Indian History Congress |volume = 53| year=1992 | pages= 333–334|jstor = 44142804}}</ref> The original rulers of this region were the Khetauris. 3 Rajput brothers, Babu Dandu Rai, Basdeo Rai and Mahender Rai arrived in the region and worked for the Khetauri chief, Raja Sasanka.<ref name="Ansari2019">{{cite book|author=Tahir Hussain Ansari|title=Mughal Administration and the Zamindars of Bihar|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=kUueDwAAQBAJ&pg=PT22|date=20 June 2019|publisher=Taylor & Francis|isbn=978-1-00-065152-2|pages=22–28}}</ref> These three brothers eventually amassed a large following of their clansmen and deposed the Khetauris and murdered the entire family. They continued their expansion and gradually defeated all of the 52 Khetauri chiefs. Babu Dandu Rai being the eldest of the brothers established himself as the new territorial lord. He ruled for 22 years before being succeeded by his sons, Narendra Shahi and Rup Shahi.<ref name="Ansari2019" />

Dandu Rai's grandson was Raja Sangram Singh who was contemporary of Emperor [[Akbar]].<ref name=Roy1999 /> Sangram Singh initially pledged alleigance to Akbar however from 1601 onwards he rebelled against the [[Mughal Empire|Mughals]] and attempted to declare independence with the help of his son, Toral Mal.<ref name=Roy1993>{{cite journal | title=Raja Roz Afzun of Kharagpur (AD 1601 - 31) | author= Yogendra P. Roy | journal=Proceedings of the Indian History Congress |volume = 54| year=1993 | pages= 357–358|jstor = 44142975}}</ref> Mughal sources attest to Sangram Singh being killed in battle and his son, Toral Mal converting to [[Islam]] and reaffirming his loyalty to the Mughals. He was renamed as Roz Afzun.

==Notable rulers==
===Roz Afzun===
After his conversion to Islam in 1615, Roz Afzun was considered to be a loyal "servant" and commander for the Mughal authorities. Emperor [[Jahangir]] went as far as to refer to him as his most "favourite" and "permanent" servant of the Empire.<ref name=Roy1993 /> He was ordered to assist [[Mahabat Khan]] in repelling an invasion by the [[Afghans]] of [[Balkh]] and dealing with insurrections by the [[Bundela]] Rajputs and he was successful in these endeavours. He achieved a rank of 2000 zat and 1000 sawar which was the highest of any chieftain in Bihar at the time. He is often pointed to as an example of the Mughals successfully integrating a previously refractory chieftain.<ref name=Khan1987>{{cite journal | title=Chieftains in Bihar During the Mughal Period | author= Ahmed Raza Khan | journal=Proceedings of the Indian History Congress |volume = 48| year=1987 | pages= 197–207|jstor = 44141673}}</ref> He died in 1631 and was succeeded by his son, Raja Bahroz.

===Raja Bahroz Singh===
Raja Bahroz Singh ruled Kharagpur Raj from 1631-1676. He earned the favour of Emperor Shah Jahan by embarking on a military expedition to [[Kandahar]] to pacify the local ruler. He also participated in expeditions against other refractory chiefs including Nazar Muhammad of [[Balkh]] and Jujhar Singh Bundela. Records from the time also attest to Kharagpur being quite prosperous during his reign. In particular, he instituted various reforms that encouraged increased cultivation. He also established the [[Ghatwals and Mulraiyats|Ghatwali]] system which delegated law and order in sensitive regions to smaller land-owners.<ref name=Roy1999 />
[[File:Shahi Masjid, Kharagpur.jpg|thumb|Shahi Masjid which was built during the reign of Raja Bahroz Singh]]

===Raja Tahawar Singh===
Tahawar Singh (also known as Kunwar Tahawurr Asad), the son of Raja Bahroz, ruled Kharagpur from 1676-1727 and was a contemporary of Emperor [[Aurangzeb]]. He played an active role in multiple Mughal expeditions against rebellious forces including the nearby [[Chero dynasty]] of [[Palamu district|Palamu]] in modern-day [[Jharkhand]] and the [[Jaintia kingdom]] of [[Sylhet region|Sylhet]].<ref name=Roy1992 /> He was noted for being an effective administrator of Kharagpur.

==Downfall==
By the time Rahmat Ali Khan became ruler in the 1800s, Kharagpur had lost its prior position as a prominent chieftaincy in the Mughal Empire and was now a [[zamindari]] estate in financial trouble.<ref name=Saihi1988>{{cite journal | url=https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.283326/page/n307 | title=History of Handwai Ghatwli 1594-1896 | author= Bhagwant Saihi | journal=Journal of Bihar Puravid Parishad | year=1988 | pages=156–189}}</ref>
He fell into arrears with the government revenue and was forced to sell much of his estate to the zamindars of [[Banaili]] and [[Raj Darbhanga|Darbhanga]] which ended a dynasty that lasted for almost 400 years.

==Architecture==
By the 17th century, [[Munger]] was considered to be a well fortified town with buildings in fine condition.<ref name="Ansari20192">{{cite book|author=Tahir Hussain Ansari|title=Mughal Administration and the Zamindars of Bihar|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=kUueDwAAQBAJ&pg=PT355#q=Architecture%20|date=20 June 2019|publisher=Taylor & Francis|isbn=978-1-00-065152-2|pages=355–}}</ref>

[[Francis Buchanan-Hamilton]] visited Kharagpur in 1811 when Raja Qadir Ali was ruling and noted the following:<ref name=Ansari20192 />
{{quote|Even the houses of the Raja of Kharagpur although it contains some small portions of brick are but a sorry place. Near it, however there is a very handsome mosque overhanging the Man river in a fine situation, while he is erecting opposite a building that promises to be ornamental, and it is intended to celebrate the memory of the grandson of the Prophet. The vicinity is ornamented by the ruins of a house that belonged to his grandfather, and went to ruin during the insurrection which he raised against the last remnants of the Mughal force. It has been a very large building and looks more like an old European castle than anything I have seen.}}

==See also==
*[[Muslim Rajputs]]
*[[Zamindars of Bihar]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

[[Category:History of Bihar]]
[[Category:Kingdoms of Bihar]]
[[Category:Zamindari estates]]
[[Category:States and territories established in 1503]]
[[Category:States and territories disestablished in 1840]]
[[Category:Rajputs]]

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Kharagpur Raj