JustineLaguerre at 12:47, 20 April 2026

2026-04-20T12:47:54Z

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{{Short description|Zamindar of Chougachi (1848 - 1917)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2026}}
{{Use Indian English|date=August 2025}}
{{Infobox person
| pre-nominals = [[Babu (title)|Babu]]
| name = Banwari Munshi
| native_name =
| post-nominals = [[Chougachi Estate|Zamindar of Chougachi]]
| image = Babu Banwari Charan Munshi, zamindar of Chougachi.jpg
| image_upright =
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| caption = Portrait attributed to Babu Banwari Charan Munshi
| pronunciation =
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| birth_date = 1848
| birth_place = [[Kadirpara Estate|Kadirpara Babu Bari]], [[Bengal Presidency]], [[British India]] (present day [[Kadirpara Union]], [[Bangladesh]])
| baptised =
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| disappeared_place =
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| death_date = 24 June 1917
| death_place = [[Chougachi Estate|Chougachi Kachari Bari]], [[Bengal Presidency]], [[British India]] (present day [[Sreepur Upazila, Magura]], [[Bangladesh]])
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| predecessor = Babu Achyut Charan Munshi
| successor = [[Amulya Munshi|Babu Amulya Munshi]]
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| children = Four, including Anukul Munshi and [[Amulya Munshi]]
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| father = Babu Hari Charan Munshi
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'''[[Babu (title)|Babu]] Banwari Charan Munshi'''{{refn|group=note|Not to be confused with Bonwari Munshi of [[Munshibari family of Ulipur]].}} (Bengali: বনওয়ারীচরণ মুন্সী; 1848 - 24 June 1917) was an Indian Bengali [[landlord]], [[philanthropist]] and [[businessman]], who served as the [[Chougachi Estate|Zamindar of Chougachi]]. He was widely admired for his gentle demeanor and his spirit of hospitality.<ref name="auto1">{{cite book |last=Ghosh |first=Santanu |title=মুন্সীয়ানায় চল্লিশ পুরুষ |language=bn |publisher=Kamalini |location=Kolkata |year=2016 |page=48}}</ref>

==Life==
[[File:Kadirpara Babu Zamindar Bari.jpg|thumb|Kadirpara Babu Zamindar Bari, the birthplace of Munshi]]
Munshi was born in [[Kadirpara Union|Kadirpara]] in 1848. He lost his father Babu Hari Charan Munshi at a very young age. From childhood, he displayed a strong sense of responsibility and practical knowledge, particularly in matters of land and property. After the partition of the joint [[taluq]] of the [[Kadirpara Estate|Kadirpara]] [[Munshi family|Munshi]]s, he assumed the responsibility of caring for his siblings. In 1865, at the age of only seventeen, he left Kadirpara and settled permanently in [[Chougachi Estate|Chougachi]].<ref name="auto1"/> In this village, his kinsman, [[Babu (title)|Babu]] Achyut Charan Munshi, served as the [[Munshi]] of Mr. Hodgson, the local indigo planter, and later came into possession of vast landed property.<ref>{{cite news |last=Waliuzzaman |first=Mir |date= 24 Oct 2010 |title=পুনরপি পদ্মাপার |url=https://bangla.bdnews24.com/arts/3151 |trans-title= |work= |language=Bengali |location= |publisher=[[Bdnews24.com]] |access-date= 24 Oct 2010}}</ref> Through the individual efforts of Banwari Munshi, the family was able to establish its control over extensive estates in Chougachi. During his tenure, 21 [[mouza]]s were incorporated into the estate, each consisting of 3 to 4 villages.<ref name="auto1"/> He initiated collective farming on his own lands by engaging the local peasants. Because of his affable conduct and cordial nature, he became highly respected and popular among the local community. Guided by the principle “prosper through cultivation”, he personally organized the peasants of Chougachi village to work on his lands.<ref name="auto2">{{cite book |last=Ghosh |first=Santanu |title=মুন্সীয়ানায় চল্লিশ পুরুষ |language=bn |publisher=Kamalini |location=Kolkata |year=2016 |page=49}}</ref> He also attained notable success as an indigo trader, and his indigo factory later came to be known locally as the ''Kuthibari''. His son, [[Babu (title)|Babu]] [[Amulya Munshi]], subsequently renamed the village of Chougachi as ''Kuthi Chougachi''.<ref name="auto2"/> His estate manager was Jasimuddin. During Munshi's lifetime, no inhabitant of the village reportedly suffered from a shortage of food or clothing. Whenever he heard of anyone lacking garments, he instructed Jasimuddin to provide clothing from the estate. In order to promote education in the locality, he entrusted his eldest son, [[Babu (title)|Babu]] Anukul Munshi (who later gained recognition as a [[mother-of-pearl]] artist<ref>{{Cite book|title=Bhāratera bhāskara o citraśilpī (Sculptors and Painters of India)|last=Kamal Sarkar|date=1984 |publisher=yogamaya prakashani|url=https://www.google.co.in/books/edition/Bh%C4%81ratera_bh%C4%81skara_o_citra%C5%9Bilp%C4%AB/ZSbRAAAAMAAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&bsq=%E0%A6%95%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%A6%E0%A6%BF%E0%A6%B0%E0%A6%AA%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%A1%E0%A6%BC%E0%A6%BE&dq=%E0%A6%95%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%A6%E0%A6%BF%E0%A6%B0%E0%A6%AA%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%A1%E0%A6%BC%E0%A6%BE&printsec=frontcover|page=4}}</ref>) with the responsibility of establishing a primary school on land adjacent to the family residence. However, the school did not remain in operation for long.<ref>{{cite book |last=Ghosh |first=Santanu |title=মুন্সীয়ানায় চল্লিশ পুরুষ |language=bn |publisher=Kamalini |location=Kolkata |year=2016 |page=50}}</ref> Later, [[Amulya Munshi]] established the first ever school in his memory in the village of Chougachi.<ref name="auto3">{{cite web |url=https://www.choumabe.edu.bd/aboutus/about-our-school/
|title=About Chougachi High School |website=Chougachi High School |access-date=2025-08-18 |language=bn}}</ref> Munshi was the grandfather of the Indian [[commercial artist]] [[Annada Munsi]] and [[mother-of-pearl]] artist [[Manu Munsi]]. He played significant role for the early education of Annada Munsi.<ref name="auto12">{{Cite book|title=কুড়িয়ে বাড়িয়ে|last=Majumdar|first=Kaushik|publisher=Sristisukh Prokashan|location=Kolkata|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=hwPoDwAAQBAJ&dq=%E0%A6%85%E0%A6%A8%E0%A7%81%E0%A6%95%E0%A7%82%E0%A6%B2%E0%A6%9A%E0%A6%B0%E0%A6%A3+%E0%A6%AE%E0%A7%81%E0%A6%A8%E0%A7%8D%E0%A6%B8%E0%A6%BF&pg=PA171|page=171|isbn=9789388887526}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last=Ghosh |first=Santanu |title=মুন্সীয়ানায় চল্লিশ পুরুষ |language=bn |publisher=Kamalini |location=Kolkata |year=2016 |page=45}}</ref>
Munshi died on 24 June 1917 at the [[Chougachi Estate|Chougachi Kachari Bari]].<ref name="auto1"/>

==Legacy==
[[File:Babu Amulya Munshi of Chougachi.jpg|thumb|Babu [[Amulya Munshi]], son of Banwari Munshi]]
To his legacy, his son Amulya Munshi later established a school in Chougachi in 1936, named the Banwari Charan Memorial M.E. School, believing that without it, both Hindu and Muslim communities could not be free from ignorance. Prior to its establishment, there was no formal school in Chougachi with primary aim to promote education. The school's name was subsequently changed to the Pupils’ Academy of Chougachi (also known as the Chougachi B.M. Pupils’ Academy). Babu Prithvis Chandra Munshi served as the school's headmaster.<ref name="auto3"/><ref>{{cite book |last=Ghosh |first=Santanu |title=মুন্সীয়ানায় চল্লিশ পুরুষ |language=bn |publisher=Kamalini |location=Kolkata |year=2016 |page=55}}</ref> The school continued to operate successfully until 1947; however, following the [[Partition of India]] and the departure of the zamindar family to [[Calcutta]], it suffered from a lack of sufficient support and was ultimately closed in 1954. Despite this closure, the local community remained committed to promoting education. In 1966, villagers took the initiative to establish a new institution, which was recognized from its inception as a secondary school and began functioning as Chougachi High School. In 2014, the school gained recognition under the Secondary Education Quality and Access Enhancement Project (SEQAEP) of the [[Ministry of Education (Bangladesh)]], and in 2016, it was honoured as the best school in [[Sreepur Upazila, Magura]] during National Education Week.<ref name="auto3"/> His life and works were published in the book ''Munshianany Chollis Purush'' edited by Santanu Ghosh, which primarily focuses on the contributions and achievements of [[Munshi family|the Munshis]] in various fields. A review of the book was published in Anandabazar Patrika in 2016.<ref>{{cite news |date=24 Sep 2016 |title=নানা রঙের ক্যানভাসে আলোছায়ার কাহিনি |url=https://www.anandabazar.com/culture/book-reviews/story-of-colors-of-many-shades-1.483560 |trans-title=Story of Colors of Many Shades |work=[[Anandabazar Patrika]] |language=bn |publisher=[[Anandabazar Patrika]] |access-date=24 September 2016}}</ref>
{{Zamindars of Bengal}}
[[File:Chougachi.jpg|thumb|Students at the playground of Chougachi High School]]
==Notes==
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== References ==

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[[Category:Bengali zamindars]]
[[Category:Bengali Hindus]]
[[Category:People from the Bengal Presidency]]
[[Category:People from British India]]
[[Category:1848 births]]
[[Category:1917 deaths]]

Banwari Munshi - Revision history

JustineLaguerre at 12:47, 20 April 2026