Rohini Garh Zamindari
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Rohini Garh was a zamindari(feudal estate) of the British India. It was famously known as the Zamindari estate of Chowdhury Lakshmi Narayan Sharangi. It was founded by Chowdhury Sundar Narayan Sharangi in 1859.
History
[1]The history of Rohini Garh is nearly 700 years old . Around 700 years ago, Rohini was ruled by small Bhunia Rajas whose capital was known as Rohini Garh. Rohini Garh was surrounded by a wide and deep ditch. Their kingdom covered approximately 6-7 square kilometers as a circular area whose centre was Rohini Garh. According to some ancient texts like Rasik Mangal and Vakti Ratnakar, around 500 years ago Kshatriya Pattanayak zamindars(local king) ruled in this region under the influence of Rajas of Mayurbhanj. [1]In Rasik Mangal, written by Gopijan Ballav Das in 1655, Achyutananda Pattanayek is mentioned as the king of Mallabhum(old name of Rohini and it's surrounding area of approx. 7 square kilometers. This Mallabhum was distinct from the Mallabhum of Bishnupur). Raja Achyutananda Pattanayek and his wife Rani Bhabani Devi were the parents of the great Vaishnaba saint Rasikananda Mahaprabhu who was born in 1590. But from early childhood he didn't like the royal responsibilities. As he came in contact with his teacher Sri Sri Shamyananda Mahaprabhu, he left his royal residence and started his mission of spreading Vaishnaba ideologies to many kings and zamindars of Bengal. He influenced the Raja of Mayurbhanj, zamindar of Narasinghapur and many more. After Rasikananda left his father's kingdom in Rohini and settled in Gopiballapur for spiritual activities, Rohini gradually became abandoned. Subsequently this area came under the zamindari of Rani Shiromani of Karnagrarh as a forest pargana. In some texts Rohini was mentioned as an individual pargana but from late 18 century, Rohini was under the Nayabasan pargana of Mayurbhanj state. The Nayabasan Pargana was owned by Jhargram Rajas till 17th century. But later this pargana came under the zamindari of Mayurbhanj State.
The Rohini Garh Zamindari
In late 18th century Nimcharan Sharangi got this zamindari of 8000 bighas from Maharaja of Mayurbhanj for serving Radhakanta Jiu(Nimchanra's family deity) and marking the beginning of Sharangi zamindari. Nimcharan had 4 sons - Gandhar Narayan, Purnananda, Sundar Narayan & Bir Narayan. Nimcharan died in 1838. For good & proper management of zamindari, this family was bestowed with the title of 'Chowdhury'.
Rohini Garh Estate
[1] Chowdhury Sundar Narayan Sharangi left his father's house because of a massive family dispute in 1855 and established his own zamindari in 1859 with the help of Maharaja Jadunath Bhanj Deo of Mayurbhanj. But soon Sundar Narayan's zamindari became the principal and prominent zamindari of Rohini Garh while the zamindari of Purnananda gradually declined. Sundar Narayan's one and only son Chowdhury Akshay Narayan Sharangi built the Rohini Garh Zamindar Bari(Now The Rohini Garh Palace) in 1867. After Sundar Narayan's death in 1881, Akshay Narayan officially took over his father's zamindari.
Era of Ch. Lakshmi Narayan Sharangi
[1]After Akshay Narayan's death in 1901, his one and only son Babu Chowdhary Lakshmi Narayan Sharangi became the zamindar. He was born in 1875. He transformed his father's zamindari into a pretty big zamindari estate which include 89 mouzas. [1]His zamindari was spread through 7 parganas(Dantan-Chor, Narang-Chor, Gaganeswar, Nayabasan, Barajit, Sujamutha). Lakshmi Narayan bought the 12 anna zamindari(75% ownership) of Barajit Pargana, making his zamindari more bigger. The rest 4 anna zamindari(25% ownership) of Barajit pargana was owned by Nawab of Mursidabad, Raja of Nayagram , Surendranath Sharangi(descendant of Bir Narayan) and Ch. Srinibas Sharangi(Grandson of Purnananda). Lakshmi Narayan had 4 daughters - Sarat kumari Debi, Basanta Kumari Debi, Sailabala Debi and Yogeswari Debi. [2]Lakshmi Narayan established Rohini Chowdhurani Rukmini Devi(CRD) High school in this village in the memory of his mother Chowdhurani Rukmini Debi on 16 January 1948 and donated 110 bighas of land for the management of this High school. He also founded a dispensary(Akshay Narayan Sharangi Databya Chikitsalay) in the memory of his father and established a leper clinic in this village(1931). James Peddie, the then District Magistrate of undivided Midnapore had come to inaugurate this dispensary . According to local records, Lakshmi Narayan Babu gifted the zamindari of Bhagabanpur(in Contai) to the magistrate for his presence as a chief guest in that ceremony. Babu Lakshmi Narayan Sharangi built Rohineswar Shiv Temple(1910) & a Shitala temple(1909) in this village including many others temples throughout his zamindari. He renovated the old Rameswar Temple of Deulbar in 1939 and gave 56 bighas of land for this temple. He also donated 28 bighas of land for Sri Sri Jagannath Temple, Puri. This land is now called [3]"Lakshmi Narayan jola". His grandfather had earlier constructed the Pancharanta temple of Radhakantya Jiu. When the Midnapore District Government asked every zamindars of Midnapore to donate money for 2nd World war, Lakshmi Narayan donated 50,000 rupees. Besides, he financially helped the freedom fighters of Midnapore. Before 1947 Rohini Garh Zamindari(Lakshmi Narayan's zamindari) share its boundaries with Jhargram Raja's zamindari, Narayangarh zamindari, Beliaberah's praharaj zamindari, Nayagram zamindari, Narajole zamindari, Monoharpur zamindari. During 1940s, beacuse of intense weather, the agricultural system completely broke in his zamindari, his subjects and farmers had to stay in hunger. So, Lakshmi Narayan continued to provide with food and essential items for all of them for 1-2 years. [4]Lakshmi Narayan Sharangi donated many land for government offices and came forward to finance the construction of many roads and Ponds in his zamindari area .
Maharaja Pratap Chandra Bhanj Deo v/s Ch. Lakshmi Narayan Sharangi
Garh Rohini Debottoro Estate
On 11 August 1947, he established a debottoro estate. He passed away in 1949 at the age of 75 suffering from bronchopneumonia. His wife Chowdhurani Indumukhi Debi died in 1950, just one year after his death. Having no son, he gave his estates and zamindari to his eldest Grandson Kumar Harish Chandra Mahapatra(MLA of Gopiballapur, 1971&1972) who was the eldest son of Lakshmi Narayan's daughter [5]Srimati Sailabala devi & Babu Nagendranath Mahapatra of Bandahi, Baliaberah. As Harish Chandra was minor at that time, his mother, Sailabala Debi managed the estate. In 1962 Srimati Sailabala Debi established a High school(Tororui Sri Ramkrishna Vidyabavan) at Torrui in Dantan and gave many lands and ponds for this High school. Today the Mahapatra family manage the pujas and maintain the properties through a debottoro trust (Garh Rohini Debottoro estate, Estd. 11August,1947)
The Rohini Garh Zamindar Bari
The original Garh Bari(build by Purnananda & Bir Narayan) is in ruins today. In a portion of that house the descendants of Purnananda still lives. On the other hand, the Rohini Garh Zamidar Bari(The Rohini Garh Palace) is well maintained by the Mahapatra Family. It is build in the Indo Islamic and Indo Saracenic architecture. The main attraction of this Palace is its Durga Mandap. The palace is now a tourist attraction. Durga puja has been celebrated here every year since 1867.
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 Kundu Nayek, Chaitali (2025). Garh Rohini Debottoro Estate (in Bengali) (1st ed.). Medinipur: Arindam. p. 110. ISBN 9788197006050.
- ↑ "Rohini CRD High School".
- ↑ "A joyful trip on a sea side town".
- ↑ Mahata, Babulal (2020). Aranya Sundari Jhargram.
- ↑ Bera, Nalini (2019). Subarnarenu Subarnarekha (1st ed.). Day's Publishing.
External links
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