PRESENT HEAD OF HOUSE:

PREDECESSORS AND SHORT HISTORY: Second largest Zamindari in Bengal after Burdwan based on Revenue, it was founded in about 1723, by a grant from Murshi Quli Khan of Bengal to the elder son of Kamdev Rai, a tehsildar of the Puthia Raj Family. Both of his sons expanded the territories to found the Raj family of Rajshahi, which took the borders of the zamindari to Dhaka on the east and Jessore in the south, making it the largest zamindari in Bengal in terms of territory. The entire territory was given the name of the original grant, Rajshahi. The family seat was at Natore Palace at Natore in Bhusna. The East Bengal State Acquisition and Tenancy Act of 1950 was drafted on 31 March 1948 following Independence from the British Monarchy of 15th August 1947, and subsequent partition into the Union of India and the Dominion of Pakistan. The bill passed on 16th May 1951, thereby abolishing all Zamindari families' rights, rule and responsibilities. The family then left the area and relocated to the Union of India (West Bengal) after the Democratic Government annexed the land, palaces and temples. The Natore Palaces are a protected site and the museum is maintained by the Dept. of Archaeology, Govt of Bangladesh. Estate holders were....

• Kamdev Rai, a tehsildar of Baraihati in Pargana Lashkarpur, under Puthia raj family, he was the founder of the Zamindari family of Rajshahi, he was a strict disciplinarian in every aspect of his administration; married and had issue, three sons.

  • Raja Raghunandan (qv)

  • Raja Ramjivan (qv)

  • Kumar Bishnuram

• Raja RAGHUNANDAN, 1st Zamindar of Rajshahi 1723/1724, he was appointed Wakil of the Puthia Raj family in Jahangir Nagar (Dhaka, the then capital of erstwhile Bengal), he sided with Nawab Murshid Quli Khan, in his battle with Mughal Prince Azim us-shan, the Governor of Bengal, for which he was rewarded with various land grants, including almost the whole of the region known as Bhaturia and Bhusna (the town of Natore itself was in Bhusna) as well as gaining the confidence of the Nawab. He died sp in 1724.

• Raja RAMJIVAN, Zamindar of Rajshahi 1724/1730, he expanded the Raj with the help of his Diwan, Dayaram Roy of Dighapatia as new awards took the borders of the zamindari to Dhaka on the east and Jessore in the south, making it the largest zamindari in Bengal in terms of territory; he had adoptive issue. He died unmarried in 1730.

  • (A) Raja Ramkanta (qv)

• Raja RAMKANTA, Zamindar of Rajshahi 1730/1748, born 1712, he was inexperienced in zamindari administration, and neglected his business affairs, spending most of his time in religious activities; married Rani Bhabani (see below), born 1716, died 1795, and had issue, as well as an adoptive son and successor. He died 1748.

  • Kumari Tara Devi

  • (A) Raja Ramkrishna (qv)

• Rani Bhabani, Zamindarani of Rajshahi 1748/1789, born 1716 into a respectable Brahmin family of Bogra, daughter of Atmaram Chowdhury, she succeeded her husband, Raja Ramkanta in 1748, as the dejure zamindarani of Rajshahi, which she managed efficiently and effectively for over four decades, maintaining cordial relationships with the Nawabs of Bengal. She gave large portion of her zamindari to the Brahmins as Lakhiraj (rent free lands) for their maintenance and other charitable activities. She established about 380 shrines, guesthouses etc, built many temples in different parts of the country and endowed money and lands. She constructed a major road that runs from Natore to Bhawanipur in Bogra and is still called Rani Bhabanir Jangal. Numerous tanks and sarais were built with her money. She was a great patron of Hindu learning and enabled the spread of education; married 1stly, Raja Ramkanta, Zamindar of Rajshahi (see above), married 2ndly, Maharaja Krishnachandra Ray of Nadia, the patriarch of the Krishnanagar Raj Family, and had issue (see Nadia). She died at Baranagar in 1795.

• Raja RAMKRISHNA ROY, Zamindar of Rajshahi 1789/-, born 1748, he lost most of the territories between 1793 and 1800 due to the Sunset Law passed by the British authorities; married and had issue.

  • Raja Bishwanath Roy (qv)

• Raja BISHWANATH ROY, Zamindar of Rajshahi 1798/-, born 1780, in his tenure, the estates and territories were reduced significantly by the 1800's, said to have been granted a political pension by the British government in 1806.

• Raja ANANDANATH ROY Bahadur C.S.I., Zamindar of Rajshahi -/1866, married and had issue. He died 1866.

  • Raja Chandranath Roy Bahadur (qv)

  • Kumar Jogindranath Roy, died after 1891.

• Raja CHANDRANATH ROY Bahadur, Zamindar of Rajshahi 1866/-

• Raja GOBINDANATH ROY Bahadur, Zamindar of Rajshahi, married and had adoptive issue.

  • (A) Maharaja Jagadindranath Roy Bahadur (qv)

• Maharaja JAGADINDRA NATH ROY Bahadur, Zamindar of Rajshahi, a great Patron of Cricket, making the first ever all Bengali Cricket Team in the British Raj, he was indispute with Rani Hemanta Kumari Devi of Puthia regarding territories in Pukhuria ^(#1); Member of Rangapur Sahitya Parisad; he was granted the title of Maharaja as a personal distinction on 1st Janaury 1877, married [?Rani Hemangini Debi], and had issue. He died after 11th May 1900 and before 2nd April 1902.

• Raja YOGINDRA NATH ROY Bahadur, Zamindar of Rajshahi; Chairman of the Rajshahi Public Library Committee 1942/1943.