Draft:Chanduary Raj

The Chanduary Raj, also known as the Bharko Chieftaincy was a prominent medieval Chieftaincy and later a Zamindari estate during the British Raj, formerly located in the Bhagalpur Pargana of Munger Sarkar. The centre of the Jagir was the village of Bharko, modern day Banka district, which was the centre of administrative and military organisation.

Chanduary Raj
1599 CE–1949 CE
Status	Tributary to the Mughal Empire (1599s onwards)
Capital	Bharko
Common languages	Angika
Religion	Hinduism
Government	Zamindari estate
Zamindar
• 1599-1611	Chaturbhuj Chaudhary
Historical era	Medieval India
• Established	1599 CE
• Disestablished	1949 CE
Today part of	India

Tappa Chanduary was about 12 miles from north to south and 8 miles from east to west at the time of the Permanent Settlement in 1793. The boundary of the area is as follows: East-Chandan river, West-Barna river, North-Kherahi Parganna and Bonama Hill, South-Kojhi and Danresankhware.

Origin

The chieftaincy of Chanduary Raj was founded by a Hindu Gowala, Chaturbhuj Choudhary in 1599. The Choudharies have Syāmal as their mool and are said to have racial affinity with the Varmans of Anga. This Syāmal appears to be no other than the Varman king, Maharajadhiraj Syāmal Varman Dev, whose father Jatavarman had conquered the ancient Anga region. Because of their association with the Varmans, the Choudharies are also referred to as Varman-Gop. Some scholars speculate that their settlement led to the region being known by their name "Varmagop", which later became pronounced "Bharko", which was their administrative centre.

The modern-day Yadavs of Majhraut stock from the nearby areas and the same village trace their mool to “Syāmal”.

History

According to the historical records, in 1599 AD, a landowner named Jujhar Rai, who was either a co-sharer in the Kharagpur Raj or perhaps was the chief of the Khatauris, handed over the rights of Tappa Chanduari and Tappa Chandipa to Chaturbhuj Chaudhary, a man of means, because he was unable to pay the money that Chaturbhuj had deposited in the royal treasury on his behalf as land tax. Following this, in 1600 AD, a sanad was issued in Chaturbhuj's favor under the seal of the Mughal Emperor Akbar, and Chaturbhuj then began administering the area under his seal and signature.

Chaturbhuj Chaudhary (1599-1611)

After Chaturbhuj, his son Virsen Chaudhary came to power and ruled from 1612 to 1627. Virsen's son Jamuna Chaudhary then took over, ruling from 1628 to 1639. Jamuna's son Helmani Chaudhary ruled from 1640 to 1656.

Rebellion against the Mughals

In 1656-57, Helmani Chaudhari rebelled against the Mughals. This was a period of struggle between Shah Jahan's sons for succession to the Mughal throne. Taking advantage of the confusion and chaos that had spread through Bihar during this period of civil war, Helmani also launched a rebellion. The Mughal prince Shah Shuja, governor of Bihar, appointed Raja Bahroj Singh of Kharagpur to suppress the rebellion. In the conflict with Raja Bahroj, the Chanduari Raj's charter was lost, although Shah Shuja failed to become emperor. After which Syed Ajmeri issued a new deed in the name of Helmani's son Khemkaran Chaudhary.

Successor

Helmani's son, Khemkaran Chaudhary, ruled from 1657 to 1689, and Khemkaran's son, Jai Narayan Chaudhary, succeeded him from 1690 to 1740. Jai Narayan was succeeded by his son, Hemnarayan Chaudhary. Hemnarayan was a religious person, he along with Dhanaram Choudhary donated 1233 bigha and 5 kattha land in Mainma village, Tappa Chandipa, Sarkar Munger for the worship of Lord Vishnu.

Dhana Ram Chaudhari, the son of Sobha Ram Chaudhari, the son of Har Narayan Chaudhari, belonging to the line of Chatur, had gone to the Deccan with a force of 3,000 to the aid of Shivaji in the latter's war with Aurangzeb. When Dhana Ram Chaudhari came back from the Deccan to Bharko, he granted to the descendants of his followers who had died in war with Aurangzeb in the south, 2,200 bighas of land, situated in mauz'a Sonpai and Rutpaj near Sambhoganj and Mirzapur in P. S. Amarpur, sub-division Banka, district Bhagalpur, for their maintenance in A. D. 1705. They are still in possession of the lands.

Hemnarayan's son, Tarachand Chaudhary, dominated the region as a powerful ruler from 1776 to 1780. During the reign of his son, Dipchand Chaudhary (1780-1820), the zamindari lands were settled three times (for five years, ten years, and then a permanent settlement). Bihar and Bengal were under the British East India Company from 1765. Historical records confirm the dominance of the Chaudharis of Bharko even during the British period.

Deepchand was succeeded by Horil Chaudhary, who died childless, and after this, the descendants of Harnarayan Chaudhary, younger brother of Jaynarayan Chaudhary, began to rule. By order of the British court, the estate was transferred to Babu Fatahchand Chaudhary. His descendants held the office until India's independence in 1947. Babu Raghunandan Chaudhary, born in the 13th generation of Chaturbhuj Chaudharys, was the last zamindar. After this, the zamindari system was abolished under the Zamindari Abolition Act.

Chaudharis dominated this region for about 400 years, from the time of Akbar till the independence of the country.

Religion

The Chaudharies were widely known for their religious temperament, particularly for their devotion to Lord Vishnu, and charity of land to the Brahmins. The descendants of Chattur Berm-Narayan and Dhana Ram; gave land measuring 1233 bighas and 5 kathas in charity to the Brahmins in the year 1759-60 for the worship of Vishnu in Mainma, a village in tappa Chandeepah. As per the religious publication Bhramarseela Mandaleshwar, the Chowkimandir at Champanagar in Bhagalpur was established by Swami Gopalram in 1757, with land allocated by Bhakta Hemnarayan Chaudhary to Swamiji. Hemnarayana was honoured with the title of Gopabansabhusana (the ornament of the Gopa race).

Rulers

The Chanduaries of Chanduary Raj are as follows:

• Chaturbhuj Chaudhary (1599-1611)

• Virsen Chaudhary (1612-1627)

• Jamuna Chaudhary (1628-1639)

• Helmani Chaudhary (1640-1656)

• Khemkaran Chaudhary (1657-1689)

• Jai Narayan Chaudhary (1690-1740)

• Hemnarayan Chaudhary (1741-1775)

• Tarachand Chaudhary (1776-1780)

• Dipchand Chaudhary (1780-1820)

• Horil Chaudhary (1821)

Horil Chaudhary, who died childless, and after this, the descendants of Harnarayan Chaudhary, younger brother of Jaynarayan Chaudhary, began to rule. By order of the British court, the estate was transferred to Babu Fatahchand Chaudhary. His descendants held the office until India's independence in 1947.