Bardhaman Raj
At its height in the early 19th century, it extended to around 5,000 square miles (13,000 km) and included many parts of what is now Burdwan, Bankura, Medinipur, Howrah, Hooghly and Murshidabad districts.
[5] According to the tradition of the family, Sangam Rai, a Khatri of the Kapoor clan, from Kotli, was the founder of the house of Bardhaman.
Their united forces advanced towards Bardhaman and in a battle killed Krishna Chand and captured his family members, except his son Jagat Ram Rai, who somehow managed to escape to seek the help of the governor of Bengal, Behar and Orissa.
In an incident, Sobha Singha was killed by Raj Kumari Satyabati, the daughter of Krishna Ram Rai.
Under his leadership, the rebellion assumed so threatening an aspect that the emperor appointed his own grandson Azim-u-Shan to the government of Bengal, Behar and Orissa.
In the meantime, Zabardust Khan, son of the nawab, had by a series of successful movements driven them back upon Bardhaman.
He fought with the Rajas of Chandrakona and Barda near Ghatal (a part of Paschim Medinipur district of West Bengal), and possessed their kingdoms.
[11] Kirti Chand died in 1740 and was succeeded by Chitra Sen Rai (1740-1744), who added the parganas of Mandalghat, Arsha and Chandrakona to his paternal estate.
[13][14] Chitra Sen Rai died in 1744 without issue and was succeeded by his cousin Tilak Chand Rai (1744-1770), who was honoured by the emperor Ahmad Shah with a farman confirming his right to the raj and was after a few years, invested with the title of Maharaj Adhiraj Bahadur and Panj Hazari (commander of five thousand troops) by emperor Shah Alam.
[13][15] Three years after the battle of Plassey, on 27 September 1760, the zamindari of Bardhaman, together with the districts of Midnapur and Chittagong, was ceded to the East India Company by Nawab Mir Muhammad Kashim Khan, the governor of Bengal.
At that time Bardhaman contained an area of 5,174 square miles and was considered the most productive district in Subah of Bengal.
[23] In 1864, the Maharaja was appointed an additional member of the Viceregal Legislative Council, being the first native person of Bengal who was so honoured.
At the time of adoption, in 1887, he was only a child, therefore, the Court of Wards along with the Diwani-i-Raj, Ban Behari Kapoor, (the natural father of Bijay Chand), ruled the estate up to 1902.
[25] In 1899, Bijay Chand Mahtab passed the entrance examination of Calcutta University, and was the first in the Raj family to obtain a formal educational qualification.
A pompous coronation was organised in the palace at Bardhaman, where Lieutenant Governor Bourdillon was present to bestow the honour.
[25] In 1903, he invited the Governor General Lord Curzon to the Bardhaman palace and to commemorate the event constructed a gate now known as Curzon Gate in Gothic style, which is a major landmark of Bardhaman today and stands at junction of Bijoychand Road and Grand Trunk Road.
He risked his life to save that of Sir Andrew Fraser, lieutenant-governor of Bengal, when an attempt to assassinate him was made by Indian nationalists on 7 November 1908.
However, with the India's independence gaining momentum it was evident that the days of zemindars and princely states were coming to an end.
From amongst the twenty books he wrote, mention may be made of Impression, The Indian Horizon, Meditation, Studies, Vijaygitika (collection of songs composed by him), Troyodashi (poem), Ranjit (play), and Manaslila (science-play).
[35] In the first election after independence in 1952, Sir Uday Chand Mahtab lost to a freedom fighter, Benoy Choudhury, in spite of a campaign in his favor by Jawaharlal Nehru.
Here he became a director of IISCO, and several other leading mercantile firms of the day, such as Dunlop, Metal Box and Brooke Bond.
[36] He acceded to the request of the then Chief minister of West Bengal, Dr. Bidhan Chandra Roy and handed over his palace, Mahtab Manzil and Golap Bagh to the University of Burdwan.
[citation needed] He donated a piece of land in Bardhaman to the numerous employees of the Raj so that they could build accommodation there.
He instituted a fund for The Maharajadhiraja Uday Chand Mahtab Of Burdwan Memorial Cup at Calcutta Race Course.
When Sobha Singha tried to outrage her modesty, the heroic Raj Kumari Satyabati, drew a dagger from her clothes and stabbed him, killing him almost immediately.
