Tekari Raj

They controlled 2,046 villages on their estate, which covered a 7,500 square kilometres (2,900 sq mi) area, near to the town of Gaya.

[4] The Tekari family played an important role in the socio-economic and political history of Bihar from medieval times, during the Mughal period.

Known as the Tekari Raj, their zamindari estate was situated about 15 kilometres (9.3 mi) to the west of the modern town of Gaya in the present-day state of Bihar and was surrounded by the rivers Morhar and Jamune.

The Tekari Rajas were Bhumihars, chief of the Drontikar (or Dronticar) clan of the Bhardwaj gotra from the village of Tekar, which no longer exists.

[5][need quotation to verify] Kumkum Chatterjee says that "The zamindari of Tekari owed its origin to an imperial grant made about the time when the Mughal empire first began to decay.

[7] According to a history published in 1878, proved his allegiance to the Mughal court in Delhi during various battles involving the Marathas, pleasing Nawab Alivardi Khan and other Bengali subadars.

His family had come to prominence through opportunism and Sundar sometimes found himself facing Mughal forces when he defied the imperial authority that was nominally vested in provincial governors.

One source of income was derived from pilgrims to the holy town of Gaya: he was entitled to 10 per cent of the fees charged to them, although in common with other major landlords he was also expected to patronise religious festivals and provide financial support for things such as temple maintenance.

[15][5] Ram Kishan Singh spent money on various public works, including 60,000 rupees on a temple at Dharmasala(Gaya) and a further 100,000 for one at Ayodhya.