Banaili - AbsoluteAstronomy.com

Banaili estate in Bihar was one of the largest estates in India. It stretched into four of India's current states - Bihar

Bihar

Bihar is a state in eastern India. It is the 12th largest state in terms of geographical size at and 3rd largest by population. Almost 58% of Biharis are below the age of 25, which is the highest proportion in India....

, Jharkhand

Jharkhand

Jharkhand is a state in eastern India. It was carved out of the southern part of Bihar on 15 November 2000. Jharkhand shares its border with the states of Bihar to the north, Uttar Pradesh and Chhattisgarh to the west, Orissa to the south, and West Bengal to the east...

, West Bengal

West Bengal

West Bengal is a state in the eastern region of India and is the nation's fourth-most populous. It is also the seventh-most populous sub-national entity in the world, with over 91 million inhabitants. A major agricultural producer, West Bengal is the sixth-largest contributor to India's GDP...

and Orissa

Orissa

Orissa , officially Odisha since Nov 2011, is a state of India, located on the east coast of India, by the Bay of Bengal. It is the modern name of the ancient nation of Kalinga, which was invaded by the Maurya Emperor Ashoka in 261 BC. The modern state of Orissa was established on 1 April...

. It was like the Raj Darbhanga

Raj Darbhanga

Darbhanga Raj, also known as Raj Darbhanga and the Royal Family of Darbhanga, were a family of Zamindars and rulers of territories that are now part of Mithila and Darbhanga district, Bihar, India. Their seat was at the city of Darbhanga...

headed by a Maithil Brahmin

Maithil Brahmin

Maithil Brahmins form part of ancient Vedic Brahmins. Maithil s are a part of Panch-gauda , a group of highest-ranking castes among Brahmin, who still strive to follow rites and rituals according to ancient Hindu canons. Maithil Brahmin is a community of highly cohesive, and traditional Brahmins...

family.

The name of the estate derives from a village Banaili http://discoverbihar.bih.nic.in/pages/pur_place.htm in the then Purnia

Purnia

Purnia is a city and a Municipal Corporation in Purnia district of the Indian state of Bihar. It is located 400 km from Patna.The Indian army, Border Security Force ,and the SSB and the have bases around the city...

district of Bengal

Bengal

Bengal is a historical and geographical region in the northeast region of the Indian Subcontinent at the apex of the Bay of Bengal. Today, it is mainly divided between the sovereign land of People's Republic of Bangladesh and the Indian state of West Bengal, although some regions of the previous...

.

The main centres of residences of Rajas of Banaili are Banaili, Ramnagar, Champanagar, Garh Banaili, and Sultanganj. Bhagalpur

Bhagalpur

Bhagdattpuram was one of the most influential towns in "Aryavarta" . It is supposed to have been concurrent to Patliputra or Patna. Bhagdattpuram finds its mention in the Vedas and Ramayana as well. It is supposed to be the kingdom of Daanvir Karna, the son of Kunti and the Sun God...

was the centre from where administration of the estate was carried out.

One of the centres of Banaili Raj located in Sultanganj is believed to have ancient historical or mythical association. The Krishnagarh palace built by Kumar Krishnanand Singh on Sultanganj is in the Karnagarh area, which is believed to be place where the Castle of King Karna of Mahabharata was located.http://www.hindubooks.org/temples/bihar/sultanganj/page2.htm

Raja Bahadur Dular Singh Chowdhry

Though the roots of the family can be traced to 11th - 12 th century as done ably by Kumar Girijanand Sinha in his book, Banaili - Roots to Raj, the family achieved its famed eminence only in the 19th century during the reign of Raja Bahadur Dular Singh Chowdhry. It was Raja Dular Singh who fixed the family residence at Banaili and gave the family its current name. He was an enterprising Raja and added to the family's wealth using the opportunities afforded by the Permanent Settlement

Permanent Settlement

The Permanent Settlement — also known as the Permanent Settlement of Bengal — was an agreement between the East India Company and Bengali landlords to fix revenues to be raised from land, with far-reaching consequences for both agricultural methods and productivity in the entire Empire and the...

implemented by Lord Charles Cornwallis, 1st Marquess Cornwallis

Charles Cornwallis, 1st Marquess Cornwallis

Charles Cornwallis, 1st Marquess Cornwallis KG , styled Viscount Brome between 1753 and 1762 and known as The Earl Cornwallis between 1762 and 1792, was a British Army officer and colonial administrator...

in the then state of Bengal

Bengal

. He received the title of Raja Bahadur from the British Government for his services during the Anglo-Nepalese War. Raja Dular Singh died in 1821.

----

Raja Bahadur Bedanand Sinha

The expansion of the estate continued under his able son, Raja Bahadur Bedanand Sinha. He was born in 1778 and succeeded his father at a rather advanced age of 43. He died in 1851. He in fact is credited for the creation of much of the family's wealth which he did in a period of 30 years at the helm. He received his title of Raja Bahadur with his succession in continuation of the title given to his father. He continued his residence in the village of Banaili and expanded the palace there during his tenure. He extended the Banaili Raj through acquisitions of estates that were located in the then districts of Munger, Bhagalpur, Santhal Paraganas and Purnea. With these acquisitions, the size of the Banaili estate expanded 4-5 times in his reign. He was interested in wrestling and sponsored many wrestling competitions in which he too took part. He also wrote a book on Ayurveda "Bedanand Vinod".

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Raja Bahadur Lilanand Sinha

His son, Raja Bahadur Lilanand Sinha, maintained the family's eminence and was famous in the entire region for his piety and benevolence. Many stories of his charity and kindness still abound in the Mithila

Mithila

Mithila was a city in Ancient India, the capital of the Videha Kingdom. The name Mithila is also commonly used to refer to the Videha Kingdom itself, as well as to the modern-day territories that fall within the ancient boundaries of Videha...

region. He was also responsible for shifting the family's residence from Banaili which had then become a hotbed for malaria

Malaria

Malaria is a mosquito-borne infectious disease of humans and other animals caused by eukaryotic protists of the genus Plasmodium. The disease results from the multiplication of Plasmodium parasites within red blood cells, causing symptoms that typically include fever and headache, in severe cases...

to Ramnagar in Purnia

Purnia

district. He again shifted his residence from Ramnagar to Champanagar, 22 km from Purnia

Purnia

town in Bihar

Bihar

leaving his eldest son, Raja Bahadur Padmanand Singh to continue to stay in Ramnagar. The deorhi in Ramnagar still survives but is no longer in the state it once was.

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Raja Bahadur Kalanand Sinha

Raja Lilanand Singh had two sons from his third wife - Raja Kalanand Sinha and Raja Bahadur Kirtyanand Sinha (Raja Padmanand Singh being the eldest born of his second wife). The former shifted after the death of his father to a new Deorhi he built in Garh Banaili Purnia district

Purnia District

Purnia district is one of the thirty-eight districts of Bihar state, India. The town of Purnia is the administrative headquarters of this district.Purnia district is a part of Purnia Division...

, which was famous for its beauty and perhaps the most exquisite of the residences built by the Banaili family. The deorhi has not survived with his successors bringing the edifice down after India's independence.

Raja Kalanand Singh is listed in the official directory of the Coronation Durbar of 1911 as one of those attending the ceremonies. http://www.archive.org/stream/coronationdurbar030742mbp/coronationdurbar030742mbp_djvu.txt

----

Raja Bahadur Kirtyanand Sinha

The more prominent and better educated son of Raja Lilanand Singh was Raja Bahadur Kirtyanand Singh. He was a Bachelor of Arts

Bachelor of Arts

A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...

from Allahabad University

Allahabad University

Allahabad University , is a premier Central University located in Allahabad, Uttar Pradesh, India. Its origins lie in the Muir Central College, named after Lt...

and was famous for his many pursuits - shikaar

Shikaar

-Films:*Shikar *Shikaar starring Raj Babbar*Shikkar, 2010 film starring Mohanlal-Other:*A form of hunting in colonial India called shikar*Shikar, a tala *Shikar, a 2003 novel by Jack Warner...

(hunting), Polo

Polo

Polo is a team sport played on horseback in which the objective is to score goals against an opposing team. Sometimes called, "The Sport of Kings", it was highly popularized by the British. Players score by driving a small white plastic or wooden ball into the opposing team's goal using a...

- as well for the role he played in the contemporary public life. He wrote three books - Purnea, a Shikarland; Shikar in Hills and Jungles; and Homeopathic Practice http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/search-handle-url/ref=ntt_athr_dp_sr_1?%5Fencoding=UTF8&search-type=ss&index=books&field-author=Kirtyanand%20Sinha.

He made a contribution to the establishment of T.N.B College in Bhagalpur

Bhagalpur

which was in need of funds having been established in 1880s. The Raja made a contribution of "60 acres of land and 6 lakhs of rupees in Cash for the construction of building and other developmental work". http://www.tnbcollege.org/collegehistory.aspx For this contribution and other acts of charity, he was awarded the title of "Raja" in June 1914.
On 9 July 1917, he was appointed as a government nominee to the Champaran Agrarian Committee which had been set up to resolve the issue of indigo planters in Champaran following the famous Champaran Satyagraha

Satyagraha

Satyagraha , loosely translated as "insistence on truth satya agraha soul force" or "truth force" is a particular philosophy and practice within the broader overall category generally known as nonviolent resistance or civil resistance. The term "satyagraha" was conceived and developed by Mahatma...

Champaran and Kheda Satyagraha

The first Satyagraha revolutions inspired by Mahatma Gandhi in the Indian Independence Movement occurred in Kheda district of Gujarat and the Champaran district of Bihar between the years of 1918 and 1919...

by Mahatma Gandhi

Mahatma Gandhi

Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi , pronounced . 2 October 1869 – 30 January 1948) was the pre-eminent political and ideological leader of India during the Indian independence movement...

. In this committee, he worked with Mahatma Gandhi
Mahatma Gandhi
Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi , pronounced . 2 October 1869 – 30 January 1948) was the pre-eminent political and ideological leader of India during the Indian independence movement...

, and for his work in the Committee he was awarded the title of "Raja Bahadur" in 1919.

On the request and appeal made by Sri Braj Mohan Thakur, Raja Bahadur Krityanand Singh along with Raja Tank Nath Choudhary created separately a chair of Maithili

Maithili language

Maithili language is spoken in the eastern region of India and South-eastern region of Nepal. The native speakers of Maithili reside in Bihar, Jharkhand,parts of West Bengal and South-east Nepal...

in Calcutta University http://www.bmtlawcollege.org/about1.html. This went a long way in advancing maithili

Maithili language

Maithili language is spoken in the eastern region of India and South-eastern region of Nepal. The native speakers of Maithili reside in Bihar, Jharkhand,parts of West Bengal and South-east Nepal...

as a language.

He was one of the founders of the Bank of Bihar, which survives even now as the Bihar State Cooperative Bank Limitedhttp://biharbank.bih.nic.in/. He also started a Banaili Iron and Steel Works in Sitarampur

Sitarampur

Sitarampur , a small township just off the Asansol-Dhanbad stretch of the Grand Trunk Road, was one of the early hubs of coal mining activity. Coal was found in abundance around Sitarampur in the early years of the 19th century and mining started at this place in a big way...

in Asansol

Asansol

Asansol is a coal mining and industrial metropolis and one of the busiest commercial centres in India. It is the second largest city and urban agglomeration in West Bengal after Kolkata and the 19th largest urban agglomeration in India. Asansol is located in the western part of the Burdwan...

, referred to in the book on Indian Economy written by eminent historian Amiya Kumar Bagchi
Amiya Kumar Bagchi
Amiya Kumar Bagchi is a distinguished Indian political economist. His contributions have spanned economic history, the economics of industrialization and de-industrialization, and development studies from an overall Marxist perspective, incorporating insights from other schools of radical...

and also in a book "Bihar" published by the National Book Trust. This venture, unfortunately, as the noted historian Amiya Kumar Bagchi

Amiya Kumar Bagchi

Amiya Kumar Bagchi is a distinguished Indian political economist. His contributions have spanned economic history, the economics of industrialization and de-industrialization, and development studies from an overall Marxist perspective, incorporating insights from other schools of radical...

observes, did not survive the "Great Depression

Great Depression

The Great Depression was a severe worldwide economic depression in the decade preceding World War II. The timing of the Great Depression varied across nations, but in most countries it started in about 1929 and lasted until the late 1930s or early 1940s...

".

The Raja, along with Maharaja of Darbhanga

Darbhanga

Darbhangā is a twin city and a municipal corporation and the capital city of the Darbhanga district and Darbhanga Division in the state of Bihar, India. It is one of the most important districts of North Bihar situated in the very heart of Mithilanchal. According to the latest 2011 census, the...

Maharaja of Darbhanga#cite note-56, hosted the first flight expedition over the Mount Everest

Mount Everest

Mount Everest is the world's highest mountain, with a peak at above sea level. It is located in the Mahalangur section of the Himalayas. The international boundary runs across the precise summit point...

in 1933 Maharaja of Darbhanga#cite note-56. "The Raja of Banaili, a cheery personality, who had shot over hundred tigers, offered us his fleet of motor-cars, remarking that, if possible, he would like to retain one or two of his own. He had seventeen. He seemed astonished, as if at an unusual display of moderation, when only three cars and a lorry were required." (Quoted in Everest - The Mountaineering History by Walt Unsworth from First Over Everest, The Houston-Mount Everest Expedition 1993 by Air Commodore

Air Commodore

Air commodore is an air-officer rank which originated in and continues to be used by the Royal Air Force...

PFM Fellowes et al.).

The Raja is credited for issuing the first official state invitation to the great maestro duo of Ustad Salamat & Nazakat Ali Khan of the Sham Chaurasia gharana

Sham Chaurasia gharana

Sham Chaurasia gharana is a gharana in Hindustani classical music, known for the singing of vocal duets, most notably represented in modern times by the brothers Salamat Ali Khan and Nazakat Ali Khan...

in 1934. Ustad Salamat Ali Khan was then 11 years old and Nazakat Ali Khan 13 years http://www.sadarang.com/Ustad%20salamat%20ali%20khan.htm. They were invited to perform at the Dussehra festival in Champanagar Deorhi (Palace) and the royal host liked their rendition of Malkauns so much that he would not let them leave Champanagr http://www.virsaonline.com/Articles/Articles%2004.htm. The duo stayed under the patronage of the Raja for a few months, and some believe that their Basant Bahar composition "Des des ki thi jung dushman sab har gaye" is in the praise of the Raja.http://www.esnips.com/doc/bf1be9bf-486c-4617-af9c-4bcfaeb21f1b/Salamat-Ali-Khan---Age-11---Basant-Bahar---Des-Des-Ki-Thi-Jung

Another great musician, Ustad Altaf Hussain Khan of Khurja, served as a court musician in the darbar of the Raja. Ustad Altaf Hussain Khan also gave music lessons to Raja's eldest son, Rajkumar Shyamanand Sinha http://dilrang.dalalexports.com/altaf.html.

Raja Bahadur Kirtyanand Sinha stayed in public life until his death in 1938. His place of residence remained the Champanagar Deorhi in Purnia

Purnia

inherited from his father. This Deorhi has remained the most enduring of the deorhis of Banaili Raj and to this day is inhabited by the descendants of the Raja.

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Rajkumar Shyamanand Sinha

Raja Bahadur Kirtyanand Sinha had six sons and three daughters. But, the most prominent of his six sons was Rajkumar Shyamanand Sinha

Rajkumar Shyamanand Sinha

Rajkumar Shyamanand Sinha was the eldest son of Raja Bahadur Kirtyanand Sinha of the Banaili estate...

. He had many pursuits such as Shikar and in particular Billiards, where he won Bihar Championship in Billiards many times.

However, he is remembered mainly for his extraordinary talent in hindustani classical music

Hindustani classical music

Hindustani classical music is the Hindustani or North Indian style of Indian classical music found throughout the northern Indian subcontinent. The style is sometimes called North Indian Classical Music or Shāstriya Sangeet...

. He was not only blessed with a gifted voice but had tremendous natural ability to bring "pran" in ragas that made them come alive in a most pleasing manner. He belonged to the old school of Hindustani classical music and believed in maintaining purity and spontaneity in performance. His rendition of ragas was an absolute delight and mesmerised the listeners transferring the singer's sense of ecstasy to the audience in a way that very few have managed to this day.

Along with his singing prowess, his legendary voice made a tremendous mark on one and all who came in touch with him. This included some great contemporary singers like Kesarbai Kerkar. Kesarbai, who was visiting Champanagar for a performance was so enthused by his rendition of "Dwarikanath Sharan Me Teri" that she insisted politely that he teach the song to her. She even expressed her readiness to make him her Guru

Guru

A guru is one who is regarded as having great knowledge, wisdom, and authority in a certain area, and who uses it to guide others . Other forms of manifestation of this principle can include parents, school teachers, non-human objects and even one's own intellectual discipline, if the...

for this song.

Rajkumar Shyamanand Sinha believed that singing was the highest form of devotion and this reflected in his performances. President Zakir Hussain, once when he was Governor of Bihar, was so moved by his performance that he embraced him stating that the Rajkumar's singing was like praying to the almighty. Gajendra narayan Singh in his book has written that "Kumar Shyamanand Singh of Banaili estate had such expertise in singing that many great singers including Kesarbai were convinced about his prowess in singing.In case you cannot believe this please ask Pandit Jasraj. After listening to Bandishes from Kumar Saheb, Jasraj was moved to tears and lamented that alas! if he could have such ability himself"(free translation of Hindi text). Vilayat Hussain Khan in his book "Sangeetangyon ke Sansmaran" has written: "There is no better connoisseur and cognoscente of music in Bihar than Kumar Shyamanand Singh"(free translation of Hindi text).

Though Rajkumar Shyamanand Sinha learned from many eminent names, his acknowledged Guru

Guru

was the legendary Vishmadev Chattopadyay of Kolkata

Kolkata

Kolkata , formerly known as Calcutta, is the capital of the Indian state of West Bengal. Located on the east bank of the Hooghly River, it was the commercial capital of East India...

, who had learnt music from Badal Khan and Faiyaz Khan of Agra Gharana. Shyamanand Sinha learnt from Vishmadev Chattopadyay from 1936-39. After Vishmadev Chattopadyay left for Aurobindo Ashram in Pondicherry, Rajkumar Shyamanand Sinha continued his music lessons, at the advice of his guru, from Bachu Khan Sahib of Agra (from 1940-1962-63). Other eminent singers from whom he obtained music lessons were Muzzaffar Khan, Mubarak Ali Khan, Bholanath Bhatt, Kedarjee, Altaf Hussain Khan of Khurja, Mahaveer Mullick, and Jaduveer Mullick.

He shunned music as a profession and never sought public recognition. He gave very few public performances, most of his performances being during impromptu baithaks at his residence in Chamapanagar in the presence of his admirers and disciples. Despite his reluctance for public acknowledgement, his followers conferred him with the title of Sangeet Bhaskar and Sangeet Sudhakar for his mastery in classical singing.

He was also a great patron of classical music. He was one of the chief patrons of the All India Music Conference and presented the convocation address at the 11th All India Music Conference of the The Prayag Sangit Samiti at Allahabadh on 19 December 1948. He used his great wealth to open the purse strings of patronage to many maestros of Hindustani Classical Music

Hindustani classical music

of his time at his residence in Champanagar, turning it into a place of learning and development of classical music. Salamat Ali Khan, Altaf Hussain Khan of Khurja and Bachu Khan Sahib and many others were provided residence and patronage in Champanagar. He also invited many great maestros for performances, among them were "Aftab -e- Maushiqi" Faiyaz Khan

Faiyaz Khan

Ustad Faiyaz Khan is so far the best known exponent of Agra Gharana in Hindustani classical music. He was the master khayal vocalist of his time. Born at Sikandara near Agra in 1886 , he was the son of Shabr Hussain, who died three months before his birth...

, D. V. Paluskar, Kesarbai Kerkar, Sawai Gandharva, Vilayat Hussain Khan, Altaf Hussain Khan of Khurja, Pandit Jasraj

Pandit Jasraj

Pandit Jasraj is an Indian classical vocalist. He is the foremost exponent of the Mewati Gharana of Hindustani classical music.-Early life:Jasraj was born in Hisar, Haryana in an orthodox brahmin family to Pandit Motiramji, a classical exponent. His family is well known for singing in the Mewati...

, Narayanrao Vyas, Basavaraj Rajguru

Basavaraj Rajguru

Pandit Basavraj Rajguru was born at Yaliwal, a village in the north Karnataka district of Dharwad, a great centre of Hindustani classical music. He was a leading Hindustani vocal musician in the Kirana gharana...

, and Salamat Ali Khan and Nazakat Ali Khan.http://www.myurdunews.com/?display_news=1759

Unfortunately, the few professional recordings done by All India Radio]] in the latter part of his life are untraceable. Only a few amateur recordings of his singing are available with his family members and friends. These are rare treasures and absolute delight for the senses. They have somehow survived his idiosyncratic hatred for recording largely due to the efforts of his disciple nephew Kumar Girijanand Singh. Unfortunately, the excellence of his singing tradition did not survive his death though his influence stayed with some of his disciples who are striving hard to keep the flame burning in Purnia

Purnia

Some other references to Banaili Raj on the web

Reference to Forest of Munger owned by Raja of Banaili http://munger.nic.in/ATMA/Munger/Forest_page.htm
Reference to history of Banaili Raj http://araria.wordpress.com/category/history/
Another reference in All India Reporter 1926 http://www.archive.org/download/allindiareporter032472mbp/allindiareporter032472mbp.pdf
Reference to Raja Kirtyanand Singh in the Minutes of the Champaran Committee of Gandhi http://www.gandhiserve.org/cwmg/VOL016.PDF
Reference to a case involving Rani Prabhavati Devi in Supreme Court of India http://www.indiankanoon.com/doc/1747883/
Reference to famous Hindi novelist Saratchandra having worked in the Banaili estate http://www.tribuneindia.com/2005/20050109/edit.htm
Reference to Ustad Vishmadev Chattopadyay as a Guru of Rajkumar Shyamanand Sinha http://www.vishmadev.org/BC_BIO.htm

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