it is quite clear that among the members of this rich and renowned family, Roghudeb, who alone held one-third share of the whole family estates, was the most important character, and that, as between his two younger brothers and the sons of his uncle, Basudeb, Mukunda, who got nine annas share of Mahomedameenpore, held the foremost phce. In no sense, therefore, could Monohar be equal, far less superior to Roghudeb, the fact being that he was inferior, in position, as well as in estate, not only to him, but also to his younger brother, Mukunda[1].
Roghudeb who, as we have already stated, got one moiety of the property left by his father, Rameswar, rendered himself more famous by a very remarkable act of generosity. Murshid Kuli Khan was then Nawab of Bengal. He was a very energetic Governor and ruled the country with an iron rod. He curtailed the powers of the Foujdars of the several districts and made them subservient to his authority. The Zamindars of Bengal had become very powerful and it was high time that they should be put down, or at least reduced to a lower level. The Nawab in the exercise of his superior authority ousted[2] them all from their
- ↑ Mukunda's share, whatever it has come to, is now represented by the Shihpur family and that of Ramkrishna by the Rajhat family. In the former case the property reduced as it is from what it was originally, is in the possession of descendants of a different branch altogether. Of these two families the Shibpur family fares better than the Rajhat branch. It is now represented by Rai Nolit Mohon Singh and has properties quite enough to enable a gentleman to live in a decent style. As for the other family it is considerably reduced, so much so that the members, as a rule, find it difficult to maintain their position in society.
- ↑ See Hunter's Bengal Records Vol. I. pp 34, 35. As regards the rights of the Zamindar, Professor H. H. Wilson thus expresses himself:—"The rights of the Zamindar have been the subject of much controversy with reference to his character as hereditary owner of the land he occupies, or as the responsible collector only of the revenue on behalf of the Government. Under the Mahomedan administration the latter was the capacity in which the Zamindar was ordinarily considered, and the chief authorities never hesitated to exercise the power, when they possessed it, of turning out a Zamindar and placing another In the Zamindari, whence the one in possession was termed Sanadi, or Alkami, the Zamindar by patent or command." (See Glossary of Judicial
