An unknown story of the descendants of Nawab Siraj-ud-Daulah

 Everyone has more or less an idea about the battle of Plassey which changed the history of Bengal.  After the tragic defeat in this war, the tragic fate of the last Independent Nawab of Bengal, Siraj-ud-Daulah and his family members is not unknown to us.

 Today, I am writing about a subject that is unnoticed by everyone.  Have you ever wondered if any of the descendants of Nawab Siraj were alive?  Did his lineage end there?  This article is for those who are bored with the difficult text of history, who want to touch a little difference, who want to taste the fruit of a small branch outside of the original history.  Let us know the unknown story of the descendant of Nawab Siraj-ud-Daulah and his own son.

 Among the loyal generals of Nawab Siraj were Mir Madan, Mohanlal, Khwaja Hadi and others.  When Siraj-ud-Daulah brought Mir Zafar back to the boxing position before the battle of Palashi, the three generals strongly objected.  But Siraj did not pay attention to their words.  The Nawab was defeated and taken prisoner as a result of the betrayal.  General Mohanlal was able to escape wounded (although many believe he was killed, but there is more evidence that he is alive).  Mohanlal came to Bengal from Kashmir in the early eighteenth century.  In his personal life he was above all sorts of excuses and communal orthodoxy.  As a loyal follower of the Nawab, he fought in the battle of Palashi.  But there is not much discussion about this man in history.

 Mohanlal's sister's name was Madhavi.  It was also called diamond.  Due to Siraj's friendship with Mohanlal, Nawab Siraj became intimate with Hira.  As a result of their intimacy, a son of Siraj was born in Hira's womb.  Old Alivardi Khan did not get this news even then.  Thinking that he would be very angry if he found out about this, Siraj kept Hira and her son secret enough.  But in the end, Siraj sat down in an unusual manner for fear of his grandfather.  He tied the baby to the back of a horse, then shot the horse and let it go.  He thought that if someone stopped the horse, he would take care of this child.  In other words, Siraj left his child completely in the hands of fate for fear of taking responsibility.

 On hearing this news, the frightened Hira ran away and told Mohanlal everything.  Mohanlal immediately jumped on the horse and ran quickly, stopped the running horse and rescued the child.  Mohanlal was so enraged by this incident that he decided to leave Murshidabad with his family.  Upon learning of Mohanlal's decision, Alivardi Khan investigated the cause and found out all the facts.  The visionary Alivardi became worried, thinking that Sirajlal would suffer a great loss if Mohanlal left.  So he discussed with the Imam and came up with a solution.  All problems are solved only by accepting diamond Islam.  Hira converted to Islam.  Her new name is Alia.  Ali's marriage to Siraj was then consummated according to Islamic rites.  According to Alivardi's decision, Mohanlal had to take charge of Siraj's son.

 Seeing Ali's tomb in the tomb of the Nawab's family at Khushbagh, it is clear that he was in an honorable position in the Nawab's palace.  According to Nikhilnath Roy, author of Murshidabad Kahini, it is not possible to determine the number of wives of Siraj, but three or four are mentioned.  Alia is one of them, it is recognized in various sources.

 Soon after the Nawab's disaster in the desert of Palashi on 23 June 1757, Mohanlal realized that the life of Siraj's son was also in danger.  So, leaving the post-war chaos unnoticed, he left Murshidabad with his six-year-old son Siraj.  He was accompanied by two faithful men named Basudev and Harananda.  They crossed the river Padma and took refuge in Bokainagar fort, which is part of the zamindari of Mymensingh.  The village of Bokainagar in Mymensingh district is mentioned in the ancient map of Bangladesh drawn by Rennell.

 Clive and Mir Zafar are trying to catch them by sending spies around, Mohanlal did not feel safe at Bokainagar fort on hearing this news.  His faithful companion Basudeb's uncle Binod Roy lived in Amhati village.  Mohanlal kept Sirajputra in that house for some time.  He then spoke to Srikrishna Chowdhury, the zamindar of Mymensingh, for the adoption of this son and also gave his consent.

 Mohanlal could not stay in one place due to security reasons.  He and his two companions went to Rangpur in the guise of monks.  After spending some time there, they returned to Mymensingh to meet the zamindar and heard that zamindar Srikrishna Chowdhury had died.  They discussed the adoption with Krishnakishore, the son of the late zamindar, and expressed his father's consent.  Krishnakishore's younger brother Krishnagopal got married twice but had no children.  The two brothers did not know that they were adopting Sirajputra.  They were told that they were adopting the second son of Binod Roy of Basudeb's uncle Amhati.  Siraj's son was adopted as usual and named Jugalkishore Roy Chowdhury.  Thus Nawab Siraj's son grew up as a Hindu.

 The couple grew up in a zamindar family.  He gained experience in managing zamindari under the supervision of Jethamshay Krishnakishore.  There is a lot of information about him from the family sources of this zamindar family of Mymensingh.  From this family, there was a procession in a grand procession every year.  In 184, Krishnakishore and some of his servants died in an accident during a rath yatra.  After that the chariot ride was banned in that family.

 The couple inherited the zamindari.  He took care of Ratnamala and Narayani, the two widows of the late Jetha.  However, he later got into trouble with his two sisters-in-law over the division of property.  It is thought that somehow the two widows got the idea that he was the son of a Muslim family.  The skin color and texture of the couple was not naturally like that of the Bengalis.  After much thought, the couple arranged for a monthly stipend for the widows and arranged for them to write down all the donation letters in their own names.  But his dispute with the widow reached the court and the long-running lawsuit continued.

 At first, Yugalkishore was baptized in Kalimantra by the famous Shakti devotee Pandit Mohan Mishra in Pakuria village of Rajshahi.  He established a Kali Mandir and twelve Shivlings at Bokainagar.  In Netrokona he erected an idol of Kali and a Randhamohan idol at his zamindari Jafarshahi.  The reservoirs he built at Gauripur and at various places in his zamindari bear witness to his altruism.  He also established a village called Jugalkunj in Jafarshahi.

 The twins were energetic and knowledgeable people.  Once an epidemic broke out in Jafarshahi region, many people died.  He came to Gauripur with his family and subjects.  Gauripur was forested at that time.  The area gradually changed due to the efforts of the skilled zamindar couple.  The population continues to grow.  Another heavy flood in Mymensingh.  Looting began with an acute food crisis.  Mymensingh was shaken by the onslaught of anarchy.  The couple resisted this anarchy with a firm hand.  However, he was not spared from the financial loss due to the monastic revolt on the one hand and the crisis of collecting rent due to repeated natural calamities on the other.

 At that time Muhammad Khan was the zamindar of Sindh Pargana.  He was hostile to the descendants of zamindar Sri Krishna Chowdhury.  After the floods in Mymensingh, his subjects started looting in Jugalkishore area at his behest.  The duo failed to suppress this looting.  When he asked Muhammad Khan to take action, he did not listen to his request and replied with contempt.  The couple became terribly angry.  The year was 169, he attacked Sindh with about five thousand battalions.  His infantry boasted of sticks, spears, roads and swords.  In retaliation, they entered Sindh, plundered the people indiscriminately and set fire to their houses.

 Unable to do so, Muhammad Khan complained to the then Collector of Mymensingh District, Mr. Rotten.  Mr. Roton investigated and sent a report to Dhaka.  A case was filed against the couple.  But he survived on the strength of money.  Both the zamindars got involved in this lawsuit by betting everything.  As a result, the lawyers of both the parties were satisfied, the condition of many of the witnesses changed, many testified falsely for fear of the twins, and the twins were acquitted due to lack of evidence.

 When the widows of the family become hostile, the couple finds themselves in dire straits.  He himself may have hinted from his appearance and body composition that his ancestor was a foreign Muslim.  Thinking that the British government might start trouble with his identity in this quarrel, he finally left the zamindari of Gauripur and moved to Srihatta (present day Sylhet).

 The couple was married to Rudrani Devi of Bhattacharya dynasty in Faridpur district.  She gave birth to two sons named Harkishore and Shivakishore and four daughters named Annada, Barda, Mokshada and Muktida.  Rudrani Devi's two sons died at a young age.  He took Jamuna Devi of Pabna as his second wife.  On the other hand he had a son named Pranakrishnanath.  Goddess Jamuna and Pranakrishnanath lived with him at a place called Kajalsha in Sylhet.  Here the couple bought a new zamindari.

 His days in Sylhet were different.  He did not mix with anyone, he lived a kind of lonely life.  His son Pranakrishnanath later took over the zamindari.  Pranakrishnanath did a lot for the betterment of Sylhet.  He built the famous Yugaltila Akhra in Sylhet.  According to some sources, the couple somehow found out about his lineage and told their son before he died.  He also insisted on keeping this information secret during the British rule.  He also suggested that all his descendants should move to Shillong by changing their surname from Sylhet.

 The last days of the couple's life are spent in Kajalsha.  At some point in 1811 or 1812, the couple died.  According to his last wish, he was secretly buried in the family estate.

 This was the story of the son of the last independent Nawab of Bengal, Siraj-ud-Daulah.  Her life is dramatic and her life is full of events.  A twin teenager lost from the mainstream of history and distracted from the center of human curiosity, if history had not changed, he might have been the next Nawab of Bengal, Bihar and Orissa.

 References: In Search of Siraj's Sons and Descendants - Amalendu Dey