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Sabarna Roy Choudhury
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Sabarna Roy Choudhury
Sabarna Roy Choudhury was a Zamindar family of Mughal Bengal. They controlled significant swathes of territory, including what would later become Kolkata, prior to the sale of zamindari rights in 1698 to the East India Company.
According to family tradition, Kamdev Brahmachari, born Jia Ganguly — the only heir of one Panchu Ganguly "Khan" — is the earliest scion about whom any significant information is available. They were a prominent land magnate based in Jessore; Jia left his holdings to be an ascetic at Benaras.
Jia apparently had Man Singh among his disciples — he not only taught him all the tricks of war but also provided tactical knowledge about quelling Pratapaditya of Bengal, a rebel vassal. However, Jia's son, Lakshmikanta Ganguly, who was deserted at his birth, served as the Chief Revenue Officer of Pratapaditya, complicating the affairs. Man Singh resolved the conundrum by having Lakshmikanta switch sides before subduing the rebellion c. 1613.
In return, the zamindari rights of multiple parganas — including but not limited to the three villages of Sutanuti, Govindapur and Dihi Kalikata — were granted to Lakshmikanta, who would adopt the surname of Roy Choudhury. These territories were still owned by the Mughal emperor but the right to governance and tax-collection, a major part of which was to be remitted to the Mughal Court, was ceded away with. The particular choice of lands is explained by asserting that the Gangulys were the traditional patrons of the Kalighat Kali.
Man Singh had never waged any war against Pratapaditya and hence, the background story concerning the receipt of Zamindari rights appears to be fictional. Beside, the factual authenticity of Roy Chowdhurys' being the traditional patrons of the deity is disputed.
Notwithstanding the unclear circumstances governing their rise to the elite strata, the Roy Chowdhurys were one of the first Brahmin families of would-be Calcutta. However, they were not the first settlers in the region — Sutanuti was already a major wool-trading center where had flourished the Basak, Sett, and a group of Portuguese merchants. In Dihi Kalikata, Armenian traders commanded significant influence.
Around early March 1698, the East India Company (EIC) proposed to the Roy Choudhurys that Dihi Kalikata be subrented to them. The offer was rejected since then-Zamindar (anon.) of the Roy Chowdhurys feared permanently losing the properties to a far-powerful client. This led the EIC to negotiate for the rent-rights outright and at the Mughal quarters; one Nathaniel Walsh was dispatched to Prince Azim-ush-Shan, then-Viceroy of Bengal Subah. The negotiations proved successful.
On 14 April, Walsh informed the Court about Azim-ush-Shan confirming an informal grant of Zamindari rights. However, it would be only around early July, that the nishaan would be signed by the Diwan Izzat Khan and sent to Azim-ush-Shan — the reason for delay being the multiple complains lodged by the Zamindar before Khan who ultimately granted a compensation of 1000 Rupees, of which half had to be borne by the Company. Around early July, Choudhury made a last-ditch effort at stalling the transfer by promising a sum of 6000 Rupees to Azim-ush-Shan but failed. On 1 August, three appropriately-stamped copies of nishaans were finally received; the zamindari rights, not only for Dihi Kalikata but also for Sutanuti and Govindapur, had been transferred to the Company but subsequent to them paying Choudhury another 1000 Rupees.
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Sabarna Roy Choudhury
Sabarna Roy Choudhury was a Zamindar family of Mughal Bengal. They controlled significant swathes of territory, including what would later become Kolkata, prior to the sale of zamindari rights in 1698 to the East India Company.
According to family tradition, Kamdev Brahmachari, born Jia Ganguly — the only heir of one Panchu Ganguly "Khan" — is the earliest scion about whom any significant information is available. They were a prominent land magnate based in Jessore; Jia left his holdings to be an ascetic at Benaras.
Jia apparently had Man Singh among his disciples — he not only taught him all the tricks of war but also provided tactical knowledge about quelling Pratapaditya of Bengal, a rebel vassal. However, Jia's son, Lakshmikanta Ganguly, who was deserted at his birth, served as the Chief Revenue Officer of Pratapaditya, complicating the affairs. Man Singh resolved the conundrum by having Lakshmikanta switch sides before subduing the rebellion c. 1613.
In return, the zamindari rights of multiple parganas — including but not limited to the three villages of Sutanuti, Govindapur and Dihi Kalikata — were granted to Lakshmikanta, who would adopt the surname of Roy Choudhury. These territories were still owned by the Mughal emperor but the right to governance and tax-collection, a major part of which was to be remitted to the Mughal Court, was ceded away with. The particular choice of lands is explained by asserting that the Gangulys were the traditional patrons of the Kalighat Kali.
Man Singh had never waged any war against Pratapaditya and hence, the background story concerning the receipt of Zamindari rights appears to be fictional. Beside, the factual authenticity of Roy Chowdhurys' being the traditional patrons of the deity is disputed.
Notwithstanding the unclear circumstances governing their rise to the elite strata, the Roy Chowdhurys were one of the first Brahmin families of would-be Calcutta. However, they were not the first settlers in the region — Sutanuti was already a major wool-trading center where had flourished the Basak, Sett, and a group of Portuguese merchants. In Dihi Kalikata, Armenian traders commanded significant influence.
Around early March 1698, the East India Company (EIC) proposed to the Roy Choudhurys that Dihi Kalikata be subrented to them. The offer was rejected since then-Zamindar (anon.) of the Roy Chowdhurys feared permanently losing the properties to a far-powerful client. This led the EIC to negotiate for the rent-rights outright and at the Mughal quarters; one Nathaniel Walsh was dispatched to Prince Azim-ush-Shan, then-Viceroy of Bengal Subah. The negotiations proved successful.
On 14 April, Walsh informed the Court about Azim-ush-Shan confirming an informal grant of Zamindari rights. However, it would be only around early July, that the nishaan would be signed by the Diwan Izzat Khan and sent to Azim-ush-Shan — the reason for delay being the multiple complains lodged by the Zamindar before Khan who ultimately granted a compensation of 1000 Rupees, of which half had to be borne by the Company. Around early July, Choudhury made a last-ditch effort at stalling the transfer by promising a sum of 6000 Rupees to Azim-ush-Shan but failed. On 1 August, three appropriately-stamped copies of nishaans were finally received; the zamindari rights, not only for Dihi Kalikata but also for Sutanuti and Govindapur, had been transferred to the Company but subsequent to them paying Choudhury another 1000 Rupees.