Predecessors and Short History:
Tradtionally believed to have been founded by a Dinaj or
Dinaraj, otherwise unknown, from whom the district derived
its name. During the rule of Mughal Emperor Akbar, a holy
man known as Kasi Thakur, also familiar as Brahmachari and
Mohanto, claiming descent from Raja Ganesha, a Hindu
King
1414/1418, who, for a very short period,
overthrew the Ilyas dynasty of Bengal. Born in a 400
year old ruling family, he was the zamindar of Bhaturia,
and Governor of Dinajpur. He deposed Ala-ud-din Firuz
Shah, the Ruler of Bengal in 1414 and is credited with
the establishment of the Dinajpur Raj, acquired
considerable lands in Dinajpur and Maldah districts. He is
reported to have bequeathed his whole estate to Srimanta
Dutta Chaudhury, one of his favourite Kayastha disciples.
The East Bengal State Acquisition and Tenancy Act of 1950
was drafted on 31st March 1948 following Independence from
the British Government of 15th August 1947, and subsequent
partition into the Union of India and the Dominion of
Pakistan. The bill passed on 16th May 1951, thereby
abolishing all Zamindari families rights, rule and
responsibilities. Rulers were...
- Srimanta DUTTA
CHAUDHRY, 1st Zamindar of Dinajpur 1608/-,
married and had issue.
- Srimanta Harishchandra Chaudhry (qv)
- Daughter, married Hari Ram Rai, Diwan to the
Zamindar of Idrakpur; and had issue.
- Raja Sukh Dev Roy (#3)(qv)
- Srimanta
HARISHCHANDRA CHAUDHRY, 2nd Zamindar of
Dinajpur -/1642
- Raja SUKH DEV ROY,
3rd Zamindar of Dinajpur 1642/1677 or 1644/1681, he
inherited further lands in Rangpur, Bogra, Maldah,
Dinajpur and Thakurgaon districts, and he also
extended his estate to include Ghoraghat, Nawabpur,
Khetlal, Shibganj, Panchbibi, Badalgachhi and
Adamdighi thanas; he was granted the title of Raja by
Padshah Aurangzeb of Delhi in 1677; married twice and
had issue. He died 1681.
- Rajkumar Ram Dev Roy (by 1st wife), died young.
- Raja Jai Dev Roy (by 1st wife) (qv)
- Raja Pran Nath Roy (by 2nd Wife) (qv)
- Raja JAI DEV ROY,
4th Zamindar of Dinajpur 1681/1682 or 1677/1682
- Maharaja PRAN NATH
ROY Bahadur, 5th Zamindar of Dinajpur
1682/1723 or 1687/1719, he was the most famous and
powerful potentate of the family who began the
construction of the fabulously ornate terracotta
Richkantanagar temple ('nava-ratna' temple) in 1722,
but could not complete it during his lifetime, a site
now preserved by the Government of Bangladesh; he was
granted the title of Maharaja Bahadur by the Emperor
of Delhi; married and had adoptive issue. He died sp in 1723.
- (A) Raja Ram
Nath Roy (qv)
- Maharaja RAM NATH
ROY Bahadur, 6th Zamindar of Dinajpur
1723/1760, succeeded by adoption; he conquered and
dispossessed the Zamindar of Gobindanagar and expanded
his territories, married and had adoptive issue. He
died 1760.
- (A) Maharaja
Baidyanath Roy Bahadur (qv)
- Maharaja BAIDYANATH
ROY Bahadur, 7th Zamindar of Dinajpur
1760/1778, he was named the Heir by his adoptive
father (and was confirmed as such by the Subahdar of
Bengal), hence he became Zamindar of Dinajpur in 1760,
five years later, the British gained the Dewani of
Bengal and in 1772, a British Chief of the revenue was
appointed to the Zamindari of Dinajpur; married Rani
Saraswati (who adopted the future Raja Radhanath). He
died sp in
1780.
- (A) Maharaja
Radha Nath Roy Bahadur (qv)
REGENT 1780/1795,
Maharani Saraswati, sister of Janaki Ram Singh,
Revenue Collector for Dinajpur, he died about 1790 in
Calcutta.
- Maharaja RADHA NATH
ROY Bahadur, Zamindar of Dinajpur 1778/1801,
born about January 1777, he succeeded by adoption, at
his accession he owned the greater part of the three
districts of Dinajpur, Maldah, and Bogra, but after
the Decennial Settlement the bulk of the estate was
sold for arrears of revenue, married and had adoptive
issue. He died sp
on 25th January 1801.
- (A) Maharaja
Gobinda Nath Roy Bahadur (qv)
- Maharaja GOBINDA
NATH ROY Bahadur, Zamindar of Dinajpur
1801/1840, born 1799, married Maharani Tripura
Sundari, and had issue. He died 1840.
- Maharaja Tarak Nath Roy Bahadur (qv)
REGENT 1801/1817,
Maharani Tripura Sundari
- Maharaja TARAK NATH
ROY Bahadur, Zamindar of Dinajpur 1840/1865,
born 1833, married 1846, Maharani Shyam Mohini (qv),
and had issue, as well as adoptive issue. He died spm
in 1865.
- Kumari (name
unknown), married Raja Bahadur Khettra
Mohan Sinha, and had issue.
- Maharaja Sir Girija Nath Roy Bahadur
(qv)
- (A) Maharaja
Sir Girija Nath Roy Bahadur (qv)
- Maharani Shyam
Mohini, Zamindarani of Dinajpur 1865/1882,
born in August 1833, she was granted the title of
Maharani on the 26th July 1875 (#1) as a personal
distinction; she adopted her successor after her
husband's death
 Maharaja Sir GIRIJA NATH
ROY Bahadur K.C.I.E., Zamindar of Dinajpur
1882/1919, born 1860/1862, he was adopted at the age
of four years and ten months; educated at Queen's
College, Benares and privately at home; Member of the
Eastern Bengal and Assam Legislative Council
1906/1911; Honorary Magistrate, Dinajpur;
Vice-President, British Indian Association, Calcutta;
former President, East Bengal Landholders Association;
Chairman, Dinajpur Municipality; former Vice-Chairman,
Dinajpur District Board; President Dinajpur
Landholders' Association; Member, East India
Association, London; Asiatic Society, Bengal; Calcutta
Literary Society; Bangiya Sahitya Parisat; Chairman,
Reception Committee, All-India Kayastha Conference in
Calcutta, 1912; President, All-India Kayastha
Conference in Allahabad, 1914, he was granted the
title of Maharaja as a personal distinction on 24th
May 1884, and the higher title of Maharaja Bahadur in
1907, K.C.I.E. [cr.1914] (#2), Recreations:
sports, music, married 1876, and had adoptive issue.
He died sp
in 1919.
- (A) Maharaja
Jagadish Nath Roy Bahadur (qv)
- Maharaja JAGADISH
NATH ROY Bahadur, Zamindar of Dinajpur
1919/1962, born 1894, he was adopted in 1900; married
1916, died 1962 at Calcutta.
OTHER MEMBERS:
- Kumar Girijanath Roy, married and had issue. He died
after 1760.
- Kumar Krishnanath Roy
- Kumar Rupnath Roy
- Maharaja Baidyanath Roy Bahadur (see above)
- Kumar Kanthanath Roy (same as following?)
- Kumar Ram Kantha Roy, installed as Manager of
Dinajpur Raj in June 1787
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