Singranatore family

Part of a series on
Zamindars of Bengal
Central Bengal Present Divisions: Dhaka and Mymensingh Baliati Mohera Bhawal Dhaka Karatia
Eastern Bengal Present Divisions: Chittagong and Sylhet Baniachong Barshala Bohmong Chakma Homnabad-Pashchimgaon Kanihati Mong Panchakhanda Prithimpassa Sandwip Sheikhghat
Northern Bengal Present Divisions: Rangpur and Rajshahi Dighapatia Gunahar, Bogra Tajhat, Rangpur Mahipur, Rangpur Natore Dulai, Pabna Puthia Queen Bhabai Estate of Rajshahi (Natore) Dinajpur Singranatore
Southern Bengal Present Divisions: Barishal, Khulna and Faridpur Chandradwip Haturia Padamdi
Western Bengal Andul rajbari Azimganj Baruipur Bawali Burdwan Dhanyakuria Gobardanga Hetampur Jhargram Karnagarh Mahishadal Murshidabad Nadia Narajole Nashipur Serampur Shibpur Sovabazar Surul Taki Uttarpara Mallick Bari Cooch Behar

This European conquest of The Kingdom of Bengal would later instill the Company rule in India.[16] This would, later on, turn into the British Empire, which effectively began in 1757 after the Battle of Plassey, lasted until 1858, when, following the events of the Indian Rebellion of 1857. Under the Government of India Act 1858, the British Crown assumed direct administration of India in the new British Raj that would rule all of India (present-day India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal and Burma). While the Battle of Plassey secured a foothold for the British East India Company in the rich province of Bengal only, the Battle of Buxar is really the battle that secured its political ascendancy in India. The Viceroyalty and later direct Royal British Rule over Bengal started as the British being given the Jemmidarship (British diminutive of the word zamindari) by the Rulers of Bengal. It read:[17]

October 31st, 1698. The Prince having given us the three towns adjacent to our Settlement, viz. De Calcutta, Chutanutte, and Gobinpore, or more properly may be said the Jemmidarship of the said towns, paying the said Rent to the King as the Jemidars have successively done, and at the same time ordering the Zamindar of the said towns to make over their Right and Title to the English upon their paying to the Jemidar(s) One thousand Rupees for the same, it was agreed that money should be paid, being the best Money that ever was spent for so great a Privilege; but the Jemmidar(s) making a great Noise, being unwilling to part with their country and finding them to continue in their averseness, notwithstanding the Prince had an officer upon them to bring them to a Compliance, it is agreed that 1,500 Rupees be paid them, provided they will relinquish their title to the said towns, and give it under their Hands in Writing, that they have made over the same to the Right Honourable Company. Ext of Consns. at Chuttanutte, the 29th December (Printed for Parliament in 1788).

They were one of the few Muslim zamindars in Bengal, at a time when the territories were mainly ruled by the Hindu raj families (Royal families) such as the Maharajas of Dighapatia Raj (who were very close to the Singranatore family as well, the Mullahbari palatial complex houses various artefacts from the Hindu rajas). Structures have been deemed of historic significance by the government. The first ever trip of an elected Head of State in the history of the region was when former military ruler and President Lt General Hussain Muhammad Ershad in 1986 when he was invited by MM Rahmatullah.

During the Mughal era (specifically during the rule of Emperor Aurangzeb), the Mansabdari system, the military nobility evolved into the aristocratic landed zamindari system. The former, which was a military-type grading of all imperial officials of the Mughal Empire were courtiers who governed the empire and commanded its armies in the emperor's name. Mansabs were of three classes, 7,000 to 3,000 were called Amir-i-Azam or "the greater nobles"; 2,500 to 500 were called Amirs or nobles and 400 to 20 were called Mansabdars or officers. It is from the world Amir that the family title came to be. The word Mīrzā is derived from the Persian term ‘Amīrzāde which literally means "child of the 'Amīr" or "child of the ruler" in Persia‘Amīrzād in turn consists of the Arabic title ‘Amīr (engl. Emir), meaning "commander", and the Persian suffix -zād, meaning "birth" or "lineage". Due to vowel harmony in Turkic languages, the alternative pronunciation Morza (plural morzalar; derived from the Persian word) is also used.[18]

Though the mansabdars were usually aristocrats, they did not form a feudal aristocracy, for neither the offices nor the estates that supported them were hereditary. However, senior mansabdars were awarded a jagir (personal fief) rather than a salary. Rates of remuneration, which included both the mansabdar's salary and so much per Sowar (सवार,ਸਵਾਰ; meaning a cavalry troop), were matched by jagirs affording a similar aggregate yield. If their specified yield came to more, the surplus was due to the imperial treasury; if the jagirdar (or zamindar) extracted more than the specified yield, he kept it.

Descended from former mansabdars as hereditary Mirzas, they are a cadet branch of the Imperial family of India, descended from a perso-Turkic dynasty. They moved after the imperial family was abolished in 1858 following the first Indian war of independence, to Bengal (where around 70 more descendants moved)[19] possibly because Calcutta in Bengal was made the new capital (1858–1912) of the Empire.

In 1706 Raja Ramjivan Ray established his capital called "Nator" by filling the Chalan Beel. Nator meant 'stop the boat' as Nao meant boat and tharo meant stop. Natore was the headquarters of the British district of Rajshahi from 1769 to 1825 during colonial rule. From, Between 1786 and 1790, the new Governor-General Lord Cornwallis and Sir John Shore (later Governor-General) entered a heated debate over whether or not to introduce a permanent settlement with the zamindars. Shore argued that the native zamindars would not trust the permanent settlement to be permanent, and that it would take time before they realised it was genuine. Cornwallis believed that they would immediately accept it and begin investing in improving their land. In 1790 the Court of Directors issued a ten-year (Decennial) settlement to the zamindars, which was made permanent in 1800. By the Permanent Settlement Act of 1793 (Bengali: চিরস্থায়ী বন্দোবস্ত), the Zamindars class became more powerful than they were in the Mughal period. This agreement between the East India Company and Bengali lords to fix revenues to be raised from land, with far-reaching consequences for both agricultural methods and productivity in the entire Empire and the political realities of the Indian countryside. It was concluded in 1793, by the Company administration headed by Charles, Earl Cornwallis. It formed one part of a larger body of legislation enacted known as the Cornwallis Code. In 1825 the headquarters were moved to Rajshahi and in 1829 Natore became a subdivision of Rajshahi district. In 1845 Natore Mahukuma was established. Natore town became a Municipality in 1869. The Bengal Tenancy Act of 1885 was enacted. With the increase of population and rise of prices of agricultural produce in the nineteenth century, demand for land increased. As a result, zamindars used to increase rents and land revenues. The Ryots (tenants) refused to accept the zamindari right to enhance rent beyond the customary rates. Zamindars, as absolute lords of the lands were not prepared to recognise such customary rights.

Another factor that lead to the class discontent was the emergence of a landed intermediate class of lesser nobles (Chowdhurys and Taluqdars), whose existence contrary to the rules of the Permanent Settlement. The madhyasvatvas or intermediate interests acquired their rights by purchase, and not inheritance. According to the law, these madhyasvatvas did not exist. The law courts were giving conflicting judgements as regards the rights and liabilities of the intermediate classes and also of the peasants. The government tried to accommodate this class by enacting the Rent Act in 1859. To improve relations between landlord and tenant, a Rent Commission was set up in 1880. By the recommendations and observations of the Rent Commission, the Bengal Legislative Council enacted Act III of 1885 which defined rights and obligations of intermediate tenancies and raiyati tenancies. In 1905, Bengal was partitioned and then the Government of India Act of 1919 and 1935 were enacted. Finally in 1947, Bengal was further partitioned once again before the Indian Independence Act 1947 was enacted that separated the old Indian Empire into the Dominion of Pakistan and the Dominion of India in the month of August of the same year.

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  One of the old gates of the Gole Afroz College
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  Doorway to Durbal hall (boithok khana) or meeting chamber.
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  Doorway
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  Chest at the entrance of the Malabare Mansion
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  Old window of the Malabare Mansion
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