Famous people from Murshidabad Shaharwali society

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Jalmandir inside Dhanpat Vasahi, Palitana

Shaharwali community is a small community but it has produced many famous people in various fields Starting from the Jagat Seth family. Jagat Seth family was very close to the Nawabs of Murshidabad. In fact, Nawab Mursheedkoolie Khan brought Jagat Seth with him while fleeing from Delhi to Mursheedabad. The Jagat Seth family has taken the charge of greatest Jain pilgrimage Sammet Shikhar and managed it for over a century. He has managed to get some Farmans from the Badshaha of Delhi in favor of the Jains. They also built Sanwalia Parasanath temple made of Kasauti (Gold tester) stone. This was the only temple in the world made of this stone.

Amichand and Raidurlabh, the merchants in the court of Nawab Siraj-ut-doula were also belonging to Oswal Jain community. The Oswal Jain community in Murshidabad, later on, described as Shaharwali.

The Golechha family was the next to come in the picture. Harakchand golechha of this family took charge of Sammet Shikhar from the Jagat Seth family after their decline. He has also built Ratnamayee Chouveesee (24 Tirthankara idols made of various gemstones). Those, later on, installed in the Chintamani Parshvanath temple. Daughter of Harakchand Golcha was married to Nanak Chand Kothari, S/ O Panachand Kothari. Nanak Chand Kothari was a newcomer to Azimganj at that time. Jyoti Kothari, the writer of this blog, is his Grand Grand son.

Dugar family served the society most. Practically they reigned for almost a century. Pratap Singh Dugar of this family took a "Sangh" to Palitana in Samvat 1883 with Upadhyaya shree Kshamaratana.

(Kathgola Temple: Photo courtesy
Suraj Nowlakha)

Rai Bahadur Laxmipat Singh Doogar and Rai Bahadur Dhanpat Singh Doogar were his two sons who carried the tradition with them. Laxmipat Singh, the elder brother built famous Kathgola temple and Dadabadi and decorated the 100 acres land with beautiful marvel and statues and other decorative from Oslar company. Perhaps this is the biggest land devoted to a Jain temple. Sripat Singh Dugar of this family built two colleges in Jiaganj and a community hall in Kolkata Jain Bhawan. He also contributed generously for publication of Jain stories series by Pandit Kashinath Jain.

Dugar Family photo Curtsy Sunil Dugar

(Seated in Middle row...left to right...Surput Singh ji Dugar...Hind Kaiser Narpat Singh ji Dugar...Rai Bahadur Gunpat Singh ji Dugar..Maharaj Bahadur Singh ji Dugar...Mahiput Singh Ji Dugar...standing at back..

Bhuput Singh ji Dugar and Taj Bahadur Singh ji Dugar...standing in front row...Sripal Bahadur Singh ji Dugar)

Rai Bahadur Dhanpat Singh Doogar, the younger brother has done numerous work for the religion, trade, and society. He built Famous Dhanpat Vasahi alias Babu Ka dehrasar (Temple of Lord Adinath) in the talhatti (Valley) of Palitana, the Shatrunjaya Teertha.

He also took charge of Sammet Shikhar teertha from Golechha family. The Dugar family had maintained it for more than seventy years before the Jain community took charge from them. Rai Dhanpat Singh built the main temple there in Madhuvana and also Jal Mandir above the hill. He also built dharamshala there. He has built many other temples and Dharamshalas in various pilgrimages such as Kshatriyakunda, Gunaya, Barakar, Kakandi, Champapur etc. and other places such as Azimganj, Ganpatganj, Pratapganj etc.

He set up a printing press in Azimganj to get all the Jain Agamas (Sacred and holy books) printed. It was the first time in the history that Jain Agamas were published in printed form.

They were the Zemindars of Harawat estate (Poornia district of modern Bihar). Rai Bahadoor Dhanpat Singh Doogar founded the Bengal chamber of Commerce and adorned the Chair as the first President of the same. Kamala Pat Singh Kothari, S / O Nanak Chand Kothari was married to the grand daughter of Rai Bahadoor Dhanpat Singh Doogar. Kamala Pat Singh Kothari is the great grandfather of Jyoti Kothari, author of this blog.

Doogar family also owned their own Railway from Azimganj to Nalhati.

Inscription at Azimganj city railway station 

Famous people from Azimganj Part 1

Famous people from Azimganj Part 2

Famous people …….. Part 3

Famous People..........Part 4

Famous People..........Part 5

Famous Shaharwali people and family: Puranchand Shamsukha 

Padmabhushan Dr. Bimal Bachchhawat

Sadhu Sadhwi from Murshidabad 

Bari Kothi

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शहरवाली पोषाक

शहरवाली समाज की अपनी एक अलग पोषाक है। चुन्नटदार धोती, कुर्ता, शाल व पगडी। यहाँ की पगडी भी विशेष प्रकार की होती है। शाल ओढ़ने का अलग ही अंदाज़ है। अजीमगंज के प्रसिद्ध दुगड़ परिवार के गौतम जी दुगड़ शहरवाली पोषाक में यहाँ दिख रहे हैं.

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अजीमगंज शहरवाली साथ का खाना

कुछ ख़ास मिठाइयाँ: मालपुआ, छुआरे की गोली, जमाओ, मोतीचूर (मिहिदाना) के लड्डू, बोडे का बुंदिया, सांकली,गुड का खाजा , चीनी का खाजा, ठेकुआ, मेथी का लड्डू, सोंठ का लड्डू, घाल का लड्डू, चिट्ठा पेडा, सत्तू का लड्डू, कोंढे का मुरब्बा, आदि कुछ मिठाइयाँ वहां की विशेषता है। चावल के लड्डू जिसे नन्द्याल कहते थे वह नवपद जी की ओली में चढाने के लिए बनता था। इस के अलावा और बहुत सी मिठाईया भी बनती है जो common है।
वहां का पीठा और नीमस भी बहुत प्रसिद्ध है। पके आम का पापड और चुरा सिर्फ़ यहीं बनता है.

ख़ास नमकीन: मोयन की पुडी, कलाई की कचोडी आदि वहां की कुछ ख़ास नमकीन है। वहां की खीरे व कमल गट्टे की कचोडी, छाते (कमल गट्टा) की खिचडी, सिंगाड़ा-दही की खिचडी, सलोनी मेवे की खिचडी, भापिया आदि भी प्रसिद्ध है। बिना नमक की मठरी जिसे खाजली कहते थे वह भी ओली जी में चढाने के लिए बनता था।

सब्जी (तरकारी) : इन्डल, डूबकी का झोल, राइ खट्टे का परवल, खट्टा मीठा, पपीते व केले का दबदबा, खीरे की राडी, कच्चे केले की राडी, कद्दू बूट का दाल, खीरा बूट का दाल, कच्चे केले एवं परवल का अकरा, दही की तरकारी, मटर के दाल का चुरा, कटहल के बीज की चटनी व कद्दू एवं कच्चे केले के छिलके की सब्जी भी बनती है। खीरे के छिलके की चटनी एवं मटर के छिलके की सब्जी यहीं की खासियत है। यहाँ अम्बल पानी बनता है जिसे खिचडी के साथ खाया जाता है। पके कट्वेल की चटनी बहुत अच्छी लगती है.

आचार व मुरब्बे : सामान्य आचारों के अलावा यहाँ की कुट्टी मिर्ची विश्व प्रसिद्ध है। बोर की राडी और टिकिया एवं कट्वेल का पाचक भी बहुत स्वादिस्ट होता है।
आम का मुरब्बा बहुत तरह का बनता था जिसमे फकिया, लच्छा, व गोलिया प्रसिद्ध है। छुहारे का मुरब्बा भी बनता था।

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कुछ निराले शहरवाली नाम

अजीमगंज के शहरवाली समाज में कुछ निराले नाम प्रचलित थे । इस प्रकार के नाम और कहीं भी देखने में नहीं आते हैं । कुछ नाम जो मुझे याद है उन्हें यहाँ पर लिख रहा हूँ। यदि आप लोगों को ऐसे कोई भी नाम और मालुम हो तो मुझे लिखने का कष्ट करें। अजीमगंज-जिआगंज-मुर्शिदाबाद के शहरवाली साथ के बारे में और भी कुछ जानकारी आप के पास हो तो जरूर मुझे बताएं। धन्यवाद।
नामावली:
पुरूष: घोंता, हुत्तु, नाडू, बेटा बाबु, नत्थू, गोलू, गोल, लोंदु, पोदु, खुद्दु, बुढा, फुचुआ, फत्तू, फुत्तुस, छेदु, चुलू, टुलू, उदु, सुदु, दुदू, कुमरू, हामू, झामू, बाह्जी, जर्मन, जापानी, हाबू, बाबू बच्चा, मिस्टर बाबू, पीला बाबू, लाल बाबू, नया बाबु, खोली भट्टाम, सिंटू, मिंटू, चीनी बाबू, लाली बाबू, बाबू राजा, बन्नू बाबू, तन्नु बाबू, लाख दो लाख।

स्त्री: लाडा, पाडा, पुप्पी, लोजेंस, बाण मति, मोंचुरिया, बीबी, रुबू, हांसी, छोटी मुन्नी, रानी मुन्नी, नन्ही मुन्नी, फुच्ची, नन्ही फुच्ची, खेंतो.

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Murshidabad, The place of Nawabs

The historical city of Murshidabad was founded by Nawab Mursheedcoolie Khan, the Subedar of Bengal. He founded it as his capital of Bengal in the period of Mogul Emperor Aurangzeb.

His friend Jagat Seth Manikchand accompanied him right from Delhi through Patna to Murshidabad. Jagat Seth started living in his Kothi in Nashipur near Murshidabad where he built a Parshvanath Jain temple. The temple was built in Kasauti (Gold taster) stone.

Nawab Mursheedcoolie Khan was followed by Nawab Alibardi Khan, Suzauddoula Khan and Sirazuddoula. Nawab Sirazuddoula was the last independent Nawab Of Murshidabad who was lost to Lord Clive in the battle of Plassey in 1757.


Murshidabad is a historical city. Hazarduari palace, Jahankosha and Bachchawali canon, Imamwada and tombs of Nawabs are the places worth to visit.

The place (200 KM from Kolkata) is wel connected by train and bus route.

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