Statesmen, freedom fighters and politicians from Shaharwali community

Several prominent Statesmen, freedom fighters, and politicians were from the Shaharwali community. They served the nation of India and the state of Bengal in their individual capacities. I can name Sri Surpat Singh and Sri Bhupat Singh Dugar, two real brothers from Rai Bahadur Dhanpat Singh's family, as members of Cnetral legislative Counsel in British India. Sri Navkumar Singh Dudhoria, grandson of Rai Budh Singh Bahadur, also adorned the same post. 

Sri Rajpat Singh Dugar from the Laxmipat Singh Dugar family was elected as a member of Rajya Sabha (MP) in independent India. I heard that Dr. Rajendra Prasad, the first president of India, had recommended him for the seat. Jawaharlal Nehru admired his contribution and told him the most active member in the parliament.  Sri Rajendra Singh Singhi was elected as a member of the West Bengal legislative assembly (MLA) from Kaliachowk, Maldah.  

Sri Bijay Singh Nahar was the most prominent among all Statesmen and politicians from the Shaharwali community. He was elected as an MLA in the West Bengal Legislative Assembly several times and adorned chairs as Deputy Chief Minister of WB, Home and Labor Minister. He was also elected as a Member of Parliament (MP) in Loksabha elections in 1977. He was also elected general secretary of Janata Party in 1977 and Chairman of Bihar Religious Board.

I heard that a total of eight persons were represented in government, but I could name only six. Please inform me about the remaining two.

Large numbers of prominent persons from the Shaharwali community were awarded government titles such as Jagat Seth, Raja and Rai Bahadur. 

Sri Narendra Pat Singh Kothari was elected as vice-chairman and Sri Chandrapat Singh Kothari as commissioner of Jiaganj-Azimganj municipality. 

Sri Jagat Singh Lodha was a great freedom fighter, and his idol is established at Lodha Park, Jiaganj. Sri Gulab Chand Bothra was also a freedom fighter. Ganpat Singh Dugar led a "Vidroh" against the British government in the middle of the nineteenth century.

Mahatma Gandhi visited Azimganj on the invitation of Sri Nirmal Kumar Singh Nowlakha. Sri Nowlakha donated a sum of Rs. 10,000 at the time of felicitation in his rose garden. Ten thousand was a huge amount at that time. I heard that Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose also visited Azimganj. Dr. Rajendra Prasad was a resident of Harawat estate, owned by the Dugar family. Dugar family bore all expenses of his education. Similarly, they helped Loknayak Jaiprakash Narayan in various ways.

 Rai Bahadur Dhanpat Singh Dugar was instrumental in establishing the Bengal Chamber of Commerce and adorned the chair as founder president. Rai Badridas Bahadur Mookim of Johari Sath had joined him as founder secretary. It was the first Chamber of Commerce established in India.

Jiganj and Azimganj came under Lalbagh municipality. Sri Nirmal Kumar Singh Nowlakha donated a piece of land behind the Azimganj city Railway station to establish a new separate municipality. He also established a hospital near the municipality and a girls' primary school. Some other Statesmen also contributed to public utilities. Most of the educational institutes in Jiaganj and Azimganj have been established with their contributions. 

Raja Bijay Singh Bidyamandir, Singhi School, Sripat Singh Dugar College and Rani Dhanya Kumari College of Commerce at Jiaganj are contributions of Raja Bijay Singh Dudhoria, Singhi family and Sri Sripat Singh Dugar of Shaharwali community respectively. Recently, Subodh Chand Bothra has contributed to a B. Ed college in Jiaganj. Singhi family also established a high school in Lalbagh. 

There are Rai Budh Singh Bahadur primary and high schools at Azimganj established by the Dudhoria family. Keshar Kumari belonged to the Singhi family and was married to a boy of the Dudhoria family. There is a girls’ high school at Azimganj in her name. 

Large numbers of Jain temples, Dadabadi, Dharamshala, Upashray, hospitals and dispensaries, educational institutes and other places of public utilities spread across India tell the stories of the generosity of the Shaharwali community. Sri Dhannulal Nowlakha also built a Shiva temple at Baranagar near Azimganj, which is famous as Panchamukhi temple. 

Murshidabad was chosen for Pakistan because of its dense Muslim population at the time of partition. Several reputed persons of the Shaharwali community requested Lord Mountbatten, the then Governor General of India, to reverse the order and to keep the district in India. It is also heard that they gifted an expensive Basra pearl string to Lady Mountbatten to please her. The order was reversed within a day. The nation of India is indebted to those Shaharwali people for their contribution to keep Murshidabad district in India. 

This list cannot be completed without naming Justice R S Bachchhawat. Sri Randhir Singh Bachchhawat was selected as an Hon'ble Justice of the Supreme Court, the apex court in India. 

I have tried to list as many as I could remember or got information about. Please inform me if anyone important is missing. I also urge you to correct any wrong information. Your contribution can only enrich this blog.

Thanks,
(Vardhaman Gems, Jaipur represents Centuries Old Tradition of Excellence in Gems and Jewelry)

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Jain temple in Gaysabad- Dasturhat

There was a Shwetambar Jain temple in Gaysabad- Dasturhat in the last century. We have visited Gaysabad in 1977 and found a ruin. An old aged farmer informed us that that was a ruin of a Jain temple. I do not know what happened with that ruined temple.

I have found an old inscription that tells us about a temple in Dasturhat, 7 KM west from Azimganj. The inscription in an idol also informs that a member of Shaharwali community had performed Pratishtha of that idol. Gaysabad is on the opposite side of Dasturhat on the bank of river Bhagirathi.  It is possible that Gaysabad and Dasturhat are the same place and the inscription and the ruin are referring to the same Jain temple.

Sri Prakash Barnawat recently informed me that the Jain Tirthankar idols in Gaysabad were brought to Kiratbagh, Jiaganj by Maharaj Bahadur Singh Dugar. The idols are installed in Kiratbagh and these are there since that time.

It is possible that there was dense population of Shwetambar Jain (Shaharwali community) in Gaysabad and Dasturhat region in the last century. They may be shifted from there for some unknown reasons. At present there are no Jain population.

It is matters of investigation that whether the temple referred in Dasturhat and Gaysabad are the same? Whether there were a Jain population in these places? If yes, why Jain population were shifted from there? I am trying to answer these questions and urge people living at Azimganj and Jiaganj to physically verify the areas and try to find out the truth. I will be grateful to him or her who will inform me about this.

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Shaharwali blog will complete its four years of journey on 26th June

 Shaharwali blog will complete its four years of journey on 26th June, 2012, and start its fifth year on June 27. Azimganj-Jiaganj-Murshidabad blog started its journey on June 27, 2008. More than one hundred (122) posts has been written since the covering almost all aspects of Shaharwali community. Thousands of visitors have visited the blog since then from all over the world and received large numbers of comments.. It is becoming a reference site for Sheharwali community. Thanks to the readers, commentors and those who supplies useful materials. we are also thankful to them who helped spreading message and propagate the blog.

We seek worldwide representatives for the blog.

Representatives for Shaharwali blog

Thanks,
(Vardhaman Gems, Jaipur represents Centuries Old Tradition of Excellence in Gems and Jewelry)

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Representatives for Shaharwali blog

Dear Readers,
 It is high time now that we have "Representatives" from different geographical regions who can send news reports and  propagate Shaharwali blog. The representatives will greatly help to unite Shaharwali community and keep them updated with latest activities. They will also help keep our rich culture alive among community members.

As you know this blog has completed 46 months of its journey. The blog is very popukar among Shaharwali society and people interested about Shaharwali Jain Samaj. The blog Azimganj-Jiaganj-Murshidabad contents large numbers of topics and issues related to Shaharwali. We have written about history, art & culture, temples, religion, rituals, language, food, persons, festivals, heritage, geography, migrations, social relationship and many other related topics. We have also included news, events and achievements.

I request interested and enthusiastic Shaharwali community members to join us as representatives. Their names will be displayed with their geographical location in "Representatives" page. Name of the representative will be published in the post he or she has contributed. Please mail me jyoti_kothari@yahoo.com seeking representation.

Thanks,
(Vardhaman Gems, Jaipur represents Centuries Old Tradition of Excellence in Gems and Jewelry)

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Holi festival in Murshidabad

 Holi of Murshidabad Shaharwali society was an important and renowned event. Shaharwali society used to play Holi with great enthusiasm in both Azimganj and Jiaganj.

Holi, the festival of color had been enjoyed for a week in Murshidabad. It had been starting on the day of Falguna Shukla Ashtami (Eighth day of bright half in Indian lunar calendar) ending on Chaitra Krishna Pratipada (Ekam, first day of dark half in Indian lunar calendar).

Holi was a part of "Raisi" of Shaharwali society. They used Safron, rose water, Tesu (Herbal color) and other beautiful colors and Abir (Gulal) to play Holi. Pichkari (Piston like instrument to play Holi with liquid color). Pua and Pakodi were the special dishes along with Thandai (a soft drink). large number of people used to have some "Bhang" to enjoy.

"Holi ki sang" and "Holi ka Bhandu" were popular humor creating events of Murshidabad Shaharwali community. People had been enjoying "Holi ki barat" with humor and enjoyment. "Holi ki sail" or feast was also very popular those days.

Nirmal Kumar Singh Nowlakha, a famous Zemindar of Azimganj was very fond of Holi. many stories about him is famous about Holi.

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Shaharwali and Johari Sath Part 1

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--> Shaharwali and Johari Sath are the oldest Rajasthani Jain communities migrated to Bengal. Connection and co-operation between these two oldest communities are obvious.

Few interesting features:

1. Shaharwali community is the oldest to come in Bengal and Johari Sath followed them.
however, Johari Sath had come to Kolkata first and Shaharwali community afterward.

2. Shaharwali community had influence over Nawabs of Murshidabad but Johari Sath had it
over Nawab of Avadh and British rulers.

3. Shaharwali community worked as Bankers and traders initially and then switched over to
Zemindari but Johari Sath were in Gems and Jewelry business only.

4. Shaharwali community is comprised of Oswal Jain clan but only one Shrimal family where
as Johari Sath is dominated by Shrimal clan of Jain.

5. Shaharwali community came directly from Rajasthan but Johari Sath people came mainly
via UP and Delhi.

6. Management of Sammet Shikhar Tirth always remained with Shaharwali community whereas that of Rajagriha remained with Johari Sath. Pawapuri is managed jointly by both
the communities. However, Rai Badridas Bahadoor Mookim contributed a lot to Sammet
Shikhar Tirth.
He built Parasnath Toonk on the top of the hills and played major role in buying Parasnath
hills on behalf of Shwetambar Jain community represented by Anandji Kalyanji Pedhi. He also influenced the then Viceroy and Governor General of British India in stopping order of
establishing a slaughter house in the sacred Jain Tirth.

7. Shaharwali society have always taken active part in politics but Johari Sath never. Shaharwali
community have many MP, MLA, MLCs and even Deputy Chief Minister of West Bengal but Johari Sath have none.

8. Rai Badridas Bahadoor Mookim of Johri Sath founded Bengal National Chamber of Commerce But he handed over it to Rai Dhanpat Singh Bahadoor Dugar of Shaharwali Community and he
adorned the chair.

9. Sayaji Conferences of Jain were organized by Maharaja Baroda. Many times Shaharwali community and Johari Sath had shared the key posts of Presidents and Secretaries of those conferences. Once, that I know, Rai Budh Singh Dudhoria of Bari Kothi, Azimganj was in the Chair and Rai Badridas Bahadoor Mookim was handling the matters as Secretary.

Marital relations between Shaharwali and Johari Sath
View Blog: Johari Sath

Thanks,
(Vardhaman Gems, Jaipur represents Centuries Old Tradition of Excellence in Gems and Jewelry)

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