Fairy Tale of a KOCH Princess, strings of Pain and Happiness and the forgotten Privy Purse!
Troubled galaxy destroyed Dreams, Chapter 308
Palash Biswas
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Gayatri Devi, a people's maharani!
TNN 30 July 2009, 02:38am IST
Maharani Gayatri Devi was an international celebrity and a brand ambassador for Rajasthan tourism. She was also involved in reforms and
Maharani Gayatri Devi
Maharani Gayatri Devi More Pics
development of the state.
I remember her as someone who had distinct likes and dislikes and, if she liked you, she went all the way for you. I remember her driving all the way to my constituency when I needed her. She also made it a point to participate in the vintage car rally held every year. She would personally enter her Bentley, which won routinely, and then send her driver to collect the prize. Though ill, she still made it a point to enter it last year and even came to give away the prizes.
She was jailed by the late Prime Minsiter Indira Gandhi during the Emergency... that was simply a case of ego and yes, jealousy. This was because everytime Indira and she were in a room together, all the attention always went to Gayatri Devi.
She was a true people’s maharani, as she won by a margin of lakhs when she stood for elections. She also had a fetish for cleanliness and wanted to project the image of a clean state.
She was also quite forthright and would tick off people for their dressing sense, even if she was hosting the party. I’ve heard her tell people, “Hey, you’re not dressed for the party,” in her own home!"
(As told to Anuradha Varma)
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/LIFE-STYLE/People/Gayatri-Devi-a-peoples-maharani-/articleshow/4837652.cms
THE CONSTITUTION (TWENTY-SIXTH AMENDMENT) ACT, 1971
Statement of Objects and Reasons appended to the Constitution
(Twenty-sixth Amendment) Bill, 1971 which was enacted as
THE CONSTITUTION (Twenty-sixth Amendment) Act, 1971
STATEMENT OF OBJECTS AND REASONS
The concept of rulership, with privy purses and special privileges
unrelated to any current functions and social purposes, is
incompatible with an egalitarian social order. Government have,
therefore, decided to terminate the privy purses and privileges of the
Rulers of former Indian States. It is necessary for this purpose,
apart from amending the relevant provisions of the Constitution, to
insert a new article therein so as to terminate expressly the
recognition already granted to such Rulers and to abolish privy purses
and extinguish all rights, liabilities and obligations in respect of
privy purses. Hence this Bill.
NEW DELHI; INDIRA GANDHI.
The 31st July, 1971.
President mourns Gayatri Devi's death
2009-07-30 22:40:00
President Pratibha Patil Thursday mourned the death of Rajmata Gayatri Devi, the former maharani of Jaipur, saying that she was a 'multi-faceted personality, who made a deep impression on account of her work in public life, culture and art'.
In a condolence message to the bereaved family members, the president said: 'I am deeply saddened to hear about the passing away of Gayatri Deviji.
'She was a parliamentarian and a pioneer in the field of women's education, an issue to which she was deeply committed. In her passing away, the nation has lost a reputed and a well known personality of national stature,' said Patil.
Gayatri Devi, who was once considered one of the world's most beautiful women and always stayed in the limelight despite the fall of royalty in India, died in Jaipur Wednesday. She was 90.
Earlier Thursday, Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar also conveyed her condolences saying that Gayatri Devi was 'a distinguished member of parliament and an exemplary human being' who contributed 'purposively to the cause of national development'.
'More notably, she championed the cause of empowerment of women and weaker sections,' Meira Kumar said.
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Rajmata Gayatri Devi – A toast to eternal style icon
Figuring among the most-stylish and beautiful women in India, there's was something ageless and eternal about Rajmata Gayatri Devi. A pictorial tribute to the eternal style icon..
Source: Meenakshi Shankar / India Syndicate
http://lifestyle.in.msn.com/fashion/gallery.aspx?cp-documentid=3115423
Remembering Rajmata
TNN 31 July 2009, 12:00am IST
I first saw Gayatri Devi in Calcutta when I was in my twenties.
Rajmata Gayatri Devi
Rajmata Gayatri Devi
The Jaipur Polo Match was a big draw and impressive with its colour, magnificence and royal aura. I was to see my first, first lady of Jaipur in an elegant chiffon saree, with a dull silver border elegantly draped around her. Her hair was dressed very much in the style of the 60s – formally coiffed, and back combed from perhaps her personal dresser.
More than the fashioning of her clothes there was a demeanour that really impressed. It perhaps had to do with a royal upbringing, an equestrian training, long hours of swimming and a posture which personified that rarest of qualities. I later was to become a friend. I was graciously hosted by her at her Lily Pool residence for several years while I was writing my book The Costumes and Textiles of Royal India. It was a hard book to research as it meant gleaning information from the people who I interviewed and photographed for the book. Fashion and clothes are very intimate things, especially if you request to see older costumes in storage. It brings back a lot of memories, of passage of time, of religious rites and marriages and births. In the early 90s when I got to know Rajmata Gayatri Devi, she was a widow. There was a tenacity within her which reflected the wide experiences she had had. Some happy, but unfortunately many more that were sad, including her husband’s death on the polo field.
Rajmata Gayatri Devi was the daughter of Indira Devi and Maharaja Jitendra Narain of Cooch Behar. I took this picture of hers (alongside) with her mother’s portrait and this was the caption – For this portrait the Rajmata is dressed in a pastel printed chiffon saree stitched with a woven cream and gold border, tied in the contemprory style. Reputed to be one of the most beautiful women of her time, she epitomises the elegance associated with Indian Maharanis of the early 20th century.
Ayesha to her friends, Gayatri Devi was a product of a refined culture, elitist yet very close to her roots with an enormous patriotism. A woman who has perhaps witnessed the most amazingly dramatic events of the last century where palaces were converted to hotels, privy purses and titles abolished and saw the slow but sure decline of everything she held dear. She came through it all with an elegance which one of India’s most beautiful aristocracy could only have.
RITU KUMAR
(The writer is a designer and a friend of the Late Rajmata)
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/4837476.cms
Privy Purse in India
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In India, the Privy Purse was a payment made to the royal families of erstwhile princely states as part of their agreements to first integrate with India in 1947, and later to merge their states in 1949 whereby they lost all ruling rights. The Privy Purse was continued to the royal families until the Constitutional Amendment of 1971, implemented after a two year legal battle, was passed by which all their privileges and allowances from the Central Government ceased to exist. In some individual cases however privy purses were continued for life for individuals who had held ruling powers before 1947[1].
Contents
[hide]
* 1 History
* 2 The Princely States Receiving Privy Purses
* 3 Abolition
* 4 References
* 5 External links
[edit] History
When Britain ceded its paramountcy over British India (including the modern states of India, Pakistan and Bangladesh), a large portion of the subcontinent was held by rulers whose position and status within the British Raj varied. There were in 1947 more than 565 such princely states in India whose position and relation with the Paramount Power was determined by separate treaties. A system of Gun salutes also determined the importance of each state. On the eve of independence, most of these states had signed the Instrument of Accession with either India or Pakistan. Only certain states pressed for claims of complete independence after the British left India. However, due to the diplomacy of Vallabhbhai Patel and VP Menon, Travancore, Bhopal and Jodhpur signed the Instruments of Accession before 15th August, 1947. Even after independence three states vacillated, namely Kashmir, Junagadh and Hyderabad which were integrated later.
The Instruments of Accession needed the states to only cede defense, communications and foreign relations to India. Democratic institutions were introduced in these states and it was only in 1949 that they were fully merged with India to form new states. Thus Travancore and Cochin merged into India and formed the new state of Thiru-Kochi. Although in 1947 the royal families had been allowed to retain large sums of money as their Privy Purse, in 1949 with the states and its revenues being entirely taken over by the Government of India, it was the Indian Government that provided the rulers and their families with Privy Purses that were determined by several factors such as revenue of the state, gun salute enjoyed, antiquity of the dynasty and so on [2]. Dewan Jarmani Dass of Kapurthala says:
“ Thus the rulers surrendered their sovereignty and as a quid pro quo they were granted handsome Privy Purses and other privileges ”
[edit] The Princely States Receiving Privy Purses
As stated above, the Privy Purses were determined by several factors. Minor feudatories of the erstwhile princely states received whatever little allowances the princely governments had been providing them. For the 565 princely states, Privy Purses ranged from Rs. 5000/- per annum to amounts in millions. Only 6 of the most important states in India were provided with Privy Purses above Rs. 10,00,000/-. These states were Hyderabad, Mysore, Travancore, Baroda, Jaipur and Patiala. For several rulers, the agreements provided for a reduction in the Privy Purse for successors. For certain other states, while certain amounts were guaranteed for the time being, it was liable to be reduced soon after. Thus Hyderabad which received initially a Privy Purse of Rs. 42,85,714/- was a few years later guaranteed a Rs. 20,00,000/- purse. The Government of India also generally reduced the allowances with every succession in the family[3].
[edit] Abolition
The motion to abolish Privy Purses, and the official recognition of the titles, was originally brought before the Parliament in 1969 and was defeated by one vote.
It was again proposed in 1971 by then Prime Minister of India, Indira Gandhi and was successfully passed as the 26th Amendement to the Constitution of India in 1971.[4]. Indira Gandhi argued the case for abolition based on equal rights for all citizens and the need to reduce the government's revenue deficit.
Many erstwhile royals tried to protest the abolition of the Privy Purse, primarily through campaigns to contest seats in the Lok Sabha elections of 1971. They, however, received a rude shock when many of them were defeated by huge margins. This included Mansoor Ali Khan Pataudi, the last and former Nawab of Pataudi, who contested from Gurgaon. Mansoor contested as a candidate for the Vishal Haryana Party, but received barely 5% of the vote in a two-way contest.[5]
[edit] References
1. ^ HH Maharani Sethu Lakshmi Bayis allowance was reinstated after a prolonged legal battle. "At the turn of the Tide, the Life and Times of Maharani Sethu Lakshmi Bayi, the Last Queen of Travancore" by Dr. Lakshmi Raghunandan
2. ^ "Maharaja" by Jarmani Dass
3. ^ "Maharaja" by Jarmani Dass, page 424-435
4. ^ The 26th amendment of the Indian constitution [1]
5. ^ Cricketers in Politics
[edit] External links
* A site on Princely States, listing where known the historical privy purse in rupees
Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Privy_Purse_in_India"
Categories: Politics of India | Independent India
Queen of charm is no more
Gayatri Devi in 1967. (AP)
Gayatri Devi, the princess who evoked memories of a charmed era and whose beauty was celebrated across the world, died in Jaipur on Wednesday. She was 90.
Actress Moon Moon Sen, who is married to Gayatri Devi’s nephew Bharat Dev Burman, shared a close relationship with the Rajmata who traced her roots to the Cooch Behar royal family. The Sen family recalls their association with Gayatri Devi.
Moon Moon Sen
Mashima (Gayatri Devi) had led the borjatri (the groom’s family) at our wedding…. I have learnt grooming tricks from another beautiful lady — my mother (Suchitra Sen). But Mashima taught me that real beauty doesn’t need make-up or designer clothes or accessories. Mashima hated make-up. She just carried a lipstick, a compact powder and a comb.
We have led a wonderful glamorous life through Mashima. We have met so many interesting people who were all her friends. And yet Mashima was so proud to be a Cooch Behari. She would always speak in Bengali when she was with us. And she would tell me, ‘Moon Moon, tumi amay pronam korbe (You must touch my feet).’ She would always say, ‘Ami Bangali’….
She was extremely well read, too. I remember the evenings when I would be looking after the babies and she would discuss everything under the sun, from literature to politics.
Bharat Dev Burman
whose mother Ila and Gayatri Devi were sisters
I would stay with her in Jaipur during summer since I was a child. I have also stayed with her in London, where she introduced me to Queen Elizabeth. She would take us to all the great parties and she always made sure that her nephews and nieces met everyone.
Mashima was a great polo enthusiast. She would come down to Calcutta for polo matches during winter and stay with me…. She was very international but at the same time very family-oriented.
Whenever she was in Calcutta, she would make it a point to meet all her cousins and aunts. Though she was the Rajmata of Jaipur, she was a Bengali at heart. She loved Calcutta so much. She would go to the Cooch Behar palace every year. She so wanted to do up the palace. I met her last this March in Jaipur. She has died quite peacefully. I think she was the greatest of the Indian Maharanis.
Raima Sen
Gayatri Devi and my grandmother (Suchitra Sen) met for the first time during my parents’ wedding. It was Gayatri Devi who came to my grandmother with my father’s rishta as his mother had died when he was very young…. My grandmother always found Gayatri Devi gorgeous!
She admired her a lot. Gayatri Devi, apart from my grandmother, is the most beautiful and dignified lady I have ever met
Riya Sen
Gayatri Devi had a fantastic sense of humour that cannot be matched. When we were small, she would attend our family dinners and spend more time with us than with the grown-ups. She loved my dad and they shared a lovely rapport. It’s a great loss for our family.
(AS TOLD TO RESHMI SENGUPTA AND KUSHALI NAG)
http://www.telegraphindia.com/1090730/jsp/frontpage/story_11299926.jsp
Supplied Picture
Gayatri Devi - the grand queen mother or rajmata of the Jaipur royal family who was listed as one of the most beautiful women in the world by Vogue.
Rajmata Gayatri Devi, who died on July 29 aged 90, was an Indian princess of renowned beauty whose life encapsulated the glamour and romance of the Raj. Her death on Wednesday, barely two months after her 90th birthday on May 23, came after complications caused by an intestinal endoscopy that she underwent two months ago. She died in a Jaipur hospital.
A pall of gloom descended on Cooch Behar following the news of the death of Rajmata Gayatri Devi today. Bengal mourns the queen`s DEMISE as she has been known a Pure Bengali by heart. Bengali media published and broacasted fond memories of the Rajmata. She was the Patron of rajasthani folk but never did forget her roots!
Famous Folk Singer rooted in Cooch Behar, ABBASUDDIN who is responsible to internationalise Bengali Riverine folk song, used to sing:
BAGA FANDE Porya KANDE RE..
The Bird was Entrapped and was weeping!
Though the queen is known for her Pleasant presence and beauty, ABBASUDDIN may be quoted to express the Painful life of the Queen!
I had never the Opportunity to have a Glimpse of the Beautiful lady but we always did feel her pleasing Presence. While she retired from politics, I had been a teen ager and student in DSB college Nainital. We had no TV. Only Mufassil newspaer editions would reach the Hill town after ten AM from Lucknow and New Delhi! The Queen was the Heart Throb of Non Congress Politics in India until she was sent to Tihar by Mrs Indira Gandhi. Since our generation fought against the EMERGENCY, we may not forget the Rajmata!
,
Gayatri, the youngest child of Maharaja Jitendra Narayan, was the last member of the royal family here and had last visited Cooch Behar about five years ago.
Her siblings - brothers Prince Victor Nritendra Narayan and Hitendra Narayan and sister Ila Devi, who was married off to the Tripura royal family, had predeceased her.
"The people of Cooch Behar will miss her. She was maa to the people of Cooch Behar...It is sad to think she will not visit the temple of Madan Mohan (the presiding deity of the town), participate in the Raas Mela or visit the palace," said Amiyo Kumar Deb Bakshi, the 'dwarbakshi' of Cooch Behar royal family.
She took interest in social activities, built an exclusive school for girls in Jaipur and promoted the traditional blue pottery of Rajasthan.
She spent the last three decades of her life after her husband's death in 1970 at the picturesque Lilypool, a bungalow that she built with her husband at Rambagh Palace.
Lilypool resembled a simple and warm Bengali home from Cooch Behar staffed by people from her home state, West Bengal. The staff spoke Bengali and would entertain visitors with water and lemonade even in her absence.
The feisty princess Ayesha, daughter of the erstwhile maharaja of Cooch Behar, shot her first panther at the age of 13, stunning everyone.
Six years later, the beautiful woman who came to be known as Maharani Gayatri Devi stunned her family again by falling in love with prince Sawai Man Singh of Jaipur.
She called him Jai and insisted on marrying him, knowing that he already had two wives and that her own family was against the match.
Gayatri Devi - the grand queen mother or rajmata of the Jaipur royal family who was listed as one of the most beautiful women in the world by Vogue - remained spirited till the end of her colourful life.
Gayatri Devi, who was maharani of Jaipur state from 1939 to 1970, was an excellent marksman, a tennis player and a keen rider, with a deep knowledge of horses. She was attached to all her children, fond of flowers like lilies and gladioli and birds.
Rajmata Gayatri Devi of Jaipur, who recently underwent intestinal endoscopy, has died at the age of 90. Gayatri Devi, the elegant former princess of Cooch Behar who became the maharani of Jaipur, was once considered among the world's most beautiful...
People in Cooch Behar mourn demise of Gayatri Devi!Known to her friends as "Ayesha", she caused a minor sensation in India when, in 1940, she married for love rather than by parental decree, to become the third wife of the dashing Maharaja of Jaipur.
Offices and schools remained shut in West Bengal's Cooch Behar district on Thursday to pay homage to Gayatri Devi, the erstwhile maharani of Jaipur.
Thousands of people paid homage to Jaipur royal Rajmata Gayatri Devi, who died yesterday, at her maternal palace here.
Mourners thronged into the durbar hall of the century-old royal palace here where a life-size portrait of Cooch Behar princess was kept.
The main gate of the palace, a heritage building, was kept open since morning with mourners placing wreaths before the portrait of Gayatri Devi who last visited Cooch Behar in 2005.
The state government declared a holiday in this north Bengal town today as a mark of respect to the Jaipur royal who died in Jaipur yesterday at the age of 90.
All state government offices, educational institutions and markets remained closed.
A memorial meeting was organised at the Madan Mohanbari temple under the auspices of the Devottar Trust Board. Special prayers were also held.
Gayatri Devi, the youngest child of Maharaja Jitendra Narayan, was the last member of the royal family.
Her siblings, Prince Victor Nritendra Narayan and Hitendra Narayan and Ila Devi, who was married off to the Tripura royal family, had predeceased her.
Rajmata Gayatri Devi was the last of the Queens of Jaipur in Rajasthan. Gayatri Devi was the daughter of Maharaja Jitendra Narayan and Haharani Indirea Devi of the "Koch" dynasty of Coch Behar, She was born on the 23rd May 1919. After schooling in India she finished her education in Switzerland and London.
At the age of 19 she fell in love with Man Singh, the heir to the Jaipur throne. Their marriage was initially opposed by her parents, as Man Singh already had two wives, the daughters of the Maharaja of Jodhpur. However, her parents gave in to her determination, and she was married to Man Singh in 1939. The Jaipur Royal family lived in lavish style and were visited by presidents, movie stars and other Royalty.
Gayatri Devi was listed by Vogue as one of the world's most beautiful women and is still the favourite of society columnists and the world's photographers. The Rajmata pioneered the education of girls in Jaipur.
When Gayatri Devi was 12 she fell for the most glamorous young man in India, the Maharaja of Jaipur, then 21 years old. He was not only exceedingly rich and handsome but also a nine-handicap polo player, leading his Jaipur polo team to victory in every tournament they entered. Maharaja Man Singh already had two wives, both married for reasons of state, but this did not prevent him from becoming captivated by this beautiful and spirited tomboy princess who was quite unlike the more orthodox Rajput ladies whom he knew.
When Gayatri Devi was sent to the Monkey Club finishing school in Knightsbridge, they met secretly and became unofficially engaged. Their romance aroused opposition on all sides, and when in 1939 they let it be known that they intended to marry, there was consternation in princely circles.
In the Cooch Behar family, it was feared that Gayatri Devi was condemning herself to a life in purdah in a feudal state that would destroy her lively personality
In the event, the marriage was a great success. The third Maharani of Jaipur accepted her role as the Maharaja's favourite but junior wife with good grace. She adjusted to the formality and restrictions of life in a Rajput royal zanana, but at the same time used her authority to bring the palace women forward into the 20th century.
The coming of the war helped to speed up this process of emancipation. The Maharani organised various forms of war-work, and in 1943 opened the Gayatri Devi School for Girls with 40 students and an English teacher. It became known as one of the finest schools in India.
Following Independence in 1947, Jaipur was merged with 18 other princely states to form Rajasthan State, with Jaipur City as its capital.
Although Maharaja Man Singh was appointed State Governor, it soon became apparent that all power lay with the ruling Congress Party.
Concern at what they judged to be misrule and abuse of power drew an ever-increasing number of former rulers or members of their circle into politics in opposition to the Congress Party. Many joined the Swatantra Party, among them Maharani Gayatri Devi.
In 1962 she entered politics in her state and won the largest ever electoral victory, for which she still holds the Guiness record. She won the seat again in 1967 and 1971 for the Swatantra Party, running against the ruling Congress Party.
In 1971 the Privy Purse and all royal privileges were abolished in India. Gayatri Devi was accused of breaking tax laws and served 5 months in Tihar Jail which she bore with great dignity.
In 1967 the Maharani again stood for election in her home constituency and again won her seat; but when the opposition parties in Rajasthan attempted to form a state government, presidential rule was proclaimed, leading eventually to a return of a Congress government. In the same year the Congress Party adopted a resolution to abolish the princes' privy purses and privileges that had been granted to them in exchange for their voluntary surrender of their states.
In May 1970 the government introduced a bill to abolish the princely order, and the Maharaja and Maharani flew to England. A month later Man Singh collapsed and died while umpiring a polo match in Cirencester. Colonel Bhawani Singh, Maharaja Man Singh's eldest son by his first wife, was proclaimed Maharaja and the widowed Gayatri Devi became Rajmata, or Queen Mother.
Although still in mourning, Rajmata Gayatri Devi was persuaded to stand for parliament for a third term in 1971, and in the same year witnessed the passing of the bill that finally derecognised the princely order. This rewriting of the constitution signalled a new and ugly phase in Indian politics that the Rajmata and her stepson experienced at first hand when, in July 1975, both were arrested and incarcerated in Tihar Jail.
This was the start of the State of Emergency period when Prime Minister Indira Gandhi suspended all laws and made mass arrests on the ground that the security of the state was under threat. No serious charges were ever laid against either the Rajmata or Col Bhawani Singh.
After nearly six months' imprisonment in humiliating conditions, Gayatri Devi's spirit remained as strong as ever but her health began to break down. She was taken to hospital and eventually released on parole, on certain conditions that remained in force until Mrs Gandhi called an election in 1977 which saw her temporarily bundled out of office.
Rajmata Gayatri Devi's two decades of widowhood were not spent in seclusion, as might have been expected of the widow of a Rajput ruler. She and her husband had shared a great zest for sport and entertainment and, to the indignation of the traditionalists, the Rajmata continued to live life to the full.
She retired from politics after that experience, and published her autobiography "A Princess Remembers" in 1976.
She was also the focus of a film called "Memoirs of a Hindu Princess", directed by Francois Levie.
The Rajmata leant elephant riding at a young age and is passionate about the welfare of Indian elephants. She is a patron of elephant family charity.
Cooch Behar
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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For other uses, see Cooch Behar (disambiguation).
Cooch Behar
Map of West Bengal showing location of Cooch Behar
Map of India showing location of West Bengal
Location of Cooch Behar
Cooch Behar
Location of Cooch Behar
in West Bengal and India
Country India
State West Bengal
District(s) Cooch Behar
Chairman Biren Kundu
Population
• Density 76,812 (2001[update])
• 9,266 /km2 (23,999 /sq mi)
Time zone IST (UTC+5:30)
Area 8.29 km2 (3 sq mi)
Codes[show]
• Pincode • 736 101
• Telephone • +03582
• Vehicle • WB-64/63
Coordinates: [show location on an interactive map] 26°19′27″N 89°27′04″E / 26.32419°N 89.45103°E / 26.32419; 89.45103
Cooch Behar (IPA: [kotʃbihaɹ]; Bengali: কোচবিহার, Kochbihar [?]) is the district headquarters and the largest town of Cooch Behar District in the Indian state of West Bengal. It is situated in the foothills of the Eastern Himalayas and located at [show location on an interactive map] 26°22′N 89°29′E / 26.367°N 89.483°E / 26.367; 89.483. Cooch Behar is the only planned town in North Bengal region with remnants of royal heritage.[1] One of the main tourist destinations in West Bengal, the town is well-known for the Cooch Behar Palace and Madan Mohan Bari and has been declared a heritage town.[2]
During the British Raj, the town of Cooch Behar was the seat of the princely state of Koch Bihar, ruled by the Koch dynasty. After 20 August 1949, Cooch Behar District was transformed from a princely state to its present status, with the town of Cooch Behar as its headquarters.[3]
Contents
[hide]
* 1 Etymology
* 2 History
* 3 Geography
* 4 Climate
* 5 Economy
* 6 Civic administration
* 7 Utility services
* 8 Transport
* 9 Demographics
* 10 Culture
* 11 Language
* 12 Education
* 13 Media
* 14 Sports
* 15 Notes
* 16 References
[edit] Etymology
Main article: Etymology of Cooch Behar
The name Cooch-Behar is derived from the name of the Koch tribes (the Rajbongshi or Rajbanshi or Koch Rajbongshi) indigenous to this region for many centuries.[4] The word Behar is the Sanskrit word bihar (to travel), which means the land through which the Koch kings used to roam.
[edit] History
See also: Koch dynasty
Maharaja Jagaddipendra Narayan
The princely state known during British rule as Cooch Behar had been part of the Kamarupa Kingdom from the 4th century to the 12th century. In the 12th century, the area became a part of the Kamata Kingdom, first ruled by the Khen dynasty from their capital at Kamatapur. The Khens were an indigenous tribe, and they ruled till about 1498 CE, when they fell to Alauddin Hussein Shah, the independent Pathan Sultan of Gour. The new invaders fought with the local Bhuyan chieftains and the Ahom king Suhungmung and lost control of the region. During this time, the Koch tribe became very powerful and proclaimed itself Kamateshwar (Lord of Kamata) and established the Koch dynasty.
The first important Koch ruler was Biswa Singha, who came to power in 1510 or 1530 CE.[5] Under his son, Nara Narayan, the Kamata Kingdom reached its zenith.[6] Nara Narayan's younger brother, Shukladhwaj (Chilarai), was a noted military general who undertook expeditions to expand the kingdom, and he became governor of its eastern portion. After Chilarai's death, his son Raghudev became governor of this eastern portion. Since Nara Narayan did not have a son, Raghudev was seen as the heir apparent. However, a late child of Nara Narayan removed Raghudev's claim to the throne. To placate him, Nara Narayan had to anoint Raghudev as a vassal chief of the portion of the kingdom east of the Subansiri river. This area came to be known as Koch Hajo. After the death of Nara Narayan in 1584, Raghudev declared independence, and the kingdom ruled by the son of Nara Narayan, Lakshmi Narayan, came to be known as Cooch Behar. The division of the Kamata Kingdom into Cooch Behar and Koch Hajo was permanent.
The early capital of Koch Kingdom (Cooch Behar) was not static and became stable only when shifted to Cooch Behar town. Maharaja Rup Narayan, on the advice of an unknown saint, transferred the capital from Attharokotha to Guriahati (now called Cooch Behar town) on the banks of the Torsa river between 1693 and 1714. After this, the capital was always in or near its present location.
In 1661 CE, Maharaja Pran Narayan planned to expand his kingdom. However, Mir Jumla, the subedar of Bengal under the Mughal emperor Aurangazeb, attacked Cooch Behar and conquered the territory, meeting almost no resistance.[7] The town of Cooch Behar was subsequently named Alamgirnagar.[8] However, Maharaja Pran Narayan regained his kingdom within a few days.
During 1772–1773, the king of Bhutan attacked and captured Cooch Behar. To expel the Bhutanese, the kingdom of Cooch Behar signed a treaty with the British East India Company on 5 April 1773, and the king of Cooch Behar became a feudal ruler under the British.[9]
Cooch Behar Palace
The famous Victor Jubilee Palace, a landmark in the city, was designed on the lines of Buckingham Palace of London, in 1887, during the reign of Maharaja Nripendra Narayan.[8] In 1878, the maharaja married the daughter of Brahmo preacher Keshab Chandra Sen, and this union led to a renaissance in Cooch Behar state.[10] Maharaja Nripendra Narayan is known as the architect of modern Cooch Behar town.[11]
Under an agreement between the kings of Cooch Behar and the Indian Government at the end of British rule, Maharaja Jagaddipendra Narayan transferred full authority, jurisdiction and power of the state to the Dominion Government of India, effective 12 September 1949.[3] Cooch Behar District became part of the state of West Bengal on 19 January 1950, with Cooch Behar town as its headquarters.[3]
[edit] Geography
Torsa River near Cooch Behar
Cooch Behar is situated in the foothills of Eastern Himalayas, located at [show location on an interactive map] 26°22′N 89°29′E / 26.367°N 89.483°E / 26.367; 89.483 in the north of West Bengal. It is the largest town and district headquarters of Cooch Behar District with an area of 8.29 km².[12]
The Torsa river flows by the western side of town. Heavy rains in the area often cause strong river currents and flooding. The turbulent water carries huge amounts of sand, silt, and pebbles, which have an adverse effect on crop production as well as on the hydrology of the region.[13] Alluvial deposits form the soil, which is acidic.[13] Soil depth varies from 15 cm to 50 cm, superimposed on a bed of sand. The foundation materials are igneous and metamorphic rocks at a depth 1000 m to 1500 m. The soil has low levels of nitrogen with moderate levels of potassium and phosphorus. Deficiencies of boron, zinc, calcium, magnesium, and sulphur are high.[13]
The town of Cooch Behar and its surrounding regions face deforestation due to increasing demand for fuel and timber, as well as air pollution from increasing vehicular traffic. The local flora include palms, bamboos, creepers, ferns, orchids, aquatic plants, fungi, timber, grass, vegetables, and fruit trees. Migratory birds, along with many local species, are found in the city, especially around the Sagardighi and other water bodies.[14]
[edit] Climate
Five distinct seasons (summer, monsoons, autumn, winter and spring) can be observed in Cooch Behar, of which summer, monsoons and winter are more prominent. Cooch Behar has a moderate climate characterised by heavy rainfall during the monsoons and slight rainfall from October to mid-November.[13] The district does not have high temperatures at any time of the year. The summer season is from April, the hottest month, to May. During the summer season, the mean daily maximum temperature is 32.5°C, and the mean daily minimum is 20.2 °C.[15] The winter season lasts from the end of November to February; January is the coldest, when temperature ranges between 10.4 °C and 24.1 °C.[15] The lowest and highest temperatures recorded have been 3.9 °C and 39.9 °C respectively.[citation needed] The atmosphere is highly humid throughout the year except from February to May, when relative humidity is around 50 to 70 percent. The rainy season lasts from June to September. Average annual rainfall in the district is 3,201 mm.[15] However, the climate has undergone a drastic change in the past few years, with the mercury rising and the rainfall decreasing each year.[16]
[edit] Economy
Most of the government offices are situated in the Sagardighi area
The central and state governments are the largest employers in Cooch Behar town.[citation needed]. Cooch Behar is home to a number of district-level and divisional-level offices and has a large government-employee workforce. Business is mainly centred on retail goods; the main centres lie on B.S. Road, Rupnarayan Road,Keshab Road and at Bhawaniganj Bazar.
An industrial park has been built at Chakchaka, just four kilometres from town, on the route to Tufanganj. A number of small companies such as Poddar Food Products Pvt., Ltd, and Deepa Casing Pvt., Ltd have set up industries there.[17]
Farming is a major source of livelihood for the nearby rural populace, and it supplies the town with fruits and vegetables. Poorer sections of this semi-rural society are involved in transport, basic agriculture, small shops and manual labour in construction. As the town is near the international border, the Border Security Force (B.S.F.) maintains a large presence in the vicinity of Cooch Behar. This gives rise to a large population of semi-permanent residents, who bring revenue to the local economy. The state government is trying to promote Cooch Behar as a tourist destination, though income from tourism is low.[18]
[edit] Civic administration
The office of the District Magistrate
Cooch Behar Municipality is responsible for the civic administration of the town. The municipality consists of a board of councillors, elected from each of the 20 wards[19] of Cooch Behar town as well as a few members nominated by the state government. The board of councillors elects a chairman from among its elected members; the chairman is the executive head of the municipality. The present chairman is Biren Kundu. Currently, the Indian National Congress Party holds power in the municipality. The state government looks after education, health and tourism in the town.
The town is within the Cooch Behar (Lok Sabha constituency) and elects one member to the Lok Sabha (the Lower House of the Indian Parliament). The town area is covered by one assembly constituency, Cooch Behar Dakshin that elects one member to the Vidhan Sabha, which is the West Bengal state legislative assembly.[20] Cooch Behar town comes under the jurisdiction of the district police (which is a part of the state police); the Superintendent of Police oversees the town's security and matters pertaining to law and order. Cooch Behar is also home to the District Court.
[edit] Utility services
Cooch Behar is a well-planned town,[21] and the municipality is responsible for providing basic services, such as potable water and town sanitation. The water is supplied by the municipality using its groundwater resources, and almost all the houses in the municipal area are connected through the system. Solid waste is collected every day by the municipality van from individual houses. The surface drains, mostly uncemented, drain into the Torsa River. Electricity is supplied by the West Bengal State Electricity Board, and the West Bengal Fire Service provides emergency services like fire tenders. Most of the roads are metalled (macadam), and street lighting is available throughout the town. The Public Works Department is responsible for road maintenance in the town and on the roads connecting Cooch Behar with other towns in the region. Health services in Cooch Behar include a government-owned District Hospital, a Regional Cancer Centre, and private nursing homes.
[edit] Transport
Rickshaws are the most widely available public transport within Cooch Behar town. Most of Cooch Behar's residents stay within a few kilometres of the town centre and have their own vehicles, mostly motorcycles and bicycles.
The New Cooch Behar railway station is around five kilometres from town and is well connected to almost all major Indian cities. The rail route is one of the important connecting North-East India with remaining parts of the country. All express and Superfast trains going towards North East have a stoppage here. Another station named Cooch Behar situated inside the town exists but only two pairs of local trains run on this route.
Cooch Behar is headquarters of the North Bengal State Transport Corporation, which runs regular bus service to places in West Bengal, Assam and Bihar. Private buses are also available. Most buses depart from the Central Bus Terminus near Cooch Behar Rajbari. Hired vehicles are also available from the taxi stand near Transport Chowpathi.
Cooch Behar has an airport that, at present, is defunct, but plans are being considered to make it operational soon.[22] At present, the nearest airport is in Bagdogra near Siliguri, about 160 kilometres from Cooch Behar. Indian Airlines, Jet Airways and Kingfisher Airlines are the three major carriers that connect the area to Delhi, Kolkata and Guwahati.
[edit] Demographics
As per the 2001 census,[23] the Cooch Behar municipal area has a population of 76,812. The sex ratio is 972 females per 1,000 males. The decadal growth rate for population is 7.86 %. Males constitute 50.6% of the population, and females constitute 49.4%. Cooch Behar has an average literacy rate of 82%, which is higher than the national average of 64.84%. The male literacy rate is 86%, while female literacy rate is 77%. In Cooch Behar, 9% of the population is under 6 years of age.[24]
The major religion followed is Hinduism, followed by Islam; Christianity and Sikhism. The population's ethnic composition is closely linked with that of Bengal and Assam. Communities that inhabit Cooch Behar include the Bengalis, Gorkha, Marwaris, Biharis and Rajbangsi. Commonly spoken languages include Bengali and Hindi. English and Assameese are understood by most of the people.[15]
[edit] Culture
The Ras Chakra during Ras Mela in Madan Mohan Bari
Popular festivals in Cooch Behar include, Durga Puja in October, along with Ras Purnima, when a big fair is organised in the town near the famous Madan Mohan Temple.[25] Cooch Behar Ras mela is the oldest in the North Bengal region.[26] Other major festivals celebrated in the region include Pohela Baishakh (Bengali New Year), Rathayatra, Dolyatra or Basanta-Utsab, Diwali, Poush parbon (festival of Poush), Christmas, Eid ul-Fitr and Eid ul-Adha. During Rathayatra, a small fair is organised at Gunjabari area of the town.
Cooch Behar has a mixture of cultures, similar to those of West Bengal and Bangladesh. Rice and fish are traditional favorites, leading to a common saying that "fish and rice make a Bengali" (machhe bhate bangali). Meat consumption has increased with higher production in recent years. Bhuna Khicuhri (a dish made of rice and dal) and labra (a fully mixed-vegetable preparation) are quite popular and are served during any religious occasion. As in any part of West Bengal, people of Cooch Behar are known to prepare distinctive confections from milk products; popular ones are Rôshogolla, Chômchôm Kalakand Sandesh Misti Doi and Kalojam. Bengal's vast repertoire of fish-based dishes includes various hilsa, ilish preparations (a favorite among Bengalis). Fast foods, such as Paratha (fried bread), egg roll (flatbread roll with vegetable stuffings and egg), and phuchka (deep fried crêpe with tamarind and lentil sauce), are also widely popular. The momo is another popular snack made from vegetable or meat filling, which is steamed and served with a soup. Another popular snack is Ghatigaram, a variety of Jhalmuri (a mixture made out of flattened rice and other spices).
Bengali women commonly wear a sari (shaŗi) and the salwar kameez, which are distinctly designed as per local customs. However, Western-style attire is also quite popular, especially amongst youngsters. Men wear traditional costumes such as the kurta with dhoti or pyjama, often on religious occasions.
A characteristic feature of Cooch Behar is the Para or neighbourhoods with a strong sense of community attachment. Typically, every para has its own community club with a clubroom and often a playground. People here habitually indulge in adda or leisurely chat, and these adda sessions are often a form of freestyle intellectual conversation. Residents of Cooch Behar are fond of music and generally listen to Rabindra Sangeet, Bangla Bands, Hindi Pop music and the local Bhawaiya Sangeet. The local Bengali dialect, is different from the one spoken in Kolkata. The local dialect is more closer to that of East Bengal and a mix of Assamese and Rajbangsi language.
The sole museum in Cooch Behar is located inside the Cooch Behar Palace. It has a variety of photographs and articles used by the maharajas of Cooch Behar and also information about the tribals of North Bengal. The town boasts a well-archived North Bengal State Library. Rabindra Bhawan, an auditorium, is often chosen as the venue for cultural events such as dramas, concerts, poetry-recitals, and dance programs. Temples exist throughout region; the Madan Mohan Temple, Bara Debi Bari and Rajmata Temple are centres of religious and cultural importance.
[edit] Language
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The people of Cooch Behar/Koch Behar speaks Rajbongshi Language. The Rajbongshi Language had coined different terms and names during the Past centuries from its inception in the ancient Kamarupa Kingdom, the Rajbongshi language is also named or called and known as Desi/Kamatapuri language and it is also known as Goalpariya in Assam, Goalpara is one of the ancient Priencely state ruled by Rajbongshi Kings and the Royal Family are still existing and resided in Assam. It is some times said that Rajbongshi is a part of Assamese culture in Assam and the Scholars also says that it is the Part of Rich Bengali Heritage and culture. If we see this Rajbongshi language we can find some similarities of both Bengali and Assamese language and also Sanskrit, but Rajbongshi people believes that their language is the ancient language in this part of world and it has originated from Sanskrit only.
[edit] Education
A.B.N. Seal College Building
Cooch Behar's schools are either run by the state government or by private and religious organisations. The schools usually use English and Bengali as their medium of instruction, although the use of national language Hindi is also stressed. The schools are affiliated with the ICSE or the CBSE or the West Bengal Board of Secondary Education. Some of the reputed schools in the town include Kendriya Vidyalaya, St. Mary’s H.S. School, B.D. Jain Modern School, Jenkins School, Cooch Behar Rambhola High School, Nipendra Narayan H.S. School, Maharani Indira Devi High School, Uchha Balika Vidhyalaya, and Sunity Academy. There are five[27] colleges and a polytechnic in the Cooch Behar town including A.B.N. Seal College, Cooch Behar College, University B.T. & Evening College, Thakur Panchanan Mahila Mahavidyalaya all of which are affiliated with the University of North Bengal,Siliguri and Cooch Behar Polytechnic (Estd. August 1964) a Government Diploma level Institute with 3 yrs.(10+) Civil, Electrical, Mechanical & Automobile Engineering and 2 yrs.(12+) Pharmacy course under West Bengal State Council of Technical Education,Kolkatta.
There is also an Agricultural University, Uttar Banga Krishi Vishwavidyalaya, situated just outside the main town at Pundibari.
[edit] Media
Newspapers in Cooch Behar include English language dailies, The Statesman and The Telegraph, which are printed in Siliguri, and The Hindustan Times and the Times of India, which are printed in Kolkata and received after a day's delay. In addition, Hindi and Bengali publications, including Anandabazar Patrika, Bartaman, Ganashakti, Uttar Banga Sambad and Dainik Jagran, are available.
The public radio station All India Radio is the only radio channel that can be received in Cooch Behar. However, recently WorldSpace Satellite Radio has started transmission in Cooch Behar. Cooch Behar receives almost all the television channels available in the rest of the country. Apart from the state-owned terrestrial network Doordarshan, cable television serves most of the homes in the town, while satellite television is common in the outlying areas and in wealthier households. Besides mainstream Indian television channels, the town also receives Nepali television channels and Bangladeshi television channels.
Cooch Behar has three cinema halls, featuring Hindi, Bengali, and English films. Internet cafés are available in the main market area, connected through broadband, provided by BSNL. The area is serviced by local cell phone companies such as BSNL, Reliance Infocomm, Vodafone, Aircel, Tata Indicom and Airtel.
[edit] Sports
Cooch Behar Stadium
Like most other towns in India, Cooch Behar has not been left out in the game of cricket. Cricket is the most popular game followed by football, swimming, badminton, volley ball, kabadi. Cooch Behar has two outdoor stadiums, M.J.N. Stadium and Cooch Behar Stadium, for games such as cricket and football. Cooch Behar also has a new indoor stadium, Netaji Subhas Indoor Stadium. Inter-district and inter-school meets are often held in these stadiums. Swimming is practised under the guidance of trained coaches in the local Sagardighi. The popularity of games changes according to the season - for example, cricket and badminton are played during winter, swimming and water polo in summer and football during the monsoon. Cooch Behar town is one of few district towns in India with three stadiums.
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