Bettiah Raj - Origins

 

Ahiyapur Zamindari (Gaya) : Family Temple of Dr Awadh Kishore Narayan Singh

यह है अहियापुर (गया) के ज़मींदारों का मंदिर - नीचे फोटो डॉ. अवध किशोर नारायण सिंह का पारिवारिक मंदिर है जिसमे राधा - कृष्ण का भव्य दर्शन हो सकता है | भूमिहार ज़मींदारों ने सैदव हिन्दू धर्म  का बढ़ावा किया है और कला संस्कृति में आगे रहे हैं | अपने भगवानों को न ही सिर्फ मंदिर बनवाया बल्कि मंदिरों के नाम जमीन देकर अपने नैतिकता को दर्शाया |

From the IMA (Indian Medical Association) Bihar State Branch located at IMA Building, Dr. A.K.N. Sinha Path, South-East Gandhi Maidan, Patna 800004

Life Sketch of Dr. A.K.N. Sinha

Dr. A.K.N. Sinha, the illustrious son of Bihar, in his own words “a true Bihari”, was born in Banka District of Bihar on 15th January, 1929, in an affluent family. His father Rai Bahadur Shri Shy Narain Singh himself was a well known personality. After graduating from Patna Medical College. Patna in the year 1951, Dr. A.K.N. Sinha was the first Bihari to have qualified for M.R.C.P in Cardiology from Royal College of Physicians. Edinburgh in 1957. Subsequently, he obtained M.R.C.P from Royal College of Physicians, London in 1958, He was elected a Fellow of Royal College of Physicians, Edinburgh in 1971 and also of London in 1975. Dr. A.K.N. Sinha worked as Resident, Chief Resident and later, an Instructor in Medicine at Auitman Hospital, Canton, Ohio. USA. Subsequently, he worked as Hony. Clinical Assistant and House Physician, at Hammersmith Hospital and Royal Postgraduate Medical School. London. His extreme love for his motherland, forced him to return to India and he joined Patna Medical College Hospital, Patna as Junior Physician, in the year 1958, and joined as Lecturer in Medicine, at Darbhanga Medical College. He was Emeritus professor of Medicine at Nalanda Medical College , Patna since 1986 He was elected as President of Bihar State Branch of IMA in 1967 and 1968.Later, he rose by election to the post of President, Indian Medical Association Head Quarters as early as 1970 and again in 1971 at the young age of. 41 years – a rare honour which only Dr. A.K.N Sinha could enjoy. He presided over the National Conference on Medical Education and the International Conference on Family Planning held in New Delhi respectively in November 1971 and in March 1972, led IMA delegations to Common wealth Medical Conference, World Medical Assembly and World Conference on Medical Education in 1972 and visited many countries in the world attending meetings and Conferences during 1976 to 1984. He was not only the first Indian but was also the first Asian to be elected asPresident of both the Commonwealth Medical Association and World Medical Association, Dr. A.K.N. Sinha also had the distinction of receiving many prestigious Oration Awards and had a large number of publications to his credit and many convocation & inaugural addresses and was always in great demand as chief guest of IMA and conferences of other specialities. Dr. A.K.N. Sinha was elected as a member of the Medical Council of India in 1979 and a member of its Executive Committee in February 1980 and served a term of 5 years on the Committee from February 1980 to February, 1985. He was elected to the highest post of the Medical Council of India as its President in 1985. He had been associated with the Council as its President for the last one decade. As President of the Medical Council. Dr. Sinha brought in many reforms in medical education. A workshop to revise the Undergraduate Medical Curriculum was held in August, 1992 under his able guidance and leadership. During his tenure, Medical Council completed 60 years of its existence and he planned to celebrate the Diamond Jubilee Year of the Council spread over an year long celebrations. His contributions were not only limited to medical education but also to health needs of the community at large. Dr. A.K.N. Sinha was the first person who espoused the idea of establishing medical universities in all the States, nationalisation of Health Services in the country and establishment of Medical Grants Commission through Indian Medical Association and various other bodies. It is a well known fact to the medical fraternity that Dr. A.K.N. Sinha was a down to earth and a most humble personality- He treated his patients with utmost care and such was his love for the patients that he continued to sse them till April last. His O.P.Ds used to run past midnight because he never refused any patient who knocked at his door even at odd hours. In his public gathering, he always addressed himself as a humble servant of the society. Dr. A.K.N. Sinha had a very firm conviction and commitment in all his action and deeds. Let us all take a pledge to live upto his expectations, stand united in the profession and cherish his goals.

Chainpur Estate - Babu Trivikram Deo Narayan Singh's Mahadev (Lord Shiva)

चैनपुर के बाबूसाहब त्रिविक्रम देव नारायण सिंह जैसे भगवान श्री कृष्ण का पूजा करते थे वैसे ही वो भगवन शिव के भी बड़े पुजारी थे।  यहाँ पे उनका चांदी का शिव लिंग फ़ूलों से सजा हुआ -

 

 

वैसे भी जहाँ नारायण का पूजा होता है , वहां शिव जी का भी पूजा होना तय है। 

 

The Term : BHUMIHAR

It was the Maharaja of BENARAS - His Highness Maharaja Bahadur Sri Sir Ishwari Prasad Narayan Singh GCSI (1822-13 June 1889) who gave the nomenclature : BHUMIHAR and this was done somewhere around the mid-late 19 th century some 150 years from today.

The Maharaja wanted the Babhans of Bihar to start adopting the word BHUMIHAR - a term he coined to indicate "LAND OWNING" class. And this is what BENARAS RAJAS are famous for - they were the most powerful and when they said something it had to be followed.

When the Maharaja Bahadur Sri Sir Ishwari Prasad Narayan Singh ordered something, even the BRITISH had to listen to them (I will be writing about that in detail) , so how could anyone from this caste oppose him ?

Babu LANGAT SINGH of Muzzaffarpur took it on him to spread and familiarize the BABHANS of Magadh and the Pashim Brahmins of Tirhut with the Term BHUMIHAR. The BHUMIHAR MAHASABHA of 1892 was created for this purpose and even then Tirhut and Magadh wanted it as Paschima BRAHMIN SABHA and BABHAN Mahasabha - but again the then MAHARAJA of BENARAS - His Highness Maharaja Bahadur Sir PRABHU NARAYAN SINGH (26 November 1855 – 4 August 1931)  the most powerful member of the community ordered the word BHUMIHAR to be accepted. And so, the BHUMIHAR BRAHMIN was born.

Later, the Rajas and Maharajas of TEKARI, SHIVHAR, HATHWA and other smaller Zamindaris did everything to popularize the term "BHUMIHAR BRAHMIN".

So, Folks when anyone says proudly he/she is a BHUMIHAR - the credit goes to  MAHARAJA SIR ISHWARI PRASAD NARAYAN SINGH of BENARAS and the most powerful MAHARAJA ever - Maharaja Bahadur Sir PRABHU NARAYAN SINGH of BENARAS too.

Following is the invitation to the 26th BHUMIHAR MAHASABHA of 1924 at Gorakhpur . The chairperson of the Sabha was KashiRaj Maharaj Kumar Sri Aditya Narayan Singh. The invitation was sent to the entire community of Bhumihar, Tyagi and Mohiyal Brahmins by the Raja of Tamkuhi - Indrajeet Pratap Bahadur Shahi (M.L.C), Tamkuhi Naresh.

Later, a Bhumihar Brahmin Publication would come out : 

The Publication had the backing and help of several Rajas and Zamindars , including Ministers of the then Bihar Government. Please find the list -

1. MarajaDhiraja Kashi Raj Captain Aditya Narayan Singh Bahadur - Kashi Naresh
2. Rajadhiraj Sri Indrajeet Pratap Sahi, M.L.C. - Tamkuhi Naresh, Gorakhpur
3. Rajadhiraj Sri Guru MahadevAshram Prasad Sahi - M.L.C. - Hathuwa Naresh
4. Raja Harihar Prasad Narayan Singh, M.L.C - Amawan Raj
5. Raja Girish Nandan Singh Bahadur, Sheohar Naresh
6. Lt. Kunwar Maghdeshvendra Prasad Narayan Sahi Bahadur, Majha Raj
7. Sir Ganesh Dutt Singh, Minister, Bihar Government, Patna
8. Lt. Raja Gopal Sharan Prasad Narayan Singh Bahadur, Tekari Raj
9. Raja Chandreshwar Prasad Narayan Singh Bahadur, Maksudpur Raj
10. Raja SiddhuDheshwari Prasad NArayan Singh Bahadur, Salemgarh Raj
11. Raja Saheb BAraon Raj - Prayag (UP)
12. Babu Kameshwar Narayan Singh, Narhan Estate
13. Maharani of Bettiah - Bettiah Raj
14. Srimati Rani of Ausanganj, Benaras
15. Late Srimati Rani Sahiba Anapur Estate, Prayag
16. Sri raja Chet Singh Vansh...
and others ....

ASHARFI - 24 KT

एक चौबीस करात सोना वाला अशर्फी भूमिहार जमींदार परिवार के तरफ से -

Parsagarh - Babu RajDev Prasad Narayan Singh and Sir Chandreshwar Prasad Narayan (CPN) Singh

As mentioned earlier about Parsagarh and the Zamindar Family being one of the oldest families of the district, it is my honour to bring to light one of the most eminent Zamindars of his era - Babu Rajdev Prasad Narayan Singh.  There were 5 pattis in Parsagarh and Babusaheb and Sir CPN Singh belonged to different Pattis. While Sir CPN Singh got great fame in various assignments for the country, Babu Rajdev Prasad Narayan Singh opened one of the better schools of the area - In Parsagarh, the school is named after the son of the soil - RA NA High School. His grandson, Shri Prakash Jee also served as a secretary of the school. Once again a Bhumihar Zamindar gave great leadership to society and to the people who formed a part of his Zamindari. It is our duty to not only respect such work but keep on taking such ideas forward - generation by generation.

Below is the photograph of Babu Rajdev Prasad Narayan Singh and one of his associates - Shri Ojha Jee.

In the near future, we hope to publish photos of the school as well as the GARH.

One of the nearby Shiv Temples at Parsagarh -

Bhumihar Zamindars contribute to Bihar's Development of Fisheries (Pisci-Culture)

With the blessings of Lord Narasimha, Chote Babu (Mr S.D.N.Singh) of Chainpur Estate is developing more ponds at Konchi (Gaya), thus contributing towards Bihar's agro-development. Also, these ponds are surrounded by trees, thus giving a very beautiful look to the environment. Following ponds are currently under Work in Progress -

Currently, there is so much sand found in these ponds being excavated that the contractors, right from Tekari in the North to Sherghati in the South come and take the sand for construction purposes. So, Chote Babu's mud and sand is now being used in roadways construction to building construction in Bihar. Yet again the Bhumihar Zamindars of Konchi, Gaya are contributing towards Bihar's progress.

Hopefully, by next year these ponds would be fully functional and would serve as a fine example for Biharis on how they can invest and help in their state's progress. Bhumihar Zamindars may have done their part but each and every Indian Farmer can also implement such things which would only enrich the environment they live in.