Page:Ramtanu Lahiri, Brahman and Reformer - A History of the Renaissance in Bengal.djvu/30

 This Bhabananda was the founder of the Krishnagar Raj family,

Bhabananda and his son lived at a place named Matihari; but his grandson, Raghab, removed to a small village then called Raooi, but subsequently, Krishnagar, after the God Krishna, who was worshipped here. Since then the Raj family have always occupied this place as their chief seat.

It is true that, pressed by the Mahratta incursions in his time, Krishna Chandra had to leave, for some time, the house of his ancestors, and to live in Shibnibash, a town founded by him, and named after his son, Shib Chandra. But that did not cause permanent separation between Krishnagar and its Rajas; for Krishna Chandra’s grandson, Ishwar Chandra, returned to the old home of the family.

Krishna Chandra had eighty-four parganas as his Zemindari; and he was the most powerful and illustrious of his family. He was born in 1710; and it was in his time that Bengal passed from the hands of the Muhammadans into those of the English. He inherited the estate in 1728 when he was only eighteen years old; but even at this early age, he gave ample proofs of his intelligence, and cleverness in achieving his ends. Rumour says, that his father, Raghu Ram, had for some hidden cause disinherited him and had nominated his (Raghu Ram’s) brother, Ramgopal, as his successor; and that the latter had on the demise of Raghu Ram applied to the Nawab, to have his nomination confirmed; but that the diplomatic Krishna Chandra by a certain wonderful trick balked his uncle.

In 1740 bands of Mahrattas commenced pillaging and ravaging Bengal; and great were the sufferings of the people. At first those living on the right bank of the Hughli had to bear the brunt of the attack; and to save their lives and property they fled to the other side of the river. But here too the plunderers came; and fearing