Cdpnkr at 15:02, 26 October 2025

2025-10-26T15:02:34Z

New page

{{Short description|Zamindari estate}}
{{Infobox Former Country
|native_name =
|conventional_long_name = Surajpura Raj
|common_name = Surajpura
|continent =
|religion = [[Hinduism]] (official)
|region =
|era = [[Medieval India]]
|status = [[Zamindari]] estate
|government_type = [[Indian feudalism]]
|life_span =
|year_start =
|year_end =
| image_map =
| map_alt =
| map_caption =
| image_coat =
| title_leader = [[Raja]]
| year_leader1 = 1782
| leader1 = Santokh Rai
(''first'')
| year_leader2 = 1952
| leader2 = Raja Radhika Raman Sinha (''last'')
|capital = [[Suryapura, Bihar|Surajpura]]
| p1 = Dumraon Raj
|s1 = Republic of India
}}

The '''Surajpura Raj''', also known as the '''Surajpura Estate''', was a large [[zamindari]] estate located in [[Bihar]] (with the exception of two villages in the [[United Provinces of Agra and Oudh|United Provinces]]) ruled by the [[Chitraguptavanshi Kayastha|Kayastha]] Rajas of [[Suryapura, Bihar|Surajpura]].<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Shukla |first=P.K. |date=1996 |title=The Zamindars of North Bihar During the Early British Rule (1765–1793) |url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/44133355 |journal=Proceedings of the Indian History Congress |volume=57 |pages=508–509 |jstor=44133355 |issn=2249-1937}}</ref><ref>{{Google books|ryhuAAAAMAAJ|Kayasthas in Making of Modern Bihar}}</ref> The estate yielded a revenue of ₹200,000 or more in the early 1900s, making it wealthier than the vast majority of [[princely states]], such as the [[Pataudi State]].<ref>{{cite web | url=https://archive.org/details/dli.ernet.238212/page/163/mode/2up? | title=Bihar and Orissa In 1912-22 | date=1923}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=https://archive.org/details/per_indian_newspaper_reports_1912-04-27_17/page/466/mode/2up? | title=Report on Native Papers | date=1912}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |date= 26 November 2020|title= How Ambedkar's legal stance helped unify India|url=https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/comment/how-ambedkars-legal-stance-helped-unify-india-175895/|work=The Tribune}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.275348/ | title=Memoranda on the Indian States | date=1939}}</ref> [[Raja Radhika Raman Sinha|Raja Radhika Raman Prasad Sinha]] was the last ruling Raja of Surajpura.<ref>{{Google books|HsYzEQAAQBAJ|Kayasth: An Encyclopedia of Untold Stories}}</ref>

==History==

The family migrated to Surajpura in the 18th century and served as hereditary [[dewan]]s for the [[Dumraon Raj]]. In 1812, [[Francis Buchanan]] visited the family's palace and described them as "very rich". He also gave the following description,
<blockquote>There are two brothers belonging to this family, and one of them is the steward (Dewan) of the Bhojpur Rajah. His house, as well as that of his brother, is larger than that of his master, and entirely built of brick.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.43516/page/n385/mode/2up? | title=An Account Of The District Of Shahabad in 1812-13 | date=1813}}</ref></blockquote>

==Public works==

During the [[Bihar famine of 1873–1874]], the erstwhile ruler distributed alms to thousands of people and opened free kitchens. He also turned down ₹185,000 for the sale of the [[Indrapuri Barrage|Sone Canal]], as the canal was of immense help to his tenants.<ref name="ref1">{{cite web | url=https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.367600/page/n87/mode/2up? | title=Great Men of Shahabad | date=1946}}</ref>

In 1892, Raja Raj Rajeshwari Prasad Sinha donated ₹150,000 for construction of waterworks in [[Arrah]]. He also endowed a charitable hospital in Surajpura, the foundation for which was laid by [[Steuart Bayley|Sir Steuart Bayley]], then the [[List of governors of Bengal Presidency|Lieutenant Governor of Bengal]].<ref name = "ref1" /><ref>{{Google books|0nw1AAAAIAAJ|Bihar District Gazetteers: Shahabad}}</ref>

==See also==

*[[Zamindars of Bihar]]
*[[Raja Radhika Raman Sinha]]
*[[Sahay family]]

==References==

{{reflist}}

[[Category:Zamindari estates]]
[[Category:Indian landlords]]

Surajpura Raj - Revision history

Cdpnkr at 15:02, 26 October 2025