Draft:Ranipatti Estate

The Ranipatti Estate (1775–1949) was a zamindari estate of Yadav (Ahir) in erstwhile Bhagalpur district (now in Madhepura) of Bihar, India. It was one of the prominent zamindar family of Kosi region. The Mandal title was used by the Zamindar of Ranipatti, which means the head or chief of the village.

The chieftains of Ranipatti had zamindari of 56 mauza (revenue villages), which was spread with an area of thousands acres in the modern-day district of Madhepura, Saharsa and Bhagalpur.

Origin & HistoryEdit

The estate of Ranipatti was controlled by Majhraut Ahir zamindars. The Kosi and it's adjoining region was once dominated by the Majhraut clan of Ahirs and many zamindaris were in the hands of this clan.

The Ranipatti Zamindar family had close links with the Zamindars of the Murho Estate and both these Zamindar families were the most prominent families of the Kosi region, who has played a major role in the development of the region since the pre-independence period.

Establishment of Zamindari & Late History : According to the Mandal family of Ranipatti, his ancestors used to be the chieftains of a village in Madhepura. There were also big and small zamindari in region and the entire region was under Darbhanga Raj.

The Mandal family of Ranipatti got the zamindari from Maharaja Madho Singh, when he became ruler of Darbhanga Raj in 1775.

Maharaja Madho Singh gave the zamindari to Mandal family because they helped Madho Singh and his mother to hide from Rani Padmavati of Darbhanga, Madho Singh spent nearly 40 years secretly with his mother at some place in the Banaili Raj. The Mandal family took care of Madho Singh during this time, apart from the Mandal family, no one knew that Madho Singh was alive, he became the king of Darbhanga Raj (Mithila) after the death of his brother Maharaja Pratap Singh then he expanded the eastern border of his kingdom.

When Kumar Babu Netreshwar Singh, son of Maharaja Rudra Singh, grandson of Maharaja Madho Singh, came to Shankarpur and took over the work of this entire region, including Madhepura, not only did the responsibility of Ranipatti Zamindari remain with the Mandal family, but also a position among the managers of Shankarpur Raj Estate was reserved for Ahir caste.

The rulers of Darbhanga Raj and the Mandal Zamindar family had good relations since the time of Maharaja Madho Singh and due to this close ties with Mandal family, Babu Ekdeshwar Singh of Shankarpur on behalf of Darbhanga Raj, in 1899 gave the zamindari comprising 56 mouza (revenue villages) to Shree Baburam Mandal of Ranipatti.

After getting the zamindari of 56 mouza, Shree Baburam Mandal got his Dyodhi (Haveli) constructed for zamindar family in Ranipatti village. From the survey of 1902 till the abolition of Zamindari, the Khatian of Baburam Mandal continued.

After Babu Ram Mandal, his son Babu Dwarka Prasad Mandal became the Zamindar of Ranipatti Estate. He acquired thousands acres in land in Madhepura and its adjoining district.

After Babu Dwarka Prasad, his son Babu Jai Narayan Mandal became the chief of Ranipatti estate, he was zamindar, a freedom fighter, politician and a philanthropist.

Babu Bhupendra Narayan Mandal was the last zamindar of the Ranipatti estate, after which the estate was merged with the Republic of India. He was a popular socialist leader, who was a Lok Sabha MP from 1962 to 1964 and then a Rajya Sabha MP from 1966 to 1975.

List of ZamindarsEdit

  • Shree Baburam Mandal
  • Babu Dwarka Prasad Mandal
  • Babu Jai Narayan Mandal
  • Babu Bhupendra Narayan Mandal

ReferencesEdit