Family Episode : Part I

In the past century, Mithila covered a vast tract of land in present parts of Nepal as well as Bangladesh nations. Nepal still has a vast land area known as Mithila because of the maithil inhabitants. Bangla Desh does not have this any longer, except some names in its google records so often shown in the political and geographical presentations. One such prominent name is King Tonkonath whose name is presented after his past zamindari area falling under police station Rani Sankoil, also known as the earstwhile Malduar estate with its head quater situated near Katiyar Haat. His palace ruins, ponds and more prominently his family diety in a small temple are quite preserved also through the govt. records available in the administrative offices. These facts were specially brought into lime light by a maithil gentle man who had been adament to know about this long forgotton place and its inhabitants. Indeed there are more maithil people to know the whereabouts of that place and the raja who still holds popularity in the mind of the present day inhabitants in that foreign land. The real story begins at this point. In short, so many zamindars owned their revenue estates during the British period. Some important maithil zamindars are still well known since their belongings had remained intact but this had not been as fortunate after losing significantly due to the partition of India witnessing lost as enemy properties. ere officials in the local govt. office had wished the heirs of that estate should come to take stock of their recorded land and other properties or if not interested then allow the govt. to take charge of the same. He further narrated that although the real owners had abandoned these, yet the family member of the last muslim manager of the estate had been receiving all the benefits and they had sent a message to the real owners never to look back or interfere in their interests and as such had shown the obvious hostility. Irrespective of these details, there are so many stories heard from the father and uncles who had themselves faced the burning times of partition. Jumping their vehicle across the big ditch dividing the two countries to safely come from Ramganj palace in August 1947 was an interesting narrative for us as we were then small children. My father had come after dodging some police constables to prevent him to leave his estate. In fact the division of India had witnessed a mass exodus of hindus and the then govt under Pak PM Liyaqat Ali Khan had wanted to save their face by trying to prevent the royal families to follow the suit at that time. Hence the govt. at that time wanted that my father as the only present owner of the Malduar estate must not be allowed to go to India. He was alone as the rest of the family members had already crossed the border. He finally rode on his motorcycle ariel along with two staff and left in the dead of night from Dinajpur town and through a jungle or countyside road crossed the border. In fact he had a deep love for that region and till the issuance of passport had not left the endeavour to shuttle between Sonaili as his later residence in Bihar and Ramganj the former one.The stories are still ripe in my memory of how tasty the Mandas, Lichus, mangoes, fine rice Katarivog and so many eatables had been carried from there. Only costly items like dosalas or zari materials were not allowed to be carried. Fathers last visit to Ramganj was perhaps in 1951 when the Dinajpur DM had issued a notice why he had visited his Dinajpur estate after several months and why therefore he should not be banned to go back to India if all his properyies had been located in Dinajpur district of East Pak? Due to his illness in 1950, he had not visited Dinajpur for more than six months or even longer. In ffact his regular visits had been noted by the administration but the interruption had raised their fear that he too as the only owner of the estate had shown an apathy to take stock of the estate. On the other hand my father had been making these visits to that region out of infatuation as well as a necessity. (to be contd.)