Raja Ganesha

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Raja Ganesha
King of Bengal
Ganesha dynasty
ReligionHinduism
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Raja Ganesha was a zamindar ruler and the first

Ganesha dynasty founded by him ruled over Bengal from 1415−1435.[3] His name mentioned in the coins of his son, sultan Jalaluddin Muhammad Shah as Kans Jha or Kans Shah.[4] The Indo-Persian historians mentioned his name as Raja Kans or Kansi.[5][2]
A number of modern scholars identified him with Danujamardanadeva, but this identification is not universally accepted.

Early life

According to the Riaz-us-Salatin (a chronicle written in 1788), Raja Ganesha was a landlord of Bhaturia and according to Francis Buchanan Hamilton he was the Hakim (Governor) of Dinajpur[6] in the northern Bengal. In a contemporary letter, he was described as a member of a landholder family of 400 years' standing.[7] Later, he became an officer of the Ilyas Shahi dynasty rulers in Pandua. According to a very late authority, the Riaz-us-Salatin, he killed Sultan Ghiyasuddin Azam Shah (reigned 1390–1410), but the earlier authorities like Firishta and Nizam-ud-Din Ahmad do not refer to any such event and probably he died a natural death.[8] Ghiyas-ud-Din Azam Shah was succeeded by his son Saifuddin Hamza Shah (reigned 1410–12) and the latter by Shihabuddin Bayazid Shah (reigned 1413–14).[5] Firishta says that he became very powerful during the rule of Shihabuddin Bayazid Shah.[7] While the earlier authorities like Firishta and Nizam-ud-Din say that Ganesha ascended to the throne after the death of Shihabuddin but again the Riaz-us-Salatin says that he killed Shihabuddin and seized the throne. Shihabuddin was succeeded by his son Ala-ud-din Firuz Shah (reigned 1414–15) but he was soon deposed by Raja Ganesha.

Identification with Danujamardanadeva

Silver tanka of Danujamarddana issued at Chatigram (Chittagong) in the year Saka 1339 (= 1417 CE). Legends are in letters of medieval Bengali;
obverse: sri sri danujamarddana deva,
reverse: sri chandi charana parayana.

In 1922, a modern scholar,

Vaishnava tradition of Bengal too hold Raja Ganesh as taking the title upon accession to throne.[10]

Dinajpur Raj

  • Krishna Temple established by Maharaja Ganesh in his Palace as visible from outside road.
    Krishna Temple established by Maharaja Ganesh in his Palace as visible from outside road.
  • Gateway to the Dinajpur Rajbari.
    Gateway to the Dinajpur Rajbari.

According to a tradition,

Nava-Ratna Temple, presently known as the Kantajew Temple. The main blocks and the enclosing moats of the Rajbari (palace) were most probably constructed by Prannath and his adopted son Ramnath in the 18th century. The two-storied main palace was seriously damaged by an earthquake in 1897 and rebuilt later by Girijanath Ray.[11]

Raja Ganesha
Usurper of Ilyas Shahi dynasty (1415–1416)
Preceded by Ruler of Bengal
1416–1418 		Succeeded by

See also

References

  1. ^ Jagadish Narayan Sarkar, Hindu-Muslim relations in Bengal: medieval period (1985), p.52
  2. ^
    ISBN 9840690248. Archived
    (PDF) from the original on 16 July 2021. Retrieved 12 December 2016.
  3. ^ Majumdar, R.C. (ed.) (2006). The Delhi Sultanate, Mumbai: Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, p.827
  4. ISBN 0-520-08077-7
    .
  5. ^ a b c Majumdar, R.C. (ed.) (2006). The Delhi Sultanate, Mumbai: Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, pp.205–8
  6. ^ Buchanan (Hamilton), Francis. (1833). A Geographical, Statistical and Historical Description of the District or Zila of Dinajpur in the Province or Soubah of Bengal. Calcutta: Baptist Mission Press. pp. 23–4.
  7. ^
    ISBN 0-520-08077-7. Archived
    from the original on 4 October 2023. Retrieved 13 February 2016.
  8. ^ Majumdar, R.C. (ed.) (2006). The Delhi Sultanate, Mumbai: Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, p.204
  9. ISBN 0-520-08077-7. Archived
    from the original on 4 October 2023. Retrieved 13 February 2016.
  10. ^ [1] Archived 3 March 2016 at the Wayback Machine[citation needed]
  11. ^ Rahman, Zakia (29 September 2003). "Dinajpur Rajbari: Discovering the Hidden Glory". The Daily Star. Dhaka. Archived from the original on 5 March 2016. Retrieved 20 August 2010.
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