The Bahubalindra Dynasty or the Moyna Raj Family is an ancient royal lineage based in the present-day

Purba Medinipur East Medinipur (Alternative spelling ''Midnapore'') district is an administrative unit in the Indian state of West Bengal. It is the southernmost district of Medinipur division – one of the five administrative divisions of West Bengal. The ...

district of

West Bengal West Bengal (; Bengali language, Bengali: , , abbr. WB) is a States and union territories of India, state in the East India, eastern portion of India. It is situated along the Bay of Bengal, along with a population of over 91 million inhabi ...

, identifying with the

Mahishya Mahishya (IAST: Māhiṣya) is a Bengali Hindu traditionally agrarian caste, and formed the largest caste in undivided Bengal. Mahisyas were, and still are, an extremely diverse caste consisting of all possible classes in terms of material con ...

caste. This royal family ruled the ''Jalauti Dandapat'' (the

Gajapati Empire The Gajapati Empire was a Medieval India, medieval Hindu monarchy in the Indian subcontinent, Indian subcontinent, originally from the region of Odisha that reigned from c.1434 to 1541. It succeeded the Eastern Ganga dynasty, Eastern Gangas as ...

was divided into many ''Dandapats'') as feudal vassal lords under the Gajapati Emperor Harichandan Mukundadeva.

History

During the reign of Utkal King Gajapati

Kapilendra Deva Kapilendra Deva (died 1467) was the founder of the Suryavamsa Gajapati dynasty that ruled parts of eastern and southern India with present-day Odisha as the center of the kingdom. He ascended to the throne after staging a military coup agains ...

in 1467, Kalindiram Samanta one of the king's prominent generals was appointed as the

Samanta Samanta was a title and position used in the history of the Indian subcontinent between 4th and 12th centuryThe Journal of the Bihar Research Society, Volumes 69–70, p.77 to denote a vassal, feudal lord or tributary chief. The leader of 100 vil ...

of Balisitagarh, located near

Keleghai River Keleghai River originates at Baminigram, near Dudhkundi, under Sankrail police station of Jhargram district in the Indian state of West Bengal. It flows past Keshiari, Narayangarh, Sabang and Patashpur to join the Kangsabati at Dheu bhanga un ...

. One descendant of Kalindiram, Govardhan Samanta was appointed as

Raja Raja (; from , IAST ') is a noble or royal Sanskrit title historically used by some Indian subcontinent, Indian rulers and monarchs and highest-ranking nobles. The title was historically used in the Indian subcontinent and Southeast Asia. T ...

under the Gajapati ruler Mukundadeva. When a pirate Sridhar Hui's activities worsened with the support of foreign traders, King Mukundadeva sent Govardhan. Tasked with confronting and defeating the tyrannical pirate, Govardhana's successful campaign led the Gajapati King to established him as the feudal King of Moynagarh.

Rise as an independent Kingdom

After Govardhan got the control of Moyanagarh, he stopped paying tribute to the

Mukunda deva Mukunda Deva or Mukunda Harichandana (1559-1568 A.D) was the founder of "Chalukya dynasty" in ancient Orissa (now Odisha). He traced his descent from the Eastern Chalukyas of Vengi. He was the sole monarch of his dynasty and the last independ ...

, which led to an attack on Moynagarh by the King and his soldiers. Despite being outnumbered, Gobardhanan fought valiantly but was captured in the end. In a surprising turn of a events, Gobardhanan managed to control a maddened elephant in the court of the Gajapati King which no other warrior seemed to be capable off. This act of bravery, combined with his melodious voice, reached '' Gajapati Raja Mukundadeva'''s ears. Disguised, the king visited Gobardhan in prison, mesmerized by his songs. Impressed by his bravery and character, the king freed Gobardhan and gave him the title of Bahubalindra (the one with extreme strength), making him an independent ruler with control over Moynagarh and it's surroundings by 1562. Consequently, after the advent of the

Mughal Empire The Mughal Empire was an Early modern period, early modern empire in South Asia. At its peak, the empire stretched from the outer fringes of the Indus River Basin in the west, northern Afghanistan in the northwest, and Kashmir in the north, to ...

, in

Bengal Bengal ( ) is a Historical geography, historical geographical, ethnolinguistic and cultural term referring to a region in the Eastern South Asia, eastern part of the Indian subcontinent at the apex of the Bay of Bengal. The region of Benga ...

, the dynasty was recognised by the

Mughal emperor The emperors of the Mughal Empire, who were all members of the Timurid dynasty (House of Babur), ruled the empire from its inception on 21 April 1526 to its dissolution on 21 September 1857. They were supreme monarchs of the Mughal Empire in ...

Jahangir Nur-ud-din Muhammad Salim (31 August 1569 – 28 October 1627), known by his imperial name Jahangir (; ), was List of emperors of the Mughal Empire, Emperor of Hindustan from 1605 until his death in 1627, and the fourth Mughal emperors, Mughal ...

as an independent royal family of

Reconstruction of Moynagarh fort

As a independent king of Moynagarh, Govardhanananda Bahubalindra took significant steps to protect his kingdom and fort from foreign invasions. To fortify his fort and kingdom, he constructed two square moats, ''Kalidaha'' and ''Makardaha'', and filled the Makardaha moat with

crocodiles Crocodiles (family Crocodylidae) or true crocodiles are large, semiaquatic reptiles that live throughout the tropics in Africa, Asia, the Americas and Australia. The term "crocodile" is sometimes used more loosely to include all extant member ...

to prevent enemy forces from reaching the fort. Additionally, he connected the surrounding bamboo groves in a way that rendered enemy arrows ineffective. These strategic moves ensured the fort's security and its invincibility, especially during

Bargis Bargis () were a light cavalry mercenary group of Maratha Confederacy's who indulged in large scale depredations in the countryside of western part of the Bengal Subah for about ten years (1741–1751) during the Maratha invasions of Bengal. Ma ...

raids and other subsequent invasions.

Consolidation

After the establishment of the new stronghold of Moynagarh by Raja Gobardhanananda, the new Kingdom had to wage wars with numerous neighbouring Kingdoms such as the Tamluk Raj and Kajlagarh Raj which it managed to win and thus evolved into a formidable force in the Medinipur region. It also resisted multiple invasions at times by different

Sultans of Bengal The Bengal Sultanate ( Middle Bengali: , Classical Persian: ) was a late medieval sultanate based in the Bengal region in the eastern South Asia between the 14th and 16th century. It was the dominant power of the Ganges-Brahmaputra Delta, ...

. The Royal family also provided incentive to their caste fellows, many

families to settle across their Kingdom. Their historical resettlement today makes up the current inhabitants of Moyna.

Conflict with the East India Company

During the

Mughal rule The Mughal Empire was an Early modern period, early modern empire in South Asia. At its peak, the empire stretched from the outer fringes of the Indus River Basin in the west, northern Afghanistan in the northwest, and Kashmir in the north, to ...

, the Bahubalindra Kings ruled on their initial independent mandate. Due to a conflict with the

East India Company The East India Company (EIC) was an English, and later British, joint-stock company that was founded in 1600 and dissolved in 1874. It was formed to Indian Ocean trade, trade in the Indian Ocean region, initially with the East Indies (South A ...

, they first lost their sovereignty. During Mughal Emperor Jahangir's reign, the then King, Parmananda was honored with a

royal insignia The royal insignia () is the military insignia specially designed for Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands for use on his military uniforms after his investiture as King of the Netherlands The monarchy of the Netherlands is governed by ...

and a ''panja'' (

royal seal A seal is a device for making an impression in wax, clay, paper, or some other medium, including an embossment on paper, and is also the impression thus made. The original purpose was to authenticate a document, or to prevent interference with ...

). The Royal Family later faced challenges from the

British British may refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * British people, nationals or natives of the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies. * British national identity, the characteristics of British people and culture ...

under the instructions of the

Governor General Governor-general (plural governors-general), or governor general (plural governors general), is the title of an official, most prominently associated with the British Empire. In the context of the governors-general and former British colonies, ...

Warren Hastings Warren Hastings (6 December 1732 – 22 August 1818) was a British colonial administrator, who served as the first governor of the Presidency of Fort William (Bengal), the head of the Supreme Council of Bengal, and so the first governor-gener ...

, which attacked the fort in response to the family's refusal to pay taxes. However British company failed to capture the King due to the fort's secret chamber, which was unreachable, though the British looted the treasures of the fort.

Notable members

* KALINDIRAM SAMANTA: He was a military chief serving under the

Eastern Ganga dynasty The Eastern Ganga dynasty (also known as Purba Gangas, Rudhi Gangas or Prachya Gangas) were a large medieval era Indian royal Hindu dynasty that reigned from Kalinga from as early as the 5th century to the mid 20th century. Eastern Gangas rul ...

. A

by caste, he governed Sabang ''dandapat'' from his Fort, ''Balisitagarh.'' His efficiency as a Governor and prominency as a military leader was noticed by the Eastern Ganga Emperor Narasimha Deva, who promoted him to the rank of ''Senapati'' or the Chief military officer. * GOBARDHANANDA BAHUBALINDRA: He was the sixth generation descendant of Kalindiram. Born as ''Gobardhan Samanta, he'' he received the honourary title of "''Bahubalindra"'' (one with extreme strength) and "''Ananda''" from the Utkala king as a token of gratitude for his successful campaign against a pirate lord named ''Sridhar Hui'' who refused to pay yearly tributes to the Utkal King. After the first completion of his campaign, he became the first independent King of Moynagarh. * PARAMANANDA BAHUBALINDRA: He succeeded his father ''Raja Gobardhanananda'' to the throne of Moynagarh. He was a benevolent and a kind ruler. He solidified the dynasty's control over the newly gained villages. He was called to the

Mughal Mughal or Moghul may refer to: Related to the Mughal Empire * Mughal Empire of South Asia between the 16th and 19th centuries * Mughal dynasty * Mughal emperors * Mughal people, a social group of Central and South Asia * Mughal architecture * Mug ...

capital of

Agra Agra ( ) is a city on the banks of the Yamuna river in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, about south-east of the national capital Delhi and 330 km west of the state capital Lucknow. With a population of roughly 1.6 million, Agra is the ...

and was formally recognised by

Emperor Jahangir Nur-ud-din Muhammad Salim (31 August 1569 – 28 October 1627), known by his imperial name Jahangir (; ), was Emperor of Hindustan from 1605 until his death in 1627, and the fourth Mughal Emperor. Born as Prince Salim, he was the third and o ...

Genealogy

{, class="wikitable" , +{{Cite book , last=Jānā , first=Surendranātha , url=https://www.google.co.in/books/edition/Br%CC%A5hattara_Ma%E1%BA%8Fan%C4%81ra_itibr%CC%A5tta/A_ItAAAAMAAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&bsq=%E0%A6%AE%E0%A6%AF%E0%A6%BC%E0%A6%A8%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%97%E0%A6%A1%E0%A6%BC%20%E0%A6%AC%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%B9%E0%A7%81%E0%A6%AC%E0%A6%B2%E0%A7%80%E0%A6%A8%E0%A7%8D%E0%A6%A6%E0%A7%8D%E0%A6%B0&dq=%E0%A6%AE%E0%A6%AF%E0%A6%BC%E0%A6%A8%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%97%E0%A6%A1%E0%A6%BC%20%E0%A6%AC%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%B9%E0%A7%81%E0%A6%AC%E0%A6%B2%E0%A7%80%E0%A6%A8%E0%A7%8D%E0%A6%A6%E0%A7%8D%E0%A6%B0&printsec=frontcover , title=Br̥hattara Maẏanāra itibr̥tta , date=1971 , publisher=Yajñesvara Lāibrerī , pages=42 , language=bn !Sl no. !Name of the king !Timeline (AD) , - , 1. , Kalindiram Samanta (

of Gajapati Emperor Kapilendra deva and the ruler of Jalauti Dandapat/ He is the ruler of Balisitagarh) , 1434-1467 , - , 2. , Dharanidhar Samanta , , - , 3. , Baishnav Charan Samanta , , - , 4. , Chaitanya Charan Samanta , , - , 5. , Nandiram Samanta , , - , 6. , Govardhananda Samanta / Govardhananda Bahubalindra (Mukundadeva declared him as the first independent King of Moynagarh) , 1561-1607 , - , 7. , Paramananda Bahubalindra , 1607-1672 , - , 8. , Madhavananda Bahubalindra , 1672-1719 , - , 9. , Gokulananda Bahubalindra , 1719-1742 , - , 10. , Kripananda Bahubalindra , 1742-1770 , - , 11. , Jagadananda Bahubalindra , 1770-1783 , - , 12. , Brajananda Bahubalindra , 1783-1793 , - , 13. , Anandananda Bahubalindra , 1793-1822 , - , 14. , Radhashyamananda Bahubalindra (He broke the one child policy of the royal family, he had four sons: Purnanada Bahubalindra, Yadavananda Bahubalindra, Sacchidananda Bahubalindra and Premananda Bahubalindra) , 1822-1833 , - , 15. , Purnananda Bahubalindra , 1833 , - , 16. , Herembananda Bahubalindra , Bahubalindra fam8ily tree 2025-05-21 224635

Bahubalindra fam8ily tree 2025-05-21 224635

Gallery

File:Rash Temple 2025-05-22 132337.png, Rash Temple Moynagarh File:Poramati chitra 2025-05-21 224707.png, Poramati Chittra File:Shyamsundar jiu 2025-05-21 191811.png, Shyam Shundar Jiu (Their family deity) File:Temple 2025-05-21 224936.png, Radha Krishna Temple File:Moynagarh stamp 2025-05-21 224830.png, Stamp of Moynagarh File:Building part view 2025-05-21 192103.png, Royal Palace File:Moynagarh temple 2025-05-21 224751.png, Lokeshwar shiva temple

References

Royal families Odisha Kshatriya Gajapati Empire Warrior code Family Historical Indian regions Bengali zamindars Bengali families Bengali Hindus Indian families Hindu families Tourist attractions in Kolkata Palaces in West Bengal Zamindari estates Dynasties of Bengal Dynasties of India