Kuchesar

Kuchesar is a princely estate in Bulandshahr district, state of Uttar Pradesh, at a distance of 80 km from Delhi, off the NH 24. It was the seat of Jagirdari, or princely estate, during British Raj.

The rulers of Kuchesar built their mud-fort sometime in the mid-18th century. The mud-fort of Kuchesar tells of the history of Jats who chequered history vied with the Marathas, Rohillas as well as with French adventurers and the British East India Company, to fill the vacuum created by the decline of the Mughal empire.

Part of the Kuchesar Fort, built 1734, became a heritage hotel in 1998, after its restoration by Neemrana Hotels.[1][2]

Kuchesar State

Mughal era

In the lineage of (Dalal) was born a certain Bhual. He and his three brothers Jagram, Jatmal and Gurva, are credited with founding a principality in Kuchesar. Bhaul had one son named Maujiram, who had two sons namely Ramsingh and Chhatar Singh. Chhatar Singh was very brave; lord of nearby Chitsauna, obtaining both power and a large estate. His sons helped Maharaja Jawahar Singh, the ruler of Bharatpur State, to avenge the death of his father Maharaja Suraj Mal. took back the jagir of Kuchesar with the title of Rao;

When Maharaja Jawahar Singh (r . 1763–1768) made war with the mughal rulers of Delhi, Shah Alam II (r . 1759–1806) latter attacked Kuchesar. The Dalal Jats were defeated; their fort of Kuchesar was captured and razed. Rao Maganiram and Ramdhan Singh were arrested and imprisoned in the fort of Koyal. The two brothers escaped from prison, reached Moradabad and aligned with the Marathas. In 1782, Maganiram and Ramdhan Singh, along with an army, recaptured Kuchesar from the Muslims. Rao Maganiram died after this victory. As per Jat custom, his widow and his younger brother were married to each other.

By 1790, Ramdhan Singh had recaptured all of Kuchesar estate; he had also acquired Pooth, Siana, Thana Farida, Datyane and Saidpur on Rs 40,000 annual Malguzari lease from the ruler of Delhi Shah Alam II.[3] After 1782, Kuchesar mud-fort remained in unbroken possession of the family; it was granted to them in perpetual lease by the Mughal Emperor Shah Alam II in 1790, a grant confirmed by the British in 1807.[3]

British era

The British formalised their authority over the area in 1803; they recognised the estate of Kuchesar and its estate-holders without alteration to the status quo. Kuchesar State, which was obtained by Rao Randhan Singh Dalal as perpetual jagir from Mughal Emperor Shah Alam II (ruled 1759–1806) for an annual payment of Rs. 40,000, was later confirmed to him by British. Randhan Singh died in prison in Meerut in 1816, and his jagir was granted revenue-free by in perpetuity to his son Rao Fateh Singh by the British Raj Lord Moira in 1816.[3]

Rao Fateh Singh died in 1839 and his son Rao Bahadur Singh added to his estate. He wanted to leave his estate equally to his two sons, Gulab Singh and Umarao Singh, but Gulab Singh resented it and Umarao Singh was found murdered in his house in 1847.[3]

Gulab Singh inherited the estate for his services to British during Indian Rebellion of 1857. He had no sons, after he died in 1859 the estate was managed by his widow Rani Jaswant Kumari pending a settlement. Jaswant Kumari died quite soon afterwards, and was followed in these offices by Gulab Singh's only daughter, Bhup Kumari.[3]

Bhup Kumari died without a child in 1861 and her husband Kushal Singh laid claim to the estate. Kushal Singh was a nephew and adopted son of Raja Nahar Singh of Ballabhgarh State.[3] After Nahar's property was ceased by British and his estate was abolished for his participation in 1857 war of independence, a political pension of Rs. 6,000 a year was settled upon, Nahar's heir-apparent adopted son and nephew, Kushal Singh. Kushal left Ballabhgarh for good and sought shelter with his wife's people at Kuchesar.[4] In 1868, the Panchyat court divided the estate into three parts:[3]

  • share of 6/16 to Umrao Singh, he later gave his daughter to Kushal Singh
  • share of 5/16's to Pratap Singh,
  • remaining share of 5/16 to Khusal Singh.

Umrao Singh married one of his daughters to Kushal Singh, who bore him a son Giriraj Singh. In 1898, Umrao Singh died and his grandson and Kushal Singh's son, Rao Giriraj Singh, inherited the portion held by him as well as the portion held by Kushal Singh.[3]

Chronology of estate-holders

The chronology of Kuchesar Jat estate-holders is as under:

  • Bhual
  • Maujiram
  • Rao Chhatar Singh
  • Rao Maganiram
  • Rao Ramdhan Singh,[3] brother of Maganiram
  • Rao Fateh Singh[3]
  • Rao Bahadur Singh[3]
  • Rao Gulab Singh[3]
    • Rani Jaswant Kumari, widow of Gulab Singh[3]
    • Bhup Kumari, daughter of Gulab Singh[3]
  • Khusal Singh, adopted son of Raja Nahar Singh of Ballabhgarh State of Ballabhgarh[3]
  • Pratap Singh[3]
  • Umrao Singh
  • Giriraj Singh[3]

Successive Generations of the same royal family of Kucshesar state are:

  • Raja Khushaal Singh (had 3 sons -Rao Ramprasad Singh, Rao Udaybhan Singh, Rao Ramgopal Singh)
  • Kunwar Har Narain Singh (s/o Rao Ramprasad Singh)
  • Kunwar Deewan Singh, Kunwar Nihal Singh (s/o Kunwar Har Narain Singh)
  • Kunwar Amar Singh, (s/o Kunwar Deewan Singh from first marriage), Kunwar Digvijay Singh and Kunwar Rajendra Singh, (s/o Kunwar Deewan Singh from second marriage) ,
  • kunwar Santosh Kumar Singh (s/o Kunwar Amar Singh from first marriage), Ashok Kumar Singh, Kuldeep Singh, Yogesh Singh (s/o Kunwar Amar Singh from second marriage)
  • Kunwar Kushal Pal Singh (s/o Kunwar Digvijay Singh)
  • kunwar Sudhanshu Kumar Singh, kunwar Sunit Singh (s/o kunwar Santosh Kumar Singh), HariOm chuaudhary (s/o Kuldeep Singh)
  • Kunwar Gaurav Kumar, Kunwar Saurabh Singh (s/o Kunwar Kushal Pal Singh)
  • Kunwar Kabir Singh (s/o kunwar Sunit Singh), Kunwar Tejwardhan Singh (s/o kunwar Sudhanshu Kumar Singh)
  • Kunwar Ranvijay Singh (s/o Kunwar Gaurav Kumar)

Mohiuddinpur lineage

Some of the descendants moved to the present day region of Mohiuddinpur (district Meerut) around 1857 where they are based till date. Their successors are as follows (list incomplete yet):

1. Gangabaksh Singh (and two other siblings) 2. Gopal Singh s/o Gangabaksh Singh 3. Girvar Singh, Gajpat Singh, Bishambar Singh, Jaswant Singh (sons of Gopal Singh) 4. Gurbachan Singh (s/o Girvar Singh) who had three daughters 5. Chhajju Singh, Narayan Singh (sons of Gajpat Singh) 6. Harikishan Singh, Srikishan Singh (sons of Bishamber Singh the latter was adopted by Jaswant Singh)

Jauligarh lineage

Some of the descendants moved to a village Jauligarh or Jauli in the Bulandshahr district of Uttar Pradesh.

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See also

References
  1. "Ruins revisited: Forts and palaces get a fresh lease of life thanks to Aman Nath and Francis Wacziarg of Neemrana Hotels". The Hindu. 29 July 2004.
  2. Sandhu, Veenu (9 April 2011). "No royalty". Business Standard News. Retrieved 19 December 2015.
  3. Sir Roper Lethbridge, 1893, The Golden Book of India: A Genealogical and Biographical Dictionary, p559.
  4. Kailash Nath Katju, Valmiki Katju, Markanday Katju, 2006, Life and Times of Doctor Kailas Nath Katju, Page 222.

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