Raja Virendra Mohan Dar

Raja Virendra Mohan Dar
Maharaja
Portrait c. 1782
Reign1771-1821
Coronationc. 1771
SuccessorRaja Mukund Mohan Dar
Born(1758-09-14)September 14, 1758
Dar, Akhnoor
DiedFebruary 3, 1821(1821-02-03) (aged 62)
Dhaka
HouseHouse of Dar
FatherRamhari Dar

Maharaja Virendra Vasudev Mohan Dar (Persian: ویرِندرا واسودِو موهان دار), also known as Raja Virendra Mohan Dar, was the founder of the Dar Raj and a Kashmiri Pandit Maharaja, Jagirdar and the king of Dar and Nannar from 1771 until his death in 1821.

Early Life and Education

Virendra Mohan Dar was born on 14 September 1758, in Akhnoor, Kashmir. He completed his education, in Persian, Sanskrit, English and Mathematics under kashmiri pandits such as Pt. Madhussudan Kaul.

Accession

During the reign of Ahmad Shah Durrani, he was formally conferred the title of Maharaja and was coronated in 1771. His role is considered significant in the political and social history of Kashmir. The death of Ahmed Shah Durrani in 1772 resulted in the decline of the Durrani Empire due to which the Dar Raj eventually lost power in Akhnoor and the Cashmere Valley, hence they shifted to Bengal (Now Bangladesh).

Shift to Bengal

Virendra Mohan constructed the Dhar Rajbari at Char Talibari, in the Rajrajeshwar area of Bengal (Now Bangladesh), at a cost of 2 million rupees. Later, due to severe erosion by the Padma River, the palace was completely destroyed. He then built the 250 room Dhar Zamindar Palace at Jalsin, Nannar Village in Dhamrai at a cost of 3 million rupees, which is also known as Nannar Rajbari.

Death and Legacy

Virendra Mohan Dar is mentioned in various historical texts and records, where he is identified as one of the influential local rulers of Kashmir during the Durrani period. He died in 1821 of cancer. His son, Raja Mukund Mohan Dar, was coronated the following year.

References

  1. 1 2 Mukherjee, Ramesh Chandra (1987-07-21). Mahārāja Vīrendra Mohan Dār of Akhnūr. Calcutta: Nīldhôni Prokāśônā.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: date and year (link)
  2. ↑ Nalinikanta Bhattacharya (1938-04-18). Dar Raj (Dhar Raj) of Akhnur and Dhaka.
  3. 1 2 Basu 1919, pp. 10–14.
  4. ↑ BL, Jitendranath Ghose (1931-07-21). The Raja of Dar- Life and Legacy of Virendra Vasudev of Dar- ویرِندرا واسودِو موهان دار. Bridgebit Printing Works, Bowbajaar, Calcutta 1931. pp. 21, 22, 23.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: date and year (link)
  5. ↑ Khan, Mohammad Ishaq (2004). History of Medieval Kashmir. Srinagar: Gulshan Books. pp. 312–314.
  6. ↑ Mukherjee, Ramesh (1979-12-06). وِرینٛدر موہن دار (in Arabic). Banwara Publishing.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: date and year (link)
  7. ↑ BL, Jitendranath Ghose (1931-07-21). The Raja of Dar- Life and Legacy of Virendra Vasudev of Dar- ویرِندرا واسودِو موهان دار. Bridgebit Printing Works, Bowbajaar, Calcutta 1931. pp. 54, 58, 59.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: date and year (link)
  8. ↑ Basu 1919, pp. 21–28.
  9. ↑ Mukherjee, Ramesh (1979-12-06). وِرینٛدر موہن دار (in Arabic). Banwara Publishing.
  10. ↑ Badal, M. N. C. (1949-06-11). ZAMĪNDĀRS OF EARLY BAṄGĀL AND EAST PĀKISTĀN AND DECLINE OF ZAMĪNDĀR SYSTEM. Baṅgāl Granthālaya Prakāśan.
  11. ↑ Basu 1919, pp. 112–125.
  12. ↑ Ikram, Sheikh Mohamad (1989). History of Muslim Civilization in India and Pakistan: A Political and Cultural History. Institute of Islamic Culture. pp. 201–202. ISBN 978-969-469-001-8.
  13. ↑ Sufi, G. M. D. (1974). Kashīr, Being a History of Kashmir from the Earliest Times to Our Own. Light & Life Publishers. pp. 85–86.
  14. ↑ Historical Abstracts: Modern history abstracts, 1775–1914. Part A. American Bibliographical Center, CLIO. 1988. pp. 69, 70, 98.
  15. ↑ Commissioner, India Census (1933). Census of India, 1931. Manager of Publications. pp. 186, 188.

Bibliography