The dynasty of old landlords is abolished day by day, and we have lost our heritage. Though it’s a national loss, even a single generation never pays heed to save it. They should not be held entirely responsible for their lack of attention to saving the dynasties’ heritages because they were exhausted from dealing with the war of independence and the postwar damages.
Again, its also said that the dynasty of landlords was abolished due to the sighs and curses of their subordinates. Though there is no substantial proof of it, unfortunately, the hierarchy of those dynasties makes the famous saying true!
A kite can dance in a clear sky with the help of an expert flyman and the string that he holds. The dynasty of Sharath flourished for years with his ancestors. Tradition and Heritage are not abolished completely till now. People who hold his title want to trace their roots again.
In pre-modern Bangal, the ownership of land was not only a factor of production but also a Status symbol and a source of social and political influence. A common tradition was followed in Bangla that people wanted to buy Happiness with a large house and much money and huge lands. at that time a successful person started to buy land as a sign of his success and the surroundings gradually named him a Zamindar.
Anyone from an autonomous chief or a group leader to a proprietary present could become a Zamindar in this way. When the lordship spread everywhere, the person was given some responsibilities by British authority. And thus, a common person gradually established his procession which gave him name and fame. Later, the tradition was followed by his ancestors, but success never lasted forever without cherishing it.
A deep pathetic melody bit in heart to observe the declining break and joints of those 300-year-old buildings. The houses were made by the first dreamful pioneer, who planned a lot for his future. Most of those splendid structures have been destroyed to build little neutral houses. Some of those old buildings were so severely damaged that accidents could have happened to them. Some were destroyed in 1971 during the war of independence. The old aesthetic structures of those buildings could be the treasure of New days.
It was a period when Bangla began to experience commercial success with the help of aristocratic Bangalis. As a trend, educated young people aspired to work in the business world in British firms. One of the largest seaports on the Indian subcontinent at the time was Chittagong port. A visionary man named Sharath started his journey from North Bengal to East Bengal in search of his fortune through business. With him, a dynasty began its story of ups and downs.
The territory of Sharath was known as Mohajan’s Zamindari. His father’s name was Hongso (with an unknown title). Hongso and Kongso were two brothers. They moved to East Bengal with the family to start a business with the British East India Company. However, they couldn’t draw the attention of their master. The son of Hongso, named Sharath, became educated and joined the family business. His intelligence made him successful in drawing the attention of company authority. Based on his immense growth in business, the British Empire awarded him a title in 1779. The title was “Mohajan.” From that time, the House of Sharath was known as “ Mohajan Bari.”
Later, Sharath Mohajan bought land, intending to extend his territory. He subleased his property to landless, poor farmers to cultivate. His kindness made him famous among his subordinates. He scattered his estates throughout the south of Chittagong. His manors spread at Anoara, Banshkhali, Lohaghata, and many other countryside locations.
There is some folklore regarding his advancement. Let’s hear one first:
On a hot summer afternoon, Sharath Mohajan returned from his Treasury House. He is preparing to take a rest after lunch. Suddenly, he hears a mild knock at the door. When he opens the door, he observes a Yogi standing in front of it. The saint looks tired, but there is a shadow of peace on his bright face, like an angel.
Sharath Mohajan becomes happy to see the monk and calls his wife. It is considered a privilege to be able to serve strangers or guests in one’s home. Sharath Babu’s wife is a very pious lady. She becomes busy in the service of the monk. She requests that he come inside the house to take a rest and offers him lunch with great care. The monk was pleased with their hospitality and happily blessed their family.
While leaving the house with the offerings, the saint gives five gold coins to Sharath Babu and his wife and advises them to use those coins properly. The saint asks them to believe in God and help the poor. He further orders them to build a temple of Maa Durga and spread betterment.
It is believed that the saint bought ultimate betterment to the dynasty of Sharath Mohajan. He improves his business and Starts to scatter his Zamindari. After achieving great success in education, reform, and business, he devotes himself to the propagation of religion.
This was the beginning of Sharath Mohajan’s dynasty. Though it is a story, it is taken as true. It is accepted that the five coins given by the monk symbolize the five sons of Sharath Mohajan.
The name of Sharath Mohajan is still famous for establishing temples and helping poor people. There is a market in Potia named after him. Although he made extensive plans for the establishment of the temple, not all of those plans became successful during his time. Sharath Babu’s grandson, Girish Mohajan completed the work of establishing his grandfather’s incomplete and half-finished temple. Girish Mohajan erected an idol from various religious sites across United India in the temple. This is how the seed of a dynasty was sown, whose descendants are still in the house of the Potia Mohajan Bari.
Before the War of Palasy, British Authority used land tenure as a mechanism to serve their economic and political interests. In search of a better future, Sharath Mohajan traveled to East Bengal in the year 1700. His condition began to improve after joining the British company. After Sharath Mohajan his five sons are given the responsibilities of his Zamindari.
Among the five sons of Sharath Mohajan, Sudharam was the cleverest. He was the third son of Sharath. His management quality was so splendid that almost all of the territory of the Zamindari was handed over to him. He rebuilds the Management system of subordinates and the court system.
There was a dark side to this dynasty.Sharath’s education made him successful and rich. Before having Zamindari the children of the family become proud. They Didn’t show any interest to go to school. They even didn’t allow their children to go to school. As they Were privileged with inherited procession they competed with other Zamindars in luxury. According to them, studying with the children of their subordinates was detrimental to their lineage. The grandson and great-grandsons of Sharath Mohajan were sometimes forced to go to school, but they would tear the book and float it in the dighi (lake). Moreover, they thought the issue of land control was the only way to ultimate progress and possibilities for aspirants. As a result, they never showed an interest in education. In this way the sooner they started to fly in an inappropriate dimension the sooner they fall.
Murali Mohajan and Anando Mohajan were the first two sons of Sharath Mohajan. They got some land from Zamindari and started their cultivation farm. As they contributed the most to his father’s Zamindari the main house of Sharath Mohajan was also handed to Shudharam to live in. The other four sons were separated from Shudharam after the death of Sharath and started to live on another piece of land.
Girish Chandra Mohajan was the only son of Shudharam who was not an educated but a religious person. In the generation of Sharath Chandra’s Grandson, Girish Mohajan proved himself the most eligible successor of his grandfather. He dug many ponds and Lakes on the land he got from his grandfather. Besides maintaining the luxury he had completed his grandfather’s incomplete work of establishing the temple of Goddess Durga and other Gods and Goddesses. He had five sons who also engaged in their family trend of spending money from the treasury without earning anything. The five sons of Girish lead such a luxurious lifestyle that it made their next-generation poor. The further generation of Girish Mohajan had to experience extreme poverty.
Dhoni Ram Mohajan the fourth son of Sharath Mohajan was a pure gentleman. He never thought of embezzlement. He became Separated from the main activities of Zamindari of his father and wished to begin something new. At the very beginning, he started farming with his only son Aparncaran Mohajan. Gradually Cultivation opens a new way for to them of being rich. At first, They started their own business of fresh food, fruits, and vegetable in their Local area through their subordinate cultivators. Aparnacharan has six sons and one daughter. among them the second son, Nandolal was prominent. He helped people with money and food without having any sort of interest in help. He helped poor people by managing job for them. Nandolal Started his business ina fresh hand and he scattered it not only in Chittagong but also in the other district of Bangladesh.
Nandolal had five sons and a daughter. though he made all of his sons educated, he made them keep in touch with cultivation and family business. He sent his five sons from Potiya to Chowmuhony of Noakhali for the convenience of their education.Rabindrolal Mohajon was the first son of Nandolal.
Rabindralal sharted his schooling at “Madan Mohan high school.” During the separation of India and Pakisthanin1947, he shifted to at collegiate School, Chittagong, and passed matriculation there. After that, he went to Agartola,Kolkata. Here, he was accepted into Agartala College for intermediate studies, after which he finished his undergraduate studies at Kolkata University. After completing his studies, he started a business and minded to settle there.
The six sons of Aparnacaran had established a family business at Chowmuhoni Noakhali. Raj Narayan took the hales of their family business. But he had died at a very early age and his death made down the position of their family business and family as well. At that time Rabindralal was asked to leave his own business of Kolkata and come to Noakhali to take the hand of family business. As he was a highly educated person his intellect and sensibilities made flourished again. He gave the responsibilities of his own business of trunks to his younger brother Meghnadh. Meghndh settled in Kolkata with family after his study.
Rabindralal has four sons and five daughters. All of them are educated and well settled.His third daughter Shila Mohajan serves the Government Republic of Bangladesh as a Revenue officer of Bangladesh Customs.
Bivutivushion the second son of Nandolal left Bangladesh at the age of 17. His departure from Bangladesh was quite painful but dramatic. Though Nandolal made his sons educated, he never allowed them to get a disconnect from their roots. He never let his cultivation and farming go down under the enhancement of family business . It was long ago when Bivutivuson read in class nine. One rainy day he got ready to go to school. His father forbids him to go to school on that day and ordered him to help in the field to cultivate paddy. Bivhutivuson denied and did the same he wanted to do.In afternoon when he returned from school Nandolal started to beat him brutally. Nandolal forced Bivutivuson to leave his house and beat him so badly that he jumped into their house’s nearby channel and never returned. Everyone thought that he had died by drawing in the water. It is the incident that occurs after 10 to 12 years when he sends a letter to his father’s address from London, United Kingdom. He and his family are currently residents of London. He has three sons named David, Petter, and Roy, and his only daughter’s name is Geeta. Being a Bengali by birth, he wanted his children to have Bengali names as well. He also gave the names David, Petter, and Roy as Devendra, Premendra, and Ramendra, respectively, with the exception of Geeta as it is a pious name.
Avinash, the fourth son of Nandolal, works in shipping. He also settled in India before the War of Independence. Poresh Mohajan, the fifth son of Nandolal, stayed in London. Though he went there with the help of his elder brother, he flourished with his talent, sincerity, and hard work . He has three sons named Ripon, Royel, and Rioz. Aparnacaran’s first son Chondrolal has two sons and four daughters. All of them are settled in Patia. They followed the trend of farming of his grandfather.
Juramoni,the youngest issue of the legend Sharath Mohajan always remained separate from the so-called flow of lordship and luxury. He leads a very simple life with his family. Their further successor’s occupation was also cultivation and they retained it in the next generation.
Prominent works:
There are some dighis (lakes) and ponds of Zamindar’s time. Those ponds and lakes were dug by Sharath Mohajan to help the poor with their cultivation. They use the water from those ponds to cultivate their field during summer. From those ponds and Lakes “Purba Pukur”,”Boro Dighi”, “Horo gourir pukur” and “Kocu pukur” are very prominent.
The famous Mohajan Hat was named after this renowned Mohajan Dynasty. It is known as Sharath Mohajan’s hat till now. The Misti (sweetmeat) of Mohajan Hat is very famous in that area. Moreover, the Hat is vigilant of many ups and downs of this dynasty. Many of the ancestors of this dynasty started their journey as businessmen from this Hat. Nowadays the Hat opens a vast workplace for many local businessmen.
As the Zamindars did not allow their children to go to school, there was no school on the territory of Sharath Mohajan. Durjomoyee Mohajon, the wife of Rabindralal Mohajan was the first educated woman in the house. She never encouraged ignorance. She took the most important step in generations to make education available to the common people.
There was a rest house that, at the time of Zamindar was used as the treasury house of Zamindar. After Girish Mohajan’s rule came to an end, the house was abandoned for several days. Durjomoyee Mohajan planned to establish a school for everyone in that rest house.
She rebuilt the house with the assistance of some other locals, managed the tutorial materials, and established a school for the first time. She named the school Shosang Shantiniketan. Later, this Shosang Shantiniketan was converted into a Govt. primary school and renamed as Shosang Government Primary School. The ownership and responsibilities are also handed over to the honorable government.
There was a decrepit temple of Lord Shiva which was set up during the time of Girish Mohajan. Durjomoyee Devi took the charge of the task of rebuilding the temple again. She also took the step to reconstruct the temple and Goddess Durga’s idol. Though no one used to go there before, now in every year Durga puja and other puja are held there.
Durjomoiyee Devi was such a pious lady that she also continued to do many things for society. She build a Loknath Ashram (a saint of Hindu religion)and used to feed the poor here in the name of Loknath Baba
Her Vagabath Sangga and other religious activities help to erase the previous discrimination from society.
It’s very little that I have dragged out of the vast wave of this dynasty. They have lots of contributions to age. I gathered the myths and stories from the elderly as well as some from locals. I have visited the old house several times. Despite numerous repairs and the replacement of Khapras on the roof with tin-shad, the building retains its antiquity. I have also visited the temples of Lord Shiva and Goddess Annapurna. There is a cow named Gomata. Very surprisingly, she gives milk all around the year, though she never gives birth to a calf. According to the community, she is the symbol of purity. Many people went to those temples for religious reasons.
There is still much to learn about this ancient dynasty. This type of dynasty can be found all over Bangladesh and has been abolished over time due to a lack of attention. Many hidden stories of heroism and social service would be revealed if more research on these ancient dynasties could be conducted. This Mohajan dynasty is one of those.
Map location of this place:
