COOCH BEHAR (Princely State)

(13 gun salute)

  
Area: 3,414 km2 Privy Purse: 850,000R  Accession Date: 1st January 1950
State: West Bengal  Dynasty: Narayan  Religion: Hindu
     
Present Ruler: VACANT
 
Predecessors and Short History: Founded about 1510 or 1515. Rulers were...
  • Raja Haridas Mondal, ruler of an area near the Chikna Mountains, belonged to the Mech caste of the Haihoi dynasty, married 1stly, Rani Jira, elder daughter of Bhuiyan Hajo, married at the same time, 2ndly, Rani Hira, younger daughter of Bhuiyan Hajo, and had issue.
    • Madan (by Jira, eldest son), died about 1510 in battle.
    • Maharaja CHANDAN NARAYAN (by Jira) (qv)
    • Raja SISYA SINGHA [Sishu] (by Hira), Raikat [=family guardian], King of Baikunthapur, married and had issue, the later Prime Ministers of Cooch Behar and the Raikat Kings of Jalpaiguri.
      • Raja Monahar Dev, married and had issue.
        • Raja Manikoth Dev, married and had issue.
          • Raja Bhaba Dev, married and had issue.
            • Raja Dharma Dev, married and had issue.
              • Raja Darpa Dev, married and had issue.
                • Several generations
                  • Raja Fanindra Dev Raikot, said to be the 20th Raikat in succession and had provided good service in the Bhutan War. He died after 1891.
                    • Several generations
                      • Raja Prosanna Dev Raikot, last Raja of Baikunthapur in Jalpaiguri District, West Bengal; married 1stly, Rani Asrumati Devi, died 5th January 1954, married 2ndly (in Gandharba form), Rani Renchi Devi, a Lepcha by birth, and had issue, three sons and one daughter. He died 4th December 1946.
                        • Kumar Rupendra Dev Raikot (by Rani Renchi Devi), died after 1963.
                        • Kumar Shiva Prasad Dev (by Rani Renchi Devi)
                        • Kumar Deva Prasad Dev (by Rani Renchi Devi)
                        • Kumari Prativa Devi [Mrs. Prativa Bose] (by Rani Asrumati Devi)
    • Maharaja VISWA SINGHA [Vishu] (by Hira) (see below)

  1. Maharaja CHANDAN NARAYAN 1510/1523, expanded the territory greatly. He died sp 1523. 

  2. Maharaja VISWA SINGHA [Vishu] 1523/1554 (abdicated), born 1501, shifted the capital from Chikna in the mountains to Hingulabas on the plains, married many times, and had issue, 19 sons. He died after 1554.
    • Raja Nri Singha, King of Panga.
    • Raja Shukladhaj [Chilarai], King of Assam, appointed the army commander conquering Assam in 1562, granted a portion of the new territories, which included East Assam, married Rani Chandraprabha, niece of Pratap Roy, and had issue. He died 1571.
      • Raja Raghudev Narayan, Raja of Darrang, married and had issue.
        • Raja Parikshit Narayan, married and had issue.
          • Raja Bijit Narayan, 1st Raja of Bijni, established 1671, married and had issue.
          • Rani Mangaldhai, married 1608, Raja PRATAP SINGHA of Assam.
        • Raja Bali Narayan, Raja of Darrang, invoked the aid of the Ahoms of Upper Assam against the Muslim invaders; after his defeat and death, the Ahoms dominated the whole district, and the Darrang Rajas sank into petty feudatories, married and had issue. He died 1637.
          • Raja Mahendra Narayan, Raja of Darrang, married and had issue.
            • Raja Chandra Narayan, Raja of Darrang, married and had issue.
              • Raja Indra Narayan, Raja of Darrang, married and had issue.
                • Raja Mod Narayan, Raja of Darrang.
              • Raja Surya Narayan, Raja of Darrang, married and had issue.
                • Raja Dhir Narayan, Raja of Darrang, married and had issue.
                  • Raja Kirti Narayan, Raja of Darrang, married and had issue.
                    • Raja Bishnu Narayan, Raja of Darrang, about 1785 he took advantage of the decay of the Ahom kingdom to try and re-establish independence, but was defeated by a British expedition in 1792, and in 1826 Darrang, with the rest of Assam, passed under British control.
    • Maharaja NAR NARAYAN (qv)
    • Maharajkumar Kamal Narayan [Gosai Kamal]

  3. Maharaja NAR NARAYAN 1554/1587, captured Manipur and Tripura, adding them to his Kingdom, married (amongst others), Rani Bhanumati, daughter of Pratap Roy, Buiyan of Pandu, and had issue. He died 1587.
    • Maharaja LAKSHMI NARAYAN (qv)
    • Rani Kshama Devi, married 23rd December 1596, Mirza Raja MAN SINGH I of Jaipur, and had issue. She committed sati 1614.

  4. Maharaja LAKSHMI NARAYAN 1587/1621, married and had issue. He died 1621.
    • Maharajkumar Braja Narayan, died vp.
    • Maharajkumar Bhim Narayan, died vp.
    • Maharajkumar Vil Narayan
    • Maharaja BIR NARAYAN (by the Senior Queen) (qv)
    • Maharajkumar Gosai Mahi Narayan, Najir Dev, married and had issue. He died 1666.
      • Kumar Shri Jagat Narayan, married and had issue. He died after 1682.
        • Kumar Shri Viswa Narayan
        • Maharaja RUP NARAYAN (qv)
      • Kumar Shri Yajna Narayan, married and had issue. He died after 1682.
        • Kumar Shri Shanta Narayan, Najir Dev.
        • Kumar Shri Satya Narayan, appointed as the Dewan (financial minister), married and had issue.
          • Kumar Shri Deena Narayan, adopted by Maharaja UPENDRA NARAYAN, but rebelled and died before being able to succeed.
      • Kumar Shri Chandra Narayan
      • Kumar Shri Darpa Narayan, died 1665/1666.

  5. Maharaja BIR NARAYAN 1621/1626, he was first to open schools in his kingdom, married and had issue. He died 1626.
    • Maharaja PRAN NARAYAN (qv)

  6. Maharaja PRAN NARAYAN 1626/1665, invaded Ghoraghat, the center of Mughal power in Banga (Bengal). In 1661 he captured Dhaka, capital of Banga, but was forced to capitulate, a peace treat being signed in 1664, married and had issue, 3 sons. He died 1665.
    • Maharajkumar Vishnu Narayan (eldest son), married and had issue. He died vp.
      • Kumar Shri Man Narayan, married and had issue.
        • Maharaja MAHENDRA NARAYAN (qv)
    • Maharaja MOD NARAYAN (qv)
    • Maharaja VASUDEO NARAYAN (qv)

  7. Maharaja MOD NARAYAN [Madan Narayan] 1665/1680, completed the construction of Jalpesh temple. In 1665 he helped Raja Ram Singh, army commander of the Delhi sultanate and king of Amber, with 5 thousand soldiers in the war against king of Assam. He died sp 1680.

  8. Maharaja VASUDEO NARAYAN [Basudev Narayan] 1680/1682. He died sp 1682.

  9. Maharaja MAHENDRA NARAYAN 1682/1693, born c1677. He died sp 1693.

  10. Maharaja RUP NARAYAN 1693/1714, shifted his capital, later called Behar, from Atharokotha to Guriahati Gram on the eastern bank of river Torsha, married and had issue. He died 1714.
    • Maharaja UPENDRA NARAYAN (qv)
    • Maharajkumar Kharga Narayan, 2nd Dewan Deo, married and had issue.
      • Maharaja DHAIRJENDRA NARAYAN (qv)
      • Maharaja RAJENDRA NARAYAN (qv)
      • Kumar Shri Ram Narayan, 3rd Dewan Deo, married and had issue.
        • Kumar Shri Bijendra Narayan (qv)
      • Kumar Shri Surendra Narayan, married and had issue.
        • Kumar Shri Nagendra Narayan
        • Kumar Shri Jibendra Narayan
    • Maharajkumar Vidya Narayan, died vp.
    • Maharajkumar Narendra Narayan, died vp. 

  11. Maharaja UPENDRA NARAYAN 1714/1763, adopted Kumar Shri Deena Narayan, son of Dewan Satya Narayan, conferring upon him all authority to run the state administration, married 2ndly, Rani Lalbai, and had issue. He died 1763. 
    • Maharaja DEBENDRA NARAYAN (by 2nd wife) (qv)

  12. Maharaja DEBENDRA NARAYAN 1764/1765, born 1759, during his rule, the administration of the state totally broke down, with Bhutan invading the Kingdom and demanding tribute from the Maharaja. He died 12th August 1765.

  13. Maharaja DHAIRJENDRA NARAYAN 1765/1770 and 1775/1783, during this reign many regions came under the rule of the Butanese, eventually being imprisoned by them in 1770, married 6 wives, including, Maharani Kamteswari Devi, and had issue. He died 1783.
    • Maharaja DHARENDRA NARAYAN (qv)
    • Maharaja HARENDRA NARAYAN (qv)

  14. Maharaja RAJENDRA NARAYAN 1770/1772, Maharaja in name only, married in 1772, and died five days later of a fever. He died sp 1772.

  15. Maharaja DHARENDRA NARAYAN 1772/1775, during his rule, the British helped drive out the Bhutanese, restoring peace in the country. He died sp 1775.

  16. Maharaja HARENDRA NARAYAN 1783/1840, born 1769?, granted ruling powers in 1799, married (amongst others), the daughters of Jadunath Ishore and Padmanath Karjee, and had issue. He died 1840 on pilgrimage in Benares.
    • Maharaja SHIVENDRA NARAYAN (qv)
    • Maharajkumar Brajendra Narayan, married and had issue.
      • Maharaja NARENDRA NARAYAN [Chandra Narayan](qv)
    • Maharajkumar Meghendra Narayan, born 1796.
    • Maharajkumar Mahendra Narayan
    • Maharajkumar Nilendra Narayan
    • Maharajkumar Yogendra Narayan

  17. Maharaja SHIVENDRA NARAYAN 1840/1847, born 1796, adopted Kumar Shri Karindra Narayan, son of Kumar Shri Shambhu Narayan of Balarampur, who was then eight years old, dying in 1845, he adopted his nephew, married the daughter of Bajradhar Karjee of Chapgur Gram and daughter of ex-Jowar Brajendra Narayan Chowdhury [Rajmatas Kamteswari and Brindeswari Devi]. He died sp 1847 in Benares.

  18. Maharaja NARENDRA NARAYAN 1847/1863, born 1841, adopted by his uncle, granted full ruling powers in 1860, banned the practise of sati, married (amongst others), Maharani Mishimayi Devi, and had issue. He died 6th August 1863.
    • Maharajkumar Jatindra Narayan
    • Col. HH Maharaja Sir NRIPENDRA NARAYAN (by Maharani Nishimayi Devi) (qv)
    • Maharajkumari Anandamoyee

  19. Col. HH Maharaja Sir NRIPENDRA NARAYAN 1863/1911, born 4th October 1862, educated privately and later in England, was admitted to Presidency College to study Law till 1881, married 1878, HH Maharani Suniti Devi Sen, born 1864, daughter of Maharishi Keshub Chandra Sen, conferred the title of Imperial Order of Crown on the occasion of Queen Victoria's Jubilee celebrations, died 1932, and had issue, 4 sons and 3 daughters. He died 18th September 1911.
    • HH Maharaja RAJENDRA II NARAYAN Bhup Bahadur (see below)
    • HH Maharaja JITENDRA NARAYAN Bhup Bahadur (see below)
    • Lt.Col. Maharajkumar Shri Victor Nitendra Narayan, born 21st May 1888, married Rani Nirupama Devi, and had issue. He died 1937.
      • Rajkumar Gautam Narayan, he died in the 1970's.
      • Rajkumar Nidhendra Narayan, died young.
    • Lt.Col. Maharajkumar Shri Hitendra Narayan, born 1st July 1890 at Cooch Behar, played First-Class cricket for Somerset. He died 7th December 1920 at Darjeeling (#1).
    • Maharaj Kumari Sukriti Devi [Princess Girlie], born 1884, married 1899 (sep'd.), Jyotsaanath Ghosal, C.I.E. [cr.1918], Zamindar of Belgaum, and had issue. She died 1958.
    • Maharaj Kumari Pratibha Devi [Princess Pretty], born 1891, married Lionel Mander. She died sp 1923.
    • Maharaj Kumari Sudhira Devi [Princess Baby], born 1894, married February 1914, Alan Mander, and had issue. She died 1968.
      • Geeta Mander, born July 1920.
      • Derek Mander
      • Garbo Mander

  20. HH Maharaja RAJENDRA II NARAYAN Bhup Bahadur 1911/1913, born 11th April 1882 in Calcutta, educated at Mayo College in Ajmer 1893, then sent to England in 1894 for further studies, gained entry to Oxford College in 1900, died unmarried 1st September 1913 in London, buried in Cooch Behar.

  21. HH Maharaja JITENDRA NARAYAN Bhup Bahadur 1913/1922, born 20th December 1886 at Cooch Behar Palace, educated privately under a British home tutor, admitted to Itan School in 1900, then admitted to Edinburgh University, married 25th August 1913 in London, HH Maharani Indira Devi, born 1892, died 1968, daughter of HH Maharaja Gaekwad Sir SAYAJIRAO III KHANDERAO GAEKWAD Sena Khas Khel Shamsher Bahadur Farzand-i-Khas-i-Daulat-i-Inglishia of Baroda, and his second wife, HH Maharani Gajra Bai, and had issue. He died 20th December 1922.
    • Lt.Col. (Hon) HH Maharajah Sir JAGGADIPENDRA NARAYAN Bhup Bahadur (see below)
    • Maharaj Kumar INDRAJITENDRA NARAYAN, born 1918 in Poona, educated at Mayo College, Ajmer, married the daughter of the Raja of Pithapuram and had issue. He died 1951 in Darjeeling.
      • HH Maharaja VIRAJENDRA NARAYAN Bhup Bahadur (see below)
      • Maharani Uttara Devi, born 1942, married 1963, HH Maharao BRIJRAJ SINGH of Kotah.
    • Maharajkumari Ila Devi, born 1914, married Maharajkumar RAMENDRA KISHORE DEV VARMA of Tripura, and had issue. She died 1945.
    • HH Maharani Gayatri Devi, born 23rd May 1919 in London, educated at Shantiniketan, Laussane, Switzerland, London School of Secretaries, Brilliantmont and Monkey Club London; President of the All India Badminton Association, and Rajasthan State Swatantra Party, Vice-President of the All India Lawn Tennis Association and All India Swatantra Party, Director Rambagh Palace Hotel, Jaipur, and Gee Stud Farm Pvt Ltd., Chairman of the Governing Council of Maharani Gayatri Devi Girls Public School, Jaipur, Chairman of the Board of Trustee of Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh Benevolent Trust, Jaipur, the Maharani Gayatri Soldier's Welfare Fund, Jaipur; the Sawai Ram Singh Shilp Kala Mandir, Jaipur; M/s Jaipur Durries Pvt Ltd, Jalpur and Rajasthan State Tourist Development Corporation, Jaipur; Member of the 3rd, 4th and 5th Lok Sabha, author of: "A Princess Remembers" and "A Government's Gateway", interests include photography, Fine Arts and Museums, married 9th May 1940, HH Saramad-i-Rajahai Hindustan Raj Rajendra Shri Maharajadhiraj Sir Sawai MAN SINGH II Bahadur of Jaipur, and has issue.
    • HH Maharani Menaka Devi, born 1920, married 1942, HH Maharajah Sir YESHWANT RAO SINGH of Dewas-Junior, and has issue.

  22. Lt.Col. (Hon) HH Maharaja Sir JAGADDIPENDRA NARAYAN Bhup Bahadur (1915-1970)Lt.Col. (Hon) HH Maharaja Sir JAGADDIPENDRA NARAYAN Bhup Bahadur 1922/1970, born 15th December 1915 at Cooch Behar Palace, educated at Harrow 1927/1929 and Trinity Hall, Cambridge 1929/1934, K.C.I.E. [cr.1945], 7th Light Cavalry Indian Army, served in World War II, granted full ruling powers on 6th April 1936, married 1stly, about 1950 (div.), Nancy Valentine, born St. Albans, Long Island, an Hollywood actress, married 2ndly, Gina Egan. He died sp 11th April 1970 in Calcutta. 

  23. HH Maharaja VIRAJENDRA NARAYAN Bhup Bahadur 1970/1992, born 1944, married 1stly, Reena, married 2ndly, Anna, married 3rdly, Surekha Guring. He died sp 1992.
 
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LAST MODIFIED:  
1.  Cricinfo.com, courtesy of Philip Bailey October 2002
2. Translated from "Kochbiharer Itihas", 2nd edition (1988), by Shri. Hemanta Kumar Rai Barma
3. "Kochbihar Parikrama" edited by Krishnendu Dey, Niraj Biswas & Digbijoy De Sarkar