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8
THE BANSBERIA RAJ.

a Kulin Kayastha. Thus, Hariram became a very influential man, and lived in a rich style. He had two sons, of whom Sukhdeb succeeded to his property. The son became more famous than the father, and obtained from the ruling power the proud title of 'Raja.' Thus, the Dinajpur Raj dates from him. He also received a firman from Shah Shuja, Viceroy of Bengal, in 1063 B. S. The extended tank, Sukhsagar, which keeps his name afresh in the memory of the people, was excavated by him in 1677 A. D. He occupied the Gadi from 1644 to 1681, and died, leaving his estates to his second son, Jaydeva, his eldest son, Ramdeva, having died in his lifetime. Jaydeva, however, had a very short career. He died soon after his ascension to the Gadi, and was succeeded by his younger brother, Prananath. The latter's adopted son, Ramnath, got the title of "Maharaja Bahadur," and highly distinguished himself by his many good and pious acts. An idea of his vast estates might be formed from the simple fact that he had to pay over five lakhs of rupees in the shape of Government revenue. The present Maharajah, Girija Nath, who was adopted by Maharaja Tarack Nath's widow, Maharani Shyam Mohini, is the sixth in descent from Maharajah Ram Nath, the richest and most powerful of the Dinajpur Rajas.