Shamsher Gazi

Shamsher Gazi (Bengali: শমসের গাজী; 1712-1760), also known as the Tiger of Bhati (Bengali: ভাটির বাঘ, romanized: Bhatir Bagh),[1] was a ruler of Roshnabad and Tripura, which covers parts of modern-day Bangladesh and India.[note 1] Gazi's reign (1748-1760) has been cited as the "most interesting episode" in Medieval Tripura's history.[2]

Tiger of Bhati Shamsher Ghazi
শমসের গাজী
Born	1712 Kungura, Twipra Kingdom
Died	circa 1760 (aged 47–48)
Cause of death	Cannon execution
Term	Chakladar of Roshnabad
Predecessor	Nasir Mahmud
Successor	Krishna Manikya
Parents	Peyar Muhammad Khan (father) Kaiyara Bibi (mother)

Fort of Shamsher Ghazi in Southern Chhagalnaiya.

Kingdom of Tripura
Part of History of Tripura
Kings of Tripura Maha Manikya c. 1400–1431 Dharma Manikya I 1431–1462 Ratna Manikya I 1462–1487 Pratap Manikya 1487 Vijaya Manikya I 1488 Mukut Manikya 1489 Dhanya Manikya 1490–1515 Dhwaja Manikya 1515–1520 Deva Manikya 1520–1530 Indra Manikya I 1530–1532 Vijaya Manikya II 1532–1563 Ananta Manikya 1563–1567 Udai Manikya 1567–1573 Joy Manikya I 1573–1577 Amar Manikya 1577–1585 Rajdhar Manikya I 1586–1600 Ishwar Manikya 1600 Yashodhar Manikya 1600–1623 Interregnum 1623–1626 Kalyan Manikya 1626–1660 Govinda Manikya 1660–1661 Chhatra Manikya 1661–1667 Govinda Manikya 1661–1673 Rama Manikya 1673–1685 Ratna Manikya II 1685–1693 Narendra Manikya 1693–1695 Ratna Manikya II 1695–1712 Mahendra Manikya 1712–1714 Dharma Manikya II 1714–1725 Jagat Manikya 1725–1729 Dharma Manikya II 1729 Mukunda Manikya 1729–1739 Joy Manikya II 1739–1744 Indra Manikya II 1744–1746 Vijaya Manikya III 1746–1748 Lakshman Manikya 1740s/1750s Interregnum 1750s–1760 Krishna Manikya 1760–1783 Rajdhar Manikya II 1785–1806 Rama Ganga Manikya 1806–1809 Durga Manikya 1809–1813 Rama Ganga Manikya 1813–1826 Kashi Chandra Manikya 1826–1829 Krishna Kishore Manikya 1829–1849 Ishan Chandra Manikya 1849–1862 Bir Chandra Manikya 1862–1896 Radha Kishore Manikya 1896–1909 Birendra Kishore Manikya 1909–1923 Kirit Bikram Kishore Manikya 1947–1949 1949–1978 (titular) Kirit Pradyot Manikya 1978–present (titular)
Tripura monarchy data
Manikya dynasty (Royal family)
Agartala (Capital of the kingdom)
Ujjayanta Palace (Royal residence)
Neermahal (Royal residence)
Rajmala (Royal chronicle)
Tripura Buranji (Chronicle)
Chaturdasa Devata (Family deities)
Shamsher Gazi (Usurper)

Early life

Gazi was born into a Bengali Muslim family of farmers in the village of Kungura, in 1712. His father was Peyar (other sources say Pir) Muhammad Khan and mother's name was Kaiyara Bibi.[3] From an early age, he began to serve under and be brought up by Nasir Mahmud, a zamindar (landowner) of the Chakla of Raushanabad.[4] Mahmud had become the ruler of Chakla Raushanabad by undertaking to give a monetary recompense to the erstwhile Nawab of Bengal.[5]

Rule

The advent of the British East India Company with its "exploitation and oppression" alongside zamindari subjugation, made life of the peasants and farmers difficult and despondent. Shamsher Gazi's efficient rule freed them of this control. With the granting of rent exemption to the peasants, he managed to govern the economy in an appropriate manner, leading to the reduction of the prices of essential commodities.[6] He was generous to both the Hindus and Muslims. He had ponds dug, naming them after himself, and built many schools in and outside his capital Jagannath Sonapur.[7] 'Kaiyar Sagar' was one of the larger ponds in the area.[4]

Krishna Manikya, brother of Indra Manikya II, twice tried recapturing Udaipur (old Rangamati), the old capital of Tripura, but was defeated by Gazi in 1748.[5] Consolidating his hold on Pargana Dakshinsik and Pargana Meherkul, Shamsher now became the ruler of Tripura.[8] According to Mesbahul Huq's book Purbo Desh, Gazi repelled assaults by the "plundering Moghs and Bargees".[9] Facing opposition from the kingdom's citizens, Gazi placed Udai Manikya's elder brother Banamali Thakur on the throne under the name Lakshman Manikya, though actual power remained with him. This continued for three years, though Lakshman failed to gain the support of the population.[7][10]

Krishna Manikya, who had fled to Agartala, sought help from Mir Qasim, the Nawab of Bengal. Heeding the outcry, Gazi was arrested by Qasim by subterfuge for his excesses and put to death by a cannon. Referred to as a "notorious plunderer" in the Tippera District, Noakhali and Chittagong areas,[7] the Manikya dynasty regained their kingdom.

In books

• Gazinama, also called the Shamsher Gazi Nama,[11] composed in the first part of the 19th century, was the story of Shamser Gazni written by Manohar Saikh.[12]
• Purbo Desh in Bengali, by Mesbahul Huq about the life and exploits of Shamsher Gazni.[9]
• The Ballad of Shamsher- Gazi published by Maulavi Lutfur Khabir of Tipperah.[13]

Notes

1. Various other spellings in English such as Shamsher Ghazi and Samsher Gazi

References

1. Kader, M. Abdul (1988). Historical Fallacies Unveiled. Islamic Foundation Bangladesh. p. 181. Retrieved 29 October 2015.
2. Roychoudhury, Nalini Ranjan (1983). "Shamser Gazi (1748-1760)". Tripura through the ages: a short history of Tripura from the earliest times to 1947 A.D. Sterling. p. 34. Retrieved 29 October 2015.
3. "কিংবদন্তীর নায়ক ভাটির বাঘ বীর বাঙালি শমসের গাজী" [Hero of legends, tiger of Bhati, valiant Bengali, Shamsher Ghazi]. The Daily Sangram (in Bengali). Archived from the original on 5 March 2016. Retrieved 12 October 2012.
4. Nawaz, Ali (2012). "Shamsher Gazi". In Islam, Sirajul; Miah, Sajahan; Khanam, Mahfuza; Ahmed, Sabbir (eds.). Banglapedia: the National Encyclopedia of Bangladesh (Online ed.). Dhaka, Bangladesh: Banglapedia Trust, Asiatic Society of Bangladesh. ISBN 984-32-0576-6. OCLC 52727562. Retrieved 8 February 2021.
5. Roychoudhury, p. 35
6. Rāẏa, Suprakāśa (1999). Peasant Revolts And Democratic Struggles In India. ICBS (Delhi). p. 24. ISBN 978-81-85971-61-2. Retrieved 29 October 2015.
7. Sharma, Suresh Kant; Sharma, Usha (2005). Discovery of North-East India: Geography, History, Culture, Religion, Politics, Sociology, Science, Education and Economy. Tripura. Volume eleven. Mittal Publications. p. 24. ISBN 978-81-8324-045-1. Retrieved 29 October 2015.
8. Roychoudhury, Nalini Ranjan (1983). "Shamser Gazi (1748-1760)". Tripura through the ages: a short history of Tripura from the earliest times to 1947 A.D. Sterling. p. 35.
9. Bāṃlā Ekāḍemī (Bangladesh) (1985). Bangla Academy Journal. 12–14. Bangla Academy. Retrieved 29 October 2015.
10. Sur, Hirendra Kumar (1986). British Relations with the State of Tripura, 1760-1947. Saraswati Book Depot. p. 14.
11. Bangladesh Historical Studies. Bangladesh Itihas Samiti. 1977. p. 151. Retrieved 29 October 2015.
12. Roychoudhury, p. 112
13. Davy, Sir Humphry (1928). The collected works of Sir Humphry Davy ...: Discourses delivered before the Royal society. Elements of agricultural chemistry, pt. I. Smith, Elder and Company. Retrieved 29 October 2015.