Munshi Balaram Das

Munshi Balaram Das (, c. 17th century) was a Bengali aristocrat and zamindar who founded the Kadirpara Estate. He served as the Munshi of Raja Sitaram Ray, the 17th century independent Hindu monarch who revolted against Mughal Empire.

Background Satish Chandra Mitra, in his book History of Jessore-Khulna (Bengali: Jashor Khulnar Itihash), has mentioned that Munshi Balaram Das belonged to the 17th century aristocratic Das family, which settled in Shailkupa, along with Nandy and Chaki families, upon a conflict of Tilak Karkat and Jatadhar Nag with Ballal Sena of Sena Dynasty, establishing their own state. The Dases belonged to Barendra Kayastha clan. Several accounts stated Mahatma Narasimha Das, a contemporary noble man during Ballal Sena's reign, to be the progenitor of the Dases, who belonged to the Barendra Kayastha clan. After ceaseless wars, his descendants finally settled at Shailkupa, having a fortune to devote themselves in the service of Shri Shri Ram Gopal (deities once served by an ascetic) building a shrine dedicated to them. The Raja appointed Balaram as Munshi in his court, and since then his descendants carry the hereditary title across generations. As a result of his rise to power, Munshi Balaram accumulated vast wealth in Kadirpara, which ultimately led to the establishment of the Kadirpara Estate.

Family tree

Majumdar Rajiv Lochan Das Hariram Das Premnarayan Munshi Krishnakanta Munshi Sambhunath Munshi Harinath Munshi Ramram Das Radhakrishna Munshi Raghunath Munshi Gabindanath Munshi Gatinath Munshi Tejendra Munshi Hemendra Munshi Chandranath Munshi Jatindranath Munshi Gopendranath Munshi Krishnanath Munshi Dwarakanath Munshi Trailakyanath Munshi Jadunath Munshi Munshi Balaram Das (childless, succeeded by Ramram's son Radhakrishna)