Rani Bhabani

Rani Bhabani (c. 1716–1803), also known as Ardhabangeshwari (অর্ধবঙ্গেশ্বরী) and Natorer Rani or the Queen of Natore, was a Hindu zamindar during the British colonial era in what is now Rajshahi, Bangladesh. She became the zamindar after the death of her husband Raja Ramkanta Moitra (Ray), 'Zamindar' of Natore estate. She fought against Siraj-ud-Daulah, the Nawab of Bengal.

The Rajshahi Raj or Natore estate was the largest zamindari which occupied a vast position of Bengal. The Natore estate had an area of nearly and included not only much of North Bengal but also large parts of the areas later comprising the administrative districts of Murshidabad, Nadia, Jessore, Birbhum and Burdwan. After the death of her husband, Rani Bhabani of Natore Rajbari, expanded both the estate and the palace.

Biography Born in 1716 in a Bengali Brahmin family of Chhatimgram village, Bogra District, her father's name was Atmaram Choudhury, a landlord of Chatin village in Bogra district, now in Bangladesh. Bhabani was married off to Raja Ramkanta Moitra (Ray), the then zamindar of Rajshahi. After his death in 1748, Bhabani became the de jure zamindar, and started being referred to as Rani, or queen. A woman as a zamindar was extremely rare in those days, but Rani Bhabani managed the vast Rajshahi zamindari so efficiently and effectively for over four decades, She was also interested in the spread of education and donated generously to many educational institutes.

She also made great contributions in Tarapith and Benaras. Tarapith, a Hindu Temple town situated in the Indian province of West Bengal is famous for (goddess Tara) & Hindu saint Bamakhepa. The Durga Kund Mandir in Varanasi was constructed by Rani Bhabani.

During the era of Rani Bhabani, she made some great contributions for the development and renovation of Bhabanipur temple. Bhabanipur is a Shakta pitha which is located at Sherpur Upazila of Bogra District.

In popular culture 'Rani Bhabani', a 1952 film directed by B.Ratan Chatterjee.