| Hambir Malla Dev | |
|---|---|
| 49th king of Mallabhum | |
| Reign | 1565–1620 AD. |
| Predecessor | Dhari Malla |
| Successor | Dhari Hambir Malla Dev |
| Issue | Raghunath Singha Dev |
| Religion | Hinduism |
Hambir Malla Dev (also known as Bir Hambir, Beera Hambeera, and Veer Hambir) was the forty-ninth king of Mallabhum. He ruled from 1565 to 1620 AD. [1] [2] [3]
Hambir was the 49th ruler of the Malla dynasty who flourished around 1586 AD and ruled in 16th-17th century, and was a contemporary of the Mughal emperor Akbar. He fought on the side of Akbar against the Afghans and paid an annual tribute to the Mughal governors of Bengal and thus acknowledged their suzerainty. [4]
Bir Hambir was a pious man who started following Vaishnavism. A story in two Vaishnava works (Prem-vilasa of Nityananda Das (alias Balaram Das) and Bhakti Ratnakara of Narahari Chakrabarti) recounts the manner in which Srinivasa and other devotees were robbed by Bir Hambir while travelling from Vrindavan to Gaur with a number of Vaishanava manuscripts. However, Bir Hambir was so moved by Srinivasa’s reading of Bhagavata that he converted to Vaishnavism and gave Srinivasa a rich endowment of land and money. He introduced the worship of Madan Mohan to Bishnupur. [4]
During his regime (1565 to 1620), Dev title was suffixed after title Malla and Mallabhum was very safe and secured. [5]
During the Pathan rule of Soleiman Karrani in Gaur, the kingdom of Bishnupur stood in a unique[ citation needed ] glory in the Rarh region of Bengal. His reckless son Daud Khan Karrani dreamed of seizing the whole of Bengal. In this situation, in 1575 AD, Daud Khan attacked Bishnupur with a large number of Pathan troops. Revered Fakir Narayan Karmakar Mahasaya writes - "Dawood Khan suddenly came and encamped at a village called Ranisagar near Bishnupur with more than one lakh soldiers and similar ammunition." [6]
The people of Ranisagar were embarrassed by the sudden attack of Dawood Khan's army of lakhs. The Bishnupur army was still not ready for battle. At this moment, the heroic prince of Bishnupur, Hambir Malla, started the war by arming the army. The army of Bishnupur, intoxicated with the dream of victory, proceeded to subdue the enemy by worshiping the Maa Mrinmayee, the kuladevi of Mallabhum.
The state of Bishnupur had total twelve forts, one of which was the Mundmal fort. Near this Mundmal Garh, the Mallabhum army attacked the Pathan forces. After a fierce battle between the two sides, Hambir Malla defeated the Pathan forces in such a tragic manner that the battlefield at the eastern gate of the fort was filled with the corpses of Pathan soldiers. The defeated Dawood Khan was taken prisoner. He waited for death in a state of siege. But the noble Hambir arranged for his release and reached a safe place.
"There were so many corpses of the dead Nawab's soldiers at the eastern gate of the fort that it was called" Mundmalaghat ". [7]
It is said that Hambir Malla cut off the heads of the invading Pathan soldiers, made a garland (mundamala) and offered it as a gift to the demon-destroying Maa Mrinmayidevi. He was awarded the title of "Bir Hambir" for accomplishing that difficult task. [8]
The Rashmancha is a historical building located at Bishnupur. It was commissioned by Malla king Bir Hambir in 1600 CE. During the Vaishnava Ras festival, all the Radha Krishna idols of Bishnupur town used to be brought here to be worshipped by the citizens. [9]
During the reign of Bir Hambir the Dal Madal, one of the largest-bored cannons even made, was founded, demonstrating the skill of artisans of that time. [10] Dal Madal was made by Jagannath Karmakar. "Dal Madal" means "destruction of enemy". [11]
Historian Maniklal Sinha writes, [12] [13] the well-known Dalmadal of the Malla Rajas. There are distinct critiques regarding the name of the cannon. Common people think that Dal and Madal are two cannons. The concept of Sanskrit-educated people is Dalmadal, came from Sanskrit name Dalmardan. However, each of the above thoughts is incorrect. Actually, Mallabhum, kingdom of Malla Rajas was dominated by Dharmathakura and a Dharamshila is known as Dalmadal. His study also suggests that the ancestor of the Karmakar family, Jagannath Karmakar who built the Dalmadal cannon and named the cannon as Dalmadal
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| Left Side of Kaman | Front Side of Kaman | Right Side of Kaman | Back Side of Kaman |
Bishnupur is a city and a municipality of Bishnupur district in the state of West Bengal, India. It is known for its terracotta temples built by the Malla rulers, historic Radha Krishna temples built during 1600–1800 CE and the Baluchari sarees.
History of Bankura district refers to the history of the present Bankura district in the Indian state of West Bengal.
Mallabhum was the kingdom ruled by the Malla kings of Bishnupur, primarily in the present Bankura district in Indian state of West Bengal.
Karmakar is a Bengali Hindu caste spread throughout West Bengal, Assam and Bangladesh. The Karmakars are traditionally blacksmiths by trade.They are one of the fourteen castes belonging to 'Nabasakh' group. They are recognized as Other Backward Class and also Forward Caste (General) by the Government of West Bengal.
Adi Malla, also known as Bagdi Raja, was the founder of the Mallabhum sometime in the 7th century CE.
Jay Malla, also known as Joy Malla & Jai Malla, was the son of Adi Malla, the founder of the Mallabhum.
Kalipada Singha Thakur was the last King of Malla dynasty of Bishnupur. He became King of Mallabhum in the year 1930 C.E.
Shiv Singh Malla or Shiv Sing Malla, also known as Bir Singh Malla, was the forty-second king of the Mallabhum. He ruled from 1370 to 1407 CE.
Bir Malla, also known as Bira Malla was the forty-seventh king of the Mallabhum. He ruled from 1501 to 1554 CE.
Hinduis Ban or Bira Malla was the forty-eight king of the Mallabhum. He ruled from 1554 to 1565 CE.
Dhari Hambir Malla Dev, also known as Dhari Hambeera was the fiftieth king of the Mallabhum. He ruled from 1620 to 1626 CE.
Raghunath Malla Dev, also known as Raghunath Singha Dev, was the fifty-first king of the Mallabhum. He ruled from 1626 to 1656 CE.
Raghunath Singha Dev II was the fifty-fourth king of the Mallabhum. He ruled from 1702 to 1712.
Durjan Singha Dev was the fifty-third king of the Mallabhum. He ruled from 1682 to 1702.
Gopal Singha Dev was the fifty-fifth Raja of Mallabhum. He ruled from 1712 to 1748 CE.
Nilmoni Singha Dev was the sixtieth king of the Mallabhum. He ruled from 1889 to 1903.
Bir Singha Dev, also known as Beera Singha was the fifty-second king of the Mallabhum. He ruled from 1656 to 1682 CE.
Gopal Singha Dev II was the fifty-eighth king of the Mallabhum. He ruled from 1809 to 1876 CE.
Chandra Malla was the forty-sixth king of the Mallabhum. He ruled from 1460 to 1501 CE.
The Battle of Mundamala Ghat was a battle that took place in 1575 AD near the Mundamala Garh fort. The Mallabhum army led by Hambir Malla Dev attacked the Pathan army led by Daud Khan Karrani when he invaded Mallabhum.