A Brief History of Panju Shah's Ancestors

Noyabesh Khan:
The ancestor seven generations above Panju Shah was Noyabesh Khan. Detailed information about him has not been found. Only this much is known: he came to this country from Afghanistan. Khondkar Rafiuddin says: "When Emperor Shah Jahan was seated on the royal throne of Delhi (1627-1658), Panju Shah's seventh ancestor, Moulvi Mohammad Noyabesh Khan, came to Bangladesh from Afghanistan." On the recommendation of the Subedar of Bengal and in accordance with a firman of the Emperor of Delhi, he obtained the zamindari of the Shailkupa area of the Mohammad Shahi pargana of Jessore district.

Noyabesh Khan's family life story and the affairs of his zamindari administration are unknown. However, an account of some of his works of public welfare has been found. Among these, the construction of roads, the excavation of ponds, the establishment of maktabs and the like are especially noteworthy.

It may be recalled that in the Shailkupa region Noyabesh Khan was in fact known as "Noyajesh" Khan. The collectors of the region's folk literature believe that this Noyajesh Khan and the author of the Gole Bokali puthi, Noyajesh Khan, are one and the same person. In fact the matter is not so. The zamindar Noyabesh Khan or Noyajesh Khan and the poet Noyajesh Khan of puthi literature are different individuals. In the history of Bengali literature, the poet Noyajesh Khan (1638-1765) is mentioned as a resident of Sukhchhari village under Satkania of Chittagong district. On the other hand, Noyajesh Khan was the zamindar of Shailkupa who had come from Afghanistan, though in point of time the two were contemporaries.

Duddu Khan:
Noyabesh Khan's only son was Duddu Khan. Dudmallik Khan was his real name. He was commonly called "Duddu". Panju Shah used this short name in his self-identification. In his words: "Noyabesh Khan's son, Duddu is his name." From this, Duddu's identity emerges clearly, although other information relating to him is scanty.

Although Duddu's parents were Afghans, he was born in Bangladesh. The climate, food and social environment of this country exerted a native influence on him. As a result he grew up as a thorough Bengali. In childhood he studied at the family maktab. In an aristocratic Muslim family, Arabic and Persian were at the time indispensable subjects of study. Yet while Persian and Urdu were used inside the women's quarters, Bengali was spoken outside, for Bengali was the language of all the people.

Along with managing the zamindari, Duddu Khan preached the message of Islam. Even while his father was alive he took upon himself the responsibility of supervising the zamindari. In accordance with his father's advice, ensuring the happiness and peace of the subjects was also his special concern. It is also known that Murshid Quli Khan (1705-1727), the then Nawab of Bengal, gave his support in favour of maintaining Duddu Khan's zamindari.

Elech Khan:
Among Duddu Khan's sons and daughters, the name of Elech Khan is particularly noteworthy. The word 'Elech' is a short form of the word 'Iliyas'. Panju Shah used the word 'Elech' itself in his genealogy (bansh-biboron). The poet's statement "Elech Khan is his son" carries special significance.

As was the custom, after receiving his education Elech Khan took over the administration of the zamindari. About him Khondkar Rafiuddin says: 'Elech Khan was an exceedingly powerful zamindar. Following the policy of restraining the wicked and protecting the virtuous, he conducted the zamindari.' Banumolla, a rural poet of the Shailkupa (Brittidebi Rajnagar) region, mentioned Elech Khan's name in one of his couplets. He says:

Much ancient lore is conveyed in the said Banumolla's couplets; the couplet quoted above is a specimen of it. Extensive information about Elech Khan could not be gathered. It is known, however, that as a zamindar he was extremely popular in that region, and that his period of rule was quite long.

Afzal Khan:
After Elech Khan passed away, his son Afzal Khan became the zamindar of Shailkupa. Afzal Khan was an immensely powerful ruler. In his time the size and scope of the zamindari grew. All the neighbouring villages of Kabirpur and, on the other side, up to Harihara came under this zamindari. Afzal Khan was a just and generous zamindar. The poor subjects lived in his zamindari without paying rent, and the needy received financial help from him. He had a vast reservoir dug in Shailkupa named 'Pathan Dighi'. Even today this pond bears his memory.

By building a new zamindar residence in Harihara village, Afzal Khan set an example of a remarkable feat. For the convenience of supervising the zamindari he lived for six months of the year at the Harihara zamindar residence.

Many popular traditions about Afzal Khan prevail in the Shailkupa region. He has been called at times a poet and at times a hero. Many have identified him with one Afzal Ali, a poet of the Middle Ages. In fact the matter is not so. The poet Afzal Ali was a composer of padas. His father was Bhangu Fakir, a resident of Satkania in Chittagong. His name too finds a place in the history of Bengali literature alongside renowned poets. From this it can be understood that the poet Afzal Ali and the zamindar Afzal Khan of Shailkupa were different persons.

Abdus Sohban Khondkar:
The only son of zamindar Afzal Khan was Abdus Sohban Khondkar. After his father's passing it was he who ascended to the position of zamindar of Shailkupa. It is worth noting that down to Afzal Khan they all bore the title 'Khan'. But in Abdus Sohban's time that title was changed. From then on the title 'Khondkar' became attached to their names. There is some explanation of how this came about.

The dictionary meaning of the word 'Khondkar' is 'professor' or teacher. The word 'Khondkar' was also used in the sense of 'emperor'. In practical usage its application to denote a religious teacher is especially marked. Those known in Muslim society as pir or murshid are addressed as 'Khondkar'. Besides, solemnizing marriages, acting as imam in the mosque, conducting the Eid congregation, performing the funeral prayer of the dead, giving amulets and exorcistic incantations and the like are also the work of a Khondkar. But Abdus Sohban earned the title 'Khondkar' precisely by his pir-ship. Panju Shah's statement bears this out as well. He says:

In that region Abdus Sohban Khondkar lives on as the hero of legend as a 'pir-zamindar'. Near the Garaganj bazaar, not far from Shailkupa, under a banyan tree named 'Sohban Khola', offerings of shirni are still made in the name of this pir.

Coming to know of Sohban Khondkar's religious learning, many people became his disciples. He taught his disciples at all four levels: Shariat, Tariqat, Haqiqat and Marifat. In his time both the zamindari and the khondkari were maintained.

Khademali Khondkar:
Abdus Sohban Khondkar's only son, Khademali Khondkar, was the last zamindar of this lineage. In his father's absence it was he who took charge of running the zamindari. However, as religious consciousness was strong in him, an indifference to worldly matters is observed.

The gomasta, the steward of the zamindari, took advantage of this opportunity to further his personal interests. Through his machinations large amounts of property fell into arrears of cess, and within a few years much land went to auction. The gomasta then bought up the auctioned lands in the names of his wife, sons and other relatives.

Thus a large part of zamindar Khademali Khondkar's zamindari fell into the gomasta's grasp. He then came to know of it and became active in taking lawful measures against the gomasta. Seeing the danger, the gomasta, winning over some men of the criminal class with money, plotted the zamindar's murder. On learning the news secretly, zamindar Khademali then left his home in the darkness of night with his whole family and moved to Harishpur village under Harinakundu upazila, adjoining Shailkupa.

The 'Poran Kazi', a resident of Harishpur, was Khademali Khondkar's eldest son-in-law. Through this connection he used to visit Harishpur. At that time he also grew quite close to Fakir Mamud Biswas, another jotedar of the village. In days of extreme peril he sought not the help of relatives but of a friend. That Fakir Mamud Biswas gave him a place with great affection and built him a house by the Batikamara beel west of Harishpur. From then on zamindar Khademali Khondkar came to be regarded as a permanent resident of Harishpur. His abandoned landed property and the zamindar's house were occupied by the gomasta.

The rest of Khademali Khondkar's life passed in poverty. His self-fulfilment as imam of the mosque, the molla of society and a preacher of Islam is quite remarkable. No resentment over the loss of vast landed property ever showed itself in him. On the contrary he remained steadfast in the great power of renunciation. Until the last day of his life he kept unfailingly instructing people in religion.

On Tuesday, 20 Bhadra of 1285 Bengali era (1878 AD), this great ascetic zamindar departed this world. This fact is known from Panju Shah's statement. Panju Shah says:

At the time of his farewell his age was seventy-five years. The peace-loving, renunciatory ascetic zamindar Khademali Khondkar lies in eternal sleep in the soil of Harishpur. His mazar was never built, nor is there any arrangement to identify it by any memorial. Only the villagers and his descendants point out the site of the grave.