Amidst the hustle-bustle of daily life in Gazipur, Bangladesh—formerly known as Ghazipur—one can still find remnants of a bygone era. The town is a modern, developing city today, but beneath the surface, it holds deep ties to a storied past woven with mystery and intrigue.
One of the most enigmatic chapters of its history centres around the Bhawal estate and a tale that has become a legend in its own right—the case of the Bhawal Sanyasi. The Bhawal estate, once one of the largest zamindari estates in undivided Bengal, has a history steeped in royal lineage, political intrigue, and an enduring mystery that would ultimately stretch across decades.
Today, people walk through the streets of Gazipur unaware of the dramatic events that once unfolded in the area. A battle for inheritance and identity ignited a legal firestorm lasting nearly forty years.
Central to this narrative is the sudden and mysterious reappearance of a man who many believed to be dead. The story not only captivated the public’s imagination but also pitted powerful families against the British colonial government.
A Hunting Bet & A Fateful Race
To understand the backdrop of this remarkable saga, we need to travel back to the early twentieth century, when the Bhawal estate was in its prime. In those days, Bengal’s wealthy and influential elite often indulged in leisurely activities. One such notable event was organised by the Nawab of Dhaka, Sallimullah, and his close companion, Kumar Ramendra Narayan Roy.
Ramendra, affectionately known as Mejo Kumar, was the second son of the Bhawal Raja. He was a man of indulgence, known for his love of thrill-seeking activities such as racing, gambling, and hunting.
One incident involved a bet placed on a dogcart race (also known as a tumtum) between the Nawab and Kumar Ramendra. The race took place at the Ramna Racecourse, and despite the competitive nature of the event, both men approached the race with a sense of camaraderie and mutual respect.
The race, watched eagerly by the people of Dhaka, was more about enjoyment than anything else. Both participants revelled in the fun of the race and the spirited cheers of the onlookers. In the end, Ramendra emerged victorious, but both men celebrated as equals, sharing laughs and good-natured pats on the back.
Yet, more profound developments would soon overshadow this seemingly inconsequential moment of camaraderie.
The Tragic Death of Kumar Ramendra
In 1909, tragedy struck the Bhawal estate when Raja Rajendra Narayan, the head of the estate, died, leaving behind his widow and six children. Following his passing, the estate was thrown into uncertainty.
At the time, the British were keen to seize control of the Bhawal estate, which remained one of the few estates not yet under British rule. In 1904, the Court of Wards took control of the estate, citing mismanagement—a move that sparked outrage among the people of Bengal.
Rani Bhilasmani, Rajendra Narayan’s wife, fought fiercely against the British takeover, filing a lawsuit against the Court of Wards. Her legal victory in 1905 restored control of the estate to her children, allowing them to continue managing the lands.
However, her husband’s death and the lingering threat of British encroachment left a heavy mark on the family. Kumar Ramendra, who had not shown much interest in the estate’s affairs, was soon drawn into the tragic events.
In 1909, Kumar Ramendra travelled to Darjeeling to get treatment for a debilitating illness—syphilis. He was reported to have died there at the young age of 25. However, the circumstances surrounding his death were shrouded in mystery. There were conflicting accounts: some claimed that his body had been cremated, while others believed that it mysteriously disappeared from the crematorium.
The Mysterious Reappearance of the Sanyasi
Despite Kumar Ramendra’s tragic death, the Bhawal family’s woes were far from over. The years that followed were marked by further complications. After the deaths of his two brothers, the Bhawal estate was once again placed under the control of the British Imperial Court of Wards. However, in 1920, a strange and uncanny occurrence began to captivate the people of Dhaka.
A sanyasi (ascetic) appeared in Buckland Bund, Dhaka. This mysterious man was seen wearing nothing but a loincloth, smeared in ashes, with matted hair tied together with rudraksha beads.
To those who encountered him, the sanyasi bore an astonishing resemblance to the late Kumar Ramendra, the second Kumar of Bhawal. The sight of this man, who seemed to appear out of nowhere, quickly became the subject of widespread gossip.
The sanyasi refused to reveal his true identity, maintaining that he was simply an ascetic who had renounced the material world. Yet, rumours began to swirl that this man was, in fact, the long-lost Kumar Ramendra, who had somehow survived his reported death and returned in the guise of a sanyasi.
The Bhawal family, now under the leadership of Kumar Ramendra’s sister, Rani Ananda Kumari Devi, took an interest in the sanyasi’s claims. Rani Ananda had recently adopted a boy named Ram Narayan Roy, who was recognised as the new Kumar of Bhawal. Surprisingly, the British authorities endorsed this move, perhaps due to the rising anti-imperial sentiments at the time.
As the sanyasi’s presence continued to mystify the people, members of the Bhawal family sought to meet him. According to reports, the second Kumar’s wife, Bibhabati Debi, refused to acknowledge the sanyasi, steadfastly believing that her husband had died. However, Kumar Ramendra’s sister, Jyotirmayi Debi, became convinced that the sanyasi was indeed her brother, the second Kumar of Bhawal.
A Legal Battle for the Estate
In 1921, the sanyasi, claiming to be Ramendra Kumar, approached the district magistrate and collector to assert his rights over the Bhawal estate. His appearance before the authorities sparked a prolonged legal battle for the next two decades.
The British-controlled Court of Wards was determined to prove that the sanyasi was an imposter. They gathered evidence to challenge the man’s identity and disprove his claims. For the next 16 years, the case was fought in various courts, including the District Court in Dhaka, the High Court in Calcutta, and finally, the Privy Council in London.
The sanyasi’s physical appearance was scrutinised, with experts attempting to determine whether his features matched those of the deceased Kumar Ramendra. The case, which became a sensation, captivated the public imagination and was seen as a challenge not only to the British colonial establishment but also to the concept of identity, inheritance, and legitimacy.
Finally 1946, after years of legal wrangling, the case was decided in favour of the sanyasi, who was officially recognised as the rightful heir to the Bhawal estate. After years of uncertainty and struggle, the verdict was a monumental victory for Ramendra Kumar—if indeed it was him.
The End of a Saga
However, the case resolution brought little joy to the man who had fought to reclaim his birthright. Just two years after the case was settled in his favour, the man who had claimed to be Kumar Ramendra died in 1948, thus bringing an abrupt end to the saga of the Bhawal Sanyasi. The mystery surrounding his identity and the circumstances of his death remains unsolved to this day.
The Bhawal estate, meanwhile, continued to evolve, transitioning into the developing town of Gazipur. Though the estate’s grand past had been forever changed, the story of the Bhawal Sanyasi remains one of the most fascinating and mysterious chapters in Bengal’s history—a tale of intrigue, identity, and the relentless pursuit of truth in a turbulent colonial era.
Ultimately, the legend of the Bhawal Sanyasi, which endures as a testament to the complexity of human identity and the power of belief, echoes through the streets of Gazipur and the annals of history.
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