MEMORIAL TO THE EXCELLENCY THE RIGHT HONOURABLE BARON SINHA OF RAIPUR , Governor of Bihar & Orissa From Maharajadhiraj of Darbhanga in 1921.

MAY IT PLEASE YOUR EXCELLENCY,--
      1.On this a rare, memorable occasion when His Most Gracious Majesty's greatest gift to this Ancient and Great Country--- a New Age of rights and privileges---is being introduced through Royal Representatives of His Majesty bringing a message of hope.peace and good-will to this country, may I invite Your Excellency and through Your Excellency the Imperial Government to give kind attention to a question which though primarily a personal question is yet a question is  its general aspect intimately connected with the scheme of self government for this country of ancient histories and tradition?
    2.To begin the question, I am deeply grateful to Government for the honours and distinctions which have been conferred upon me from time to time ;but there yet remains that question of great importance to me and to my House--- the question of restoration of the ruling powers enjoyed by my forefathers before the East India Company took possession of North Bihar, which I beg leave to submit hereby for consideration
    3..Representatives of public opinion both here and in England have pointed out the advantages, desirability, and claims of certain class of ancient families and tracts to be erected into Ruling Houses and Principalities. That desirability seems to have received recognition also from such high authority as the Right Hon'ble Mr. Montagu, who on the 10th of July,1917, speaking before the House of Commons about the would-be.constitutional India described it as "the great self-governing dominions and provinces of India organised and co-ordinated with great principalities-- the existing principalities, and perhaps new ones.-- not one great Home Rule Country but a series of self - governing provinces and principalities federated by one Central Government."
     4.There are tracts in this country which by reason of history, associations, traditions,language and similar factors are marked out as distinct political individualities. It is submitted that it is those tracts to which the Reform should be extended in the first instance in the way of erecting  "New Principalities." In other words, where tracts had been organisms-- "principalities"-- in the near past, where life is still traceable in traditions and institutions, the scheme of self-government in this aspect be applied to them and the tracts be revived in full life, into full political persona.
   5. I beg to submit that the necessary conditions,enviornments and qualifications are to be found in the part of Tirhut which has been known as Mithila since Vedic times-- since the facts related in the Epics (the Ramayana and Mahabharata ). It lies mainly in the districts of Darbhanga and Muzaffarpur extending north right up to the foot of the Himalayas. It stands out in Northern Bihar by its history, language (Maithili)and literature as a national unit , a separate entity. It has been the seat of a Hindu kingdom since earliest times. Mostly the kingdom of Mithila was territorially identical with Tirhut; at times that kingdom included the whole of Northern  Bihar and beyond. Under my own ancestors the whole of Sirkar Tirhut, greater portion of the district of Purnea,a portion of north Bhagalpur and also a small portion of Champaran, had come within its limits. For centuries even before the rise of my House, the rulers of Mithila had been Brahmins. Its literature flourished under them and continued under my House; it is distinctly national. So is the very language and script in which that language is written.. No other unit in India continued the Hindu tradition unbroken in Muhammadan times up to the advent of the British Power. Mithila alone can claim to have been the intact home of orthodox Hindu civilisation, where even scribes wrote documents in Sanskrit up to the 18th century, where Hindu Law was administered by Hindu Lawers until the Dewany, where Hindu philosphies and sciences are studied in every village even to-day.
    6. Sirkar Tirhut then comprised 84 Parganas covering the greater parts of the districts of Darbhanga and Muzaffarpur. The boundries of the Sirkar in the grant of Mm Mahesh Thakur are said to have been "At Ganga to Sang-- As kosa to Ghosa,"that is, from the Ganges in the south to the mountain in the north-- from the river Kosi in the east to the Gandak in the west. This couplet laying down the boundries is printed in the Survey Settlement Report of the Purnia district. By subsequent grants to my ancestors by the Moghul Emperors about half of Purnia and a portion of Bhagalpur was added to their territories.
       7. Mithila, if not the whole of Tirhut, has thus the strongest claims to be raised again into its former political persona-- an Indian State..

सर एडवर्ड अल्वर्ट गेट जो 1912 में बंगाल से अलग बिहार एवं उड़ीसा राज्य के सर चार्ल्स स्टुअर्ट बेली के बाद दूसरे और अंतिम  (चौथे) लेफ्टिनेंट गवर्नर (उप राज्यपाल )  के पद पर 19. 11. 1915 से 4. 4. 1918 एवं  12. 8. 1918 से 29. 12. 1920 तक रहे थे ,ने 18 दिसम्बर 1920  को महाराजाधिराज रामेश्वर सिंह को  महामहिम वाइसराय और भारत के गवर्नर जनरल द्वारा  महाराजाधिराज का उनके वंशानुगत टाइटल प्रदान किये जाने  की  सुचना देते  हुए जो  पत्र लिखा उसमे उपराज्यपाल ने हाल में  पटना में मेडिकल कॉलेज के स्थापना के लिए उदारतापूर्वक ५ लाख रूपये का दान  दिये जाने का भी उल्लेख किया है।साथ हीं उन्होंने  काफी लम्बे समय से दोस्त होने और ५ वर्षों तक सहकर्मी रहने और   साथ साथ काम करने का भी जिक्र किया है। उन्होंने अपने पत्र में लिखा है कि आपके पूर्वज मुग़ल बादशाह के अधीन तिरहुत के शासक थे और वर्त्तमान समय में आपका एस्टेट प्रान्त के अन्य कोई झेत्रिय सामंत से काफी विस्तृत है। आप श्रोत्रिय ब्राह्मण के प्रधान हैं और उत्तर भारत के सम्पूर्ण ब्राह्मण समुदाय के नेता के रूप में आपकी  पहचान है। 

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दरभंगा राजक पूर्व रैयतगण क प्रति महाराजाधिराज श्री कामेश्वर सिंह क संदेश।

दरभंगाक पूर्व रैयतगण।
लगभग ४०० वर्ष पूर्व भारत क सम्राट अकबर हमर पूर्वज म.म.उपाध्याय महेश ठाकुर के हुनक पांडित्य सं मुग्ध भ 'सरकार -ई -तिरहुत ' क शासन भार देलथिन्ह। अंग्रेजी आधिपत्य स्थापित हयबासन पहिने धरि कुलाचारक अनुसरण करैत हमर पूर्वज गण ऒही रुपे एहि झेत्र में राज्य कयलैन्ह। ईस्ट इंडिया कम्पनी तत्कालीन हमर पूर्वज के शासनाधिकार सन वंचित करवाक पूर्ण प्रयास कयल। २० वर्ष धरि संघर्ष चलल। परन्तु जे शक्ति भारत सम्राट क आसन्न डोला देने छल ओहिसँ पार पायब कोना सम्भव छल - अपेझाकृत न्यून शासनाधिकारिक हेतु सुलह भेल ;और तकर परिणामस्वरूप पहिला झेत्रक पचमांश झेत्र पर हुनका जमींदारी -हक़ देल गेलैन्ह। राजस्व मलेहाजी निश्चित भेलैन्ह ,और जे भू -भाग अपहरण भेल छलैन्ह तकरा स्वीकार करैत अंग्रेज सरकार निश्चित रूप सँ मालिकाना देब गछलकैन्ह।  तहिया सँ आई धरि एहि रूपक सम्बन्ध हमरा और अहाँ लोकनिक बीच वंशानुक्रम सँ चल अबैत छल।  एही बिच में रैयती कानून सभ सँ तथा कृषि कर तथा सेस व्रद्धि क कारणे वस्तुस्थिति में महान परिवर्तन भेल गेल ; तथापि बाहरी रूप रेखा यथास्थित रहल।
 गत पंद्रह वर्ष सँ वैयक्तिक जमींदारी प्रथा क अंत करवाक भारतव्यापि उद्योग जोरशोर सँ भय रहल अछि। आई शासन - सत्ता जनताक हाथ में छैक।  जनता जिनका अपन प्रतिनिधि बनाय शासन करवाक भार देने छैन्ह हुनक अधिकांश एहि प्रथाक अन्त शीघ्रताशीघ्र करय चाहैत छथि।  किछु दिन पूर्व ई विषय भय गेल।  एहि प्रकारेँ व्यक्त जनता क इच्छा क अबहेलना कोण देशभक्त नागरिक कय सकैत अछि ? ककरो अधिकार देब वा ककरहु अधिकारक अपहरण करब सुव्यवस्थित परिस्थिति में शासन -सत्ताधिकारिक हाथ में रहयत छैक।  अतएव , जखन संविधान क संशोधन बिहार जमींदारी उन्मूलन कानून कें ,जकरा बिहार क उच्च न्यायलय अवैध घोषित कयने छल , वैध बनयबाक हेतु …  जायत छल , तखन हम भारतक प्रधानमंत्री श्री जवाहर लाल नेहरू के लिखि देलियैन्ह जे हम न्यायलय क शरण आब नहीं लेब।  ओ जे न्याय -संगत बुझथि से करथि।  फलतः बिहार जमींदारी उन्मूलन कानूनक अनुसार ई प्राचीन राज बिहार सरकारक हाथ में चल गेलैक।
 अहाँ लोकनि सँ वंशपरम्पराक एतेक दिनक सम्बंध छुटवाक सँ हमरा असीम दुःख अछि परन्तु संतोष केवल अहि विषय लय क होयत अछि जे हमरा और अहाँक लोकनिक बीच जे मतभेद छल से नहीं रहत और वर्गभेदक कारणे जे विषमता अनिवार्य रूपे  उत्पन्न होयत छल से हो नहीं होयत।  ताहि सँ  ई हो सम्भव जे हमरा लोकनिक सम्बन्ध औरो  घनिष्ठ  भय जाय। हम अहि अवसर पर एतबे कहब जे हमरा सँ अथवा हमर कर्मचारीगण सँ जे त्रुटि भेल हो तकरा विसरी जयवाक उदारता अहाँ  लोकनि देखाबी ;और मालिकक स्वरुप में नहि भाईक स्वरुप में सदा हमरा और हमर परिवारक लोक केँ अहाँ लोकनि  अहाँ क  परिवारक लोक देखैत रही।
                                                                                                    --श्री कामेश्वर सिंह
Indian Nation Press ,Patna

Maharajadhiraja Dr. Kameshwar Singh Interview to India Post After 1934 Earthquake

Maharajadhiraja Dr. Kameshwar singh concern for Darbhanga & Mithila as a whole reflected after the Bihar Earthquake on 15th Jannuary, 1934. He was one of the earliest and highest contributors to the Relief fund. His interview which he gave to the representative of the National Call of Delhi in March 1934, is as follows- " I was walking on the verandah when I noticed that the chandeliers in my Darbhanga House , 1, Middleton Street ,Calcutta, were swinging violently and the doors were creaking. My first impression was that those were due to vibration caused by the moving of heavy vehicles on the Chowringy Road. But in an instant, we could detect that it was not so. It was an earthquake. I hurried downstairs through the soiral staircase at the back of the house and become anxious for my brother who was sleeping on his sick-bed.To my greatest relief he came out soon and the other members of my family and suite were outside the danger zone. We were rocked for some time- not more than 8 minutes and everything was normal, again. The building got minor cracks, but was not unsafe. Little did I realize at that time that any calamity of the nature that had befallen Bihar would occur. In about two hours the news was brought to me that Jamalpur had suffered very badly. But there was no news from Darbhanga.The next morning we got a bit of news from Purnia, but still Darbhanga was silent . We thought, no news was good news. But on the third day of the happening , we learnt from the newspapers the gruesome tale that the airman had reported to the press about Muzaffarpur. That made me intensly anxious about Darbhanga.On the one hand , I chartered an aeroplane to fly over the place and get me all the news and on the other, I put myself in touch with the Government House, Patna, and calcutta, by telephone. The aeroplane unfortunately met with a slight accident  and the information I got by phone was too meager to give me any mental relief.

The duration  of my agony was thus prolonged . At  last on the fifth day of the occurrence came my brother – in – law from Darbhanga and gave me a harrowing account of the devastations caused by the earthquake in  North Bihar. Fortunately , the  members of my family who were there had a providential escape. I hurried to Darbhanga partly by the railway and partly by car. I could not believe my eyes when I saw the changes brought about  in afew minutes by one of Nature’s freaks . The river beds had gone up , the bridges had collapsed or had become very much in undulated, rich fields had been filled with sand , grounds had been broken up into pieces by gigantic cracks , and the surface of eart had changed beyond recognition. Darbhanga presented a ghastly spectacle . Along with numerous others I had become completely homeless and suffered considerable losses I various ways.People come to condole with me. But I thought there was hardly a person who did not deserve all the condolence and sympathy which a human heart could offer to another. The monetary value of the losses may vary according to one’s belongings but the proportion of loss which the bulk of the population suffered cannot easily be distinguished . It was clearly demonstrated that public calamity is a mighty leveler. But  that was hardly an occasion to lose courage . On the other hand , Courage,determination and optimism were in great demand.  I was led to think that the calamity was a blessing in disguise if we could make the best use of the situation.So , I decided to take members of the family , who were in Darbhanga , to Calcutta till such time as I could provide a temporary shelter for them and return there immediately to plan out the future . My officers and staff, it must be said to their credit. were doing all that was humanly possible for them to give temprory relief to the sufferers; and they had my unqualified sanction for the measures they were adopting for the same.
I cannot but mention here , in passing, with feelings of gratitude, the humanitarian services rendered by individuals, the Government and various relief organizations  that mitigated the sufferings of the people by distributing housing materials, clothes, money, etc.I am aware of the inadequacy and insufficiency of the resources, but the spirit behind all the relief measures was so noble that it cannot fail to draw our admiration . The individious distinction between classes and communities was forgotten and officials and non- officials alike were deeply animated with the spirit of philanthropy."

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आज शिझक दिवस के अवसर पर डा .सर्वपल्ली राधाकृष्णन को याद करते है और नमन . दरभंगा और राधाकृष्णन का गहरा तलूक रहा है .सितम्बर १ ९ ३ ९ को दरभंगा के डा . कामेश्वर सिंह ने मालवीय जी महराज द्वारा बनारस हिन्दू विश्वविद्यालय के कुलपति पद से सेवानिर्वती पर स . राधाकृष्णन को कुलपति पद पर नियुक्त करने का प्रस्ताव दिया और राधाकृष्णन कुलपति बने बनारस से लोटने के बाद उन्होंने कामेश्वर सिंह को १ ० अक्टूबर को अपने मद्रास का पता ३ ० ,Edward Eliot Road ,Mylapor , Madras के बारे में सूचित किये ,२ ४ अक्टूबर को कामेश्वर सिंह ने उन्हें दरभंगा में अपने सुबिधानुसार एक व्याख्यान के लिए आमंत्रित किया जिसे उन्होंने स्वीकार किया था उन्हें 9th Nov. को पटना में Hindu University के Convocation adress के लिए पटना आना स्वीकार करते हुए उन्होंने ९ तारीख को इ .आइ .रेलवे मेल से बॉम्बे से पटना आने के सम्बन्ध में पत्र लिखते हुए और दरभंगा आने की स्वीकृति दी थी कामेश्वर सिंह ने लिखा की दरभंगा के बड़ी संख्या में लोग आपको सुनना चाहते हैं l

A SCHEME OF INDIAN STATES

This scheme was elaborated by Sir Walter Lawrence at a meeting of the Royal Institue, London. He believe that this is the only way towards that distant dreamland of an India holding its own in the civilised world. He expressed that we cannot keep that vast Continent, with its 315 millions of people, for ever in pupilage and present curriculum is leading not to sane,strong manhood,but rather to wild outbreak of youth in school.We have worked on too large  a scale and our scaffolding is too big for the house. The huge medley of races, of religions which is contained in a British Province is too large for the grasp of ordinary citizens and in the new Indian States we should have some chance of homogeneity, some chance of common action, some hope of indigenous growth and life. And I look forward to the United States of India, bound by ties of love and gratitude to the great Nation which served to guide them aright. I look forward to those States playing a great and wonderful part in the destinies of mankind.  I can see an India whose writers, poets, statesmen and soldiers will have a reputation throughout the world, loyal to the British Empire and grateful to the old and generous school which taught them to play the game.

I would turn the whole of British India into Indian States. This cannot be done in a day nor in a year but it can be done gradually. A few years ago the British Government created a new Indian State when His Highness the Maharaja of Benares was created a ruling Chief. All over India there are great persons like the Maharaja of Beneres.

Maharajadhiraja Dr. Kameshwar Singh Speech at the time of Presentatipon of Mace for Council of State.

                  GOLDEN MACE FOR COUNCIL OF STATE

Hon'ble Maharajadhiraja Sir Kameshwara Singh,K.C.I.E., of Darbhanga, member of the Council
of State generously gifted a Gold Mace  made by the Goldsmiths & Silversmiths Co.,London (they were  responsible for the Maces now in use in the House of Commons of  the Dominion of Canada and the House of Representatives of New Zealand) on Monday the 3rd April,1939 ,This golden Mace is an exact copy of the silver gilt Mace used in the House of Lords which is placed on the table before the Chair of the Lord Chancellor in the House of Lords. It is worthy to mention here that in England Mace were introduced by Richards I. In the House of Commons the Mace is said to have been introduced in 1649. In the House of Lords there are two Maces, the earliest dating from the reign of William III. The Council of State stands in the same position as the House of Lords.
Presentation of a Mace to the Council of State as a token of his high regard for the House.  Mace add to the dignity of the House as being the Second Legislature in the British Empire..Mace is a majestic emblem of power and authority.The Mace was orginally a weapon of offence capable to braking through the strongest armour .It was an emblem of the rights and prerogatives of the House.To those who were struggling for freedom the Mace signified much more than the power and prestige of the House . Mace symbolise the true spirit of democracy.It was an emblem of the supermacy of right over might.
Mace had been collected by Imperial Airways from the Goldsmiths & Silversmiths Company and despactched by the Air Mail leaving 17th August,1938 to Sir Kameshwar Singh at the Palace, Darbhanga. The Mace had been insured for a sum of 375 ponds, to cover all risks including war,strikes and malicious damage .

 The Maharaja of Darbhanga in making the presentation said;- " Mr. President,  I beg . in all humility to request you to accept this Mace for the Council of State as a token of my high esteem for the House and yourself, its first non-official President. The House of Darbhanga has been represented in this House ever since it has been established and I can claim that I have been familiar with its atmosphere for much longer period than since it has been my privilege to have a seat in this House. It has already earned its reputation for sobriety and soundness, and notwithstanding its limitations has amply justified its existence. Now that second chambers have been established in several provinces the character,dignity and conduct of this House are bound to influence them and I am sure it will leave a rich legacy to its successors when the federal part of the constitution comes into operation. Whatever the critics may say , federalism and bicameralism go together, and if we dispassionately look at the second chambers functioning throughout the world we will notice that no State, irrespective of its form and government, whether federal or unitary, monarchical or republican, presidential or parliamentary,constitutionally flexible or constitutionally rigid ,is willing to dispense with second chamber. Each country has evolved it to suit its own conditions. Federated India will do the same and I trust that in doing so it will look back upon the high tradition by this House with pleasure and pride. 

"The Mace is the symbol of authority and I always felt that this outward mark of power, dignity and respect for procedure should be present in the oldest second chamber in this country. I therefore heartily welcome the proposal which you made to me in March last about presenting one to this House.. It is again largely due to the valuable help and guidance I have received from you that I am able to perform this ceremony today. You were kind enough not only to obtain the permission of His Excellency the Viceroy for the presentation of this Mace and through His Excellency that of  His Imperial Majesty The King- Emperor for getting it made after the Mace used in the House of Lords, but also to take a keen interest in getting it perfectly made.For all this I am deeply beholden to you. But  , if I may say so, apart from these, what may be called personal consideration, I have found in you a President who has played a very important part in maintaining, nay raising, the respect for the House in the hearts of all concerned and has earned for himself a name for impartiality, justice and courtesy. I am therefore particularly happy to ind you here to accept it.

" On an occasion like this I feel that I shall be failing in my duty if I do not express my heartfelt gratitude to His Imperial Majesty and His Excellency for the favours shown by them, and to Sir Howard d'Egville, the distinguished Secretary of the Empire Parliamentary Association, London, for supervising the making of the Mace and assisting the makers in getting access to St. Stephen's.

" In praying that this humble gift of mine be accepted I hope that it will receive the same respect which Maces in other Houses of Parliament receive."

                                      -" The Statesman,"Delhi,Tuesday, 5th April, 1939.