A handwritten document lists Kowlessure Bahadur Singh's grandfather as "Madhoo Singh" which is Maharaja Maheshwar's father in the official records. The Bahadur Singhs were not real Maharajas but just a major zamindari family.

Also, they are alleged to have provided financial support to the 1857 Sepoy Rebellion in letters dated in the 1880-1890 period.

Darbhanga estate locker a treasure trove.

THE erstwhile estate of the Maharaja of Darbhanga in Bihar was known not only for its opulence but also as a patron of scholars during the Mughal and British era. This is why all eyes were riveted on its locker when it was recently opened in the presence of experts from the Bihar State Archives and other government officials. But there was a problem: one of the keys of the Englandmade double- lock locker had been lost. The locker could thus be opened only after a lot of efforts.

Inside it was a treasure trove which throws ample light on the importance of the Darbhanga Raj during the Mughal- British era. Several costly paintings and documents, including a firman of Mughal king Alamgir II inscribed in golden letters, an original copy of Ain- e- Akbari in 12 volunes, written by a calligrapher named Alauddin, and the original ' family tree' of 21 generations of Maharajas were recovered.

Some letters written during 1880- 90 suggest that the Maharaja of Darbhanga had provided financial support for the 1857 rebellion against the British raj.

The records of Darbhanga Raj were transferred to the state government in 1977. It is unfortunate that no efforts were subsequently made for their documentation.

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