Pal family

The Pal family (; also spelt Pala) are a Bengali aristocratic family who had formerly held lands in what is now Sylhet, Bangladesh.

History
Among the most ancient clans in their region, the Pals traced their descent from a branch of the imperial Pala dynasty of Bengal. Their line became established in Sylhet when one Kalidas Pal acquired land in Panchakhanda (in what is now Beanibazar sub-district), with the estate becoming hereditary among his descendants. Initially, the Pals ruled their territory as feudal monarchs, styling themselves with the royal title Raja. However, during the reign of Ramjivan Pal, they lost this independence, coming under the suzerainty of the Muslim rulers of Bengal.

In spite of this reduction in status, the family enjoyed considerable renown and success as private landowners. Under Pal governance, their territory (previously scarcely inhabited) was significantly developed and cultivated, allowing the migration of groups such as the Mahimals into the area. Successive members of the family became notable for their construction of Dighi (reservoirs) as well as their religious contributions, both through support of Brahmans as well as construction. One younger son, Pratap Chandra Pal, converted to Islam under the name "Prachanda Khan" and established his own separate territory, with his heirs becoming prominent landowners themselves. The general preeminence of the Pal line is displayed in a proverb recorded by the historian Achyut Charan Choudhury:

Translated, this means "Pal, Prachanda, Jangdar. These are the three mirashdars." Thus, making reference to the Pals, the descendants of Prachanda Khan and the unrelated Jangdar clan, the proverb states that there were no other mirashdars beyond these families in the region.

The influence of the Pals continued into the British era, with Munshi Hari Krishna Pal serving as Dewan to the District Collector of Sylhet. Krishnatay Dewanji, his younger brother, had the title Rai Bahadur awarded to him by the ruling government. The latter's son, Krishna Kishore Pal Chowdhury, founded the Bihani Bazar (Morning Market), from which the town of Beanibazar (now expanded into the sub-district) derives its name.

Notes

References

Category:History of Bengal
Category:Asian noble families
Category:Bengali families
Category:Bangladeshi society
Category:Bangladeshi families
Category:Sylhet District
Category:Indian families
Category:Hindu families