Kuchiakol

From around 7^th century BC till around the advent of British rule, Bishnupur was ruled by various clans. Before the advent of the kshatriya kings, the area around Bishnupur was called Mallabhum The core area would cover present day Bankura police station area, Onda, Bishnupur, Kotulpur, Kuchiakol, Jamkundi and Indas. In the north it stretched from Damin-i-koh in Santhal Parganas to Midnapore in the south. It included the eastern part of Bardhaman and parts of Chota Nagpur in the west. Raja Raghunath Singh Dev was the first khastriya king of Bishnupur and was succeed by Bir Singh Dev, Bir Singh Dev II, Durjan Singh, Raghunath Singh Dev II, Gopal Singh Dev and Chaitanya Singh. Raja Nimai Singh Dev, the second son of Raja Chaitanya Singh Dev of Bishnupur Raj Zamindari was the founder of the zamindari of Kuchiakol. Finances of Bishnupur estate suffered on account of ravages of Maratha invasion and by the famine of 1771. Upon the death of Raja Chaitanya Singh Dev, his second son Rajkumar Nimai Singh Dev separated from the members of the family after being deprived of the gaddi and in 1806 purchased 22 mauza of from his fathers zamindari estate, when in 1806 due to tax arrears Bishnupur Raj estate was auctioned off to the Maharaja of Burdwan.

Raja Nimai Singh Dev was well versed in Sanskrit, Medicine, Music and Fine arts.

Rai Bahadur Radhaballabh Singh Dev was the most illustrious member of the family and took the charge of the estate when he was just 16 years old. In 1862 he established an English school, he also constructed a Vernacular School and a Girl's School in Kuchiakol. On 1^st January 1877 granted title of Rai Bahadur at the first Delhi Durbar, for his contribution during the great famine, and was also honoured by the Magistrate of Bankura District.

Raja Narshingha Singh Dev of Jamkuni branch died without any heir and his wife dowager rani of Jamkundi adopted Rajkumar Surendranath Singh Dev , the third son of Rai Bahadur Radha Ballav Singh Dev of Kuchiakol. Rajkumar Surendranath Singh Dev died in 1888, on attaining majority and Jamkundi estate reverted back to dowager ranisaheb. In 1885, Raja Ram Krishna Singh Dev, the last titular raja of Bishnupur died without heir and his estate was passed to Rajkumar Nilmoni Singh Dev of Kuchiakol branch, through a deed of gift executed by dowager rani of Raja Ram Krishna Singh Dev.

The zamindars were philanthropic in nature and donated Kuchiakol Radhaballav Instituition is named in honour of Rai Bahadur Rdhaballav Singh Dev. (recorded in Bankura Dist Gazeteer), Industrial Technical School, Jogendranath Charitable Dispensary, Banga Balika Vidyalaya, Jogendranath Sanskrit Chatuspathi School and Basanta Library in Kuchiakol. After death of the last Raja Basanta Kumar Singh Dev, his son in law Raja Khetra Mohan Singh Thakur of Purakonda Estate, was appointed chief executor of the estates of Kuchiakol Zamindari.

Thakur Kumar Dr. Debabrata Singh Thakur (Grandson of the last Raja Basanta Kumar Singh) is a renowned musician and is the last exponent of Bishnupur Gharana of Music.