Kalindi (rani)

Rani Kalindi (?-1873 CE) was the 46th ruler of the Chakma Circle. She was only female ruler of the Chakma people.

She was born in the village of Kudukchari near the Rangamati-Khagrachari highway in present-day Chittagong Hill Tracts region of Bangladesh and was the daughter of a commoner called "Guzong Bujjye" which literally means "bent old man" translated from the Chakma language.

Raja Dharam Bux Khan married her.

After his death she became the reigning Rani after a brief power struggle with rival queens and the estate manager called Shuklal Dewan backed by Captain Thomas Herbert Lewin the British Superintendent of Chittagong Hill Tracts district.

Achievements

She institutionalized and patronized Theravada Buddhism in the kingdom by inviting monks from Myanmar.

During her time the Rajbari was at Rajanagar, Rangunia now in Chittagong District.

Along with hundreds of Buddhist Temples, she also built Churches, Mosques and Hindu Temples for her non-Buddhist subjects, thereby creating loyalty and support for Chakma Raj from non-Chakma peoples.

Death

She died in 1873 leaving her step-grandson Harish Chandra to be the next Chakma Raja in her place.

References

Article on Rani Kalindi

Book with mention of Rani Kalindi

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