DARBHANGA, Jan. 13 -- Maharani Kamsundari Devi, the last surviving Maharani of the erstwhile Darbhanga Raj and widow of Maharajadhiraja Sir Kameshwar Singh, passed away in the early hours of Monday at Kalyani Niwas in Darbhanga. She was 93 and had been unwell for the past few months. Her death marks the end of the last living royal link to one of eastern India's most influential zamindari and cultural legacies. The last rites were performed at the Madhmeshwar Temple premises, the private crematorium of the Darbhanga Raj, where the funeral pyre was lit by her grandnephew, Ratneshwar Singh, in accordance with traditions. Darbhanga district magistrate Kaushal Kumar was among the first to pay floral tributes on behalf of the district administration. Members of civil society, academics and local residents also gathered to pay their respects. Bihar's Industries and Road Construction Minister, Dilip Kumar Jaiswal, also attended the funeral on behalf of the state government. Paying tribute, he said that the Darbhanga royal family had made immense contributions to the nation. "Whenever the country needed support, the Maharajas of Darbhanga opened their treasury for the nation. The contributions of the royal family will always be remembered," he said. Maharani Kamsundari Devi, also known as Maharani Kalyani Devi, was the third wife of Maharajadhiraja Sir Kameshwar Singh, the last Maharaja of Darbhanga and once regarded as the richest zamindar in the country during the British Raj. The Maharaja, who died in 1962, was a towering public figure whose influence extended beyond landed wealth to education, philanthropy, industry and public life. He was a member of the Constituent Assembly and later served in the Rajya Sabha. Born on October 22, 1932, in Mangrauni village of Madhubani district, Maharani Kamsundari Devi was married at a very young age and lived in widowhood for more than six decades following the Maharaja's death. The couple had no child. The Maharaja's second wife, Maharani Kameshwari Priya, died in 1956 during his lifetime, while the senior Maharani, Raj Laxmi, passed away in 1976. With the death of Maharani Kamsundari Devi, no royal consort directly associated with the last ruling Maharaja of Darbhanga remains alive. Despite belonging to one of the wealthiest royal households of its time, Maharani Kamsundari Devi led a life marked by restraint, simplicity and quiet dignity. She largely remained away from public life, devoting herself to religious, educational and social causes. Family members described her as deeply compassionate and rooted in values. "She lived with remarkable simplicity and grace while carrying the weight of an extraordinary legacy," a family member said. Historians note that the Darbhanga Raj was not merely a feudal estate but a major institution that shaped Bihar's academic, cultural and intellectual life for generations. "With her passing, a living chapter of Darbhanga's royal history has quietly closed," said Professor Jitendra Narayan, former professor of political science at Lalit Narayan Mithila University. The Darbhanga Raj traces its origins to the 16th century, when Mahesh Thakur was appointed administrator of Tirhut during the Mughal period, laying the foundation of the Khandwala dynasty. Under British rule, the estate emerged as Bihar's largest zamindari, exercising vast social and economic influence. Maharajadhiraja Kameshwar Singh was widely known for his patronage of education and institution-building. He donated the Anand Bagh Palace for the establishment of Kameshwar Singh Darbhanga Sanskrit University and played a key role in founding institutions such as the Mithila Research Institute and Lalit Narayan Mithila University. The family also supported BHU, Calcutta University, AMU and Patna University. The Darbhanga Raj's legacy extended to industrial development and journalism, with investments in sugar, jute and paper mills, and the launch of influential publications such as Mithila Mihir and The Indian Nation and Aryavart. The family also built palaces, temples and historic structures across Darbhanga and Rajnagar. Although the abolition of zamindari ended its formal authority, the legacy of the Darbhanga Raj continued through its extended family, which includes the progeny of Maharaja's younger brother, Raja Visheshwar Singh. Condolences poured in from academic, social and cultural circles, many describing Maharani's death as "end of an era" for Darbhanga and Mithila region. With the passing of Maharani Kamsundari Devi, Darbhanga bids farewell to its last living royal link - closing a defining chapter in Bihar's modern history, even as the institutions and ideals shaped by the Darbhanga Raj continue to endure....