History of Orissa from the Earliest Times to the British Period v2.c37.24

v2.c37.24

Afghan opposition in Orissa did not come to an end with the death of the brave Qatlū Khan Lohānī. It continued for some years after the peace of 1590. The peace was maintained by the Afghans so long as Khwājah 'Isā was alive. Immediately after his death, they captured and desecrated the temple of Jagannātha and attacked Hamīr Singh of Vishnupur. Mān Singh joined the armies of Bihar and Bengal and started by the water route (? sea) while many others advanced by way of Jhārkhaṇḍ under Yūsuf Khān Chakk, the former king of Kashmīr. Sa'id Khan of Bengal joined Mān Singh later on. The Afghans tried to treat and the Bengal officers were inclined to listen to them. The former entrenched their position and as the Bengal officers could not agree with Mān Singh, they sat down at a distance. The engagement took place at Mālnāpur, which, according to Beames, is on the Suvarṇarekhā, now in the Balasore district. The Afghans came out of their entrenchment and engaged the Mughals. More than three hundred of them fell and they had to retire. The entire Afghan nobility seems to have gathered to oppose the advance of the Mughals, as the Akbarnāmā mentions Nāṣim Khān and Jamāl Khān, the sons of Qatlū, Jalāl Khān Khāṣākhel, Bahādur Kurūh and 'Uṣmān.² After this unexpected victory the Mughals arrived at Jaleśvar and struck coins in the name of the Emperor Akbar. Sa'id Khan of Bengal retired with his forces. The landowners of northern Orissa began to submit and in the town of Bhadrak news was received that the sons of Qatlū and other leaders had taken refuge in the fort of Katak. This fort is not Barabati of the Mughal period but Sarangarh, about four or five miles south of Katak. It is at this stage that we are introduced to Rāmachandra for the second time, who is mentioned as Rām Cand, the founder of the house of Khurda by Abu'l Fazl. We are informed that Sarangarh belonged to Rām Cand, who was one of the great land-holders of the country. Mān Singh entered Katak and captured Sarangarh, compelling the Afghans to take refuge in the forests near the sea. Alāwā Khān, the Khāṣkhel of Qatlū Khān, surrendered the strong fort of Al to the Mughals and Rām Cand gave shelter to those who had taken protection in Sarangarh fort. Mān Singh won over Rāmchandra, who sent his son Birbal with presents. Another Oṛiyā chief, called the Ṭilā Rājāh, surrendered to the Mughals at Kalkalghaṭi. Mān Singh left Yūsuf Khān Chakk, the Kashmīrī, in charge of Katak and went on a pilgrimage to Puri. In the meanwhile Fath Khān of Hijli and Ḥabī Khān, Daryā Khān, Sujāwal Khān, and Mewā Khān attacked Jaleśvar and compelled Bābuī Manklī, the renegade Afghan of Bengal, to evacuate that city. Mān Singh sent Pāhār Khān and others against Fath Khān and Jaleśvar was re-occupied. The Afghans now surrendered and waited upon Mān Singh.¹