History of Orissa from the Earliest Times to the British Period v2.c41.180

v2.c41.180

On the 2nd July a long letter was received from Rājāh Jānujī Bhonsle which refers in the first instance to the payment of *chauth* for Bengal, in the second instance to the appointment of Sambhājī Gaṇesh in the place of Bhavānī Paṇḍit as governor at Katak and, finally, that one Lālā Ānand Rūp had been appointed from Nagpur to enquire into “the disposition of things at Calcutta and the advantages likely to arise from the inclinations of the Governor’s heart.” In the last sentence of this letter the Governor is requested to send back Udepurī Gosāin from Calcutta. Another letter received on the 4th of the same month from Sambhājī Gaṇesh contains the statement that he has been appointed *Ṣūbahdār* of Orissa. On the same date Udepurī Gosāin informs the Governor that he has forwarded Rājā Jānujī’s letter to him.² Another letter from Udepurī Gosāin states that one Gopālpurī Nārāyaṇ was delayed by Sambhājī Gaṇesh who did not pay his travelling allowances. He complains that the conduct of negotiations being entrusted to Muḥammad Riza Khān, the latter will do certain things which will offend Jānujī. Udepurī begs for permission to go to Nagpur personally and decide the treaty.³ A letter from Sambhājī Gaṇesh received on the 27th August informed the Governor that he collected magazines of provisions for Colonel Peach’s army but as the march was delayed he had ceased preparations and that the stranded vessel would arrive in Calcutta very soon.¹ On the 13th of October Udepurī Gosāin wrote stating that he had received replies from Nagpur to the letters written by the Governor, Muḥammad Riza Khān and Saif-ud-daulah, and that he was sending a copy of the letter he had received from Rājā Jānujī with the letters to Calcutta. On the same date a letter received from Muḥammad Riza Khān, states, that he has delivered the letters received by him and Nawāb Saif-ud-daulah to Mr. Sykes, the resident at the court of Murshidabad. On the 15th of October letters from Jānujī were received by the Governor at Calcutta. The opening sentence contains the exceedingly interesting information that the English did not want him to enter into an alliance with Niẓām’Alī of Ḥaidarābād. Then it refers to the proposed cession of Orissa. Jānujī practically agrees to it. The long letter contains meaningless compliments and ends with the statement that he has written to Udepurī Gosāin, who will discuss the matter in private with Muḥammad Riza Khān. The secrecy was about the heavy payment which Jānujī expected for the sale of Orissa to the British. On the next day a letter was received from Gopālpurī Gosāin, the British envoy to Nagpur, informing the Governor of his arrival at Nagpur and his reception by Jānujī. At this interview Jānujī referred to his treaty of 1759 with Mīr Ja’afar ’Alī Khān and the assurance given to him by Lord Clive. It ends with the statement that Jānujī has written in detail to Udepurī Gosāin and is equally impatient to conclude the treaty. On receiving this letter the Governor wrote to Udepurī Gosāin at Murshidabad to send the proposals received from Mahārājā Jānujī. It is evident from a letter received from Jānujī on the 15th October that the English Company offered to pay three years' chauth (? 36 lakhs) as the price of Orissa—half cash down and the other half on the evacuation of the province (1153).¹