History of Orissa from the Earliest Times to the British Period v2.c41.250

v2.c41.250

The scene on the political stage of Orissa now changes quickly. Bhagavant Viṣṇu, who is referred to in the previous pages as Bhagavān Viṣṇu Ray, representative sent by Jānuji to Calcutta died in Calcutta. A letter was received from one Rāmji Jāchak, clearly a mistake for Lakhmanji Jāchak, on the 20th of April requesting the Governor to release the servants of the deceased Bhagvant Vishnu and to send his property.³ On the 22nd April a letter was written to Lakhmāji Jāchak stating that his letter requesting to release the property and men of Bhagvant Vishnu had been received, stating that the deceased made an inventory of his property and left instructions about their disposal and his men were not in confinement.⁴ This letter proves that Rāmji Jāchak and Lakhmāji Jāchak are mistakes for Lakhmanji Jāchak. According to Stirling there was a severe famine in the Katak District in the time of Bābuji Nāyak. Rice, the staple food of Orissa, was selling at less than two seers to the rupee and thousands of people perished. To add to this calamity a mutiny broke out among Maratha troops which could not be quelled for many months most probably because Babuji was a Bāniyā or Mahājan by caste.⁵ On the 15th of May 1773 Mahādji Hari was appointed Ṣūbahdār of Orissa. In a letter received from him on the 15th of May the Governor is informed of his appointment and arrival in Orissa with a considerable body of troops. Madhavji states that the zamindars have withheld payment and therefore he will stay for ten or fifteen days at Khaṇḍāpārā and then proceed to Lalbagh in Katak. In the calendar this name is given at first as Hariji Pandit but the mistake can be detected from No. 384 on p. 73. Similarly the compiler of the calendar spells Khaṇḍāpārā as Kundaparah and does not know where Lalbagh is.¹ Another letter was received from Lakhmanji Jāchak on the 25th of May regarding the appointment of the second Mr. Allen as Resident at Katak. The Governor wrote to Lakhmanji on the 26th of May referring him to the men of Bhagavant Viṣṇu regarding the property left by him. Two important letters were received from Mādhavji Hari, the new Maratha Ṣūbahdār of Orissa, in the first one of which he complained against the Collector of Medinipur for stationing troops in the fort of Bamanghati. Mādhavji Hari received information from the Zamindar and Faujdār of Balasore that British troops, from Bamanghati, the capital of Raja Dāmodar Bhañja, were making encroachments upon the chaklah of Balasore. This was clearly an infringment of Maratha sovereignty in Orissa. Mādhavji writes strongly to the Governor to direct the Collector of Medinipur not to exceed his jurisdiction. The second letter acknowledges the appointment of the second Mr. Allen as Resident at Katak.² The earliest letter writen to Sābāji Bhonsle was issued on the 10th of September in which he was informed that the English Governor had met his envoy Beṇi Rām Pandit. Evidently Sābāji's agent received a cold reception from the English Governor as the letter informs him in a lofty tone that "Owing to pressure of business could not hear him in detail." On the same date a letter was written to Mādhavji Hari congratulating him upon his appointment as Ṣūbahdār of Orissa.³