History of Orissa from the Earliest Times to the British Period v2.c41.287

Language: English

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Another passport was issued for Beṇirām Pandit who was travelling with his retinue and three elephants and other articles sent to Mahārāja Sābāji Bhonsle, through Benares.⁵ In a letter received on the 2nd November, Beṇirām Pandit informs the Governor that he arrived at Patna on the 2nd October and left that place on the 11th.¹ Another letter was written to Mādhavji Hari asking him to help Rāmkānta Rāy, Diwān of Jasārat Khān, Nāib Nāzim of Dacca, who was going on pilgrimage to Puri.² A circular letter was addressed to many Indian notables on the 17th November, 1774, informing them of the appointment of the Governor of Calcutta or the Presidency of Fort William, Mr. Warren Hastings, as Governor-General of British India. Among the names of Shuja'-ud-daulah of Oudh, Nawāb Nizām-ul-Mulk Nizām 'Alī Khān of the Deccan, Nawāb Nāzim Mubārak-ud-daulah of Murshidābād and the Emperor Shāh Alām II of Delhi, we find the names of Mahārāṇī Daryābāī Kand Mahārāja Sābājī Bhonsle.³ A letter received from Beṇirām Pandit on the 28th November informed Mr. Hastings that the former met Rājā Chet Singh at Benares and was leaving for Fyzabad. In this letter news was sent about the position of the parties at Nagpur. Sābājī had arrived at Nagpur and was staying there with Mahārāṇī Daryābāī and the young Raghujī II. Mudhoji was at Ellichpur. Tukojī Holkar, Mahādji Śinde and Govind Rāo were at Burhanpur. Raghunāth Rāo was also at Burhānpur, and was sending ambassadars to Sakhārām Bāpu at Poona.

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Another letter was received on the same date from Mahārāja Sābājī Bhonsle which is complimentary in character and in which there is no demand for *chauth*, though there is a reference to its non-payment.⁴ A letter received from Beṇirām Pandit on the 17th December, 1774, informed Mr. Hastings of his interview with the Wazir Shuja'-ud-daulah at Fyzabad and referred him to a letter from Mr. Motte for further particulars. The affair of Mr. Rogers now becomes important. On the 17th, three letters were written to Krishna Chandra Sandi, Rājā of Kujang, Gopināth Dev, Rājā of Karara and Kaldip (Kokilo Dip) but really Al or Aul, and Mādhavji Hari informing them of the dispatch of one Gobardhan Bhattāchārji to enquire into the case. A separate letter was written to Rājā Gopināth Dev asking him to release the crew of two ships wrecked near his coast.¹ The proposal for taking the ashes of the late Rājā Jānoji Bhonsle was received in a letter received from Beniram Pandit on the 21st January, 1775. Benirām requests Mr. Hastings to obtain a passport from the Wazir Shuja'-ud-daulah so that the ashes may be consigned to the Ganges. He says that he met the Wazir at Lucknow and Mr. Middleton. He also states that he will start for Nagpur in four or five days. In the meanwhile, Gobardhan Bhattāchārji reached Rājā Gopināth Dev who denied all knowledge of Mr. Rogers and the crew of the two lost ships.

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Gobardhan learnt from other sources that one ship was wrecked on the coast and was plundered by his men, Kālāpāhār and Dāmodar Bhuyān. A letter was received from Rājā Gopināth Dev stating that an English ship was wrecked on the coast of the zamindar but he helped the crew and sent them to Balasore. But sometime ago when another ship was wrecked he plundered the cargo and imprisoned the crew. He refers to another shipwreck in the month of Kārtik among the crew of which there were a few Europeans. They were sent to Balasore and the matter reported to the Ṣūbahdār of Orissa at Katak. Two letters were written on the same date, 24th January, 1775. The first one was written to Sābājī Bhonsle only two days before his death in which his letter, received through Beṇīrām Pandit, was acknowledged and willingness expressed on the part of the English to maintain friendly relations with him. The second letter was addressed to Beṇīrām Pandit in which he was requested to hand over a letter to Sābājī Bhonsle.¹ A letter was received from Sābājī Bhonsle on the 7th February congratulating Mr. Hastings on his exaltation to the rank of Governor-General. It is stated in this letter that Raghunāth Rāo was supported by the Śinde and the Holkar but was defeated and fled across the Narmada.² On the 31st of the same month a letter was addressed to Mādhavjī Hari requesting him to help Russa Rām who was going to Puri on pilgrimage.

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This letter proves that even two months after the death of Sābājī, Mādhavjī Hari had not been removed.³ Another letter, written on the 24th of the same month, requests Mādhavjī Hari to help Bakhtawar Singh, who was taking elephants to Nawāb Muḥammad 'Alī of Arcot. Towards the end of the month intelligence was received from one Lālā Hansi Rāy of the battle between Mudhojī and Sābājī and the death of the latter.⁴ On the 8th of March 1775, a letter was received from Beṇīrām Pandit stating that he was going to Nagpur *via* Kalpi. Apparently he was not aware of the death of Sābāji.¹ Mādhavji Hari was still in office and a letter was written to him on the 12th of March in which he was requested to liberate the Captain of the ship *Pembroke*, who was in confinement at Katak, as the Arab crew of that ship had mutinied off Point Palmyras and murdered their officers.² A letter was received on the 10th of April 1775 from Mudhoji Bhonsle in which he informs Mr. Hastings that he had defeated his younger brother Sābāji on the plains of Nagpur.³ A letter was received from Mādhavji Hari on the 17th April in which the latter informs Mr. Hastings that arrangements have been made for the conveyance of elephants, evidently those sent to Nawāb Muḥammad ’Alī Khān of Arcot.⁴ A reply was sent to Mudhoji Bhonsle expressing the desire of the English to maintain the friendship (?) formerly subsisting between them and Jānuji.⁵