History of Orissa from the Earliest Times to the British Period v2.c41.322

v2.c41.322

translated by Henry Colebrook, by which Raghuji Bhonsle II orders Sadāśiva Rājārām, Ṣūbahdār of Orissa, to release two persons captured by Maratha tenants of Pataspur in British territory. The matter was represented to Raghuji II by Colebrooke himself. It appears from a note written to Raghuji II on the 4th September, 1799, that at that time one Veṅkājī Tirumal Faḍnis was the Dīwān of Revenues in Orissa. The second batch of records commence in 1781. They are taken from the proceedings of the Committee of Revenue, J. Peiarce, Collector of Medinipur, dated the 24th March 1781, forwarding three petitions. In the first Gaurīballabh Rāy, zamindar of Thānā Fathābād, states that the Rājā of Mayurbhañja has arrived at Beloorichor on the north side of the Suvarṇarekhā, imprisoned a mohurri named Bhuvan and plundered the tenants. The Rājā had declared his intention of doing the same thing at Fathābād. The second petition sent six days later was from the Chaudhuris and Qānungoe of the patganah of Beloorichor informing that they had retreated to Jaleswar and requested the despatch of troops. The third petition was sent on the same date by Maḥmūd Zarif, Thānahdar of Jaleswar, and contains the interesting infomation that there was an invasion of Piṇḍāris in Orissa. Dāmodar Bhañja followed closely after them and entered the fort of Omerdan (Umardan),¹ and plundered what he found there. The Rājā sent for the naibs of the Chaudhuris of Beloorichor and took kabūliats from them for Rs. 7000. The Collector states that Major Macpherson is about three miles from Umardan with his regiment but he fears that if he sends troops it may raise complications with the Marathas. The petition from the Chaudhuris and Qānungoe of Beloorichor of the same date states that "The Lungarehs of the Meharattah army" had entered the province, *i. e.*, Medinipur in the *Tappah* of Muḥammadnagar. The Maratha Lungarehs are also mentioned in the letter of Muḥammad Zarif, dated 22nd of March, 1781.