History of Orissa from the Earliest Times to the British Period v2.c41.334

v2.c41.334

A letter was received from Morār Pandit about the depredations of Dāmodar Bhañja on pilgrims coming to Puri through his territory. Morār Pandit sent another letter from the Maratha Ṣūbahdār at Puri to the same effect. The Marathas now intended to establish another Chauki for the collection of Pilgrim Tax from pilgrims to Jagannātha. This was objected to by Dynely and one Serjeant-Major Covencey, but no steps were taken to prevent the establishment of the new Thānāh at Narsinghpur, which was between Multānī and Bastah. Dynely wrote to the Board on the 22nd February, sending copy of another letter from Morār Pandit in which the latter states that Dāmodar Bhañja's people oppress the pilgrims. Morār Pandit states that at the request of Dynely he has stopped sending troops to Narsinghpur pass. Peiarce returned to Medinipur and wrote to the Board on the 1st April, 1785, informing the Government of the necessity of sending more troops to the Mayurbhañja frontier. In his letter to Lt.-Col. Fullarton, Peiarce states that it is necessary to send a company of Sepoys to Jānpur and in his letter to Lieut. Dickens he states that he has applied to Lt.-Col. Fullarton for more troops to prevent Dāmodar Bhañja from plundering the English *Parganahs* of Barajit and Jānpur and to release the widow of the deceased zamindar of Kiyārchand. In a long letter, dated 19th April, 1785, Peiarce informed the Board that Dāmodar Bhañja paid Rs. 5200 for Nayabasan, Rain and Maubandar for the first two or three years and that last year he wanted to diminish this amount by Rs. 2000. His *Harkarah* was stopped twenty miles on this side of Hariharpur and was not allowed to go to the presence of the Rājā. Peiarce states that he sent *Tahṣilnāmahs* to Rādha Mohan, Rājā Dāmodar Bhañja’s agent at Nayabasan, to go to the *Thānāhdār* at Jānpur and to Dinabandhu Kumār to go to his *Thānāh*. He further informed the Board that a force of nearly 5000 men was sent against Dāmodar Bhañja by the *Ṣubāhdār* of Katak but Dāmodar Bhañja got rid of them by the payment of their dues about six weeks ago from *Chalans* of money sent from Nayabasan and other zamindaris. The Collector further recommended that the zamindaris of Dāmodar Bhañja in the British district of Medinipur should be given to some other zamindar or otherwise made *Khāṣ* and held with a company of Sepoys. According to this recommendation Nayabasan etc., were made *Khāṣ*. A *Korokdar* was appointed, supported by an officer and a company of Sepoys (letter dated 2nd June, 1785). On hearing of this order Rājā Dāmodar Bhañja ordered Jagannāth Singh, his deputy, to pay Rs. 3000 immediately. This intelligence was sent by Lieut. Burnett from Gopīballabhpur on the 19th May, 1785, to Peiarce. We learn from a letter dated 21st May, 1785, from Peiarce to Burnett that Dāmodar Bhañja's arrears of revenue for 1785 and 1783 amounted to Rs. 5767-5-3. Dinabandhu Kumār was ordered to be reminded to return nine cows which his people plundered from the zamindar of Barajit. On receipt of this letter Burnett replied on the 25th that the Thānahdar sent a letter to Rājā Dāmodar Bhañja asking him to pay the arrears of revenue within seven or eight days, failing which his parganah would be made Khās. His manager, Jagannāth Singh, was with Burnett at that time and had paid about Rs. 1000. Burnett heard that Rājā Dāmodar Bhañja owed the Marathas about Rs. 24000 as arrears of tribute. Burnett forwarded a letter from Rājā Dāmodar Bhañja in which the latter stated that he had ordered Jagannāth Ghosh to pay Rs. 3000 immediately. In reply to Dāmodar Bhañja, Peiarce asked him in a letter without date to settle all arrears of revenue immediately.