History of Orissa from the Earliest Times to the British Period v2.c44.65

v2.c44.65

In March 1817 a body of Khonds marched into Khurda from the neighbouring State of Ghumsur in Ganjam and were at once joined by the pāiks. With the rise of the pāiks the entire country rose in rebellion. The people proceeded to attack the police station at Banpur, gutted all Government buildings, killed about one hundred and carried off treasure amounting to Rs. 15000. They proceeded towards Khurda and all Government officials fled. The treasury was plundered and the town sacked. Another body went into the *parganah* of Lembai and murdered an Indian official who had endeared himself to them by his attentions. When news reached Katak one detachment of troops was sent to Khurda and another to Pipli. The Collector of Katak set out on the 1st April 1817 with sixty Sepoys for Khurda. The British troops were defeated at Gangpur by a large number of *pāiks* and forced to return to Katak. The detachment which had gone to Khurda lost the British officer in command at Gangpara and was compelled to retreat with the loss of all baggage. The troops sent to Pipli were also compelled to retire and that *Thanah* was sacked. Another detachment of troops, sent to Puri, reached that town and according to the advice of the commading officer an officer with 550 men and a few guns were sent to Puri on the 9th. On the same day some *pāiks* entered Puri and burnt the court-house and other Government buildings. The Indian officers took refuge in the houses of the European officers on the sea-shore and in a desultory engagement with the Sepoys the *pāiks* were defeated on the 13th of April. Rāja Mukundadeva II joined the *pāiks* and the priests of the temple of Jagannātha proclaimed the fall of the British Raj and the restoration of the Gajapatis. The *pāiks* gained in strength and British troops abandoned Puri, reaching Katak on the 18th. Southern Orissa was entirely in the hands of the rebels and all communication by land with Katak was cut off. The larger detachment reached Khurda without opposition and hearing that the pāiks had gone to Puri, it proceeded thither by forced marches. It encountered the pāiks on the second day after leaving Khurda and easily defeated about 1000 rebels near the embankment of a tank. This force captured Puri with Rājā Mukundadeva II. Authority was re-established very easily though the pāiks hid in the jungles and committed great depredations on the defenceless villages. So in the earlier part of the next year a military force was employed to hunt them down in their jungle. The fate of the brave Jagabandhu Vidyādhara need only be guessed. Mukundadeva II was simply cast in prison for his supposed treason, where he died in November 1817. His descendants were removed to Puri, where they still live and are known as Rājās of Puri. "His son Rāmchandra II (1817-56) built a new palace on the car road at Puri and amassed much wealth by his thrifty habits. He was succeeded by Vīrakishoradeva II (1856-62), and the next Rājā was Dibyasiṅhadeva II (1862-77), who was transported for life on a charge of murder. The present representative of the family and Superintendent of the Jagannātha temple is Rājā Mukundadeva, popularly called the Rājā of Puri."¹