1919.] The Rajput Kingdoms of Mediaeval Chhattisgarh. 221 
authorities have eye 8 nen the term Atharahgarh to a 
cluster of 18 State which Sambalpur was one instead of to 
the internal shbdivisien of ahs single State of Sambalpur. 
But thé attempt will be made and I venture to think will be 
made successfully. 
42. Let us begin by making reference to a still earlier 
and more reliable authority even than Lieut. Kittoe. Kittoe 
was in Sambalpur only for 19 days in 1838. A certain Mr. 
quiring information by reason of his lengthy stay, but he w 
at Sambalpur only 11 years after this so-called Atharahgarh of 
States came under Maratha rule. As Sir R Richard Temple (on 
the authority of Major Impey) tells us : ‘‘ The earliest authentic 
information we have of the Sambalpur Garhjat Chiefs is that 
“to the most powerful of their number, the Maharaja of Patna. 
“In later times the Maharaja of Patna was forced to share his 
“supremacy among the chiefs with his relative the Maharaja 
* of Sambalpur and this was the situation when all fell under the 
‘* dominion mi the Marattas in A.D. 1755 as tributaries.”’ 
v it is hardly credible, if the confederacy were 
known as the Atha Garh Sambalpur as Kittoe tells us, that 
Motte should fail to be aware of it. He was almost a con- 
condition of affairs which had “long since”’ passed away. On 
the contrary, Motte makes no mention whatsoever of any past 
or present subordination of the surrounding Gurhjat States to 
Sambalpur, and, although Sir Richard Temple asserts that 
this confederacy was ‘“‘known for many ages as the Atharah- 
garh’’ and that it continued in existence at least as late as 
1755, Motte in 1766 treats the term Atharahgarh as a conven- 
tional title of no particular significance and describes it merely 
as one “common among the Hindus.’’ Let me quote from his 
narrative the perusal of which, as Lieutenant Kittoe remarks 
his Report, will ‘ ‘amply repay the reader for his trouble.” 
A jler passing through Bod into Rairakhol he writes : 
“tation. Nine miles from hence I entered the province of Sambat- 
‘* pur.” » Later he writes: ‘‘ The Sambalpur province is so called 
“* from its — but the Rajah takes the title of Rajah of 
‘‘eighteen forts. Such titles are common among the Hindus and 
fe nt doubt if he capital of the Mahrattas which we call Sat- 
tarahgur or the Star fort is not Sattarahgur or the seventeen 
