OR CUTTACK. 223 



Bhim IXeo's time, who is said to kave created sixteen Sawanfs or great 

 Lords, but the tenure of the majority no doubt reaches back to a very re- 

 mote antiquity. To describe a little more particularly their duties and offi- 

 ces, I may observe, that they were posted all round and alon°p the frontiers 

 of the Raj, with the view to defend it from the irruptions of neighbouring 

 powers, or the incursions and devastations of the savage inhabitants of the 

 wild regions in the interior, such as the Kands and Coles, who to this day 

 give serious annoyance in many parts of the hill estates, and if the belief of 

 their origin and ancient situation be well founded, were doubtless in former 

 ages far more numerous and formidable than at present. In this point of 

 view their situations and duties resembled much that of the Lords of the 

 Marches in Europe. Nor is the above the only striking feature of analogy 

 between the feudal lords of India and the western hemisphere. The es- 

 tates or jurisdictions of that class in Orissa were always called by the 

 Hindus, Gerhs, and by the Mussulmans, killahs or Gastles. A certain part 

 of the lands under the head Officer were parcelled out amongst several mi* 

 litary retainers and dependents called Naiks, Dalais, Dalbehras and some- 

 times Khandaits, who held of their superior on much the same principle, 

 as he did of the supreme Raja, though generally speaking by a more limit- 

 ted and imperfect tenure. Under these again, a portion of the lands of 

 each subordinate Gerh, were assigned as service land to the feudal Militia of 

 the country, called Paiks, who following equally tlie occupations of soldier 

 and cultivator, were obliged at any moment when called on by their leader, 

 to take up arms, and accompany him to the field. In time of war the Khan- 

 daits or nobility of Orissa at the head of their respective contingents of this 

 landed militia, ranged themselves under the standard of their sovereign, 

 and formed the main part of his Military array. Thus we frequently read 

 of the Gajapati assembling his chiefs to attend on a warlike expedition, 

 and' we find that the Sunnuds, granted by the Mogul government (in cases 

 where they exercised the right of investiture), always contained a condition 

 that the Khandait should be ready to attend with his contingent, when sum- 

 moned by the Military Officer of his division. The Paiks are of course 

 the local Infantry constantly referred to in the Ayin Acberi. The author 



