228 ON OPJSSA PROPER 



Under his administration the heads of the existing branches of the Royal 

 family were acknowledged as Rajas. ; they were invested with the rank 

 and titles conferred by the Mogul Court on officers of distinction ; and 

 extensive portions of country were assigned to them as hereditary fiefs in 

 Zemindari tenure. No regular tribute appears to have been required from 

 them on account of their own lands, but the right of investiture was reserv- 

 ed to the ruling power, with the privilege of levying such contributions on 

 the accession of a new Raja, as it might be thought expedient, according 

 to the circumstances of the times, to demand. The reigning prince was 

 styled the Raja of Khurda with the rank of a Commander of 3,500 " Man- 

 sabi Seh Hazdr Panjsad" and his estate was composed of the jurisdiction 

 called Killah Khurda, with the Mehals Rahang, Limbai Pursottem Chet- 

 ter, &c. alienated from the Khaliseh. To the two sons of Telinga Mukund 

 Deo (the last independent monarch), were assigned respectively with the 

 title of Raja and rank of five hundred, Sarangher, Pattia, Sailo, Saibir, &c. 

 and Al with Derabissi, and Uthar. A certain number likewise of the great 

 chiefs of Orissa (Zemindars and Sirdars, as they are called in the revenue 

 accounts,) were placed under the orders and controul of each of the above 

 Rajas, who collected the tribute before due from them, or then for the first 

 time imposed. Zemindar ,* I may here observe, is the obvious translation 

 of the word Bhunia, Bhyan, or Bhupati, the common title of the ancient 

 feudatories of this province, whose offices now received a Persian name, 

 as well as their jurisdictions, the Hindi word Gerh, being exchanged for 

 Killah. The more distant Zemindars were separated from the control of 

 the superior Raja, and placed under seven principal Zemindars or Sawants 

 (not distinguished however by the title of Raja,) viz. the Zemindars of 

 Keonjhar, Moherbenj, Bishenpur, Futtihabad, Naraingerh, Karrangher, and 



* Even the powerful Rajas of Joudpur, Bhartpur, &c. were called, Zemindars by the Mogul go- 

 vernment down to the latest period, and we know from history the nature of their tenures. They were 

 bound to attend in succession on the person of the Emperor at the head of a fixed quota of Troops. 

 Their own countries were and are still subdivided into the lands of the Military retainers or Thakurs^ 

 and the revenue lands, on the same principle that prevailed under the Hindu government in the empire 

 at large. 



