, . OR CUTTACK. 277 



Ferishteh relates, that in the time of Humayun Shah Bahmini, about 

 A. D. 1457, the Telingahs prevailed on the Rajas of Orissa and Una to 

 afford them assistance against the Mohammedans, who sent a large army to 

 their aid, with many war elephants. The confederates completely defeated 

 the armies of Islam, and pursued them from the field of battle for many miles. 

 Under Nizam Shah, son of the above, the Rai of Orissa in conjunction, 

 with the powerful Zemindars or Khetris (Poligars) of Telingana, again in- 

 vaded the territories of the Deckany sovereigns by way of Liajamandry and 

 plundered as far as Kolas.* The Rai of Orissa is said to have advanced 

 in great state and splendour, " ha shouket tamami" with the declared in- 

 tention of conquering the whole of Telingana from the Mussulmans, and 

 compelling them to pay tribute. When he had arrived however within ten 

 miles of the Mohammedan capital Ahmedabad (Beder), the ministers taking 

 courage sent him a message of defiance saying that " their king had long in- 

 " tended to subjugate Orissa and Jehannagar and render it tributary, but 

 " the idea of the distance of that country had hitherto deterred him from the 

 " undertaking : however as the Raja had now come so far to throw himself 

 "into the jaws of destruction, much trouble would be saved to the victorious 

 *' armies of Islam." This bravado was followed up by a spirited sally of 

 Patan horse, which cooled a little the ardour of the Hindus, and induced 

 them to fall back. They were finally glad to purchase a secure retreat to 

 their own frontier, by paying down a sum of five lacs of tankas. 



, Ferishteh goes on to state, that in the year 3471 A. D. the Rai of Uria 

 called [limber, complained to King Mohammed Shah that he had been driv- 

 en from his possessions by an usurper who was supported from Orissa, and 

 offered on condition of obtaining effectual assistance for the recovery of his 

 rights, to become tributary to the Musselman government, and to cede cer- 

 tain forts. It is not easy to satisfy one's self what is meant by this word 



* The boldness and enterprize of the Orissan roonarchs in those days, may surprize ua when we con* 

 sider lue situatiou of Kolas in the heart of central India, beyond Kalberga and Beder, 



