Man Singh, one of Akbar’s competent generals, put an end to the protracted conflict between the Afghans and Mughals in 1593 CE. This resulted in the total subjugation of the Afghans. Obviously, Akbar had taken steps before to this to impose Mughal governance in Odisha.
Contents
Odisha Under Akbar
The protracted conflict between the Afghans and Mughals was brought to an end in 1593 CE by Man Singh, one of Akbar’s most capable generals. This resulted in the Afghans’ complete subjugation. Naturally, Akbar had already taken steps to establish Mughal administration in Odisha.
Raja Todarmal had arranged for a peaceful administration in Odisha following the death of Daud Karrani. Akbar’s will resulted in the establishment of peace with Ramachandradeva. Man Singh recognised him as the legitimate successors of the Odisha Gajapatis. As a result of this recognition, Ramachandradeva’s position was asserted on Odishan soil, where he assumed the title ‘Gajapati’. Man Singh also satisfied two of Mukundadeva’s sons diplomatically by giving them the zamindari of Aul and Patia, as previously stated. Raja Man Singh’s active intervention restored normalcy to this land. In Odisha, he implemented Todarmal’s revenue system. During Akbar’s reign, there was no intervention in the temple administration of Puri. Odisha was an integral part of Bengal Suba and was ruled from Bengal’s capital.
Odisha Under Jahangir
In 1605 CE, following Akbar’s demise, Jahangir ascended to the throne. He did not adhere to Akbar’s liberal policy. He meddled in the internal affairs of Khurda and the Jagannath temple. Odisha was established as a separate Suba. Hasim Khan was appointed Odisha’s Governor. He devised a strategy for marching against Purusottamadeva, Khurda’s Raja. Prior to carrying out this plan, Raja Keso Das Maru marched against Purusottamadeva in order to materialise his master’s dream.
Puri’s Occupation
When the images of God Jagannath, Balabhadra, and Subhadra were in the Gundicha house during the Car festival, Keso Das Maru entered the Jagannath temple with his Rajput soldiers, pleading with them to visit the temple. He tortured temple priests and seized property worth over two crores of rupees. Purusottamadeva of Khurda marched with his grand army of infantry, cavalry, and chariots in response to this shocking news. Though the temple was besieged by Purusottamadeva’s soldiers, the Rajput soldiers of Keso Das Maru threw rags soaked in oil and ghee, which caught fire. Purusottam’s chariots caught fire unexpectedly, and the soldiers on their tops perished in the flames.
The Treaty’s Conditions
Finally, the King of Khurda submitted to Keso Das Maru on the following humiliating terms:
- To have his daughter enrolled in the imperial harem.
- To make a Peshkash payment of three lakh rupees to the imperial exchequer.
- To marry Keso Das Maru’s own sister.
- To pay one lakh rupees to the Raja and his followers as a Nal Bandi (light tribute or present).
Purusottamadeva was compelled to accept these proposals. As a result, Keso Das married Purusottamadeva’s sister and relocated to Puri. From that location, he informed Khurda to send additional articles of demand, which Purusottam promptly fulfilled. This elevated his position in the eyes of Emperor Jahangir, who promoted Keso Das to the rank of four thousand horses and presented him with an honour robe, a jewelled sword with belt, and a horse, among other things.
Khurda occupation of Kalyanmal
Raja Kalyanmal was appointed Governor of Odisha by Jahangir in 1611 CE after Hasim Khan’s governorship expired. He cast his gaze across the kingdom of Khurda, which was ruled by Purusottamadeva under the direction of Rajaguru Vidyadhara. Kalyanmal enticed Vidyadhara to Ghantasila Tangi and held him captive through diplomacy. He suddenly attacked Khurda. Raja Purusottama, pressed by the situation, petitioned for peace.
The Treaty’s Terms
The treaty’s terms were as follows:
- He would subdue the Raja.
- The Raja’s daughter would be assigned to the imperial harem.
- The king should agree to pay three lakh rupees in Peshkash to the imperial treasury in addition to Sesha Naga, the renowned elephant for the emperor’s use.
- The king must personally address the emperor.
Purusottamadeva accepted each of these propositions. However, Jahangir dismissed Raja Kalyanmal from his service in 1617 CE
Mukarram Khan’s occupation of Khurda
Mukarram Khan was appointed Governor of Odisha by Jahangir in 1617 CE following kalyanmal. Following his arrest, he engaged in flagrant iconoclastic behaviour. He caused damage to the statue of Sakhi Gopal. The Sevakas removed the idols from Puri’s temple upon his approach and transported them to Gobapadar. Purusottamadeva, Khurda’s king, became enraged and desired to deal with this capricious Governor. Mukarram Khan’s attack was so ferocious and fatal that the king fled Khurda and sought refuge with the king of Rajahmundry. Khurda appears to have been temporarily annexed by the Mughal empire. Khudra’s conquest was highly regarded in the Mughal court, and Emperor Jahangir rewarded him with valuable gifts.
Purusottamadeva’s demise
Husain Ali Khan became the Governor of Odisha for a brief period following his removal in 1620 CE Ahmad Beg succeeded him in 1621 CE in the same position. Purusottamadeva enlisted the assistance of the local chiefs of Banapur and Ranapur, as well as the ruler of Rajahmundry. Ahmad Beg then proceeded to Banapur via Khurda. Purusottamadeva died while holding a camp near Banapur. His son Narasimhadeva succeeded him.
Khurram’s Odisha visit
When Narasimhadeva made his way to Garah Manitri to ensure the royal family’s safety, Ahmad Beg invaded Khurda. By this time, Prince Khurram (Shah Jahan) had revolted against Jahangir and travelled to Odisha via Golkunda from the Deccan. When Ahmad Beg saw him approaching, he fled to Burdwan and then to Akbar Nagar. Shah Jahan was greeted with humility by Narasimhadeva and his supporters. Shah Jahan left for Bengal, overjoyed with the king’s behaviour. His plan to conquer Allahabad and Oudh was thwarted by Mahabbat Khan’s foresight. As a result, he abruptly returned to Golkunda via Odisha. Ahmad Beg was re-elected Governor of Odisha following his return and served in that capacity until 1628 CE Jahangir’s reign is significant for Odisha for two reasons. To begin, Odisha became a distinct administrative unit distinct from Bengal. Second, the king of Khurda lost the Mughal emperor’s sympathy and thus came under direct Mughal rule.
Odisha Under Shahajahan
Muhmmad Baqar Khan was appointed Governor of Odisha following Shah Jahan’s accession to the Mughal throne in 1628 AD. Meanwhile, Qutb Shahi troops invaded Khurda. Baqar Khan marched with his soldiers to Khira Pahar, four miles from Chhattarduar on the border of the Mughal province of Odisha, in the winter of 1629-30 AD, and invaded the Qutb Shahi empire. His plundering of the Qutb Shahi territory, however, came to a halt with the arrival of the rainy season, forcing him to return to Cuttack.
Mansurgarh’s occupation by Baqar Khan
Baqar Khan marched back to the Deccan with his soldiers after the rainy season ended and reached the fort of Mansurgarh. The Qutb Shahi soldiers fought valiantly but were defeated by the Mughal soldiers, and the fort fell to Baqar Khan, who smiled as he returned to Cuttack. Following his return, the Qutb Shahi soldiers regrouped and attempted to reassert their hold on the fort. This act compelled an aggressive Baqar to return with vengeance and defeat the Golkunda soldiers, effectively annexed some Qutb Shahi territories to the Mughal empire of Odisha. He received a letter of commendation from Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan for his bravery. His atrocities against the zamindars of Odisha, on the other hand, were viewed negatively, and the emperor recalled him from Odisha in 1632 CE. He was compelled by the emperor to account for forty lakhs of rupees he had extorted from Odisha’s zamindars.
Governor Mutaqad Khan
In 1632 CE, Mutaqad Khan succeeded Baqar Khan as Governor of Odisha. He granted Captain Ralph Cartwright permission to establish an English factory at Hariharpur, which was home to a colony of weavers. According to William Burton’s accounts, the British East India Company established factories in the Balasore and undivided Cuttack districts during this time period. Mutaqad Khan built Cuttack’s Lalbagh palace. His reign as Subahdar in Odisha was one of tranquillity and glory. He held this position until 1641 CE.
Other Odisha Governors
Following him, there were seven Governors of Odisha, the most notable of whom was Muhammad Zaman Teherani, who ruled from 1642 to 1645 CE Prince Shuja had sent him to Odisha on his own behalf as a Deputy. During his governorship, the English East India Company established its factories in Odisha at Balasore. During his reign, he dealt with Bhadur Khan, the Zamindar of Hijli, who ruled an expansive coastal district stretching from Rupnarayan to the Odisha river Suvarnarekha. He ruled independently, as if his empire were the “unsubdued and uncared for Subah of Odisha.” Muhammad Zaman led an expedition against Bahadur Khan in 1657 CE, and Shah Jahan fell ill and was imprisoned by Aurangzeb, who ascended the Mughal throne in 1658 CE Shah Jahan’s reign was notable in Odisha for three reasons. To begin, there was no invasion of Khurda on behalf of Odisha’s Mughal Governor. Second, the Mughal army never attacked Puri’s Jagannath temple. Finally, the English established factories in Odisha, facilitating the land’s commercial prosperity.
Odisha Under Aurangzeb
The anarchy and confusion that reigned in Odisha during Prince Shujah’s reign came to an abrupt end with Aurangzeb’s accession in 1658 CE Mir Jumal established law and order in Bengal during his early years in office and appointed Ihtishan Khan as Odisha’s ruler. After assuming the position of Subahdar of Odisha, he issued a proclamation ordering that Khutba be read in the name of Aurangzeb in all Odisha mosques. Following that, he issued an order notifying all Mansabdars, Choudhuries, Quanungoes, and Zamindars of his own appointment. Additionally, he directed that the officers and Zamindars report to him at Narayangarh. Naturally, this order appears to have fallen on deaf ears. He was quickly succeeded as Subahdar of Odisha by Khan-i-Dauran.
Krushna Chandra Bhanja’s assassination
Khan-i-rule Dauran’s in Odisha began on a sour note. Odisha’s recalcitrant Zamindars had ceased to pay revenue to the Mughals. Arriving in Jaleswar via Narayanagarh, he directed that zamindar Bahadur Khan of Hijli and Krushna Chandra Bhanja of Hariharpur pay homage to him. When Krushna Chandra Bhanja spoke defiantly to the Subahdar, the latter sentenced the former to death. By Khan-i-order, Dauran’s all of Krushna Chandra Bhanja’s followers suffered the same fate.
Zamindars are being suppressed
Then began the drama of the local zamindars’ repression. Subahdar defeated zamindars such as Uddanda of Narasimhapur, Chhatreswar Dhal of Ghatasila, and Harichandan Krishna Bhanja of Nilgiri. He proceeded to Remuna to ascertain the state of chaos that had developed in Mayurbhanj following Krushna ChandraBhanja’s death. However, following the surrender of Jayachandra Bhanja, the deceased Rama Chandra Bhanja’s brother, the Subahdar recognised him as the Raja of Hariharapur and bestowed the title of Tikayat upon his son.
Mukundadeva’s Rebellion
Khan-i-Dauran’s objective was Khurda. Raja Mukundadeva had declared his independence from the Mughals by uniting with the zamindars of Banki, Ranapur, Sarangagarh, Damapara, and the surrounding locality. Khan-i-Dauran fell ill for two months after reaching Cuttack. In February 1661 CE, after his recovery, he marched ahead to settle a score with Mukundadeva of Khurda. He began by capturing the seven hill forts and wreaking havoc on Khurda. Mukundadeva fled in fear, and his younger brother Kapila Bhramaravara Raya surrendered without resistance to the Subahdar. Other zamindars, as mentioned previously, followed a similar path. Finally, Mukundadeva surrendered to Khan-i-Dauran.
The abrasive steps of Khan-I-Dauran
Khan-i-Dauran continued on to Keonjhar, defeated Raja Laxminarayana Bhanja, and snatched away from him the fort or Panchira that he had occupied during Prince Sujah’s misrule. The Subahdar gradually suppressed the zamindars of Ranapur, Damapara, Sarangagarh, Patia, Kanika, Kujanga, and Maluda, among others. The Subahdar’s rash actions effectively reasserted imperial authority in Odisha, reestablishing peace and stability in the state. After completing the task, he wrote to Aurangzeb as follows: “I have punished all usurpers, oppressors…. of the province and compelled them to submit.” Our officers collect the revenue. The populace is at peace and content, going about their daily lives.” Within a short period of time, he amassed and remitted revenue totaling fifteen lakhs of rupees to the court of Aurangzeb, which made him happy.
Additional Governors
In September 1667 CE, Khan-i-Dauran died. Tarbiyat Khan succeeded him and remained in charge until 1669 CE He was succeeded by Safi Khan, dubbed by English writers as ‘Ruffee Ckanna Naboob,’ of Odisha. Safi Khan was succeeded by Rashid Khan, who was succeeded by Shayista Khan, Aurangzeb’s maternal uncle. Until 1704 CE, Governors such as Salih Khan, Abu Nasar Khan, Akrarn Khan, Ghaznafar Khan, Askar Khan, Kamgar Khan, and Azim-us-Shan, Aurangzeb’s grandson, ruled Odisha in gradual succession. Murshid Ouli Khan was then appointed Subahdar of Odisha, a position he held until Aurangzab’s death in 1707 CE Odisha was then annexed by the Nizams of Bengal.
Junaid’s intolerance
Aurangzeb was a devout Sunni Muslim and an outright religious bigot. Junaid was appointed Muhtasib for the propagation of Islam in Odisha by him. Numerous Hindu temples, including that of goddess Sarala at Jhankada in the modern Jagatsinghpur district, as well as a large number of temples in Jajpur, were demolished on his order. Aurangzab issued an order for the destruction of the Jagannath temple in Puri in 1662 CE Raja Divyasimhadeva of Khurda, on the other hand, bribed the Subahdar, who not only falsely reported the destruction of the Jagannath temple in Puri to Aurangzeb, but also sent him a forged image of Lord Jagannath. Aurangzeb was elated by Junaid’s iconoclastic activities. In any case, Aurangzeb’s rule in Odisha was characterised by four distinct characteristics. To begin, the obstinate zamindars were dealt with harshly. Second, law and order have been reintroduced. Thirdly, the Hindu religion was prevented from spreading due to widespread iconoclasm that destroyed numerous important temples in Odisha. Finally, the Bengali Naib Nizams played a significant role in the administration of Odisha.
To Conclude
Thus, with the defeat of the Afghans in 1593 CE, the Mughals under the rule of Akbar, Jahangir, Sahajahan, and Aurangzeb rewrote the mediaeval history of Odisha. Before that, Akbar had taken measures to establish Mughal rule in Odisha. With the passing of Daud Karrani, Raja Todarmal established a stable government in Odisha. In 1605 CE, with the death of Akbar, Jahangir rose to the throne. He did not adhere to Akbar’s liberal policies. In 1628 CE, following Shah Jahan’s accession to the Mughal Empire, Muhmmad Baqar Khan was named Governor of Odisha. The instability and confusion that reigned in Odisha under the reign of Prince Shujah ended abruptly with Aurangzeb’s accession in 1658 CE. However, with the exception of Akbar, the rule of other Mughal sultans in Odisha was marked by instability, disarray, and the demolition of temples.
Sources and References
1. History of Odisha Vol-I by Dr Manas Kumar Das
2. History of Odisha Vol-II by Dr Manas Kumar Das
3. History of Odisha Vol-III by Dr Manas Kumar Das
4. History of Odisha Sahu, Sahu, Mishra
5. History of Odisha Vol-I by Y.K. Sahu
6. History of Odisha Vol-II by Y.K. Sahu
7. History of Odisha by RD Banerjee
8. Odishara Itihasa by Satyanarayan Rajguru
