Page:The Aristocracy of Southern India.djvu/92

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The Aristocracy of Southern India.

Maharattas. He was succeeded by his brother Sri Viswambhara Deo Maharajah who ascended the throne in 1718. He was a typical orthodox Hindu. It was he that established the Ugratara Yentra and the Goddess China Kanaka Durga in Jeypore. The next in succession was Sri Lala Krishna Deo the step-brother of the former Maharajah, who ruled over the Samastanam for a period of six years, and finding every thing in chaos, betook himself to Kalayanasingapur. His brother Sri Vikrama Deo Maharajah came to the throne in 1758. He was assisted in the administration by the well-known Dewan Jagannadhapatro. It was during the rule of this Maharajah that fierce battles took place, one of them being against the French at Malkanagiri; they were driven away as far as Godavery. AnotheT battle that followed was with the Maharattas at Ummerkota. The payment of Jamabandi which was hitherto made to the Nizam of Hyderabad was transferred to the British, and the Parganas of Kotpad were acquired from Bastar for the military assistance rendered to the Bastar king in 1777.

Sri Ramachandra Deo Maharajah ascended the throne in 1779. He reigned nearly for half a century; during which long period the Peish-cush payable to the paramount power was fixed at Rs. 16,000 and an elephant with four horses was presented to the Maharajah by the Nagpur Government. The living monuments of his long reign are the Jagannasagar tank in Jeypore, the Mekhamala and other gardens, the Jagannadhapur and Ganganapur Agraharams. The custom Sati being in existence then, the third wife of the Mahrajah ascended the funeral pile with her husband. The British Government issued to the Maharajah a Sannad Milklet Istimirar.