By another Sanad of the same year he was granted 401 bighas of rent-free lands for his residence[1] and the Zamindari right of the following twelve Parganas,[2] namely Kalikata, (Calcutta) Dharsa, Amirpur, Balanda, Khalore, Manpur, Sultanpore, Hathiagarh, Medamulla, Kujpore, Kaunia and Magura.
At the time we are speaking of, a reign of terror had begun in this part of Bengal, owing to the repeated incursions of the Marhattas or Burgees as they were called in common parlance. Locust-like they came in numbers and plundered everything they could lay their hands upon[3]. Like many other
- ↑ In accordance with this Sanad, the British Government has exempted the lands for the residence of the Rajah from payment of rent since 1st September 1870 under clause 7 (a) of Section 2, Chapter XXIII of the existing rules of the Board.
- ↑ Of the Parganas, Amirpur, Balanda, Manpur, Hathiagarh, Medamulla, (now called Maidamal) and Magura are in 24 Parganas; Kalikata and Sultanpore in Nadia, and Dharsa in Hooghly. The rest are not identifiable. Balanda is famous for its mats which are so largely used by the common people. It contains the town of Harua, the burial place of Gora Chand, the legendary saint of the district. Hathiagarh, the most southerly Mahal of Sarkar Satgaon, is a large Pargana, extending from Diamond Harbour towards Sagar Island, and has a high value in legendary accounts. Bhagirath of the Solar Roll having led the way as far as Hathiagarh then declared that he could not show the rest of the way, whereupon mother Ganga, in order to make sure of reaching her destination, divided herself into a hundred mouths thus forming the Delta. One peculiarity of this Pargana is that betel-leaf does not grow in it. Medamulla south-east of Calcutta mostly belongs to the Chaudhuris of Baruipore. Magura lies to the south of Calcutta. Sultanpore lies east of Krishnagore, between the Ichamati and the Kapadah. Dharsa is on the right bank of the Hooghly, between Howrah and Serampore.
- ↑ During Sivaji's life, all plunder was public property. It was brought at stated periods to his Durbar, when the man who had taken it was praised, rewarded or promoted.
"Then lands were fairly portioned;
Then spoils were fairly sold;
The 'Burgees' were like brothers,
In the brave days of old."
nor of Bengal. Vide Proceedings of the Asiatic Society of Bengal 1902, p. 45.
