Jeypore Mahárája claimed that on the death of any holder he was entitled to resume the estate and allow the heirs maintenance; and he sent men to take over the management of the property. The widowed Ráni disputed his right; and the Khonds of the place all wanted to have Gópinátha for their Rája saying that, whether legitimate or not, he had often been pointed out to them by his father as their future chief and that Srípati Dolapati, the Ráni's manager and right hand man, bullied them, unbearably.
Exciting events followed in this triangular duel.1[1] At the next Dasara the thousands of Khonds assembled at Singapur demanded that Gopinatha should play the part usually allotted to the Raja at that feast. The Rani refused to allow this, so the Khonds broke into the fort, carried off the boy (who joined in their views with much spirit) and took him to Jeypore, with an escort 300 strong, to represent matters to the Mahárája. There they were persuaded to take him down to Párvatípur, that the Divisional Officer might enquire into the case, and from that place the boy was induced to go to Vizianagram, where he was given an allowance and sent to the local college.
For a time the threatened trouble seemed to have blown over. But the Rááni's manager continued to oppress the Khonds and in the beginning of 1885 a party of 70 of these people marched all the way to Vizianagram, intending to seize Gópinátha, carry him to Singapur and make him Rája. The Agent then sent a nominee of his own to manage the estate, removing the Ráni's man, and the hill men were once more pacified. The Ráni, however, proceeded to adopt an heir, and once more care was required to check trouble with the Khonds.
Meanwhile the Jeypore Mahárája brought a suit for the possession of the property or the enhancement of the quit-rent paid upon it, and the Ráni, a most determined lady, fought the case, waving aside the Agent's repeated suggestions that she should compromise. She was defeated, the Agent holding that her family were only tenants-at-will and directing the enhancement of the rent from Rs. 5,000 to Rs. 20,000. An appeal preferred to Government was transmitted to the High Court for decision and decided against the Ráni. The property was handed over to the Mahárája in 1892 and the Ráni was given an allowance of Rs. 500 a month and the produce of certain land yielding about 30 garces of paddy. The Khonds' desire to have Gópinátha Deo as their chief died a natural death, and he retired to Jeypore.
- ↑ 1 G.Os., Nos. 2220, Judicial, dated 25th August 1885 and 1326, Judicial, dated 19th May 1886.
