This was formerly a separate State. The climate is extremely healthy. His Majesty apportioned it into five Sarkárs, viz., Jalesar,* Bhadrak, Kaṭak (Cuttack,) Kalang Dandpáṭ and Raja Mahandrah. These five are now included in the province of Bengal. It contains one hundred and twenty-nine masonry forts. Its ruler is entitled Gajpati.* The rainy season extends over eight months; there are three cold months and one month only that is hot. The staple cultivation is rice and the food of the inhabitants consists of rice, fish, the egg-plant* and vegetables. When the rice is cooked, they steep it in cold water and eat it on the second day. The men are effeminate, anointing their bodies with sandal oil and wearing golden ornaments. The women cover only the lower part of the body and many make themselves coverings of the leaves of trees.* The walls of their huts are of reeds and their temples are of stone and of great height. Elephants abound. The inhabitants of Bengal do not understand the language of this country. A woman may have more than one husband. They write on palm leaves* with an iron pen, holding it with the clenched fist, and pen and ink are rarely employed. The litters called Sukhásan are much in use: cloths are manufactured and the province furnishes eunuchs: fruits and flowers are in great plenty, especially the gul i nasrín* which is very delicate and sweet-scented: its outer petals are white, the inner yellow. The keorah* grows in great abundance and there are various kinds of betel-leaf. Money transactions are in kauris which is a small white shell generally divided down the middle; it is found on the sea shore. Four kauris make a ganḍa, five ganḍas, a búdi, four búdis, a pan, sixteen or according to some twenty pan, a kháwan, and ten kháwan, a rupee.

Kaṭak (CUTTACK.) The city has a stone fort situated at the bifurcation of the two rivers, the Mahánadi, held in high veneration by the Hindus, and the Ganjúri.* It is the residence of the governor and contains some fine buildings. For five or six kós round the fort during the rains, the country is under water. Rajah Makand Deo* built a palace here of nine courts; the first court was taken up for the elephants and the stables: the second was occupied by the artillery and the guards and quarters for attendants: the third by the patrol and gatekeepers: the fourth by the workshops: the fifth, by the kitchen: the sixth contained the public reception rooms: the seventh, the private apartments; the eighth, the women's apartments, and the ninth, the sleeping chamber of the governor. To the south is a very ancient temple. Overlooking this, in the city of Purushottama* (Púri) on the sea shore stands the shrine of Jagannáth. Near to it are the images of Krishna and of his brother and sister,* made of sandal-wood. It is said that over four thousand years ago Rájah Indradaman (Indradyumna) ruler of the Nílkar (Nilgiri) hill sent a learned Bráhman to select a suitable spot for the building of a city. He wandered much in search of his object and found a fitting site which he preferred to all other places. On a sudden he beheld a crow plunge into the water and after bathing itself, pay its devotions to the sea. He was astonished at this action and as he understood the language of animals, he inquired of the crow the reason of its proceeding. He received this answer. “I was once of the number of the deotas and through the curse of an ascetic was transformed into this shape. A spiritual guide of high illumination affirms that the Supreme Creator has a special regard for this spot and whosoever dwells here and applies his soul to the worship of God, quickly attains his desire. For some years past I have supplicated for my deliverance in this manner and the time is now at hand when my prayer will be answered. Since thou art essentially meritorious, watch in expectation and comprehend the wonders of this land.” The Bráhman in a short time witnessed with his own eyes the things he had heard. He apprised the Rájah of these occurrences, who built a large city and appointed a special place of worship. The Rájah, one night, after having administered justice, was reposing on the couch of divine praise when it was thus revealed to him. “On a certain day, watch in expectation upon the sea shore. A piece of wood of fifty-two fingers in length and a cubit and a half in breadth will approach: this is the special image of the deity: take it and placing it in thy house, guard it for seven days and whatever shape it then assumes, place it in the temple and enshrine it.” After waking, the thing happened in the same wise, and by a divine inspiration, he named it Jagannáth and decked it with gold and jewels. It became a place of devotion to high and low and many miracles are reported regarding it.* Kálá Pahár the General of Sulaymán Karáni,* on his conquest of the country, flung the image into the fire and burnt it and afterwards cast it into the sea. But it is now restored and these popular fables are related of it.

The three images are washed six times every day and freshly clothed. Fifty or sixty priests wearing the Brahmanical thread, stand to do them service and each time large dishes of food are brought out and offered to the images, so that twenty thousand people partake of the leavings.* They construct a car of sixteen wheels which in Hindi, they call Rath, upon which the images are mounted, and they believe that whosoever draws it, is absolved from sin and is visited by no temporal distress. Near Jagannáth is a temple dedicated to the Sun.* Its cost was defrayed by twelve years revenue of the province. Even those whose judgment is critical and who are difficult to please stand astonished at its sight. The height of the wall is 150 cubits* high and 19 thick. It has three portals. The eastern has carved upon it the figures of two finely designed elephants, each of them carrying a man upon his trunk. The western bears sculptures of two horsemen with trappings and ornaments and an attendant. The northern has two tigers, each of which is rampant upon an elephant that it has overpowered. In front* is an octagonal column of black stone, 50 yards high. When nine flights of steps are passed, a spacious court appears with a large arch of stone upon which are carved the sun and other planets. Around them are a variety of worshippers of every class, each after its manner, with bowed heads, standing, sitting, prostrate, laughing, weeping, lost in amaze or in wrapt attention and following these are divers musicians and strange animals which never existed but in imagination. It is said that somewhat over 730 years ago*, Rája Narsing Deo completed this stupendous fabric and left this mighty memorial to posterity. Twenty-eight temples stand in its vicinity; six before the entrance and twenty-two without the enclosure, each of which has its separate legend. Some affirm that Kabír Mua'hhid* reposes here and many authentic traditions are related regarding his sayings and doings to this day. He was revered by both Hindu and Muhammadan for his catholicity of doctrine and the illumina­tion of his mind, and when he died, the Bráhmans wished to burn his body and the Muhammadans to bury it.*

The Súbah of Bengal consists of 24 Sarkárs and 787 Mahals. The revenue is 59 crores, 84 lakhs, 59,319 dáms (Rs. 14,961,482-15-7) in money. The zamíndars are mostly Kayaths.* The troops number 23,330 cavalry, 801,150 infantry, 1,170 elephants, 4,260 guns, and 4,400 boats.

The Parganahs will now be entered in alphabetical order in long double columns te each page accompanied by a few descriptive notices.