At the instigation of Hajee Ahmed, Alyvirdy employing the interest of his old friend Ishak Khan, dewan of the Khalseh at Dehly, with Kummereddeen Khan, the vizier, and other ministers, through their means, without consulting his patron and benefactor Shuja Khan, obtained from the Emperor the title of Mehabut Jung*.

The two brothers now entered into a close confederacy with Alumchund, and Jugger Seat, men suited to their purposes; and laid the design of making themselves entire masters of the three soobahs. Shuja Khan was now superannuated, and incapable of attending to business; and Sira­fraz Khan they despised as an ignorant and inexpe­rienced youth. But they were afraid of the abilities of Mohammed Tuckee, who was a brave officer, and beloved by the army; and therefore sought every occasion to sow dissensions between him and Sirafraz Khan, in order to engage them to destroy each other. Accordingly, when Mohammed Tuckee came to Moorshedabad to visit his father, Hajee contrived to create such a misunderstanding between him and his brother, that they drew up their troops, and would actually have come to a pitched battle, had they not been prevented by the interposition of their father; whose authority, joined to that of the princesses, effected a conciliation; and Mohammed Tuckee was sent back to Cuttack, where he died shortly after.

Meer Hubeeb Shirazy* was, for some time, a pedling broker at Hooghly; and, although he talked the Persian language fluently, was neither able to read or write. But, having formed an intimacy with Moorshed Kuly Khan, at Moorshedabad, he accompanied him to Jehangeernagur; and there became his deputy. Meer Hubeeb was very industrious in office, and made considerable retrenchments in the Nowareh, and other expensive establishments; and also acquired great sums for his master, by conducting various monopolies. He treacher­ously put to death Nourullah*, the zemindar of Jilalpoor*; and confiscated his property, which was very considerable. He set on foot an expedition against Tipperah, under the imme­diate management of Aka Sadick*, the zemindar of Pautpissar*; a man whose charac­ter was perfectly conformable to his own prin­ciples. The son of the late rajah of Tipperah, having been expelled by his uncle, he joined Aka Sadick; and Meer Hubeeb gave him hopes of obtaining the zemindarry. He conducted the troops through the passes, and over the fords of the rivers into Tipperah; when the rajah, unable to make opposition, took refuge in the mountains; leaving Meer Hubeeb in quiet possession of the country. He then took the forts of Chundygurh* and Jyneteh*, in which he found great riches. From that time Tipperah was annexed to the empire. Meer Hubeeb settled the country; placed strong garrisons in different parts; conferred the zemindarry upon the rajah’s nephew, and appointed Aka Sadick foujdar. After which he returned to Jehangeernagur with the treasure and plunder, and a great number of elephants. Moorshed Kuly Khan sent Shuja Khan an account of the conquest of Tipperah, with a considerable share of the plunder. Shuja Khan named Tipperah Roshenabad*, or the city of light; and gave to Moorshed Kuly Khan the additional title of Behadre; and to Meer Hubeeb that of Khan.*

On the death of Mohammed Tuckee Khan, the naib soobahdary of Orissa was conferred upon Moorshed Khuly Khan; who took along with him Meer Hubeeb. Through the management of the latter, the revenues of Orissa were considerably increased; at the same time that he made great reductions in the expences. During the government of Mohammed Tuckee, the rajah of Pursotim* had carried away the idol of Juggennaut*, across the river Jelkeh*, beyond the boundary of Orissa, and placed it on a mountain: which secession lessened the revenues near nine lacks of rupees, being the amount of the annual collections from the pil­grims. But rajah Doond Deo* having made his peace through Hubeebullah Khan, by the payment of a considerable nuzziraneh to the government, brought back the idol to Purso­tim, where it was worshipped as before.

The following are some of the ceremonies observed by the Hindoos, during the pilgrimage to Juggennaut, at Pursotem. They first shave their heads like the Mussulmans. At the outer gate of the temple, they offer food at the station of Kobeir, who was a holy Mussulman derveish; and they eat and drink this offering, which they called terwanee*. Whilst the Hindoos are at Pursotim, they make no scruple to eat with Mussulmans, and other casts; and various kinds of food, ready dressed, are sold in the markets, and eaten indifferently by the Hindoos and Mussulmans.