Edited and
translated by Manik Bajracharya, Simon Cubelic, and Rajan Khatiwoda
Created: 2015-12-08;
Last modified: 2021-07-26
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[1r]
1⟪नं४७१⟫1अर्जि¯ ¯ ¯ ¯ ¯ ¯ ¯ ¯ ¯ ¯ ¯ ¯ ¯ ¯ ¯ ¯ ¯ ¯[1r]
Number 4711
Uprānta: in accordance with the orders coming from the buḍhā gurujyu2 , asking: “How great is the areal extent of the English territory? Draw and send a map of the borders in [all] four directions. Which [countries] does it share borders with? How many forts are there in all? Where are they situated? How many large ones are there, and how many small ones? How many ammunition depots are there? Where are they situated? How many large ones are there, and how many small ones? Where are the magazines, and how many? How large is the army? At what places is it present, and how great its numbers [in each place]? How many are white [soldiers], regular soldiers, cavalry and turbaned [soldiers]? How much ammunition is there, and where? How is the city of Calcutta (text: Kalkattā), including its forts and palaces, [laid out]? Draw and send a map of it. Here in the hills people who can recognize the flint to go with guns …3 ,” regarding the order concerning an areal measurement of the English territory, except for the area in the possession of the emperor of Hindustan, Nepal and Punjab (text: Panjāpa), some are under true English occupation and some are under English dependencies. The countries of kings, petty kings and regents (navāba) which have become English dependencies (tāve) are situated in between countries which are under true English occupation, so that they share borders with them.
Regarding the order to send a map with the borders drawn in [all] four directions, drawing a map with borders in [all] four directions will require drawing a map of all of Hindustan. Persons who know how to draw maps say, when asked, that a map of Hindustan will not cost less than two hundred rupees. The map would feature English letters, and we ourselves would have to ask [someone else] to write it in the Hindi script4 . That is why instead of asking someone to draw the map, I have bought a map of Hindustan printed in English and Persian letters from an English shop for 80 rupees.
Regarding the question about borders shared [by English territory] with other countries: in the north-west a border is shared with the Sikhs’ country. In the west, south-west and south there is the sea. Towards the south-east and east a border is shared with the territory of Burma (text: Barmā). Towards the north-east a border is shared with Bhoṭa (i.e. Tibet). Towards the north a border is shared with Nepal.
Regarding the question about the total number of forts and their locations and sizes: the large forts built by the English are two in number. One fort, named Fort William, is in Calcutta, and one fort, named Fort Saint George, is in Madras (text: Manarāja). Among the forts [which were built] at the time of Hindustani [rulers] and which are now under the dependency of the Government of Calcutta, the fort of Carnāraghaḍha5 , the fort of Prayāga and the fort of Āgarā are still manned. In these forts, there are white troops and black regular soldiers, a cannon armory, an ammunition depot and magazines. Besides these three forts, which were built at the time of Hindustani [rulers], within the province of Calcutta other forts do not even have [troops? walls?]6 . The forts are in ruins and deserted. No details have been written about these forts in English documents here, so where they are situated and how many they are in number—such information is not found. Where the old forts of the Bombay (text: Bambai) and Madras provinces are situated and how many there are—such information has not been found yet. I am engaged in further investigations and will immediately send information as soon as I get any.
Regarding the order to send information on the number of ammunition depots, magazines, white British and regular Indian soldiers, cavalry, turbaned soldiers and cannons ...7 : while intensively searching for a book [containing such information] in Company factories I found a book in which a list of ...8 of troops is written. I have let it be translated. I am searching out other inner [information] too. Later I will send [a letter] describing the state of these affairs.
To translate [these documents] a person who knows both English and Hindustani is needed. Earlier a salary of ...9 was arranged for someone who did [only] reading and writing English. Now the salary for the reader and writer of English is supplementing [that of] the assistant (nāyaba), but without permission I am unable to appoint another person. I informed [you] that the assistant, Madanamohana Tevarī, ...10 used to come only occasionally during the day. Nowadays he comes once a day during the fourth prahara. He stays for one or two ghaḍīs, but the translations cannot be completed within one or two ghaḍīs. He has the ability up to ABC (jevisi)11 in copying English [documents]; he is not up to the translation job. One Bengali who knows English very well has been appointed [to do that job]. I understand the English [documents] from him in Bengali and have it translated into our language. The duty of a servant is to strive to accomplish ordered tasks to the best of his knowledge and strength; the result turns out well thanks to the ingenuity of the master.
Regarding the order to send a drawn map of Calcutta city, its forts and palaces: I have with me 23 pictures of the house in which the Governor lives12 ...13 and English ...14 Cauraṃgi Road and 6 pictures of the road which goes from the Machuvā Bājāra to Chitpur. I am in search of more. I will buy them for as long as I keep finding any. A map of the whole of Calcutta city including its forts is found in printed form with English lettering. The map is on a small sheet of paper, so our written lettering cannot fit [over it]. I have reached an agreement with the mapmaker, and a contract has been made for 112 rupees. The fee for mapmaking …15 is 100 rupees and three sheets of British map paper cost 12 rupees.
Regarding the order to send men who can recognize and find flint here in the hills to go with gun: Among the Hindustanis and Bengalis no one has been found who says that he can do the task. Some have been found among English and French (pharāsisa) half-breeds. Without informing you, I am not able to talk with them [about the matter]. If I get the order, the man for that job who can make cannons, bombs, shields and turbines (turphāna) with the smoke-producing (i.e., steam) machines, men who know how to build English-style forts and who can recognize and refine the flint for guns can be found among the English and French half-breeds. In order to know whether from these men [someone] should be searched out and sent, I have sent this petition to you for your notice. [I will do] whatever you order.
Friday, the 11th of the bright fortnight of Mārgaśīrṣa in the [Vikrama] era year 1894 (1837 CE). Residence: Baḍi Bājāra, Darmāhaṭṭā, Calcutta. Auspiciousness.
A thousand crores of auspicious blessings from [your] servant Lokaramaṇa Upādhyāya as uttered in the Vedas and Purāṇas. Auspiciousness.
This letter stands out among Lokaramaṇa Upādhyāya's reports from Calcutta recorded in NGMPP's DNA series, and not only by reason of its length. It reveals that Lokaramaṇa Upādhyāya served not only as a diplomat and informant for political and ceremonial matters, but transmitted also military and strategic knowledge to the Nepalese Government—which comes close to espionage. Furthermore, the document provides counterevidence to B. Kölver's assertion that Nepal's probing of culturally foreign practices adhered to the principles of ritualism (Kölver 1986: 31). According to Kölver, when trying to gain mastery of superior Western technologies and principles of organization, Nepalese elites did not undertake an analysis to determine the decisive details on which the efficacy of any specific technology rested, but rather aimed at an imitation of the process as a whole, oblivious of its particulars. The present report, however, betrays no such "ritualism" at all, but rather a specific and secular approach to understanding British military power based on troop strength, the location of defences, the amount of ammunition and the geographical conditions.