A report from Candraśekhara Upādhyāya to Bhīmsena Thāpā and Raṇadhvaja Thāpā re the British military activities
ID: DNA_0002_0054
Edited and
translated by Manik Bajracharya, Simon Cubelic and Rajan Khatiwoda
in collaboration with
Yogesh Budathoki
Created: 2019-05-13;
Last modified: 2023-12-21
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Abstract
This is a letter written by Candraśekhara Upādhyāya to General Bhīmsena Thāpā and Kāji Raṇadhvaja Thāpā reporting on military arrangements being made by the British and related matters.Diplomatic edition
[1r]
1⟪नं.१७१⟫1स्वस्तिश्रीसर्वोपमायोग्यशौर्य्यौदार्य्यदयादाक्षिण्यादिसद्गुणगणालंकृतराजभारसमर्थश्रीश्रीश्री2जनरलभीमसेनथापामहाशयेषु तथा श्रीश्रीश्रीकाजिरणध्वजथापायोग्यतमेषु इत: शुभेछु चंद्रशेखर
3उपाध्यायस्य शुभाशीर्वादपूर्वकं पत्रं कृपालेञाहाआनन्दछताँहाँकोआनन्दमंगलसर्वदाचाहियेआ
4गे•ञाहाँकोसमाचारभलोछउप्रान्त•आषाढवदि१२रोज३कोताँहावाटरव़ानाभयाकोपत्रश्रावण
5वदि१कादिनआइपुग्योपह्रिपत्रार्थविदितभयो•सदरकोजगाहुनालेताँहाँजगाजगाकोषवरपुग्
6छसुन्याहून्याकोलेष्तैरहनुभनिआज्ञाआयाकाअर्थउभोतिरवाट•इन्कोमानिस्फर्क्याकोर•नाग्
7पुर्याराजालाइवाजेराव़लेमानिस्पठाइआप्नापास्लैग्याकोकुराञाँहाँसुन्यामाफिक्लेषि•आषावदि
8१४कादिनचिठिएतावाटरव़ानागर्याकोहोपुगिदरियाफ्तभयोहोउँभोवाटइन्कोमानिस्फ्र्क्याकोका
9रन्ञाहाँ१/२इन्कासजातीयछेउसोधवूझगर्दा•वाँहाँइन्कामानिस्सितअलिकचम्काचम्किभै•
10फर्क्याकोडव़ल्वूझिन्छउस्जगादेषिआजकालइनहरुराजिरह्याजस्ताकुरागर्दैनन्•उस्काजगामा
11त्रैठुलोछरकिमिलालेठुलाजानवरलाइघिच्यायाझैगर्छ•लोहामाभंन्या•दृढछैन•उसभन्दात•धेरै
12दर्जाले•तंम्रादेसकासाह्रारह्याछन्भन्न्यापाठकाकुरागरीमकव़ानमाडिका[?]लडाइकोर•व़ाँहाँका
13मुष्तार⟪को⟫सोधनीगरीकर्नेलकोनाउँसुन्दा•लायक्सर्दाररह्याछन्जर्नेलअष्तरलोनीपनिउस्लडा
14इकोरउन्कोतारीफ्गर्थ्याभन्न्याकुरागरीताँहाकोतारीफ्गर्छ्न्•आफुलेपनि•आप्नाअकिल्लेदेष्या
15संमषाँमिद्कोरतपाइहरूकोवातजस्प्रकारलेउचोहुंछसोकुरागरिन्छ्न्•नागपुर्याकोअर्थर•वाजेरा
16व़छेउगयाभनिजोकुराअघिथिय़ाआज्कालपनिउनैकुराछन्•समाचारफिर्याकोछैन•वाजेराव़
17कोपनिउत्तिकैषवरछ•कोहिमानिस्•राव़मज्कुरले•सलूककोपैगा⟪म⟫हालिराष्याछन्सोइन्कामंजुर
18छैनभन्न्याकुरागर्छन्निधोछैन•जावाभन्न्याटापुतरफ्•एतावाटमाल्गयाकोकुराअघिविन्तिगरीपठा
19याको•आजकाल१/२जगामावूझ्दा•उस्कानगीचमा•दोस्राटापुको•कोलंगाभन्याकोजगाछउस्मा•एस्
20सालइन्लेचढाइगर्नआँट्या•माल्गयाकोपनिउसैअर्थलाइहो•१प⟪ल्⟫टन्सेतो२पल्ट्⟪न्⟫काला•एतवाटजाहाज
21माकूचगर्या•४/५पल्टन्•वमैवाटपनिजान्याछन्भन्न्याकुरासुनिन्छन्•योउद्योगकोलंगैकाकामलाइहो
22या•येमदिग्वर्त्तिसित•चित्तमाफिक्निस्कंटकभयाकोछैनउसैअर्थलाइ•केहिएतावाटपठायाका•केहिवमै
23कासामिल्गराइ•यमदिग्वर्त्तितिरवढाइ•निस्कंटक्गर्नालाइहो•ऐल्हेषुल्याकोछैनजैल्हेषुलासागरी
24जस्माफिकसुनियलाविन्तिगरीपठाउँला•वाकिलाठसाहवगोरषपुरदेषिकूचगरीपटनादाषिलभैव़ाहा
25वाटकूचगर्याकोषवरदेवरिषिपाध्यावाटपुगिजाहरभयोहो•गोरषपुरदेषिञाँहासमवीचमाकतैनाववाटपनि
26उत्रेनछन्•जर्जिमिदारमीरउमरावनौव़ाववगैरहकसैसितभेटमुलाकातपनिगरेनछन्सवारीजल्दिआयेछ
27श्रावणवदि५वुधवारप्रहरदिनवाकिछँदाचाँक्वजारकासाम्नेआइ•पिनिस्[?]लाग्योरातभरवाँहाँ
28रहिश्रावणका१०दिन्जाँदावृहस्पतिवारघडि५दिन्चढ्दा•कलकत्ताका•वडाकमरामादाषिल्•भय़ा
29उसैवषत्•किल्लामा•तोपऔवंदुक्कोसलक्भय़ोभेटमुलाकातजैल्हेहोला•हाल्सुरत्लेषन्याकामहोला
30आजकालसुनियाकाअर्थ•इन्कोसाटोपनिकेहिदिनमाआइपुग्छरजान्छ⟪न्⟫भन्न्याकुरापनिकोहिगर्छन्•को
31हिभन्या•साटोपनिऐल्हेआयाकोछैन•इन्काजान्याकुरापनिछैनन्भन्याकुरागर्छन्एस्कोनिधोसुनियाप
32छिविन्तिलेषुला•वाकि•पल्पावाटभक्तवीरहरुषरीदफरोकलाइञाहाँआयाकोअघिविन्तिगरीपठायाको
33हो•ञाहालिन्याजिनिस्सवैषषरिदगरीश्रावणवदि५कादिननावमाचीजगैरहचढाइकूचगर्नतयारथिया
34कर्नेलवाट•केहिवढिया•मेव़ा•फुलहरूका•विरुवापाइयासाथल्याउनुभनिलेषनुभयाकोचिठिआइ
35पुग्योर•उस्कात⟪ला⟫स्लाइकंपनीकावागमावडासाहवकाअव़ाइकाभीडभाडलेसुभितानहुँदा•वालानगरमा
36पनिसव्जातकाविरुव़ापाइदारह्याछन्रवाँहिलिन्यातज्वीजगरी•रजाहाँलाइसाथलिउसैदिनञा̐हावा
37टनावषोलि•वालानगरगया•वाँहाँजायफललवंगनारियरसुपारीगैरहइहाँपाइनेसवैविरुव़ामिल्याछ
38न्•लिनलागीरह्याछन्१/२दिनमा•वालानगरवाटपनिकूचगर्छ⟪न्⟫ढीलभयोरिसानीहुन्छकिभनि
39अकुताइरह्याछन्•२/३दिन्मुर्सुदावादमाढीलहुन्याछ•भरिसष्यचाँडोजान्याकामगरुलाभन्न्या
40कुरागर्थ्याअजीमावादपुगिविन्तिपत्रलेष्नन्•विज्ञवरेषुकिमधिकमितिश्रावणवदि८रोज७
Translation
[1r]
Number 1711
Hail! A letter from Candraśekhara Upādhyāya with auspicious blessings to the thrice venerable General Bhīmasena Thāpā, the magnanimous one who is adorned with a row of good qualities—the worthiness [to be an object] of all [exalted] similes and the like, heroism, generosity, compassion, skilfulness and the like—and who is able to shoulder royal duties; and to KājīRaṇadhvaja Thāpā, the best among the capable.
By [your] grace, [the mood] is [one of] joy here. Joy and good fortune there [where you are] are always required.
Āge: The tidings here are fine. Uprānta: The letter dispatched from there on Tuesday, the 12th of the dark fortnight of Āṣāḍha reached here on the 1st of the dark fortnight of Śrāvaṇa. I read it and understood the letter's meaning.
Regarding your order: “Since [where you are] is an administrative centre (sadara), the news from various places reaches there. [Therefore,] keep writing whatever you hear or [the news] as it happens,” I dispatched a letter to you on the 14th of the dark fortnight of Āṣāḍha reporting as I have heard here: Baji Rao's (text: Bāje Rāva) people returned from the higher ground, and he sent his men and [had them] bring the king of Nagpur to his place.2 This must have reached and been communicated to you. The cause of their returning from higher ground (upon enquiring with 1 or 2 of his own people here) is understood to be a dispute with his people there. [My sources told me:] "These people do not talk as if they are pleased with that place nowadays. They talk as if only his territory is great and as if ants are dragging a giant animal. They are not strong, however, in iron (i.e., weaponry?). In comparison to his, [the soldiers] of your country are much stronger." Having made this point and having enquired about the battles of Makvān[pur] [and] Māḍi and the mukhtiyāra (text: mukhtāra) there (i.e., Bhīmasena Thāpā), they praise [the soldiers?] there, saying: "The [Nepalese] colonel (text: karnela) whom we have heard of, is a capable sardāra.3 They mention that General (text: jarnela) Ochterlony (text: Akhtaralonī), too, used to praise him and that battle [of Makwanpur], and [they semselves] praise [the state of affairs] there." As for me, as far as my knowledge allows, I talk to them in such a way that the master's (i.e., the king's?) standing, yours, and others' [there] remains high.
The news of the [king of] Nagpur’s purposes being close to Baji Rao[’s], as reported earlier, is still the same. The tidings have not changed. The news about Baji Rao is the same as well. Some people say that this Rao has sent a message proposing a positive relationship (salūka). Others say that he does not agree. It is not clear.
Regarding what I had informed you earlier about the shipment of cargo to the island called Java, [I discovered], upon enquiring with 1 or 2 sources, that there is another island called Kolaṃgā next to it. They (i.e., the British) have been trying to attack there this year. That was the very reason for dispatching the cargo [there]. It is heard that 1 platoon of white soldiers and 2 platoons of native (text: kālā, "black") soldiers have been dispatched on ships, and that 4 or 5 platoons will additionally be sent from Bombay. It is not yet clear whether this effort is being made to [invade] Kolaṃgā itself or, since their enmity with Yemadigvartti has not ended, a joint force, dispatched partly from here (i.e., Calcutta) and partly from Bombay, is marching towards Yemadigvartti. I will report to you once it becomes clear and as it is heard.
Furthermore (bāki, "remaining [news]"), the news—of Lord (text: lāṭha) Sāhaba's departure from Gorakhpur, arrival at Patna, and departure from there—must be known to you through Devariṣi Pādhyā. He did not disembark at all en route from Gorakhpur to here (i.e., Calcutta), nor did he meet any jimīdāra, head umarāva (mīra umarāva), navāba etc. He arrived [here] quickly. [One] prahara before the day ended on Wednesday, the 5th of the dark fortnight of Śrāvaṇa, he arrived near Cā̃k Bajāra and ...4 . Having stayed there overnight, he entered the Great Chamber (baḍā kamarā) of Calcutta when the 5th prahara of the day passed on Thursday, the 10th [solar day] of Śrāvaṇa. On that occasion, cannon and gun salutes were performed at the fort. Tidings will be reported [to you] as soon as [I] get to meet him. These days I hear some people saying that a person will arrive in a few days to replace him (i.e., Lord Sāhaba) and that he will leave. Others say that neither is anyone coming to replace him, nor that he will leave. I will write to you after I know the facts.
Moreover, I have already reported to you regarding Bhaktavīra and others' arrival here from Palpa for trading. Having bought all the items needed from here, they loaded [these] and other things on board and were ready to depart on the 5th of the dark fortnight of Śrāvaṇa. [At that moment,] a letter from the Colonel (Bakhtāvara?) came with the instruction to bring papaya and [other] fruit seedlings of fine quality, if available. Since it was inconvenient to search for them in the Company gardens due to the crowd formed upon arrival of Lord Sāhaba, and considering that all sorts of plants are available also in Bālānagara and that they could get them there, they left the same day from here for Bālānagara by ship together with rajāhā̃5 . There, there are all the plants that are available here such as nutmeg, cloves, coconut and betel nut. They are getting them [there]. They will depart from Bālānagara in 1 or 2 days. They are worried that [you] will be angry for their being late. There will be a delay of 2 or 3 days in Mursidabad (text: Mursudābāda). They were saying that they would proceed as soon as possible. They will doubtless write you once they reach Ajīmāvāda6
What more to say to [you,] foremost among the knowledgeable? Saturday, the 8th of the bright fortnight of Śrāvaṇa.
Commentary
The year of issuance is not mentioned in the document. The British dispatched troops to Java, which fell to them in 18117 . For the invasion of Java, see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Invasion_of_Java_(1811).