New Odia book Paika Bidroha By Krupasindhu Biswal

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New Odia Book Paika Bidroha1817 Krupasindhu
Biswal
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New Odia Book Paika Bidroha1817 Krupasindhu
Biswal

• The Paikas were peasant Militia of the Gajapati
  rulers of Odisha who offered military services to
  the kings while taking up cultivation during
  peacetime. The Paikas were organised into three
  ranks distinguished by their occupation and the
  weapons they wielded. These were the Paharis, the
  bearers of shields and the khanda sword, the
  Banuas who led distant expeditions and used
  matchlocks and the Dhenkiyas archers who also
  performed different duties in Odisha armies.With
  the conquest of Odisha by the East India Company
  in 1803 and the dethronement of the Raja of
  Khurda, the power and prestige of the Paikas
  began to decline. The attitude of the company to
  the Paikas was expressed by Walter Ewer, on the
  commission that looked into the causes of the
  Rebellion, stating that now there is no need of
  assistance of Paikas at Khurda. It is dangerous
  to keep them in the Presidency armies. Thus they
  should be treated and dealt as common Ryots and
  land revenue and other taxes should be collected
  from them. They must be deprived of their former
  Jagir lands. Within a short period of time the
  name of Paika has already been forgotten. But
  still now where the Paikas are living they have
  retained their previous aggressive nature. In
  order to break their poisonous teeth, the
  colonial Police Force must be highly alert to
  keep the Paikas under their control for a pretty
  long period, unless the Paika community is ruined
  completely Company rule cannot run smoothly.