The Famine of 1866 was a turning point in the history of modern Odisha for several reasons. It exposed the British negligence of Odisha and marked the beginning of efforts for the building of a regenerated Odisha. Traditionally, besides administrative negligence, Odisha has been a victim of natural calamities like drought, flood and cyclone. Loss of crops caused by natural calamities has proved economically ruinous to the people of the State, as our agriculture is hopelessly dependent on the vagaries of monsoon. The conservation of water resources for irrigation can be the only effective remedy against drought. In Odisha, in the early sixties of 19th century, before the Famine of 1866, East India Irrigation Company had been set up to explore the possibility of irrigation by taming the rivers. This necessity was confirmed by the experience of the famine of 1866. Odisha State Archives has preserved the official reports and non-official response on the famine of 1866. The Archives has made a commendable job by bringing out compilation of documents on the famine of 1866. It will not only enlighten the general readers but also will prove helpful to the experts entrusted with the responsibility of tackling the natural calamities like drought, flood and famine.
The object of documentation of primary sources in the custody of archival institutions is to make the sources both public and private known to the potential users. The archival sources contain the original and basic information in many important fields of study in humanities and social sciences, Though the sources are nothing more than mere instruments of administration and they are preserved primarily to enable the administrative bodies which created them to function efficiently, as time passes archival documents acquire values other than purely administrative for historians, economists and sociologists and in short, for any enquirer into his country's past. The non-official sources including contemporary newspapers and publications are considered important for scholarly investigation. When we talk of non-official records as distinguished from public records, the expression covers a wide variety of materials. They include the records of business concerns, banking houses, industrial organizations, religious institutions and contemporary newspapers etc.
The purpose of this volume is to commemorate the Odisha Famine of 1866 which is a landmark in the economic and general history of Odisha. It opened the eyes of British administrators to their negligence of Odisha and the need for ameliorative measures. After the transfer of power from East India Company to British Crown there was a severe Famine in North Western provinces in 1860. The Odisha Famine of 1866 was of greater magnitude than the Famine of North Western provinces. Nearly one third of the population of coastal Odisha perished in this Famine. The non-official records of this Famine are scanty. But fortunately the report of the Famine Commission appointed by the British Government in 1866 has survived in the State Archives.
The Famine of 1866 occurred over a wide area, consisting of coastal districts like Cuttack, Puri and Balasore situated in Bengal Presidency and Ganjam district which formed a part of Madras Presidency till 1936, Midnapur and Bankura districts and western part of Burdwan district in the present province of West Bengal and Singhbhum and Manbhum districts of Chotanagpur division and the princely states of Nilgiri and Mayurbhanj were also affected by the Famine. This volume contains records pertaining to Balasore, Cuttack and Puri districts. Due to the damaged condition of records it has not been possible to provide the records in intact condition. We regret our inability in bringing the records out in a perfect form because of the inconvenience mentioned above.
The darkest of clouds has its silver linings. The Famine of 1866 was not a total curse, out of the holocaust of 1866 arose a new consciousness and an enlightened middle class. Post-Famine period saw the development of printing press, formation of public associations which indicate resurgence of a new Odisha and prepared the ground for a movement to unite the Odia-speaking tracts distributed in different parts of the provinces of British Indian Empire. In 1866 Gauri Shankar Ray brought out a journal called Utkal Dipika at Cuttack and in 1868 at Balasore Fakir Mohan Senapati published Balasore Sambada Bahika o Bodhadayini. Steps were taken to develop irrigation and water transport. More and more educational institutions were established. In 1868, Cuttack College was established, which was later on named after T.E. Ravenshaw, the Commissioner of Odisha Division.
This unique publication is based on the invaluable records of the Odisha State Archives. An effort has been made to represent it in a comprehensive manner before the readers and scholars. It was felt by the authorities of the Department of Culture, Kumar Patnaik, Dirtector, Culture this onerous task has born accomplished within so short a time 1 owe a deep sense of gratitude to the former Chief Secretary Sri Gokul Chandra Pati and Dr. Arabindh Kumar Padhee, LAS, former Commissioner-cum-Secretary, Department of Culture from whose initiative this project originated. I am grateful to them for their cooperation.
I express my deep sense of gratitude to Dr. Mahesh Prasad Dash, former Joint Director, Culture, Director Harekrushna Mahatab State Library and Superintendent, Odisha State Archives, Prof. Atul Chandra Pradhan, former Professor and Head, Department of History, Utkal University, Prof. Rajkishore Mishra, former Editor, Odisha Review and former Secretary, Odisha Sahitiya Academy, Prof Ashok Kumar Patnaik, former Professor and Head, Department of History, Utkal University, Dr. Brajabandhi Bhatta, Lecturer in History, Dharmasala Mahavidyalaya, Dharmasala, Dr. Surendra Nath Swain, Lecturer in History, S. V.M Autonomous College, Jagatsinghpur for their help in preparing this volume, I am also thankful to Sri Pradosh Patnaik, the well-known journalist for his valuable advice. I am also thankful to Dr. Bibekananda Das, Ex-Superintendent, Odisha State Archives, Dr. Sk. Soleman Ali, Curator, Odishu State Archives, Sri Prasant Kumar Mohakud and all the staff of Odisha State Archives for their help in preparing this volume. I thank the technical Director of Odisha Government Press, Sri Hemanta Kumar Mishra for help and cooperation in printing the book.
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