The Jagannath road

What is common to Kisari Mohan Ganguli and Manmatha Nath Dutt? Towards end of the 19th century, both translated the Mahabharata, in unabridged form, from Sanskrit to English. Ganguli’s translation appeared between 1884 and 1896, Dutt’s in two spurts, between 1885-97 and 1901-05. Ganguli translated nothing else. Dutt also translated Valmiki Ramayana, five Puranas, Harivamsha, several Dharmashastra texts and Rig Veda (left incomplete). But there is an obscure connection between the two, one not too many know of. In those days, zamindars/rajas often commissioned authors to write brief histories of their families. Kisari Mohan Gangulithus wrote a brief history of