Gajapati Kingdom

Gajapatis were a medieval Hindu dynasty that ruled over Kalinga(modern Orissa), parts of Andhra Pradesh and West Bengal. During the glorious reign of Kapilendradeva, the first Gajapati king, the borders expanded and the king took the title of Sri Sri ...(108 times) Gajapati Gaudesvara Naba Koti Karnata Kalbargesvara. This title is still used by the kings of Puri during the Ratha Yatra.

History

The region between Cuttack and Vijayawada was known as Kalinga (ancient Orissa), and was controlled often by the Oriya rulers the Eastern Gangas of the Vasistha gotra. The early Eastern Gangas ruled from Kalinga-nagara (Mukhalingam near Srikakulam, Andhra Pradesh). They shifted their capital to Cuttack in the 12th century. Religious leader Ramanujacharya had a great influence on the Raja Choda Ganga Deva, who re-built the temple at Puri. Narasimha Deva built the Sun Temple at Konark. The Gangas were succeeded by the Suryavanshi Gajapati rulers. Two copper plates of the early Pallava dynasty have been found in the Kolleru Lake, traced to Gajapati Langula Narasimha Deva, an Oriya ruler. According to legend, the Gajapathi fort was located at Kolleti Kota on one of the eastern islands of the lake, which protected the Oriya forces. The enemy general encamped at Chiguru Kota located on the shores and tried to excavate a channel in the modern-day Upputeru, so that the water of the lake would empty into the sea and allow an attack on the Gajapathi fort. The Orissa army general sacrificed his own daughter (Perantala Kanama) to propitiate Gods and ensure his success against his enemies.

The Bhoi and Suryavanshi Gajapatis of Orissa, on the height of their power in the 15th century, ruled over a kingdom extending from the Ganga river in the north to the Kaveri in the south under Gajapati Kapilendra Deva. But by the early 16th century, the Gajapatis lost great portions of their southern dominion to Vijayanagar and Golconda. This period was marked by the influence of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu and by the construction of Jaganatha temples across the length and breadth of the empire. The last independent Oriya emperor was Gajapati Mukunda Deva.

The important kings of Gajapathi Dynasty were Kapilendra Deva, Purushottama Deva and Pratapa Rudra Deva.

Contribution to Literarure

Their rule in Eastern India is associated with a high point in the growth of regional culture and architecture. Sarala Mahabharata by Sarala Das, a transcreation of the original Sanskrit one was written during this period. Similarly transcreation of the Ramayana and Bhagvata Purana were written. They constitute the best examples of Oriya literature till today.

ee Also

*Eastern Ganga Dynasty
*Paricchedis

References

* Romila Thapar, The Penguin History of Early India, From Origin to 1300 AD., 2003, Penguin, New Delhi, ISBN 0-14-302989-4.