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Home , History of Odisha, Kharavela

January - 2016 Review

Nationalism in Ancient Odisha (An Epigraphical Study)

Bharati Pal

Odisha was famous as , Odra, Utkala, administration. In the Kalinga edicts Asoka Koshala etc. during ancient days. The rich and assumes a paternal position and made a clear fertile coastal plain stretching from the Ganga- declaration that all subjects as his children and he mouth up to Godavari with a hinterland of high denoted himself for their welfare in this world and mountains and uplands formed the traditional other. He appointed a special category of Officers home land of Odisha. Lying between the hills and termed as Dharmamahamatas to look after the the sea; she is the gateway between North and welfare of the people. South. As a result of strategic position Odisha The remains obscure played a vital role in the cultural fusion of the North after him owing to the paucity of materials. But in and South. It consists of several hill ranges and the second half of the 1st century BC Odisha rivers such as , Baitarani and Brahmani entered a new era under the Mahameghavahana etc. of Chedi dynasty. He not only raised The dated history of Odisha or Kalinga the prestige of Kalinga by subjugating the rising begins with the reign of Asoka on the basis of powers of his time, but also by retaliating the epigraphical records. The Great Mauryan defeats sustained by Kalinga in the past. Kalinga emperor conquered Kalinga in 261 BC. The became independent under him. was one of the most important Kharavela was one of the greatest landmarks in the history of in general and monarchs of ancient Odisha, who built Odisha in particular. The horrors of war brought Kalinganagara as its capital. The meteoric carrier a great change in the impressionable mind of of this monarch is one of the significant movements Asoka, which was responsible for his conversion in the history of Odisha. The great emperor rose to . The transformation of Chandasoka at a time when Kalinga was beginning to revive to Dharmasoka was a great significance in the herself under the Chedi dynasty from the as well as Asia. So far Kalinga devastation caused by the Magadhan imperialism. was concerned it was in-corporated in to the The ruler of the dynasty assumed the high empire of under him with the sounding title Mahameghavahana (Rider of the headquarters at Toshali and Samapa. The newly mighty cloud). He ranks very high in the annals of conquered territory of Kalinga demanded a history as a conqueror, a benevolent ruler and as careful and judicious dealing in the matter of a patron of religion, art and culture. The records

74 Odisha Review January - 2016 of his achievement are engraved in the To celebrate his magnificent achievements at Udayagiri and in the North he raised a royal building at an Khandagiri hills of , Odisha. The enormous cost during the ninth year of his reign inscription gives a detail account of Kharavela's and named it as the Mahavijaya Prasada or great achievements year after year up to 13th regnal victory palace, to testify in all its grandeur the great year; such a chronological narration of events is victory of the great emperor. yet to be found anywhere in India. The term In the tenth year of his reign, his majesty, “Bharatavarsha” perhaps for the first time is found the embodiment of politics, diplomacy and peace in this inscription. caused the army to march through Bharatavarsha The short reign of Kharavela was an era to conquer the whole land. of extensive conquest. It is evident from the In the eleventh year he turned towards inscription that in undertaking military campaigns south and destroyed the city of Pithunda and broke all over India; he tried by all possible means to the confederacy of the Tamil countries. evoke the patriotic sentiments among his subjects. The inscription describes that in the second year In the last year of his campaign he waged of his reign he set his powerful mission against a military expedition to north India, causing panic king Satakarani of of Andhara amongst the people of Magadha, made Desa. Sri Satakarani was a powerful monarch Bahasatimita the king of Magadha to bow at his and his empire was direct neighbour to the feet. During his campaign, Kharavela brought Kalingan country. The war machine of Kalinga, back the Jina of Kalinga which was taken away consisting of four wheels of ancient military science, from that country by a Nanda Raja. It is evident such as infantry, cavalry, chariot and elephant from the Hathigumpha inscription that while taking marched towards west defying the strength of military campaigns all over India, Kharavela tried Satakarani. The Kalingan army reached up to by all possible means to evoke patriotic sentiments the river and terrorized the city of Assak among his subjects. The bringing back by and also checked any further expansion of triumphal procession from ; Magadha to Satavahana Empire. Kalinga of the Kalinga jina which was carried off by Nanda king as a trophy, he received tributes In the fourth year of his reign Kharavela and valuable presents from the different Tamil led the army against Rathikas and Bhojakas, who kings. He entertained the citizens of the capitals were also known as the Maharathis and of Kalinga Nagara with feast, festivities and Mahabhojas; were undoubtedly two great forces musical performance . The remitting of taxes and of Deccan. The defeat and conquest of these duties and the renovation of capital proved his forces added luster to glory of Kharavela. benevolent attribute to his citizens. In the eighth year of his reign he led an Through his ambitious conquest directed expedition to the north and invaded Magadha. against all quarters of India, he ranks very high in His army stormed the fortress of Gorathagiri in the annals of history. As a genuine patriot his the district of Gaya which guarded Rajgriha, the ambition was to heighten the prestige of Kalinga. former capital of Magadha. On account of the loud report of this act of valour, the Yavana After Kharavela the next important and powerful (Greek) king Dimitra retreated to for dynasty rose in Odisha to unite a greater part of rescue of his army encamped there. land from the river Mahanadi in the north to river

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Krishna in the south was the Mathara dynasty. in the army to maintain the military prestige of the The ruler styled themselves as Maharaja and even country. The soldiers were very brave and daring Kalingadhipati. A large number of copper plate that time. grants of the Mathara Kings have shriveled till The next notable dynasty who ruled now to speak their achievements. Odisha was the Bhaumakaras. The history of The Matharas rule was a great landmark Odisha in 8th century AD marked the emergence in the history and culture of Kalinga. The Matharas of a powerful dynasty named as Bhaumakaras. were an ancient royal family. The ancient known The Bhaumas ruled for nearly two centuries and rulers of Matharas was Vishakhaverman, however established a vast kingdom known as Toshali. The the kingdom was extended during the time of kingdom was extended from Kongodamandala Umaverman. He assumed the title of in the south to Dandabhuktimandala in the north. Kalingadhipati or the lord of Kalinga. From his The entire Odisha including south western part of copper plate grants we came to know that he district of West was under their shifted his capital from time to time which indicates sway. From the available copper plate grants we the continuous effort of Umavarman for the come to know that six numbers of female expansion of his kingdom. members of the Bhauma family ruled over Odisha. After the Mathara the next important In ancient India wives of kings didn’t dynasty ruled in Odisha was the Sailodbhavas. usually succeeded to their husband’s throne, when In the 6th-7thcentury AD the Sailodbhavas a king died without leaving any male issue often established a principality in costal Odisha, his chief queen adopted a boy as her son. We get extended from the river Mahanadi in the north to number of instances of queens acting as regents mount Mahendragiri in the south. They ruled over or governors in the history of ancient India, but a kingdom known as Kongdamandala. They were the history of Odisha in the ancient Odisha ruling earlier as a feudatory under Sasanaka of however tells a different story. During the Bhauma Gauda, but after his death they become rule we come across six numbers of reigning independent. The rulers were great warriors and queens ruled as de jure and de facto sovereignty. from their copper plate grant we come to know, Their sovereign status is evident of imperial title they performed Asvamedha and Vajapeya as Maharajadhiraja and Paramabhattarika. They sacrifices. The copper plate grant of these kings ruled over a vast kingdom comprising the whole consistently speaks about the performances of the district of Midnapore (), , Asvamedha and Vajapeya sacrifices by members , , and Mayurbhanj districts of this dynasty. The Ranapur, Parikuda, , of Odisha. Besides that their kingdom was Nivina etc. copper plate grants mention that king surrounded by host of feudatory states. Madhavavarman Sainyabhita and Dharmaraja of The first female rulers of this dynasty were the Sailodbhava family took purificatory bath after Tribhuvana Mahadevi. The history of Odisha performance of the great sacrifices such as achieved a milestone during her rule. She has been Asvamedha and Vajapeya. Kongoda the chief city described as to have ascended the throne like of Sailodbhavas was very powerful during the iron the goddess Katyayani and whose lotus like feet rule of Sailodbhava. It was famous for elephants were kissed by the heads of feudatory chiefs, who and elephantary which was always great strength bowed down with devoted loyalty. She has been

76 Odisha Review January - 2016 described in the copper plate inscription that she great role in the political and cultural integration took up the burden of administration of entire of Odisha. kingdom and shone like Sesa (Naga) holding of The right to succession by the female heirs the entire earth on her hoods. During her rules is thus a significant contribution of Odisha to the the country advanced in three branches of Indian polity. A significant spirit of nationalism administration like the enemies’ were extirpated, shown by these queens by the political unification secondly the glory spread abroad and finally there of ancient Odisha. was a harmony among the peoples. So from emperor Mahameghavahana The next important reigning queen was Kharavela to queen Dandi Mahadevi all of them Dandi Mahadevi. She is known to have issued played a vital role for maintaining political the maximum numbers of copper plate grants. She unification and cultural integration of ancient has been endowed with the sovereign titles as Odisha. They showed a spirit of nationalism which Paramabhattarika, Maharajadhiraja and was unique in ancient Odisha. Paramesvari. From the copper plate grant we assume that she was able to control the References : feudatories’ who protected the kingdom from 1. CII –Vol-1 disintegration, foreign invasion and suppressed the 2. Epigraphica Indica-XII rebellious elements. The prosperity of the kingdom 3. R.P.Mahapatra- Military history of Orissa-P.27 is evident from the description of pearls and gems in almost all her records. She was capable to 4. S.N.Rajguru-Inscriptions of Orissa-Vol-I, Part-II restore the integrity and prosperity of her 5. Ibid kingdom. 6. B.Misra-Orissa under the Bhouma Kings-P-23 - The next notable queens of this family were 31 Dharmamahadevi. She has been described as the 7. Epi. Indica-Vol-IV-P-140-142 female swan in the assembly of kings owing 8. S.Tripathi-Inscriptions of Bhoumakaras, allegiance to her. She has been endowed with the P-216-221 royal titles as Paramamahesvari, Paramabhattarika, Maharajadhiraja and Paramesvari. These high sounding royal titles prove that she enjoyed a full-fledged sovereignty. Besides these reigning queens, the others female members like Prithvimahadevi, Bharati Pal, Asst. Curator (Epigraphy), Odisha State Gaurimahadevi and Vakulamahadevi played a Museum, Bhubaneswar.

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