Odisha Review ISSN 0970-8669 History of Cuttack City Dr. Sudarsan Pradhan The word Cuttack is an anglicized form of the are the two other townships in the city. Mahanadi Sanskrit word KATAKA that assumes two Vihar is the first satellite city project in Odisha. different meanings namely “military camp” and Cuttack an unplanned city is characterized by a secondly, the capital fort of the Government maze of streets, lanes and by-lanes which has protected by the army. Cuttack is one of the given it the nick name of a city with Baban Bazar, oldest cities of India and was the capital of Odisha Tepan Galee and i.e.52 markets and 53 streets. for almost nine centuries. It is situated at the The city experiences a tropical wet and dry separation of the Mahanadi and its main branch climate. Due to the closeness to the coast, the the Kathajodi. The city located in latitude, north city is prone to cyclones from the Bay of Bengal. 20o29’ and longitude East, 85o50’ and spread The word “KATAKA” etymologically means across an area of nearly 74 square miles. The army cantonment and also capital city. The history Cuttack city stretches from Phulnakhara across of Cuttack amply justifies its name. It started as a the Kathajodi in the south to Choudwar in the military cantonment because of its impregnable north across the Birupa River , while in the east it situation and later on developed to be the capital begins at Kandarpur and runs west as far as Naraj of the state of Odisha. Barrage. The main city is located at the apex of the Mahanadi river delta. Four rivers including From the remote past Cuttack served as Mahanadi and its distributaries like Kathajodi, the only narrow strip for the land route through Kuakhai, and Birupa run through the city. the country and as such people coming from north to south or from south to north had no other The recent growth of the city has resulted alternative route than to cross the Mahanadi at or in expansion across the Kathajodi River and a near Cuttack. The river Mahanadi was the best new township towards the head of the delta convenient water ways for trade-commerce and formed between the tributary Kathajodi River and communication with the hinterland. Cuttack was the main river Mahanadi has come up by the name well connected with the ancient and medieval of C.D.A which is spread across 2000 acres land. Orissa sea ports like Che-li-ta-lo, Palur, It has all total 15 sectors out of which 11 are Dantapora and Tamralipti etc both by the land residential areas and has population around more and Sea routes. The Cuttack city flourished as an than three lakhs. Jagatpur and Mahanadi Vihar important centre for trade and commerce in the DECEMBER - 2019 19 ISSN 0970-8669 Odisha Review ancient time. It also served as the gateway for the identification is taken to be correct, this Janmejaya spread of Indian culture specifically in the South- should be recognised as the founder of the town Asian countries. of Choudwar Kataka or Cuttack. The Political importance of Cuttack city The importance of Cuttack increased was not exactly known before 8th century. after the occupation of Odisha by Historical evidences are absolutely lacking as to Chodagangadeva, early in the 12th century. In the the foundation of Cuttack city. Madalapanji and year 1230 A.D, Anangabhimadeva-III transferred the Jagannath temple chronicle provide some idea his capital from Kalinganagar to Abhinava on this issue, but its accounts are based on Varanasi Cuttack(Cuttack) on the bank of the tradition rather than historical facts. Stirling had river Mahanadi which was the most suitable and to rely upon this doubtful authority while writing centrally situated place of his empire. Earlier, the accounts of Cuttack city as early in 1822. He Chodagangadeva had constructed Sarangagarh thus mentioned, “Raja Nrupa Kesari, a martial on the right bank of Kathajodi another centre of and ambitious prince who was always fighting with political activities of the Ganga Empire. Stirling his neighbours is said to have first built a city on points out that “tradition also ascribes to the sites of the modern Cuttack about 989A.D. Chodagangadeva (Churanga or Saranga Dev) the The reign of Markat Kesari was famous for the builder of the forts and palaces both at construction of an embankment to protect the new Sarangagarh and Cuttack-Choudwar. capital from inundation in 1006 A.D. For the confirmation of his statement, he also states that The Nagari record confirmed the –authority vary as to the date of the foundation of evidence of Madalapanji regarding the transfer Cuttack Varanasi, but there seems good reason of capital from Choudwar to Varanasi Kataka. to think that it became a capital city as early as Its other accounts mentioned that the foundation the end of the 10th century, during the reign of of Cuttack by Nrupa Kesari in between the Kesari Princes. Mahanadi and Kathajodi and building of protective revetment by Markat Kesari long The early history of Cuttack is connected before Anangabhimadeva cannot be accepted as with the history of the Kesari dynasty of Odisha. authentic, so long as confirmative evidence in the Choudwar, located to the north of Cuttack city form of copper plate is not discovered. The very on the left bank of the Virupa river was one of the fact that Anangabhimadeva-III founded the seats of early Kesari rulers, who are also known Abhinava Bidanasi Cuttack (Bidanasi) on the to us as Somavamsi kings. The Copper Plates south bank of the Mahanadi sometimes during issued by Kesari Kings attests that, Choudwar the period from 1211 A.D to1230 A.D. dismisses was the early seats of authority of Kesari kings. any other possibility of its having been founded Mahabhavagupta Janmejaya of Kesari dynasty by Nrupa Kesari. There is also nothing to show issued three copper plate charters from a placed in favour of the fact that the stone revetment of named Cataka, which has been identified by Kathajodi was constructed as early as the Kesari Pandit Binayak Mishra and Dr. Harekrushna Period. The revetment which runs in horse-shoe Mishra with modern Choudwar. If this pattern starting on the left bank of the Kathajodi 20 DECEMBER - 2019 Odisha Review ISSN 0970-8669 from near Khannagar area and stretching west started rebellion and occupied Varanasi Kataka wall up to the Chahataghat of the Mahanadi. Then, which was strongly defended by the Governor the revetment extended on the right bank of the Mukunda Harichandan. This incident enforced Mahanadi as far as the Jobra Ghat clearly indicates Govinda Vidyadhar to left the plan of conquering that it was constructed at the bifurcation of the Golkunda and retreated Varanasi Kataka to Kathajodi from the Mahanadi and that this encounter the rebel Raghubhanja. Govinda bifurcation at the time of the construction of this Vidyadhar died on the bank of the Vaitarani at revetment was not far away from the Chahataghat. Dasasvamedhaghat of Jajpur. Since the time of construction of this revetment the Kathajodi appears to have receded as far as Mukunda Harichandan usurped the the rock of Naraj. throne of Varanasi Kataka in the year 1560 A.D and ruled up to 1568. Meanwhile, Sulaiman After the end of Ganga rule Odisha Karani the Afghan Sultan of Bengal made plan to passed in to hands of Gajapati Kings belonging occupy Odisha. The Moghul emperor Akbar had to the solar dynasty, under which Varanasi formed alliance with Mukunda Deva and prepared Cuttack continued to be the capital of Odisha. a plan to attack Bengal. When Akbar was busy Kapilendra Deva (1435-1467 A.D) the founder in his Chitore campaign, Sulaiman sent a vast army of this dynasty was a great empire-builder and he under his son Bayazid against Odisha. The Muslim extended the empire of Odisha from the Ganges army proceeded up to Varanasi Kataka and in the north to the Kaveri in the south. Purusottam captured Barabati fort. In the midst of this disaster Deva (1467-1497 A.D) the youngest son and Ram Chandra Bhanja, the Commander of successor of Kapilendra Deva lost for some time Sarangagarh revolted against Mukunda Deva and the southern portion of his empire comprising the declared himself as the King of Odisha. Thereafter, kingdom of Vijaynagar Kingdom but later on he Ramachandra Bhanja was defeated and killed by managed to recapture all of his southern Bayazid and thus Odisha passed in to the hands territories. The image of Krishna known as of Bengal in the year 1568 A.D. Sakhigopal was brought by him from Kanchi among many other trophies of war and it was The Afghans of Bengal were ousted by installed at Varanasi Kataka. the imperial Moghul power. Daud, the son and successor of Sulaiman Karani was finally killed in After the death of Prataprudra Deva, his a battle near Rajmahal and Bengal and Odisha general Govinda Vidyadhar of Bhoi dynasty were annexed to Akbar’s empire in 1590 A.D. usurped the throne at Varanasi Kataka. He Finally, Raja Mansingh conquered Odisha and murdered two sons of Prataprudra Deva and brought it under Moghul Empire permanently in appointed Danardan Vidyadhar as the Chief the year 1592 A.D. With the assistance of Minister and Mukunda Harichandan as the Todarmalla, Rajamanasingh introduced Governor of Kataka. Govinda Vidyadhar invaded settlement system in the province. The records of Golkonda to recapture the lost territories of Ain-I-Akbari of Abul Fazal clearly indicates, southern parts of his empire. But during his during the Moghul rule Odisha was included in absence Raghu Bhanja Chotray of Mayurbhanja the Subah of Bengal and it consisted of five DECEMBER - 2019 21 ISSN 0970-8669 Odisha Review Sarkars named Jaleswar, Bhadrak, Cuttack, After Taqi Khan, Murshid Quli Khan –II Kalinga Dandapat and Rajmahendri.