Chindaka Nagas of Chakrakota | |||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
c. 1023 AD–c. 1324 AD | |||||||||
Capital | Barasur | ||||||||
Religion | Hinduism | ||||||||
Government | Monarchy | ||||||||
Maharaja (King) | |||||||||
• c. 1023 | Nrupati Bhushana | ||||||||
• c. 1324 | Harishchandradeva | ||||||||
History | |||||||||
• Established | c. 1023 AD | ||||||||
• Disestablished | c. 1324 AD | ||||||||
| |||||||||
Today part of | India |
The Chindaka Nagas were a dynasty that ruled over parts of modern-day Odisha and Chhattisgarh. Their kingdom was known as Chakrakota mandala and included the present-day districts of Bastar, Koraput and Kalahandi. They were constantly at war with their neighbours- the Somavamshi dynasty, the Kalachuris of Ratnapura, the Mana dynasty and the Western Chalukya Empire. [1]
The Chindaka Nagas belonged to Kashyapa gotra and were of Kannada origin, hailing from the Sindavadi country in present-day Karnataka. They were a branch of the Sinda family of Gulbarga. [1] [2] [3] [4] [5] Several historians agree with this theory of the Nagas having Kannada ancestry.
The Nagas are believed by certain historians to have arrived in the Chakrakota Mandala region (Bastar-Koraput district-Kalahandi) in 1022 with the expedition of the Chola emperor Rajendra Chola. [4]
Historian Hira Lal Shukla is of the opinion that the Somavamshi kings Uddyotakeśarī and Janmejaya II might have helped the Nagas establish a kingdom in Chakrakota. [3] Jitāmitra Prasāda Siṃhadeba has hypothesized that the Nagas of Kalahandi were related to the Chindaka Nagas due to the proximity of Kalahandi and Bastar, both the states having Manikyadevi as their patron goddess and because around the time the Naga rule in Chakrakota ended, the Kalahandi kingdom was founded. [6]
However, historian Shiv Kumar Tiwari believes that the Nagas ruled in the Bastar region of Chhattisgarh since as early as 760 A.D. His take of historical events from the Nava-sahasanka-charita epic poem is as follows- the Naga ruler of Bastar, Sankhapala, sought help from the Shilahara ruler Aparajita when the ruler of the Mana tribe invaded his kingdom. [1]
The Chindaka Nagas ruled over parts of the modern-day Indian state of Odisha and the historical region of Dakshina Kosala. Their kingdom was known as Chakrakota mandala and included the present-day districts of Bastar, Koraput and Kalahandi. Manikyadevi was the patron goddess of these Nagavansi rulers. [7]
The Telugu Chodas who migrated to the region, settled as their feudal rulers. [8] Chandraditya Maharaja, a Telugu Choda chieftain, was a mahamandalashwara (an Indian feudal title) and ruler of Ammagama (modern Ambogam village in Kotapad) was a feudatory of Jagadeka Bhushana. [4]
The Bhanjas of Boudh branch came into conflict with the Chindaka Nagas. In 1060 AD, the Bhanja king Yasobhanja defeated and killed Jagadeka Bhushana. Taking advantage of the power vacuum, Madhurantaka, a close relative of the dead king usurped the throne. However, Somesvara the son of Jagadeka Bhushana claimed the throne as well, leading to a civil war in Chakrakota lasting for 5 years. Kulottunga I, the Chola emperor supported Madhurantaka while the Chola's archrivals, the Chalukyas of Kalyana, supported Somesvara in the struggle. Subsequently, Madhurantaka was killed and Somesvara assumed kingship of Chakrakota. [4] According to N.K. Sahu, Somesvara was the most powerful ruler of the Chindaka Nagas. [9]
Somasvera warred with the declining Somavamshi dynasty who were ruling in Utkala and Kosala at the time. Yosoraja I , the father of Chandraditya Maharaja and Telugucoda lieutenant of Chindaka Naga king Somesvara conquered the eastern parts of Kosala which were under the Somavamshi dynasty in 1069 AD. Yosoraja I then served as the governor of Kosala for Somesvara. [10] In his Kuruspal inscription, Somesvara claimed to have raided the Vengi Kingdom, subjugated the Mana tribe, and declared to have defeated the Udra chief (Somavamshi king) and captured six lakh and ninety-six villages of Dakshina Kosala (central Chhattisgarh) from him. [2] [1] [11] Historian Shiv Kumar Tiwari believes that the conquest of Dakshina Kosala by Somesvara is likely an exaggeration and that he only held a small part of that territory for a short period. [1]
The Somavamsis, who had declined, began serving Eastern Gangas, Kalachuri and Chindaka Nagas as chieftains. [11] The Chindaka Naga rulers called themselves as Nagavamsi and the lords of Bhogavati. Bhogavati was the capital of the mythical snake-demons called Nagas. [1] [12]
The Chindaka Nagas were defeated by the Kakatiya vassal of Someshvara I, the Chalukya emperor. [13] This dynasty continued to rule the region till the thirteenth century with not many details known about their rulers excepting a few. [14]
The Kalachuri king of Ratanpur, Jajalla-deva I (1090-1120 CE), invaded the Chindaka Naga territory in 1114 AD annexing Kosala which was under Telugu Choda governorship. Jajalla-Deva I defeated Somesvara and took him prisoner, only releasing him at the intervention of his mother. [15] [4] [10]
During the struggle between the Gangas of Orissa and Kalachuris of Ratnapura for the Kalahandi region, the Chindaka Nagas allied themselves with the Gangas. The Kalachuri king Prithvi-deva II retaliated by devastating Chakrakota and destroying the Chindaka Naga capital, in an attempt to terrorise the Ganga king Anantavarman. [16] The Bilaigarh copper plates inscription of Prithvideva reads- "His son Prithvîdëva (II) of well-known fame, who has planted his lotus-like foot on the rows of hostile princes' heads, has become the lord of kings — (he) who, by devastating Chakrakota, overwhelmed the illustrious Ganga king with anxiety in regard to the crossing of the ocean which was the sole means (of saving his life)." [17]
During the first half of 13th century, Chakrakota was invaded by Kholeshvara, the general of Yadava ruler Singhanadeva of Deogiri. [18] Kakatiya ruler Ganapatideva also invaded bastar during 13th century. The last known ruler of this dynasty was Harishchandradeva, known from a Sati inscription dated 1324 AD. [1]
The Naga kings' coat of arms included a snake banner and the "tiger-with-cub" crest. [1]
The Chindaka Naga rulers known from inscriptions (dated to regnal years) are- [2] [1]
Kalinga is a historical region of India. It is generally defined as the eastern coastal region between the Ganges and the Godavari rivers, although its boundaries have fluctuated with the territory of its rulers. The core territory of Kalinga now encompasses all of Odisha and some part of northern Andhra Pradesh. At its widest extent, the Kalinga region also included parts of present-day Chhattisgarh, extending up to Amarkantak in the west. In the ancient period it extended until the bank of the Ganges river.
Kulottunga I also spelt Kulothunga, born Rajendra Chalukya, was a Chola Emperor who reigned from 1070 to 1122 succeeding his cousin Athirajendra Chola. He also served as the Eastern Chalukya monarch from 1061 to 1118, succeeding his father Rajaraja Narendra. He is related to the Chola dynasty through his mother's side and the Eastern Chalukyas through his father's side. His mother, Ammangaidevi, was a Chola princess and the daughter of emperor Rajendra I. His father was king Rajaraja Narendra of the Eastern Chalukya dynasty who was the nephew of Rajendra and maternal grandson of Rajaraja I. According to historian Sailendra Nath Sen, his accession marked the beginning of a new era and ushered in a period of internal peace and benevolent administration.
Sambalpur District is a district in the western part of state of Odisha, India. The historic city of Sambalpur is the district headquarters.
Nabarangpur district, also known as Nabarangapur district or Nawarangpur district, is a district of Odisha, India. The city of Nabarangpur is the district capital. Most of its population is tribal and the land is heavily forested. It borders Kalahandi and Koraput districts. Nabarangpur district is situated at 19.14′ latitude and 82.32′ longitude at an average elevation of 572 metres (1,877 ft).
Nuapada district is an area of Odisha state in India. Nuapada town is the headquarters of the district. It has one subdivision: Nuapada, and five blocks: Khariar, Sinapali, Boden, Komna, and Nuapada. Nuapada District has three Notified Area Councils: Khariar, Khariar Road, and Nuapada, six tehsils and more villages such as Gandabahali, Tukla, Hatibandha, Duajher, Bargaon, Tarbod, Udyanbandh, and Larka.
Dakshina Kosala is a historical region of central India. It was located in what is now Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh along with parts of Western Odisha. At its greatest extent, it may have also included a part of the Vidarbha region in present-day Maharashtra.
Bargarh District is an administrative district of Odisha state in eastern India. The city of Bargarh is its district headquarters. The district was carved out of the erstwhile district of Sambalpur on 1 April 1993.
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Western Odisha is the western part of the state of Odisha in India, extending from the Kalahandi district in the south to the Sundargarh district in the north.
The Eastern Ganga dynasty were a large medieval era Indian royal Hindu dynasty that reigned from Kalinga from as early as the 5th century to the mid 20th century. Eastern Gangas ruled much of the modern region of Odisha in three different phases by the passage of time, known as Early Eastern Gangas (493–1077), Imperial Eastern Gangas (1077–1436) and Khemundi Gangas (1436–1947). They are known as "Eastern Gangas" to distinguish them from the Western Gangas who ruled over Karnataka. The territory ruled by the dynasty consisted of the whole of the modern-day Indian state of Odisha, as well as major parts of north Andhra Pradesh, parts of Chhattisgarh and some southern districts of West Bengal. Odia language got official status in their regime following the evolution of the language from Odra Prakrit. The early rulers of the dynasty ruled from Dantapuram; the capital was later moved to Kalinganagara, and ultimately to Kataka and then to Paralakhemundi.
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The Bhanja dynasty is a dynasty that originated in the northern and central regions of modern Odisha before the Gupta Empire became an imperial power. The dynasty, of ancient local Kshatriya lineage as documented by Hermann Kulke, succeeded the Vindhyatabi branch of the Nagas of Padmavati, who ruled from the Keonjhar district of Odisha and included Satrubhanja of the Asanpat inscription. The Bhanj later became feudatories of the Bhauma-Kara dynasty.
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The Kalachuris of Ratnapura were a central Indian dynasty during 11th and 12th centuries. They ruled parts of present-day Chhattisgarh from their capital at Ratnapura. They were an offshoot of the Kalachuris of Tripuri, and ruled as vassals of the parent dynasty for many years.
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