Govinda Vidyadhara | |
---|---|
Gajapati Suvarnakeshari Vira Govinda Deva | |
Gajapati Emperor | |
Reign | 1541 CE –1548 CE |
Coronation | 1541 CE |
Predecessor | Kakharua Deva |
Successor | Chakrapratapa |
House | Bhoi |
Religion | Hinduism |
Govinda Vidyadhara [1] was the founder of Bhoi Dynasty [2] [3] in Eastern India.
He belonged to writer caste and came from a community of accountants or Bhoi. [4] [5] [6] [7] [8] According to Historian KC. Panigrahi Bhoi rulers belonged to Karana caste. [9] Historian Hermann Kulke while quoting KC. Panigrahi mentions the lineage of Govinda Vidyadhara's ancestors and their ancestral occupation, according to him Govinda Vidyadhara's ancestors were Karanas who were employed as writers in Gajapati Empire and had received land grants in Rajahmundry in Gajapati administration. Govinda Vidyadhara's younger son was also the founder of Peddapuram Zamindari of Andhra Pradesh. [10] Kulke also mentions that there was an attempt made by later poets to connect the Bhoi rulers with other dynasties despite them being of writer caste lineage. [11] Other historians like Ashirbadi Lal Srivastava and Francesco Brighenti have also affirmed that Bhoi rulers were of Karan (writer caste) descent. [12] [13] Govinda Vidyadhara had usurped the Gajapati throne by killing 16 sons or heirs of Prataparudra Deva through treachery and after ascending the throne he took the regnal title of "Suvarnakeshari" as per Madala Panji, his rule was short-lived that for seven years only followed by his son Chakrapratapa. [14] [15] Govinda Vidyadhara founded the Vira-Govindapur Sasana for Brahmins and his son Chakrapratapa was the founder of RaiChakrapur Sasana for Brahmins. [16]
After ascending the throne Govinda Vidyadhara was not recognised as Gajapati by the feudatory Gadajat states of Odisha as the rightful ruler as evident from his own "Jagamohana" inscription of Jagannath Temple, Puri in which he warned the feudatory states to stay loyal to him or else they will incur the wrath of Lord Jagannath for the sin of killing a Brahmana. [17]
Immediately after ascending the throne Govinda Vidyadhara came into conflict with the Sultan of Golconda Sultanate who had invaded southern Odisha, Govinda Vidyadhara had to spent eight months in fighting the Sultan in southern Odisha meanwhile Raghu Bhanja Chhottaraya a nephew of Prataparudra Deva started a rebellion in North Odisha with the help of an individual named Abdul Shah and managed to capture Cuttack, Govinda Vidyadhara rushed back to his capital after hearing the news of rebellion and defeated Raghu Bhanja driving him out of Cuttack, Raghu Bhanja wanted to get revenge for the murder of the sons of Gajapati by capturing Cuttack. [18]
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Dhenkanal State was one of the princely states of India during the period of the British Raj. The area of the former state is now referred to as Dhenkanal district, Odisha, with Dhenkanal town as its district headquarters.
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Balarama Dasa was an Odia poet and litterateur. He was one of the 5 great poets in Odia literature, the Panchasakha named Sri Ananta Dasa, Sri Jagannatha Dasa, Sri Jasobanta Dasa and Sri Achyutananda Dasa during the Bhakti age of literature. He was the eldest of the Pancha sakha. He wrote the Jagamohana Ramayana also known as Dandi Ramayana.
The Bhoi dynasty or Bhoi Writer dynasty or the Yaduvamsa dynasty were a medieval Hindu dynasty from the Indian subcontinent, which originated in the region of Odisha that reigned from 1541 to 1560 CE. Govinda Vidyadhara had usurped the throne from the later weaker Suryavamsa Gajapati Empire rulers as the kingdom started weakening but had a short-lived reign as ruling chiefs of Odisha as the ensuing internal rivalries and constant threats of invasions rendered them weak and were eventually overthrown by Mukunda Deva of Chalukya Dynasty in 1560.
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