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History of Orissa
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History of South Asia and History of India
Stone Age 70,000–3300 BCE
· Mehrgarh Culture · 7000–3300 BCE
Indus Valley Civilization 3300–1700 BCE
Late Harappan Culture 1700–1300 BCE
Iron Age · 1200–500 BCE
Maha Janapadas 700–300 BCE
Magadha Empire 684 BCE–320 BCE
· Maurya Empire · 321–184 BCE
Middle Kingdoms 230 BCE–1279 CE
· Satavahana Empire · 230 BCE–199 CE
· Kushan Empire · 60–240
· Gupta Empire 40–550
· Pala Empire · 750–1174
· Chola Empire · 250 BCE–1279
Islamic Sultanates 1206–1596
· Delhi Sultanate · 1206–1526
· Deccan Sultanates · 1490–1596
Hoysala Empire 1040–1346
Kakatiya Empire 1083–1323
Vijayanagara Empire 1336–1565
Mughal Empire 1526–1707
Sikh Empire 1801-1849
Maratha Empire 1674–1818
Colonial Era 1757–1947
Modern States 1947 onwards
Nation histories
Bangladesh · Bhutan · Republic of India
Maldives · Nepal · Pakistan · Sri Lanka
Regional histories
Bengal · Himachal Pradesh · Orissa
Pakistani Regions · North India · South India · Tibet
Specialised histories
Dynasties · Economy · Indology · Language · Literature
Maritime · Military · Science and Technology · Timeline
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Contents
[hide]
* 1 Summary
* 2 Major Periods in the history of Orissa
* 3 Early history
o 3.1 Muslim Period
o 3.2 British Period
* 4 Ancient names of Orissa
* 5 See also
[edit] Summary
Orissa has a history spanning a period of over 3500 years. The history of Orissa is in many ways atypical from that of the northern plains and many of the common generalizations that are made about Indian history do not seem to apply to the Oriya region. The word Oriya is an anglicised version of Odia which itself is a modern name for the Odra or Udra tribes that inhabited the central belt of modern Orissa. Orissa has also been the home of the Kalinga and Utkal tribes that played a particularly prominent role in the region's history, and one of the earliest references to the ancient Kalingas appears in the writings of Vedic chroniclers. In the 6th C. BC, Vedic Sutrakara Baudhayana mentions Kalinga as being beyond the Vedic fold, indicating that Brahminical influences had not yet touched the land. Unlike some other parts of India, tribal customs and traditions played a significant role in shaping political structures and cultural practices right up to the 15th C. when Brahminical influences triumphed over competing traditions and caste differentiation began to inhibit social mobility and erode what had survived of the ancient republican tradition.
In ancient times, it was the proud kingdom of Kalinga. Kalinga was a major seafaring nation that controlled and traded with most of the sea routes in the Bay of Bengal. For several centuries, a substantial part of South Asia & Southeast Asia was under its cultural influence. The temple at Angkor Wat is a fine example of Orissan-influenced Indian architecture. Some parts of Southern and South Eastern Asia such as Sri Lanka, Cambodia, Java, Sumatra, Bali, Vietnam and Thailand were colonized by people from Orissa. In Malaysia, Indians are still referred as Klings because of this. Many illustrious Sri Lankan kings such as Nisanka Malla and Parakarama Bahu claim Kalinga origin. The king who destroyed the Sinhalese Buddhist control of Northern Sri Lanka and established a Hindu Kingdom in Jaffna was known as Kalinga Magha. One theory holds that the name of the country "Siam" for Thailand is derived from Oriya/Sanskrit Shyamadesha. The Angkor Wat in Cambodia is Orissan, with local variations. Bali in Indonesia still retains its Orissan-influenced Hindu heritage.
A major turning point in world history took place in Orissa. The famous Kalinga war that led emperor Ashoka to embrace non-violence and the teachings of Buddha was fought here in 261 BC. Ashoka's military campaign against Kalinga was one of the bloodiest in Mauryan history on account of the fearless and heroic resistance offered by the Kalingas to the mighty armies of the expanding Mauryan empire. Perhaps on account of their unexpected bravery, emperor Ashoka was compelled to issue two edicts specifically calling for a just and benign administration in Kalinga. Later on, Asoka was instrumental in spreading Buddhist philosophy all over Asia.
In the second century BC, Kalinga flourished as a powerful kingdom under the Jaina king, Kharavela. He ruled all the way down south to include parts of the Tamil country. It is he who was built the superb monastic caves at Udayagiri and Khandagiri. Subsequently, the kingdom was ruled under various monarchs, such as Samudragupta and Sasanka. It also was a part of Harsha's empire. In 795 AD, the king Yayati united Kalinga, Kosala and Utkala into a single empire. He also built the famous Jagannath temple at Puri. King Narasimha Dev is reputed to have built the magnificent Sun Temple in Konark. Although now largely in ruins, the temple may have rivaled the Taj Mahal in splendour.
A Muslim convert and ruler, Kala Pahada, with the help Suleman Karrani of Bengal occupied Orissa in 1568 after defeating the last Hindu king Mukundadeva.
The Moguls conquered Bengal and Orissa in 1576; however, Orissa was subsequently ceded to the Marathas in 1751.
In 1803, the British under the British East India Company occupied Orissa after the Second Anglo-Maratha War. In 1823, Orissa was divided into the three districts of Cuttack, Balasore and Puri, and a number of native tributary states. Orissa was administed as part of the Bengal Presidency. Following famine and floods in 1866, large scale irrigation projects were undertaken in the last half of the 19th century. The coastal section was separated from Bengal and made into the Province of Bihar and Orissa in 1912, in response to local agitation for a separate state for Oriya-speaking peoples. In 1936, Bihar and Orissa separated into separate provinces.
Following Indian independence, the area of Orissa was almost doubled and the population was increased by a third by the addition of 24 former princely states. In 1950, Orissa became a constituent state in the Union of India.
[edit] Major Periods in the history of Orissa
[edit] Early history
* Nanda rule
* Kalinga under the Mauryan
* Mahameghavahana Kharavela
* The Satavahanas and the Murundas
* The Guptas
* The Matharas
* The Eastern Gangas
* The Nalas
* The Parvatadvarakas
* The family of Sura
* The Vigrahas and the Mudgalas
* The Durjayas
* The Sailodbhavas
* The Bhaumakaras
* The Mandala States
* The Bhanjas of Khinjali Mandala
* Bhanjas of Khijjinga Mandala
* The Sulkis of Kodala Mandala
* Tungas of Yamagartta Mandala
* The Nandodbhavas of Airavatta Mandala
* The Mayuras of Banei Mandala
* The Gangas of Svetaka Mandala
* The Sarabhapuriyas
* The Somavamsis
* The Imperial Gangas
* The Suryavamsi
* Govinda Bidyadhar
* Mukundadeva
* Maratha Rule
[edit] Muslim Period
* Afghan Rule
* Mughal Rule
[edit] British Period
* British Rule
* Freedom movement
* FROM 1568 A.D to 1947 A.D
[edit] Ancient names of Orissa
* Kalinga
* Utkal
* Utkalraata
* Udra
* Odra
* Odrabisha
* Oda
* Odrarashtra
* Trikalinga
* Koshala
* Kangoda
* Toshali
* Chedi (Mahabharata)
* Matsa (Mahabharata)
In the Ramayana, Lord Rama's mother, Queen Kaushalya is the daughter of the king of Koshal. In the Mahabharata, the Pandavas spent the one year as 'Agyantavasa' as servants of King Virata, ruler of Matsa.
[edit] See also
* Historic sites in Orissa
* Jayadeva
* Kharavela
Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Orissa"
Categories: Cleanup from January 2007 | All pages needing cleanup | History of Orissa
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