List of rulers of Odisha


The land of Odisha or former Kalinga has undergone several changes in terms of its boundaries since ancient ages. It was also known by different names like Odra Desha, Kalinga, Hirakhanda, Mahakantara or Utkala in different eras. The year 1568 is considered a turning point in the history of Odisha. In the year 1568, Kalapahad invaded the state. This, aided by internal conflicts, led to a steady downfall of the state from which it did not recover.

Ancient Period

Ancient Texts

One of the sons of Vaivasvata Manu known as Saudyumna could change genders according to changing cycles of a day. As a female and known as Ila she gave birth to the founder of the Lunar or Aila dynasty by the name Pururavas after her union with Budha. As a male, he fathered three other sons Utkala, Gaya and Vinasva, each of who later established kingdoms by their own name in the eastern parts of India including some parts of Kuru kingdom.
According to Mahabharata and some Puranas, the prince Kalinga founded the kingdom of Kalinga, in the current day region of coastal Odisha, including the North Sircars. The Mahabharata also mentions one Srutayudha as the king of the Kalinga kingdom, who joined the Kaurava camp. In the Buddhist text, Mahagovinda Suttanta, Kalinga and its ruler, Sattabhu, have been mentioned.
This dynasty is mentioned in Chullakalinga Jataka and Kalingabodhi Jataka. The first king Kalinga I is said to have broken away from the Dandaka kingdom along with the kings of Asmaka and Vidarbha as its feudal states.
Mentioned separately in continuity without any kings or their dynasty in the middle.
Kalinga was believed to be briefly annexed by Mahapadma Nanda.
When Chandragupta Maurya rebelled against the Nandas, Kaligans broke away from the empire of Magadha.

[Maurya Empire]

Ashoka invaded Kalinga in 261 BCE. Kalinga broke away from the Mauryan empire during the rule of Dasharatha.
Mahamegha Vahana was the founder of the Kalingan Chedi or Cheti Dynasty. The names of Sobhanaraja, Chandraja, Ksemaraja also appear in context. But, Kharavela is the most well known among them. The exact relation between Mahamegha Vahana and Kharavela is not known.
It is not known that, if Vakadeva was a successor or predecessor of Kharavela. From the inscriptions and coins discovered at Guntupalli and Velpuru, Andhra Pradesh, we know of a series of rulers with the suffix Sada who were possibly distant successors of Kharavela.
Gautamiputra Satakarni is known to have invaded Kalinga during his reign.
The history of the region is obscure for a while after the reign
An inscription dating from 3rd to 4th century found in Asanpat village in Keonjhar revealed the existence of this dynasty.
For some time in 4th century, the southern Odisha region around modern-day Koraput, Rayagada, Malkangiri and undivided Bastar, was ruled by the Nalas.
During the same period as the Nalas, the region around modern-day Kalahandi was ruled by them. Not much is known about them.
invaded Kalinga during his reign in c.350. By c.571, most of Kalinga had broken away from the Gupta empire.
The later half of the 4th century, this dynasty was established in the South Kosala region.
Not much is known about this dynasty. Everything known about them, comes from the inscriptions on copper plates and coins. They may or may not have also been known as the Amararyakula dynasty. This dynasty is supposed to have started by one Sarabha, who may have been a feudal chief under the Guptas. They ruled over the modern-day region of Raipur, Bilaspur and Kalahandi.
The Mathara dynasty ruled during the 4th and the 5th centuries. The Mathara rulers include:
Anantasaktivarman lost southern part of his kingdom to Madhava Verma I and the Matharas never recovered it.
Indra Bhattaraka Varma possibly lost his Kalinga holdings to one Adiraja Indra, who possibly was Indravarma I of East Ganga Dynasty.

Vigraha Dynasty

They ruled the region called South Tosali, around modern-day Puri and Ganjam, during second half of 6th century.
They ruled the region of North Toshali, the river Mahanadi served as the border between North and South Toshali. In 603 CE, they captured South Toshali from the Vigrahas.
In mid-6th century CE, a chief, Ranadurjaya, established himself in South Kalinga. Prithivimaharaja probably defeated the Mudgalas by his time.
Shashanka invaded and possibly occupied northern parts of Kalinga during his reign around c. 615.
They ruled from the region ranging from coastal Orissa to Mahanadi and to Mahendragiri in Paralakhemundi. This region was called the Kangoda mandala. Sailobhava, the founder of dynasty, is said to have born of a rock, hence the name Shailodbhava. Sailobhava was the adopted son of one Pulindasena, who was possibly a chieftain. They were possibly the subordinates of Shashanka during Madhavaraja II, then they later rebelled.
invaded Kalinga and Kangoda, soon after the death Pulakesi II in 642 CE. Madhavaraja II was the vassal of Harsha until the death of later in 647 CE.
The Bhauma or Bhauma-Kara Dynasty lasted from c. 736 CE to c. 940 CE. They mostly controlled the coastal areas of Kalinga. But by c.850 CE, they controlled most of modern Orissa. The later part of their reign was disturbed by rebellions from the Bhanja dynasty of the Sonepur and Boudh region.
Between the 8th and 11th century, Orissa was divided into mandalas which were feudal states ruled by chieftains. These chieftains swore allegiance to the Bhaumakaras.

Bhanjas of Khinjali Mandala

Khinjali refers to modern-day Balangir, Sonepur and Phulbani.
This refers to modern-day Mayurbhanj and part of Kendujhar
Kodalaka refers to the modern-day district of Dhenkanal.
Later, the mandala was divided into two parts, Yamagartta Mandala and Airavatta Mandala. The Bhaumas allowed the Tunga and the Nandodbhava families to rule over Yamagartta Mandala and Airavatta Mandala respectively.

Tungas of Yamagartta Mandala

The Mandala refers to the northern part of modern Dhenkanal district. Jayasimha was ruler of the mandala before the Tungas, he was not a member of the Tunga dynasty.
It is not clearly known if Apsara Deva belonged to the Tunga family or not.

Nandodbhavas of Airavatta Mandala

This region extended over the territory comprising southern part of Dhenkanal district, some western portion of Cuttack district and almost the entire Nayagarh district.
This region roughly comprised the modern-day Banei sub-division and parts of Panposh subdivision of Sundergarh district.
The capital of Svetaka known as Svetakapura has been identified with modern Chikiti.
The Soma or Kesari Dynasty originates in South Kosala, but by the reign of Yayati I, they controlled most of modern Orissa.
Janmejaya, the predecessor of Karnadeva and the son of Janmejaya II, was not considered a ruler by his successors, as he captured the throne in a violent coup and soon-after lost it.

Early Medieval Period

Chindaka Naga Dynasty

The Chindaka Nagas are believed by certain historians to have arrived in the Chakrakota Mandala region with the expedition of Rajendra Chola. The Telugu Chodas who invaded the region later, settled as their feudal rulers. This dynasty continued to rule the region till the thirteenth century with not many details known about their rulers excepting a few.
Indravarman I is earliest known independent king of the dynasty. He is known from the Jirjingi copper plate grant.
According to Gangavansucharitam written in sixteenth or seventeenth century, Bhanu Deva IV also known as Kajjala Bhanu founded a new small princedom in southern Odisha at Gudari in modern Rayagada district after he was toppled from power by his general Kapilendra Deva.
; Genealogy of the Naga Dynasty of Kalahandi
Parlakhemundi Zamindari or Princely state rulers were the direct descendants of the Eastern Ganga dynasty rulers of Odisha.
Chikiti Ganga Rulers
Historians conclude that the rulers of Chikiti were from the line of Ganga ruler Hastivarman.
This Rajput dynasty had arrived from Mainpuri or Garh Sambhor amidst a conflict with the Muslim rulers of Delhi around 13th or 14th century. The founder Ramai Deva was still in the womb of his mother when his father was murdered by the Yavanas and she fled to the hilly and forest terrains of western Odisha to seek refuge. The early 17th-century works by the Poet Gangadhar Mishra known as Kosalananda and early 18th-century work by the Chauhan king Vaijala Deva known as Probodha Chandrika and Jayachandrika give detailed descriptions about their origins and foundation of the state first at Patna and then Sambalpur.
Ramai Deva was first adopted by a local priest or Brahmin chief known as Chakradhara Panigrahi who provided shelter and refuge to his fleeing mother during her pregnancy. Ramai Deva later won over other local chiefs and established the Patna state. He married the daughter of the Eastern Ganga King Bhanudeva III

Patna (Bolangir)

Gajapati Dynasty">Gajapati Kingdom">Gajapati Dynasty

Govinda Vidyadhara, the general of Prataparudra, killed Prataparudra's remaining sons in c. 1541 and began the Bhoi Dynasty.

Silavamshi Rulers of Nandapur, Koraput

Silavamshi rulers are said to be the descendants of the Saila Vanshi rulers from Nadivardhana region near today's Nagpur.
The Suryavanshi rulers are said to be the descendant of Kanakasena. Vinayak Dev, a junior prince of a small kingdom in Kashmir migrated to Varanasi and later to Kalinga. He married the daughter of the last Silavanshi ruler of Nandapur Pratap Ganga Raj and became a heir to the throne. The last independent king to have ruled over the Utkala and Kalinga region Vishwanath Dev Gajapati was also born in this dynasty. At the time of his death, Ibrahim Qutb Shah led the invasion of Kalinga and defeated his son Balaram Dev.
As a result, Balaram Dev and his next four successors ruled as tributary rulers under Golconda Qutb Shahi. However, Vishwambhar Dev inherited the kingdom in 1672 and defeated the foujdar of Chicacole in 1675 thus claiming the integral parts of Kalinga. The Suryavanshi rulers were referred to as the Maharajah of Kalinga until the early 18th century. In 1711, due to interior conflicts and maladministration both within and outside the kingdom, the Suryavanshis of Jeypore suffered a major backlash as they saw their northern and eastern feudatories claiming independence with the help of Marathas and Viziaram Raz who was the former minister of the kingdom and later the founder of Vizianagaram Estate

Nandapur

The palm leaf manuscripts like Bhaja Vansa Malika and Rayakula Vamsanu give the details about the first Bhanja king Adi Bhanja of Hariharpur state comprising both erstwhile Mayurbhanj and Keonjhar princely states. According to the documents and folklore, Jaisingh the son of Mansingh married the daughter of Gajapati King of Odisha and received the Hariharpur region in dowry. He had two sons by the name Adi Singh and Jyoti Singh. Adi Singh was given the title Bhanj by the Gajapati of Puri after he defeated a local ruler.
The Baudh princely state had gradually become a small state after it had ceded away large sways of territories in the west and south to the Chauhans of Sambalpur and Daspalla region in Nayagarh which became a separate Bhanja princely state later.
The Daspalla Bhanja state was established by Sal Bhanja from the territories gifted to his father Narayan Bhanja Deo by his brother, the ruler of Baudh.
Raja Rajendra Narayana Bhanja Deo was adopted by Maharaja of Kanika.
Raja Harekrushna Malla was adopted by Maharaja of Malla Dynasty. He ruled over the land from British period to free India.
Royals of Princely states
Raja Hrudananda Swain rules during British Colonial period, he was assigned a official post in British Governance of Administration
being the offical of British Eastindia Company he rule his princely state under British Government.
Both Malla and Swain had good matrimonial relations, one of the daughters of Raja Aswani Kumar Malla, Diptirekha Malla married to Raja Ganesh Kumar Swain son of Raja Ramesh Chandra Swain of Provincial states.
Bhoi dynasty was short-lived but during their reign, Orissa came into conflicts with the invaders from Golconda.

Mukunda Deva

Mukunda Deva come to throne by a bloody coup but his reign was cut short by the armies of Sulaiman Khan Karrani which were led by Kalapahad. Ramachandra Bhanja, a feudal lord of Sarangagarh of Kandhamal, took the opportunity to rebel.
Instigated by Mukunda Deva's alliance with Akbar, Sulaiman's army led by Kalapahad and Bayazid invaded Orissa in 1568.
During the reigns of these leaders, Ismail Khan Lodhi of Prithimpassa was made the Governor of Orissa. In the Battle of Tukaroi, which took place in modern-day Balasore, Daud was defeated and retreated deep into Orissa. The battle led to the Treaty of Katak in which Daud ceded the whole of Bengal and Bihar, retaining only Orissa. The treaty eventually failed after the death of Munim Khan who died at the age of 80. Sultan Daud Khan took the opportunity and invaded Bengal. This would lead to the Battle of Raj Mahal in 1576.

[Mughal Empire]

Man Singh I attacked Nasir Khan when the later broke a treaty by attacking the temple town of Puri. Orissa was annexed into the Bengal subah.
The Mughal rule was weak in the region, this allowed local chieftains to somewhat enjoy a semi-independence.

Subahdars of Orissa

Under Jahangir, Orissa was made into a separate subah.
The later part of the Mughal empire was frequently marred with rebellions from local chieftains. The neighbouring subahs also encroached areas from Orissa.

Tarakot

The Tarapur/Tarakote state was established in the 1680s in Korai by the Mughal general Syed Habibullah Ali Mirja, from the territories presented to him by Ekram Khan, the Mughal Subedar of Odisha. He styled himself as Rajah after acquring the jaagirs. The Tarakote rulers had shown extreme resistance and had fought back the Marathas from Odisha in the battle of Kanthajharigada. However, after Odisha was handed over to the Marathas by the Mughals, The former reduced it to a Zamindari state.
Tarakote gets reduced to a Quasi princely Zamindari state by the Marathas.
After the British acquisition of the state, the British changed its name to Tarakot from Tarapur, as they considered it too small a state to be called "pur".
Titular rulers

Sonepur

The territory of Sonepur was procured by the Chauhans of Sambalpur from the Bhanja kings of Baudh.
The third branch of Chauhan rulers descended in the line of Patna's Ramai Deva started their separate rule from Raj Khariar in the seventeenth century.
After 1592, the centre of power had shift from Katak to Khurda. During the reign of Purusottam Deva, relations with the Mughal Subahdars soured.
The Rajas of Khurda continued to rule the region well into the 1800s but by then their power had diminished. Then the Rajas along with other local chieftain led a series of rebellions against the British.

[Maratha Empire]

Maratha general, Raghoji I Bhonsle signed a treaty with Alivardi Khan, in 1751, ceding the perpetuity of Cuttack up to the river Suvarnarekha to the Marathas.
Mukundeva Deva II was discontent under Maratha rule, so he agreed to help British troops to march through his territory without resistance. In 1803, Maratha ceded Orissa to the British empire. The Rajas and other local chieftains lead a series of rebellions against the British. Notable among the rebellions is that of Surendra Sai.
Odia speaking people at this time were placed in different provinces. Around 1870, a movement was started to unify the Oriya-speaking
within a state. In 1936, the new state of Orissa was formed. About 25 princely states, remained independent but they were later integrated by 1947.
See: List of Governors of Bihar and Orissa

Post Independence

See: List of Governors of Orissa

See: List of Chief Ministers of Orissa