Kingship in early Medieval India

by Sudip Narayan Maitra | 2015 | 67,940 words

This thesis is called: Kingship in early Medieval India: A comparative study of the Cholas and the Eastern Gangas. It represents a detailed empirical study of “kingship and polity” of two broad deltaic alluvial stretch of land on the “eastern coast”, namely ‘Mahanadi’ and ‘Kaveri’ delta. These were among the main centers of political and cultural a...

Part 1 - Mahanadi Delta region (Introduction)

The political scenario found in Mahanadi delta region, particularly in early medieval period, is distributed in several loci of geo-poli bases. It includes not only the river valleys, but the hilly tracts and coastal plains are also emerging as resourceful centres of power. The changing political configurations of this age with the emergence and proliferation of several kingdoms in all over Orissa is evident by the presence of abundance of land grants. The geographical contours and foci of political bases of ruling lineages were being constantly redefined by the military campaigns and reversals. The process of vertical state formation process is initiated and consolidated in two successive stages of military campaigns. In the first attempt, the Nandas and the Mauryans were responsible for the early historical period.[1] By this time the coastal and central plain were subjugated. But the Guptas were taken the route of western hilly tract to invade up to the Deep South, which initiated the process of political activity in the western sub regions of Orissa. The centres of political activity found are as follows:

Kalinga: it comprised of the modern Srikakulam and south Ganjam districts including Vamsadhara and Nagavali river valleys.

Uttar Tosali: Often found resemblance with the Utkala, were the north-east part of modern Orissa. It includes Baleswar and Cuttack of Orissa and sometimes Medinipur districts of West Bengal also. Geographically it includes the deltaic alluvial plains of Mahanadi, and lower section of Brahmani and Vaitarani valleys.

Daksina Tosali: corresponds roughly with north Kalinga or Kongoda, this sub region comprised of Puri, parts of Cuttack, and Ganjam districts, the southern part of the Mahanadi delta and Rishikulya valley.

Daksina Kosola: it includes roughly the modern Raipur, Bilashpur and Shambalpur districts and included the upper valleys of Mahanadi with its tributaries.

Among the small tract of political foci in north-western highland of Orissa, has undergone political development slightly at a later date around 9th and 10th century. The Asanapath inscriptions of Satrubhanja, the Sitabhinji inscription of Dishabhanja (roughly around 4th century A.D.), and the Russellkonda and Baudh grants of Nettabhanja (8th century A.D.) are few instances of political activity.

Khinjali-Mandala: This was the parts of Balangir, Dhenkanal and Phulbani districts including the middle course of Mahanadi and the Tel valley. Adjacent to the Dhenkanal district the Gondorama country seemed to have located within this area.

Khijjinga: This geo setting comprised the Mayurbhanj and Kendujhar districts including the upper Baitarani valley.

For the purpose of our study of early medieval Orissan political activity the entire time frame of the period has been divided into three sub periods, to understand the gradual development of kingship and polity.

These are as follows:

  1. Sub Period I: 300-600 A.D. (Local Lineage Formation)
  2. Sub Period II: 600-900A.D. (Sub-Regional Phase)
  3. Sub Period III: 900-1300 A.D. (The Regional Phase)

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

In the 3rd century B.C. Orissa came under the Mauryan rule. Asokan edicts found in Dhauli and Jaugada are indicative of political centres were located at Tosali, in Puri districts and Samapa in Ganjam districts. It shows that the entire Mahanadi delta area and lower Rishikulya valley were the bases of political activity around this age. The later Kharavela rule (1st century B.C.) was flourished in around the same area of Bhuwaneswar and Mahanadi delta. Later Kushana and Satavahana campaigns and finally Gupta invasion initiated large scale state formation in the rest part as well as in the entire western Orissan tract.

Like what you read? Consider supporting this website: