Gupta Rule in Orissa:

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 Gupta Rule in Orissa:

The mighty Gupta ruler Samudragupta conquered south Kosala (the upper Mahanadi valley) during his southern campaigns. Along with south Kosala he also conquered the territories of Svamidatta of Kottura, Damana of Erandapalle and Devarastra. All these territories have been identified with the places of Ganjam district and the adjoining Telugu-speaking tract.

Samudragupta directed his army in this campaign through a difficult forests clad routes of Mahakosala and Mahakantara which has been identified with the present Kalahandi, Koraput districts of Orissa and Bastar district of Madhya Pradesh. It is difficult to say why Samudragupta followed this difficult path instead of marching through the plain and easy coastal route of Balasore, Cuttack and Puri districts.



Samudragupta finally reached the coastal strip of Orissa and subjugated the Orissa kings alongwith some southern monarchs with their leader Visnugopa of Kanchi. Allahabad Prasad is very clear in describing the fact that Samudragupta after receiving valuable presents liberated the kings and restored their kingdoms under the principle Anugraha. Thus Samudragupta’s invasion was a passing cloud which did not affect much of the political condition of Kalinga though it brought Kalinga to the cultural orbit of Gupta Empire.

After the death of Samudragupta in about 380 A.D. there is no evidence of any relation of Orissa with Gupta Empire. However, we find the use of Gupta Era in many Orissan copper plate grants. In Sumandal copper plate grant of Prithivi-Vigraha, the copper plate grants of Sambhuyasas and the Soro copper plate grants the Gupta Era has been referred.

From the use of Gupta Era in the inscription of Orissa it is inferred by scholar Dr. D.C. Sircar that Orissa was within the political orbit of the Gupta Empire. But scholar like Dr. N.K. Sahu did not accept this idea and contrary to that he said that Orissa never acknowledged the political supremacy of the Guptas. Further in the Jairampur copper plate inscription the name Maharajadhiraja Gopa Chandra the son of Maharajadhiraja Dhana Chandra has seen mentioned. They were the rulers of the northern Balasore region. Thus it can be concluded that if northern Balasore region did not constitute a part of Gupta Empire how could

Kalinga (Ganjam region) form a part of Gupta Empire. Thus the specula­tion about the suzerainty of Gupta rulers over Kalinga has no historical authenticity.

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