Orissa on the Eve of Muslim Conquest
Orissa on the Eve of Muslim Conquest:
Govinda Vidyadhar (1542-49 A.D):
Govinda Vidyadhar makes his appearance in the history of Orissa in 1511 as a traitor. His treachery compelled Prataprudra to siege of Mandaran where Sultan Hussain Shah had taken shelter. He was a general of Prataprudradeva. He murdered the sons of Prataprudra and ascended the throne between September 1541 and September 1542. Madalapanji tells us that he belonged to the Bhoi dynasty. The Bhois belonged to the writer class later on known as Karans.
Ramachandradeva, the Raja of Khurda, the son of Danai Bidyadhar, a Lieutenant of Govinda Vidyadhar has been described in Madalapanji as a Bhoi king belonging to Yaduvamsa of Lord Krishna the hero of the Mahabharata. In Sarala Mahabharat the Bhois has been described as Gopalas. It seems that the Bhoi ruling family of Orissa belonged to the Gopala caste and subsequently after assuming the power they became Karanas.
Govinda Vidyadhar does not seem to have been recognised as the Gajapati by his feudatories. This is very clear from his inscription on the Jagamohan of the Jagannath temple. His reign period as per Madalapanji was only for seven or eleven years. He also retained the ornamental titles of the Gajapati kings like Managovinda Vira Sri Gajapati the over lord of Gauda, Kamata, and Kalabarga. He also styled himself as Suvarna Kesari in the Simachalam inscriptions.
It is stated that he spent eight months in the south in fighting with the Sultan of Golkonda. During this period Raghu Bhanja Chhottaray revolted against him in the north and assisted by Abdul Shah besieged the Katak fort but was driven out from the fort by Govinda Vidyadhar being defeated.
Raghu Bhanja Chhottaray was the son of the sister of Prataprudradeva who seems to have rejected Govinda Vidyadhar as the successor of Prataprudra. He was probably the brother of the Raja of Mayurbhanj. Govinda Vidyadhar was succeeded by his son Chakrapratap.
Chakrapratap (1549-57 A.D.):
Chakrapratapdev ruled Orissa for a period of twelve years. He was an useless king. He entrusted the responsibility of the kingdom to Danai Vidyadhar who was the lieutenant of Govinda Vidyadhar. He was a notorious king and humiliated the Brahmins. His son Narasimha Jena poisoned him to death.
Narasimha Jena (1557-58 A.D.):
He succeeded his father and ruled Orissa for only one year. Nothing is known about him. The only memorable event of his reign was the rebellion of Mukunda Harichandana and his brothers. The Harichandan brothers in disguise of women killed him with a dagger.
Raghuram Chhattaray (1558-60 A.D.):
After the death of Narasimha Jena his son Raghuram Chhottaray was placed over the throne who ruled Orissa only for one year. Madalapanji describes that there was a tripartite struggle for the throne among three aspirants Danai Vidyadhar, Mukunda Harichandan and Raghubhanja Chhottaray. Mukunda Harichandan finally succeeded. Danai Vidyadhar was put in the prison and Raghubhanja Chhottaray was defeated and made a prisoner. Mukunda Harichandan after eliminating other two rivals killed Raghuram Chhottarary and ascended the throne in 1560 A.D.
Mukunda Harichandan (1560-1568 A.D.):
Madalapanji tells us that Mukunda Harichandan popularly known as Mukundadeva belonged to the Chalukya family. He claimed his descent from the Eastern Chalukyas of Vengi established by Pulakesin II of Vadami. In the inscriptions of the Bhimesvara temple at Draksarama in the East Godavari district.
Mukundadeva is described as the son of Sarvaraju and the grandson of Singharaju. He is known as Telinga Mukundadeva. Farista makes a reference of a feudatory dynasty ruling in the Sarvasidhi Taluk of the Visakhapatanam district. Bahuvalendras and Harichandanas of this dynasty were ruling over this Taluk. Mukundadeva possibly belonged to this dynasty who was originally the feudatories of the Gajapatis of Orissa.
Mukundadeva became a prominent figure in the history of Orissa by defending the fort of Katak (Cuttack) from the attack of Raghubhanja Chhottaray. Since then his influence in political activities of Orissa increased. He hailed from Telingana for which he is popularly called as Telinga Mukundadeva.
So far five inscriptions of Mukundadeva have been discovered. The fourth inscription is a proof to say that his Orissan kingdom extended upto Godavari river till 1568 A.D. Thus this inscription historically is an important evidence of his reign. It further states that Gajapati Mukundadeva defeated the king of Gauda and after that he performed the Tulapurusa ceremony (the ceremony of weighing against gold).
He remitted taxes on marriages. This inscription further states that Mukundadeva extended his kingdom upto Triveni in the north before 1567. He constructed some steps on the Trivenighat on the Ganges which is still known as Mukundaghat. Prof. R.D. Banerjee tells us that there is still a considerable influence of the Oriyas at Triveni in the Hoogly district of West Bengal.
Mukundadeva was an able ruler. He successfully managed to keep the Gajapati empire intact. He restored internal peace and security in his kingdom. During the early part of his reign he allowed shelter to Ibrahim Sur the greatest enemy of Sulaiman Karani the Sultan of Bengal. This unwise decision incurred the displeasure of the Sultan.
Secondly Mukundadeva established cordial relation with the Mughal emperor Akbar the great. In 1566 he welcomed Raja Man Singh the envoy of Akbar and sent Paramananda Ray. For these reasons Sultan Sulaiman Karani invaded Orissa in 1568. He sent his son Bayazid assisted by Kala Pahar for this invasion. Mukundadeva was not prepared for this invasion and sent Raghubhanj Chhottaray to resist the invadors. Raghubhanj Chhottaray seems to have been released from the prison by Mukundadeva. Inspite of all precaution Bengal army reached Katak and Mukundadeva having no other alternative submitted before the Sultan.
Raghubhanj turned to be a traitor as before that resulted in the defeat of Mukundadeva. Madalapanji describes that two divisions of Bengal army marched against Orissa one of which faught against Mukundadeva and the other proceeded towards Katak (Cuttack) led by Bayazid and Kalapahar.
Mukundadeva was defeated and was forced to take refuge in the fort of Kotsima (Kotsimul) on the western bank of the river Damodara in the Hooghly district. Bayazid and Kalaphahar defeated Koni Samantasimhara, who were in charge of the fort. Mukundadeva hearing the news of the fall of Cuttack hastened to the capital but due to the rebellion engineered by Ramachandra Bhanja, he had to submit before the Invador. Mukundadeva them marched against the rebels of Sarangagarh (near Baranga-Rly Station and killed him).
Madalapanji states that the traitor Ramachandra Bhanja or Ramachandradeva played an important role in the defeat of Mukundadeva and ultimately killed him. He was a local chief who was in charge of the important fort Sarangagarh (near Baranga). After the fall of Cuttack the Muslim army occupied Orissa.
Another tradition says that Mukundadeva faught with the invading army at Gohiratikira near Jajpur and was killed in the battle field. Some other tradition tells us that two generals of the king Sikhi and Manai Mahapatra engineered plans to show the secret route in the jungle to Kalappahara to attack Mukundadeva from the rear that brought his death. This has been corroborated in the Khurda manuscript. The kingdom of Orissa thus passed to the Bengal supremacy in the month of Margasira in the 11th (Eleventh) Anka of Telinga Mukundadeva.
Achievements:
Mukundadeva ruled Orissa for eight years only but became an important figure in the history of Orissa for his abilities. He by virtue of his administrative calibre became the master of the Gajapati kingdom stretching from the river Ganga in the north to the Godavari in the south. He is remembered as the creator of many Brahmin Sasanas. He established many sasanas (villages) in and around Puri for the habitation of Brahamins. He also constructed many structures in the Jagannath Temple complex.
Mukundadeva patronised Jivadeva Kavidindima, a famous court poet of Prataprudra. Bhakti Bhagavata written by Jivadeva acknowledged the quality of Mukundadeva’s reign. Saesare Fredericke a merchant of Venice who visited East India paid high tribute to Mukundadeva. He said that “Orissa was a fair kingdom and trusty”.
According to Badaoni, “the Rajah of Orissa was maintained distinguished for his army and military pomp”. Thus Mukundadeva the splendour of his court and managed the administration effectively. He was a great king both in war and peace.
