BERHAMPUR UNIVERSITY

BHANJA BIHAR, GANJAM, ODISHA, 7600007

- TOPIC ON -
ANANTAVARMAN CHODAGANGADEVA

Submitted By Submitted To
Shibani Pathy Dr. A.Sobharani
Roll No.- 30 Assistant Professor in History

- DEPARTMENT OF HISTORY -
Berhampur University
 - CONTENTS –

1. Introduction…………………………………………………… 3
2. Sources………………………………………………………… 3-4
3. Achievements of Chodagangadeva………………………….. 4
4. Conquests of Chodagangadeva………………………………. 4-5
 The Chola War
 Utakala’s Subjugation
 Relationship with the Bengali Palas
5. Additional accomplishments…………………………………. 6
6. Supporter of Literature and Education………………………. 6
7. Art and Architecture…………………………………………...7
8. Conclusion……………………………………………………...8
9. References………………………………………………………9

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INTRODUCTION:
 Anantavarman Chodagangadeva (1077-1147
CE) was a renowned Ganga dynasty king.
Due to his youth, the initial phase of his reign
was critical.
 When Indravarman I established his
dominion over kalinganagar as his capital by
defeating the vishnukundin dynasty, the
eastern ganga dynasty was born.
 Chodagangadeva demonstrated his ability as
a ruler by ruling odisha for 70 years. Indeed, he established the ganga
dynasty in odisha, which ruled until 1435 CE.
 He succeded Devendravarman Raja Raja I in 1077AD. Chodagangadeva
was born to Raja Raja I and Rajasundari , the daughter of kulottungachola.
That is why perhaps he is known as Chodagangadeva or Cholagangadeva
SOURCES:
 Ronaki stone inscription: He was known as the first
Gajapati/Kunjaradhipati in this inscription.
 Sindurapura Grant (1118AD): He styles himself as Paramavaishnava in this
grant.
 Dasagoba copper plate grant (1198-1199AD) : Copper plate inscription by
Rajaraja III found on the Tirumala Venkateswara temple states that The
Jagannath Temple was buily by Gangeswara i.e. Anantavarman
Chodagangadeva.
 Nagori copper plate charter: it states that he built a temple for the great god
purushottama ,as the earlier kings were afraid to take up this herculean
task.
 The Yambaram grants of saka year 1039/1117: it is the earliest available
copper plate which refer to the annexation of utkala which is supported by
Vizagapatham plates of 1040/1118 AD.
 One of the inscription at Bhubaneswar refers to his 37 regnal year which
comes to 1113 AD Which proves the unification of Utkala by 1113 AD.
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  One of the Sreekakulam inscription dated 1057/1135 AD states that he
became Chakravarti after winning victories in the east, west and north.
 From inscriptions found in Draksharam, Mukhalingam and Sreekakulam,
we learn that he head several wives.
 Ragolu grant: records the 70 regnal years of Chodagangadeva.
 One of his Draksharam inscription described him as Paramamahesvara. It
reveals that his personal religion was Saivism.
 Korni plates: He styles himself as Paramamahesvara and
Paramavaishnava.
 One of his Vijayanagaram inscription declared himself as Rauta Raja.

ACHIEVEMENTS OF CHODAGANGADEVA:
When we talk about the achievements of chodagangadeva, we talk about the
conquests through which he extended his empire and other achievements such
as the tiitles given to him because of his greatness and worthiness.

CONQUESTS OF CHODAGANGADEVA:
THE CHOLA WAR:
 The war may have occurred as a result of chodagangadeva’s marriage to
Chodadevi, daughter of Virachoda, a son of Kulattungachoda.
 This was probably against kulattunga’s wishes, as a result virachoda lost his
governership of vengi and seeked refuge at chodagangadeva’s court.
 This war occurred in between 1093 and 1094 CE. He lost the chola occupied
southern Part of kalinga but never lost his heart.
 As his power and potential grew, he defeated the chola army as reflected in
the Kalingattuparani, composed by jayamagondan, kulottunga’s court poet.
 The cholas were defeated and chodaganga took possession of vengi which
resulted in the Ganga dynasty expanding westward upto Vengi.

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UTKALA’S SUBJUGATION:
• Chodagangadeva’s interest in subjugating the somvamsis of utkala was
piqued by their weakness as the ruler Karnakesari was a weak successor of
Udyotakesari.
• He accepted the suzerainty of chodagangadeva and ruled as a vassal king.
When chodagangadeva was involved in the southern boarder, Ramapala of
Pala dynasty attacked utkala and placed his protegee on the throne ofn
utkala.
• Chodagangadeva fought back, defeated and drove away the pala nominee
and reinstated karnadeva as ruler.
• Following this the ganga empire exoanded eastwards to Utkalaand annexed
Vengi following the annexation of Utkala.
• His Korni copper plate grant states that he waged war against the kings of
utkala and vengi concurrently.
RELATIONSHIP WITH THE BENGALI PALAS:
• After Ramapala’s death, defeated the ruler and took control of the capital
city Aramya. However, Videfeating utkala and vengi, he attacked Bengal
beyond Dandabhukti afyer yadhara , Kumarapala’s minister offered a
staunch resistance.
• The Nagari plate contains information about chodagangadeva’s
accomplishments in relation to Bengal.
• He was assisted by Samantasena, the sena king of Radha (south-west
Bengal), founder of the sen dynasty in Bengal.
• Chodagangadeva appointed him as his nominee to rule over this sumha
territory and Vijayasena, the grandson of Samantasena, ascended the
throne to Radha desa.

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ADDITIONAL ACCOMPLISHMENTS:
• He was referred to by a variety of names including Anantavarman, Chalukya
ganga, Virarajendra, Chodaganga, Vikrama Gangeswara, Gangeswara Deva
Bhupa.
• The Ronaki inscription styles him as Maharajadhiraj, Trikalingadhipati, Sri
Gangachudamani, Rajaparameswara, Paramamaheswara, Paramavaishnava.
• These titles attest to the fact that he was unquestionably a great king of the
ganga dynasty. Though Kalinganagara was the capital of his empire, he
established Sarangagarh as another political capital.
• He constructed several forts at Jajpur kataka, Amaravati kataka, Choudwar
kataka, sarangagarh kataka among others.
• He first made cuttack as the capital of odisha in 1135 CE.

SUPPORTER OF LITERATURE AND EDUCATION:

 He was an ardent supporter of literature and education. His inscriptions
attested to his extensive knowledge of Sanskrit, Odia, and Telegu literature.
 As a skilled conversationalist, he was also well versed in Vedic lore. He
demonstrated his artistic ability through fine arts and poetic composition.
Science advanced during his lifetime. Satananda compiled Bhasvati, a
manual of rules for determining the heavenly bodies' positions.
 Chodagangadeva, as an outstanding ruler, was renowned for his religious
tolerance. Though he was a great devotee of Lord Gokarnesvara in his
youth on the Mahendra mountain, he later became a devout follower of
God Jagannath in Puri.
 Even so, he never imposed his own religion on anyone. His construction of
the Jagannath temple in Puri and his efforts to unite all religious faiths under
a single cult. i.e. the Jagannath cult was a watershed moment in Odisha's
religious history.

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Eastern Ganga Fanam of king Anantavarman Chodaganga (Anka year 63–
1128 CE)

IN HE ART AND ARCHITECTURE WORLDS:

 Chodagangadeva made
significant contributions to the
fields of art and architecture. He
began construction of the great
Jagannath temple in Puri,
which was completed by
Anangabhimadeva III.
However, it is debatable
whether Chodagandadeva
initiated the construction of the
Jagannath temple.
 According to Rajaraja III's
Dasgoba plates, Gangesvara took over the construction site of Purusottama
(God Jagannath) that had been abandoned by previous kings
(Chodagangadeva).
 Chodagangadeva was also instrumental in the construction of several forts
in strategic locations to safeguard his vast empire from the onslaught of
enemies.
 Chodagangadeva's illustrious career came to an end with his death in 1147
CE. In 1150 CE, his wife Kasturikamodini constructed a Jagannath temple
in Tekkali to commemorate her late husband.

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CONCLUSION:
Chodagangadeva's seventy-year reign was a glorious epoch in mediaeval
Odishan history. Of course, his discomfort at the hands of Kalachuri ruler
Ratnadeva II precluded him from wielding influence over the Sambalpur-
Sonepur-Bolangir tract. Nonetheless, the vast empire that stretched from the
Ganges to the Godavari demonstrates unequivocally that Chodagandadeva was
a military genius. Chodagandadeva is a remarkable figure in mediaeval Odishan
history as an administrator, patron of art, architecture, and culture, and liberal
ruler.

-- THE END --

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 REFERENCES

 History Of Odisha By Harihar Panda ,Kitab Mahal

Publication
 History Of Odisha Vol-I By Dr. Manas Kumar Das
 History Of Odisha Vol-II By Dr. Manas Kumar Das
 History Of Odisha Vol-III By Dr. Manas Kumar Das
 Website : historyofodisha.in

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