Gajapati is a regnal title from the region of modern

Odisha Odisha (), formerly Orissa (List of renamed places in India, the official name until 2011), is a States and union territories of India, state located in East India, Eastern India. It is the List of states and union territories of India by ar ...

in the Indian subcontinent. The word ‘Gajapati’ in Odia refers to "

Gaja Gaja () is a Sanskrit word for elephant. It is one of the significant animals finding references in Hindu scriptures, as well as Buddhist and Jainism, Jain texts. History In the context of the history of History of India, Ancient India, the earl ...

" meaning elephant and " Pati" meaning ''master'' or ''lord.'' Thus Gajapati etymologically means ''a lord with an army of elephants''. The institution of Gajapati lordship as a title was used by the

Eastern Ganga dynasty The Eastern Ganga dynasty (also known as Purba Gangas, Rudhi Gangas or Prachya Gangas) were a large medieval era Indian royal Hindu dynasty that reigned from Kalinga from as early as the 5th century to the mid 20th century. Eastern Gangas rul ...

and was used by succeeding dynasties, as Gajapati dynasties, with the patronisation of Lord

Jagannath Jagannath (; formerly ) is a Hindu deity worshipped in regional Hindu traditions in India as part of a triad along with (Krishna's) brother Balabhadra, and sister, Subhadra. Jagannath, within Odia Hinduism, is the supreme god, '' Purushot ...

as the deity of the Odia cultural realm. Four ruling dynasties have been part of Gajapati lordship or dynasties. The current titular Gajapati belongs to the head of the Bhoi dynasty, as the dynasty inherited the legacy of the historical ruling lords of Odisha invested in the title of ''Gajapati''. They also exercised administrative control of the

Jagannath Temple The Jagannath Temple is a Hindu temple dedicated to the god Jagannath, a form of Vishnu in Hinduism. It is located in Puri in the state of Odisha, situated on the eastern coast of India. As per temple records, King Indradyumna of Avanti (reg ...

Puri Puri, also known as Jagannath Puri, () is a coastal city and a Nagar Palika, municipality in the state of Odisha in eastern India. It is the district headquarters of Puri district and is situated on the Bay of Bengal, south of the state ca ...

History

The ruling lords of Kalinga, Utkala and Dakshina Kosala used various regnal titles upon coronation or conquest of regions, chiefly being the titles of ''Kalingadhipati'' and ''Tri-Kalingadhipati''. Anantavarman Vajrahasta V assumed the titles as Trikalingadhipati (''lord of the three Kalingas'') and Sakalakalingadhipati (''lord of complete Kalinga'') challenging the authority of the Somavanshis and eventually laying the foundations for the Eastern Ganga dynasty as the unification of the Odia kingdoms eventually culminated under Anantavarman Chodaganga. Narasingha Deva I was the first ruler from the Eastern Ganga dynasty to use the title of ''Gajapati'' among the Odishan rulers in the 1246 CE inscription at the Kapilash Temple.

Gajapati dynasties

Modern ceremonial titles

The ceremonial regnal title of the Gajapati

Maharaja Maharaja (also spelled Maharajah or Maharaj; ; feminine: Maharani) is a royal title in Indian subcontinent, Indian subcontinent of Sanskrit origin. In modern India and Medieval India, medieval northern India, the title was equivalent to a pri ...

is as follows: ''Shree'' ''Shree Shree Veerashree Gajapati Goudeswar Nabakotikarnata Kalabaragesvara Viradhiviravar Bhuta Vairaba Sadhu Sasnotirna Routraja Atula Balaparakrama Sahasra Bahu Kshetriya kula Dhumaketu Maharaja Adhiraja (regnal name)''

Customary title of Gajapati upon accession

The cyclical order the names of the Gajapati Maharaja: *Ramchandra Deva *Birakeshari Deva *Divyasingha Deva *Mukunda Deva

Customary title of the ladies of Gajapati upon accession

*Chandramani Patamahadei *Suryamani Patamahadei *Leelavati Patamahadei *Padmabati Patamahadei

List of Gajapatis of the ruling dynasties

References

{{Odia culture Titles in India Titles of national or ethnic leadership Royal titles Men's social titles Dynasties of Odisha History of Odisha Indian nobility