The Gajapati dynasty refers to the ruling dynasty 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, whose monarch carries the regnal title of Gajapati. The institution of Gajapati dynasty or lordship was founded by the monarchs of 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 the succeeding dynasties. A major religious function included 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. Till date, four ruling dynasties from the region of

have presided over the institution of Gajapati dynasty. The current titular Gajapati belongs to the head of the Bhoi dynasty, which the dynasty had 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 monarchs of the wider Kalinga, Utkala and Dakshina Kosala used various regnal titles upon coronation or conquest of regions, chiefly being the titles of ''Kalingadhipati'' and ''Tri-Kalingadhipati''. The Eastern Ganga ruler Anantavarman Vajrahasta V assumed the titles as Trikalingadhipati (''lord of the three Kalingas'') and Sakalakalingadhipati (''lord of complete Kalinga'') and challenged the authority of the Somavanshis which had authority in the central and western realms, eventually laying the foundations for the Eastern Ganga dynasty with the unification of the Odia kingdoms during the reign of Anantavarman Chodaganga. Anangabhima Deva III laid the foundations of the Gajapati institution and establishment of Lord

as the patron deity of the realm. His son 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. The Gajapati monarchs were devout worshipper of Lord

and patronized the Vaishnavite Hinduism with 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 ...

becoming the major religious hub of the Gajapati rule.

List of Gajapati dynasties

Deities enshrined in the Jagannath Temple

Events

* Eastern Ganga monarch Narasingha Deva I institutes the Gajapati title in 1246 CE ** Eastern Ganga reign till 1434 CE ** Coronation of Kapilendra Deva in 1434 CE *** Suryavamsa dynasty reign till 1541 CE *** Govinda Vidyadhara usurps the throne in 1541 CE **** Bhoi dynasty 1st reign till 1560 CE ****

Mukunda Deva Mukunda Deva or Mukunda Harichandana (1559-1568 A.D) was the founder of "Chalukya dynasty" in ancient Orissa (now Odisha). He traced his descent from the Eastern Chalukyas of Vengi. He was the sole monarch of his dynasty and the last independ ...

of Eastern Chalukya usurps the throne in 1560 CE *****

is overthrown during the Bengal Sultanate invasions in 1568 CE *** Ramachandra Deva I restores the Bhoi dynasty at Khurda in 1568 CE **** Coronation of Ramachandra Deva I as the Gajapati in 1575 CE ***** Bhoi dynasty becomes the incumbent holder of Gajapati dynasty and institutions ***** Reign of the Bhois over Khurda Kingdom till 1804 CE ****** Establishment of the Puri Estate in 1809 CE during

British rule The British Raj ( ; from Hindustani , 'reign', 'rule' or 'government') was the colonial rule of the British Crown on the Indian subcontinent, * * lasting from 1858 to 1947. * * It is also called Crown rule in India, * * * * or dire ...

and control of

******* Indian independence in 1947 and titular institutions

References

{{Odia culture Dynasties of Odisha History of Odisha Indian nobility