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Kapilendra Deva (died 1467) was the founder of the Suryavamsa Gajapati dynasty that ruled parts of eastern and southern India with present-day
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 ...
as the center of the kingdom. He ascended to the throne after staging a military coup against the preceding and the last ruler from 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 ...
, ''Bhanudeva IV''. Kapilendra claimed descent from the ''Surya Vamsha'' of the ''
Mahābhārata The ''Mahābhārata'' ( ; , , ) is one of the two major Sanskrit epics of ancient India revered as Smriti texts in Hinduism, the other being the '' Rāmāyaṇa''. It narrates the events and aftermath of the Kurukshetra War, a war of succe ...
'' and was conferred the regnal title ''Shri Shri ...(108 times) Gajapati Gaudeshwara NabaKoti Karnata Kalabargeswara'' i.e. the Lord of Bengal ( Gauda), the lord of the
Karnataka Karnataka ( ) is a States and union territories of India, state in the southwestern region of India. It was Unification of Karnataka, formed as Mysore State on 1 November 1956, with the passage of the States Reorganisation Act, 1956, States Re ...
region or
Vijayanagara Vijayanagara () is a city located in Vijayanagara district of Karnataka state in India.Vijayanagara
, the Lord of Kalaburagi and of nine
crore Crore (; abbreviated cr) denotes the quantity ten million (107) and is equal to 100 lakh in the Indian numbering system. In many international contexts, the decimal quantity is formatted as 10,000,000, but when used in the context of the India ...
(90 million) subjects. He defeated the Muslim forces like the Sultan of Jaunpur (Mahmud Shah),
Bahmani Sultanate The Bahmani Kingdom or the Bahmani Sultanate was a late medieval Persianate kingdom that ruled the Deccan plateau in India. The first independent Muslim sultanate of the Deccan, the Bahmani Kingdom came to power in 1347 during the rebellio ...
and the young ruler of Bengal Samsuddin Ahmad Shah who were continuously preparing to invade Odisha and had continuous rivalries with powerful kings such as
Deva Raya II Deva Raya II (reigned 10 February 1423 – 24 May 1446) was an emperor of the Vijayanagara Empire. He is considered by many as the greatest of the Sangama dynasty rulers, he was an able administrator, warrior, and scholar. He authored well-k ...
of
Vijayanagara Vijayanagara () is a city located in Vijayanagara district of Karnataka state in India.Vijayanagara
along with Reddys of Rajmahendri. Kapilendra Deva was the most powerful Hindu monarch of his time. After his death his youngest son Purushottama Deva became the successor by the wish of his father which led to a civil war with his elder brother Hamvira Deva.


Early life

There are multiple popular theories about the origin of Kapilendra Deva's family and his initial life. Records from the '' Madala Panji'' 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 ...
in
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 ...
state that he was known as Kapila Rauta and belonged to the Surya Vamsa line. He used to graze cattle along with a Brahmin named Kasia. Due to a divine symbol of cobra (naga) seated by his head covering him from the sunlight while he was resting, Kasia predicted that Kapila would become a king one day. Later Kapila went to Puri where he used to beg near the
Vimala Temple The Vimala temple or Mãā Bimåḷā Deuḷå (Odia language , Odia - ମାଁ ବିମଳା ଦେଉଳ) is a Hindu temple dedicated to goddess Vimala or Bimala (ବିମଳା), located within the Jagannath Temple, Puri, Jagannath Temple ...
of the Puri
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 ...
complex and was later adopted by the last
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 ...
ruler Bhanudeva following a divine dream. He was later appointed in his younger days as a military general of the Ganga forces and was assigned the task to fight the Muslim forces of Bengal. Another version of the Madala Panji maintains the same account with regards to the origin of Kapilendra Deva but changes his name to Kapila Samantara who was at the service of the Ganga king Bhanudeva IV and stayed inside the palace. When the kingdom of Bhanudeva was threatened by an invasion, Kapila Samantara gave a good account of himself as a brave soldier and after the death of Bhanudeva, Kapila became the ruler of Odisha assuming the name Kapilendra Deva.


Inscriptions

Raghudevapuram copper plate grant of Raghudeva Narendra who was the governor of
Rajamahendravaram Rajahmundry ( ), officially Rajamahendravaram, is a city in the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh and district headquarters of East Godavari district. It is the fifth most populated city in the state. During British rule, the district of Rajahmu ...
Rajya and also a nephew of Kapilendra Deva gives valuable details about the family's history. Their lineage can be traced back to Kapilendra Deva's grandfather Kapileswara who was holding the position of a Nayaka. Kapileswara Nayaka was thus in the military service of the Gangas and occupied the position of a lieutenant in the army. He had a son named Jageswara who was also in the service and possessed a great number of elephants. Jageswara was married to Belama and they had three sons named Balarama, Kapilendra and Parashurama Harichandana. Raghudeva Narendra was the son of Parashurama.


Suppressing internal rebellions

Due to the weakening administration 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 ...
, Kapilendra Deva ascended the throne with internal support while the last ruler of the dynasty, Bhanu Deva IV was on a military expedition in the southern territories. He was declared as the new Monarch with a '' Rajyabhisheka'' ceremony at
Bhubaneswar Bhubaneswar () is the capital and the largest city of the States and territories of India, Indian state of Odisha. It is located in the Khordha district. The suburban region, especially the old town, was historically often depicted as ''Chakra ...
. Since the ascension was through a coup or rebellion, some vassal kings from Odisha such as Matsarvamshi of Oddadi, Shilavamshis of Nandapur, and Bishnukundina of Panchadhara refused to acknowledge his authority and declared themselves independent. Around the same time, the Sultanate of Jaunpur also posed an external threat to his realm. He appointed his able minister Gopinath Mahapatra to deal with the Jaunpur threat, which he successfully executed, and Kapilendra Deva himself suppressed the internal rebels with force. The rebels were suppressed by the year 1440 CE. The rebellious troubles that he dealt with by force are proven by his Lingaraj Temple declaration in which he ordered the rebels to accept his rule or be toppled from power.


Coronation

The chronicle Madala Panji detailed the event of Kapilendra Deva's coronation as Gajapati of the realm succeeding Bhanu Deva IV, the last ruler of the Eastern Gangas. It mentioned that the coronation took place at Bhubaneswar on 2 kākara śukḷa 4 aṅka 2. The date with respect to the Odia calendar corresponds to the Gregorian calendar on 29 June 1435. Thus with the coronation of Kapilendra Deva as the Gajapati of the Odradesa realm, he started his era known as ''Kapilabda'' and laid the foundation of the Suryavamsa dynasty.


Kapilendra Deva's Odia military

Different historical sources give varied accounts about the Odishan military commanded by the Gajapatis. According to the Muslim text Buhan-m-Mansir, Kapilendra had an elephant force numbering two hundred thousand (2,00,000). This number of war elephants is usually a very huge number compared even to any military of the existing kingdoms during the times of Kapilendra Deva himself in India. Nizzamuddin writes that the Gajapati encamped on the Godavari river banks with an infantry of seven hundred thousand (700,000). Another Muslim source documents that Kapilendra Deva raided Bidar with only 10,000 foot soldiers while being assisted by the Vellamati chiefs of Telangana.


Conquests

The military hegemony of Odisha had declined during the last line of Eastern Ganga dynasty rulers which provided enough opportunity for the rising powers in its neighborhood. When Kapilendra Deva took over the throne, hostile Muslim powers like the Sultan of Jaunpur (Mahmud Shah),
Bahmani Sultanate The Bahmani Kingdom or the Bahmani Sultanate was a late medieval Persianate kingdom that ruled the Deccan plateau in India. The first independent Muslim sultanate of the Deccan, the Bahmani Kingdom came to power in 1347 during the rebellio ...
and the young ruler of Bengal Samsuddin Ahmad Shah were continuously preparing to invade Odisha.
Rival A rivalry is the state of two people or Social group, groups engaging in a lasting competitive relationship. Rivalry is the "against each other" spirit between two competing sides. The relationship itself may also be called "a rivalry", and each ...
Hindu Hindus (; ; also known as Sanātanīs) are people who religiously adhere to Hinduism, also known by its endonym Sanātana Dharma. Jeffery D. Long (2007), A Vision for Hinduism, IB Tauris, , pp. 35–37 Historically, the term has also be ...
powers such as
Deva Raya II Deva Raya II (reigned 10 February 1423 – 24 May 1446) was an emperor of the Vijayanagara Empire. He is considered by many as the greatest of the Sangama dynasty rulers, he was an able administrator, warrior, and scholar. He authored well-k ...
of
Vijayanagara Vijayanagara () is a city located in Vijayanagara district of Karnataka state in India.Vijayanagara
along with Reddys of Rajmahendri had
conquered Conquest involves the annexation or control of another entity's territory through war or coercion. Historically, conquests occurred frequently in the international system, and there were limited normative or legal prohibitions against conquest ...
advancing as far as the Simhanchalam territory in the south. Along with suppressing internal rebellions, Kapilendra Deva first defeated the Jaunpur forces and then contained the
Bengal Bengal ( ) is a Historical geography, historical geographical, ethnolinguistic and cultural term referring to a region in the Eastern South Asia, eastern part of the Indian subcontinent at the apex of the Bay of Bengal. The region of Benga ...
forces with the help of his minister Gopinath Mahapatra after which only he initiated his aggressive military campaigns of the Southern and Deccan parts of India.


Conquest of Gauda region in Bengal

The Gopinathpur inscription of 1447 CE describes his campaign against the
Sultan of Bengal The Bengal Sultanate (Middle Bengali: , Classical Persian: ) was a Post-classical history, late medieval sultanate based in the Bengal region in the eastern South Asia between the 14th and 16th century. It was the dominant power of the Ganges- ...
who tried to raid Odisha but was beaten back by the Gajapati army led by Gopinath Mahapatra, the minister of Kapilendra Deva. The Gajapati army conquered territories of Bengal to the west of Ganga river including the fort of Gar Mandaran. Historian R. Subramaniam describes that the title 'Brhamarbara' retained by Kapilendra Deva from the days of his service at the Ganga king's court clearly signifies his control over Brhamarkuta region of Bengal. An inscription in the Jagannath temple of Puri that is dated to the year 1450 CE narrates the conquest of Gauda by Kapilendra Deva after defeating Malika Parisa (Malik Padsah) which in short refers to the contemporary Persianate
Sultan of Bengal The Bengal Sultanate (Middle Bengali: , Classical Persian: ) was a Post-classical history, late medieval sultanate based in the Bengal region in the eastern South Asia between the 14th and 16th century. It was the dominant power of the Ganges- ...
by the name Nasiruddin Mahmud Shah. The region east of the river Ganga and until modern Burdhawan district was known as the Jaleswar division which was handed over to the later ruler of Bengal Ali Vardi Khan by the Marathas during their time. Kapilendra Deva's aide Jalesara Narendra Mahapatra was appointed as the governor of this region. After this victory, Kapilendra Deva accepts the title epithet of ''Gaudeswara'' meaning the Lord of the
Gauda kingdom The Gauḍa kingdom was a kingdom during the Classical India, Classical era in the Indian subcontinent, which originated in the Gauḍa (region), Gauda region of Bengal (modern-day West Bengal and Bangladesh) in 4th century CE or possibly earl ...
. Katakarajavanshavalli records state about the holy dip of the Gajapati himself in the river
Ganges The Ganges ( ; in India: Ganga, ; in Bangladesh: Padma, ). "The Ganges Basin, known in India as the Ganga and in Bangladesh as the Padma, is an international which goes through India, Bangladesh, Nepal and China." is a trans-boundary rive ...
and the ''
Dāna (Devanagari: , IAST: ) is a Sanskrit and Pali word that connotes the virtue of generosity, charity or giving of alms, in Indian religions and philosophies. In Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, and Sikhism, is the practice of cultivating generosi ...
'' of Tulasipur ''shasan'' villages to the Brahmins there. This clearly indicates that Kapilendra Deva was in control of regions beyond the river Ganga to its East.


The conquest of Rajamahendri

* First Campaign in 1444 CE - The first campaign against the alliance of
Vijayanagara Empire The Vijayanagara Empire, also known as the Karnata Kingdom, was a late medieval Hinduism, Hindu empire that ruled much of southern India. It was established in 1336 by the brothers Harihara I and Bukka Raya I of the Sangama dynasty, belongi ...
and Rajamahendri
Reddy Reddy (also Hunterian transliteration, transliterated as Reddi or Raddi; also known as Reddiar or Reddappa) is a Telugu people, Telugu Hindu Caste system in India, caste predominantly found in the states of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana in Sou ...
s was unsuccessful as Odia forces had to face a two front war with both the Jaunpur Muslim forces in the north and the
rival A rivalry is the state of two people or Social group, groups engaging in a lasting competitive relationship. Rivalry is the "against each other" spirit between two competing sides. The relationship itself may also be called "a rivalry", and each ...
Vijayanagara Vijayanagara () is a city located in Vijayanagara district of Karnataka state in India.Vijayanagara
Hindu Hindus (; ; also known as Sanātanīs) are people who religiously adhere to Hinduism, also known by its endonym Sanātana Dharma. Jeffery D. Long (2007), A Vision for Hinduism, IB Tauris, , pp. 35–37 Historically, the term has also be ...
forces under the able leadership of the
Deva Raya II Deva Raya II (reigned 10 February 1423 – 24 May 1446) was an emperor of the Vijayanagara Empire. He is considered by many as the greatest of the Sangama dynasty rulers, he was an able administrator, warrior, and scholar. He authored well-k ...
's able general Mallapa. Kapilendra Deva first diverted his attention in dealing with the invasion in the northern frontiers and hence the campaign in the south was abandoned. *Second Campaign in 1446 CE and Capture of Kondavidu by Hamvira Deva - The Odia forces returned in the year 1446 CE led by the Prince Hamvira Deva or Hamvira Kumara Mahapatra, the eldest son of Kapilendra Deva. The political alliance between the
Vijayanagara Empire The Vijayanagara Empire, also known as the Karnata Kingdom, was a late medieval Hinduism, Hindu empire that ruled much of southern India. It was established in 1336 by the brothers Harihara I and Bukka Raya I of the Sangama dynasty, belongi ...
and the Reddy Kingdom had ceased to exist as
Deva Raya II Deva Raya II (reigned 10 February 1423 – 24 May 1446) was an emperor of the Vijayanagara Empire. He is considered by many as the greatest of the Sangama dynasty rulers, he was an able administrator, warrior, and scholar. He authored well-k ...
had died and the power passed on to a weaker successor in Mallikarjuna Raya. The Reddy Kingdom was
conquered Conquest involves the annexation or control of another entity's territory through war or coercion. Historically, conquests occurred frequently in the international system, and there were limited normative or legal prohibitions against conquest ...
and the Gajapati forces occupied Kondavidu by the year 1454 CE. A vassal king Ganadeva was made the feudal ruler of the region. Prince Hamvira Deva was declared as the governor of the southern territories by Kapilendra Deva after this conquest.


Malwa expeditions

*Conquest of Mahur - The Veligalani plates and Chiruvrolu inscriptions records the prowess of the Gajapati during the Malwa expeditions. Although there is not much mention of a war, but it does show geopolitical scenario in the region during the march of Gajapati Kapilendra Deva's forces as is described by the fear of the Gajapati army among the rulers of Vijayanagara, Gulbarga and Malwa. The text ''Gaṅgādāsapratāpavilāsam'' and the cāṭu verses mentions the conquest of the Mahur fort in 1457 CE during the Malwa expeditions. It describes the campaign where Kapilendra Deva's forces marched against the dominions of the Turko-Persian
Malwa Malwa () is a historical region, historical list of regions in India, region of west-central India occupying a plateau of volcanic origin. Geologically, the Malwa Plateau generally refers to the volcanic plateau, volcanic upland north of the ...
and Bahmani Sultanates and wrested control of the forts of Mahur and Bedadakota(Bidar).


Conquest of Telangana

The political situation in
Telangana Telangana is a States and union territories of India, state in India situated in the Southern India, south-central part of the Indian subcontinent on the high Deccan Plateau. It is the List of states and union territories of India by area, ele ...
provided an opportunity for the Gajapati army to intervene and conquer the territory. The Velama rulers of Devarakonda in Telangana and the
Bahmani Sultan The Bahmani Kingdom or the Bahmani Sultanate was a late medieval Persianate kingdom that ruled the Deccan plateau in India. The first independent Muslim Deccan sultanates, sultanate of the Deccan, the Bahmani Kingdom came to power in 1347 duri ...
Alau'd-din Ahmad Shah had cordial relations in the initial stages but on the event of war between the
Vijayanagara Empire The Vijayanagara Empire, also known as the Karnata Kingdom, was a late medieval Hinduism, Hindu empire that ruled much of southern India. It was established in 1336 by the brothers Harihara I and Bukka Raya I of the Sangama dynasty, belongi ...
and the
Bahmani Sultanate The Bahmani Kingdom or the Bahmani Sultanate was a late medieval Persianate kingdom that ruled the Deccan plateau in India. The first independent Muslim sultanate of the Deccan, the Bahmani Kingdom came to power in 1347 during the rebellio ...
, the
Velama Velama are a Hindu caste found mainly in Telangana and AP. The term "Velama" was first recorded for the community in a 17th century inscription. The text "Velugoti Vari Vamsavali" documents the medieval military history of Velama rulers. Orig ...
rulers backed the
Bahmani Sultanate The Bahmani Kingdom or the Bahmani Sultanate was a late medieval Persianate kingdom that ruled the Deccan plateau in India. The first independent Muslim sultanate of the Deccan, the Bahmani Kingdom came to power in 1347 during the rebellio ...
and sought to fight the
Vijayanagara Empire The Vijayanagara Empire, also known as the Karnata Kingdom, was a late medieval Hinduism, Hindu empire that ruled much of southern India. It was established in 1336 by the brothers Harihara I and Bukka Raya I of the Sangama dynasty, belongi ...
. In an act of revenge the Bahmani sultan invaded the Telegana region and the Bahmani commander Sanjar Khan extracted vengeance on the common people. Native Hindus were sold as slaves. In 1456 CE, Humayun Shah ascended the throne of the Bahmani sultanate and his general Sikander Khan suppressed the rebel Velama chiefs after occupying Devarakonda. Kapilendra Deva was invited by the Velama chiefs to rescue them from the Bahmani sultans. In 1458 CE, a battle ensued at Devarakonda between Odia forces led by Prince Hamvira Deva and the Bahmani forces. As a result of this battle Odia forces came out victorious and Telangana region became a feudal state of the Gajapati empire with the Velama chiefs as the vassal rulers. The victory over the
Bahmani Sultanate The Bahmani Kingdom or the Bahmani Sultanate was a late medieval Persianate kingdom that ruled the Deccan plateau in India. The first independent Muslim sultanate of the Deccan, the Bahmani Kingdom came to power in 1347 during the rebellio ...
forces at Devarakonda in 1458 CE enabled Kapilendra Deva to assume the title of ''Kalavargeśvara'' which meant the Lord of Kalaburagi.


Invasion of Bidar

In 1461, Kapilendra Deva orchestrated a significant military campaign during the reign of Nizam Shah Bahmani. The primary aim of this strategic maneuver was to capture Berar, with a specific focus on the town of
Achalpur Achalpur (), formerly known as Ellichpur and Illychpur, is a city and a municipal council in Amravati District in the Indian state of Maharashtra. It is the second most populous city in Amravati District after Amravati and seventh most populous ...
in what is now modern-day
Maharashtra Maharashtra () is a state in the western peninsular region of India occupying a substantial portion of the Deccan Plateau. It is bordered by the Arabian Sea to the west, the Indian states of Karnataka and Goa to the south, Telangana to th ...
. Backed by Kakatiya chiefs, Kapilendra Deva led his forces into a consequential military confrontation against the Bahmani Sultanate. Despite their initial intentions, the Gajapati forces, under Kapilendra Deva's leadership had to retreat. This sudden withdrawal stemmed from Jaunpur Sultan Husain Sharqi's invasion of Orissa. After capturing Tirhut, he sent detachments to conquer Orissa. This compelled Kapilendra to retract from Bahmani territories, compelling him to seek peace. This turn of events forced the surrender of the Gajapati forces. The outcome of this campaign, set against the backdrop of Nizam Shah Bahmani's rule, left a lasting imprint on the historical tapestry of the region, shaping the narrative of Kapilendra Deva's military endeavors.


Subjugation of the Vijayanagara Empire and Expansion

From the documents of the ''Gangadasa Bilasa Charitam'', it is known that Kapilendra Deva ordered prince Hamvira Deva to conquer
Vijayanagara Vijayanagara () is a city located in Vijayanagara district of Karnataka state in India.Vijayanagara
and the
Bahmani sultanate The Bahmani Kingdom or the Bahmani Sultanate was a late medieval Persianate kingdom that ruled the Deccan plateau in India. The first independent Muslim sultanate of the Deccan, the Bahmani Kingdom came to power in 1347 during the rebellio ...
. Hamvira Deva successfully captured the imperial capital city of
Vijayanagara Vijayanagara () is a city located in Vijayanagara district of Karnataka state in India.Vijayanagara
and forced it's weak emperor Mallikarjuna Raya to pay yearly tribute. Hamvira Deva's general Tamavupala conquered the southern states of Udayagiri and
Chandragiri Chandragiri is a suburb and outgrowth of Tirupati and located in Tirupati district of the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. It is a part of Tirupati urban agglomeration and a major growing residential area in Tirupati It is the mandal headquarter ...
in the year 1460 CE. The inscriptions of Srirangam Temple near Trichinapalli dictate that Hamvira Deva conquered as far as Trichinapalli,
Tanjore Thanjavur (), also known as Thanjai, previously known as Tanjore,#Pletcher, Pletcher 2010, p. 195 is a city in the India, Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It is the 12th biggest city in Tamil Nadu. Thanjavur is an important center of South Indian c ...
and Arcot in south before stopping his advance. Hamvira Deva's son Dakshina Kapileswara Kumara became the governor of the southernmost territories of Chandragiri in the year 1464 CE after its conquest. By 1464 CE, Kapilendra Deva was the undisputed master of an
empire An empire is a political unit made up of several territories, military outpost (military), outposts, and peoples, "usually created by conquest, and divided between a hegemony, dominant center and subordinate peripheries". The center of the ...
stretching from the
Ganges The Ganges ( ; in India: Ganga, ; in Bangladesh: Padma, ). "The Ganges Basin, known in India as the Ganga and in Bangladesh as the Padma, is an international which goes through India, Bangladesh, Nepal and China." is a trans-boundary rive ...
in the north to
Tiruchirappalli Tiruchirappalli (), also known as Trichy, is a major tier II city in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu and the administrative headquarters of Tiruchirappalli district. The city is credited with being the best livable and the cleanest city of T ...
in the south along the coast. Thus he could proudly assume the imperial titles of ''Gajapati Gauḍeśvara Navakoṭi Karṇāṭa Kalavargeśvara'' with due justification. According to the historian R. C. Majumdar, Kapilendra Deva was the most powerful Hindu monarch of his time and under him Odisha became an empire stretching from the lower Ganga in the north to the Kaveri in the south. The Gopinathpur inscription aptly describes his position in 1464 CE: ''Kṛtvā saṃyati Māḷāvendra-jayinaṃ senādhināthaṃ tu yaṃ Gauḍendrasya nitāntam Utkala-patha-prasthāna rodhārgaḷaṃ Śrīkhaṃṇḍādri payodharopāri karaṃ nirmāya Sānaṃdaṃ Kapileśvaro viharate Karṇāṭa-rājya-śriyā''


Imperial consolidation

The
Gajapati Empire The Gajapati Empire was a Medieval India, medieval Hindu monarchy in the Indian subcontinent, Indian subcontinent, originally from the region of Odisha that reigned from c.1434 to 1541. It succeeded the Eastern Ganga dynasty, Eastern Gangas as ...
which reached its height in 1464 CE under Kapilendra Deva was organised into two administrative divisions of ''Dandapata'' and ''Rajya''. Most of the core regions of the empire in the north came under his direct control which were divided into Dandapathas (the division continuing from the Eastern Gangas) under a Governor (parikśa) or were controlled by the feudatory ''Samanta rajas''. The southern parts of the empire were divided into Rajyas which were ruled by Governors.


Construction and Culture

Kapilendra Deva patronized Vaishnavite Hinduism and expanded 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 ...
at
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 ...
. Although his entire life was spent in warfare, the Jagannath temple became the center for an efflorescence of drama and dance (
Odissi ''Odissi'' (''ଓଡ଼ିଶୀ'') also referred to as ''Orissi'' in old literature, oldest surviving classical dance of India, is a major ancient Indian classical dance that originated in the Hindu temple, temples of Odisha – an eastern ...
) and other forms of art during Gajapati rule. He was a great patron of Vedic culture and himself wrote a Sanskrit play called ''Parshuram Bijaya''. He constructed the Shaivite Hindu Kapilesvara Temple in
Bhubaneswar Bhubaneswar () is the capital and the largest city of the States and territories of India, Indian state of Odisha. It is located in the Khordha district. The suburban region, especially the old town, was historically often depicted as ''Chakra ...
which displays his tolerance towards every sectarian belief under the Hindu domain. It was during the rule of Kapilendra Deva when Odia was officially used as an administrative language and the poet Sarala Das wrote the Odia Mahabharata. Several learned poets and writers were promoted by him. Sanskrit poets also flourished during this era like Visvanatha Kaviraja who wrote ''Sahitya Darpana and Chandrakala Natika along with other works,'' Narsingha Mishra Vajapeyi wrote ''Samksepasariraka vartika and'' Kalidasa Chayani wrote ''Suddhichandrika.'' Kapilendra Deva had declared himself as a servant-ruler of the Lord Jagannath which is also reflected in his regnal title ''Routaray'' meaning the Lord's servant-king. The Narendra tank in the Puri Jagannath temple premises was constructed by Kapilendra Deva in the memory of his martyred younger brother, Veer Narendra Deva. Fourteen out of sixteen
ghat Ghat (), a term used in the Indian subcontinent, to refer to the series of steps leading down to a body of water or wharf, such as a bathing or cremation place along the banks of a river or pond, the Ghats in Varanasi, Dhobi Ghat or the Aap ...
s of the tank are named after his fourteen nephews. The two concentric defensive stone walls known as ''Kurma Prachira'' (the inner wall measuring 400’ x 278’) and ''Meghanada Prachira'' (the outer wall measuring 665’ x 644’ with height varying from 20’ to 24’) were constructed during the reign of Kapilendra Deva. The ''Chandan Jatra'' festival of Lord Jagannath was initiated during his rule. He himself donated a large amount of jewelry and utensils to the Puri temple during the 41 anka of his rule. The Gajapati pledged to donate equal amount of wealth and rights to the
Brahmin Brahmin (; ) is a ''Varna (Hinduism), varna'' (theoretical social classes) within Hindu society. The other three varnas are the ''Kshatriya'' (rulers and warriors), ''Vaishya'' (traders, merchants, and farmers), and ''Shudra'' (labourers). Th ...
s. He ordered the abolition of Chaukidari tax paid by
Brahmin Brahmin (; ) is a ''Varna (Hinduism), varna'' (theoretical social classes) within Hindu society. The other three varnas are the ''Kshatriya'' (rulers and warriors), ''Vaishya'' (traders, merchants, and farmers), and ''Shudra'' (labourers). Th ...
s previously and also banned the resumption of waste and pasture lands. He had ordered his officials to ''follow the path of justice, righteousness and
Hindu Hindus (; ; also known as Sanātanīs) are people who religiously adhere to Hinduism, also known by its endonym Sanātana Dharma. Jeffery D. Long (2007), A Vision for Hinduism, IB Tauris, , pp. 35–37 Historically, the term has also be ...
spiritual teachings'' and had warned them that they will face the punishment of exile if they failed to do so. During his rule, two Dadhivamana temples were constructed, one each in the village of Kaunrpur and Gopinathpur in
Cuttack Cuttack (, or officially Kataka in Odia language, Odia ), is the former capital, deputy capital and the 2nd largest city of the Indian state of Odisha. It is also the headquarters of the Cuttack district. The name of the city is an anglicised f ...
district. Kapilendra Deva was a builder of a welfare state and had ordered not to commit atrocities or impose excessive hardships on the people of his empire.


Last days

Kapilendra deva was troubled by treacherous internal subjects who were opposed to his overthrowing of the Eastern Ganga dynasty. His edicts in the Puri Jagannath temple towards his final days provide a glimpse of his troubled state of mind due to rebels and traitors. He had taken an oath to punish all those who rebelled against him. Before his death in 1467 CE, he chose his youngest son Purushottama Deva, as heir, resulting in a rebellion by the elder prince Hamvira Deva. In 1472, Purushottam was defeated and Hamvira Deva ascended to the throne, but in 1476 CE, Purushottama fought back and recaptured the throne.


Notes


References


Bibliography

* * {{s-end 15th-century Indian monarchs History of Odisha History of India by region Odisha People from Odisha Jagannath Jagannath Temple Complex Gajapati emperors