The History of Odisha, told from the sources
From the stone tools of the Mahanadi valley to the birth of the province in 1936. Explore Odisha’s past through inscriptions, archaeology and the work of its historians, in long-form articles that are fully referenced and written for research.
- Prehistory–1947
- Every period covered
- Fully cited
- Primary sources & references
- Free to read
- For scholars & students
The Konark wheelSun Temple, Konark · 13th century CE · Eastern Ganga period
A land remembered by many names
This is the land where Ashoka’s conquest turned into a call for dhamma. Here Kharavela recorded his reign in the rock of Udayagiri. The Sailodbhavas, Bhaumakaras and Somavamsis issued the copper-plate charters from which so much of the region’s early history has been rebuilt, and the Gangas and Gajapatis raised the temples of Puri and Konark.
History of Odisha brings this long story together in one place. We draw on primary sources, the scholarship of Odia historians and research published in India and abroad, and we set out each argument fairly where historians disagree.
Five thousand years, four doorways
Begin with an era, then follow the dynasties, sources and debates that shaped it.
Ancient Odisha
Kalinga and Ashoka, Kharavela, and the early dynasties known from inscriptions and copper plates.
ExploreMedieval Odisha
The Imperial Gangas, the Suryavamsi Gajapatis, the Bhois, and the Afghan, Mughal and Maratha periods.
Coming soonModern Odisha
Colonial rule, the Paika Rebellion, the famine of 1866, the Odia language movement and the freedom struggle.
Coming soonArt & Culture
Temples and sculpture, the Jagannath tradition, Buddhism and Jainism, literature and society.
Coming soonStart here
Three articles that lay the foundation for everything else on the site.
Sources of the Ancient History of Odisha
Inscriptions, copper plates, coins, monuments and texts: how we know what we know.
Read 02Know the landHistorical Geography of Odisha
Kalinga, Utkala, Tosali and Kosala: the ancient regions and how their boundaries changed.
Read 03Know the turning pointThe Kalinga War
The war of c. 261 BCE that changed an emperor, and Odisha’s place in Indian history.
ReadDynasties, inscriptions and debates
Kharavela
The Jain emperor of Kalinga and the Hathigumpha inscription, the most important record of early Odisha.
Read articleThe Date of Kharavela
A century of scholarly argument over one of Indian history’s hardest dating problems, weighed point by point.
Read articleThe Mahameghavahanas
The Chedi dynasty of Kalinga, its origins, its rulers, and the evidence of Udayagiri and Khandagiri.
Read articleThe Sailodbhavas
The lords of Kongoda: their copper plates, their kings, and the early temples of Bhubaneswar.
Read articleThe Bhaumakaras
The Buddhist kings and ruling queens of Tosala, and the monasteries of Ratnagiri and Lalitagiri.
Read articleThe Somavamsis
The unifiers of Kosala and Utkala, and builders of the Lingaraja and the temples of Bhubaneswar.
Read articleBuilt for serious study
Every article follows the same scholarly framework, so you always know where a claim comes from.
Sources first
Every claim rests on named evidence: an inscription, a copper plate, a coin, an excavation report or a text.
Odia historians in focus
Each article has a section on the views of Odia historians such as K.C. Panigrahi, N.K. Sahu and S.N. Rajaguru, with a list of their works.
Debates, not just answers
Where scholars disagree, on dates, readings or identifications, we lay out the arguments and the evidence for each.
Ready to cite
Each article includes an abstract, keywords, tables, a glossary, FAQs, a full list of references and a ready-made citation.
Odisha through the ages
- PrehistoryStone Age to Chalcolithic
Tool sites in the Mahanadi, Brahmani and Subarnarekha valleys; Golbai Sasan.
- c. 261 BCEThe Kalinga War
Ashoka’s conquest; the edicts at Dhauli and Jaugada.
- c. 1st c. BCEKharavela
The Mahameghavahanas and the Hathigumpha inscription.
- c. 4th–6th c. CEThe Matharas
Early kingdoms of Kalinga known from copper plates.
- c. 6th–8th c. CESailodbhavas & Early Eastern Gangas
Kongoda on the coast; the Gangas at Kalinganagara.
- c. 8th–10th c. CEThe Bhaumakaras
Buddhist Tosala; Ratnagiri, Lalitagiri and Udayagiri.
- c. 9th–12th c. CEThe Somavamsis
Kosala and Utkala united; the Lingaraja temple.
- 1078–1435 CEImperial Gangas
The Jagannath temple at Puri; the Sun temple at Konark.
- 1435–1568 CEGajapatis & Bhois
The last great independent dynasties of Odisha.
- 1803–1947 CEColonial Odisha
The Paika Rebellion (1817); the famine (1866); the province formed (1 April 1936).
A reliable first step for your research
Whether you are writing an MA dissertation, working on a PhD thesis, preparing for UGC-NET or OPSC, or teaching a course on Odisha, each article points you on to the primary sources and the major works on its subject.
Browse the articlesWhat does History of Odisha cover?
The history of Odisha from prehistoric times to the modern era, including political history, dynasties, inscriptions, archaeology, art, architecture, religion and culture.
Who writes the articles?
Articles are written and edited by Brajabandhu Mahanta and contributing scholars. Each one is based on primary sources and published research, which are cited in full.
Can I cite these articles in my thesis or assignment?
Yes. Each article ends with a ready-made citation. For important facts and quotations, we also recommend checking the original sources listed in the references.
Why is there a section on Odia historians in every article?
Much of the foundational work on Odisha’s history was written by Odia scholars, some of it in Odia, and is less widely read outside the state. We present their views as an essential part of the debate.
Are the articles free?
Yes. Every article is free to read.
Can I contribute an article?
Yes. We welcome original, well-referenced articles, reviews and research notes. Please get in touch by email.
Begin with the land of Kalinga
Twelve in-depth articles on Ancient Odisha are ready to read, from the earliest stone tools to the Somavamsi kings.