History of Orissa

The history of Orissa is 2000 years old. It has no resemblance with the history of northern states of the country. Orissa was home to the Kalinga and Utkal tribes who played significant roles for the narration of this great history. This fact is evident from the writings of Vedic chronicles.

In second century BC Orissa was known as Kalinga. It was a powerful kingdom during the period. The Magadha Empire (the present day Bihar) was growing powerful in the same era. Neither Chandragupta Maurya nor his son Bindusara tried to bring back Kalinga to the Magadha Empire. It was Asoka, the son of Bindusara who invaded Kalinga in 261 B.C. and succeeded in occupying Kalinga. As many as 1, 00,000 were killed and 1, 50,000 were taken captives in the historic Kalinga War. Asoka was deeply moved by the terrible bloodshed caused by this war and thereafter adopted Buddhism.

The state was then influenced by the rule of Kharabela in the early second century AD followed by Guptas, which continued till fourth century AD. Bhoumakara and Soma dynasty started to rule over the region after the Guptas. The dynasty came to an end in the late 13th century AD. Post 13th century saw the Mughal Raj which continued till the demise of Aurangzeb.

As early as 1633, the British established a trade centre at Hariharpur, one of their first settlements in India. Their subsequent establishment at Baleshwar (or Balasore) on river Burhabalanga and at Pipili on river Subarnarekha developed into flourishing centres of trade as well as of power. According to William Wilson Hunter, the English historian, it was those two Orissa harbours which became the basis of the future greatness of the British in Bengal.

The Battle of Plassey and Buxar helped the British to establish their colony in India; Thereafter they acquired as much of Indian territories as possible, and Orissa being close to Bengal automatically came under their control.

The leaders of Orissa had taken active participation in the freedom struggle of India. The eminent political leaders like Utkal Gourab Madhusudan Das, Harekrushna Mahtab, Gopabandhu Choudhury, Nabakrushna Choudhury and others promoted the Congress Movement in Orissa. They demanded for a separate provincial status to the state. The demand was fulfilled in 1936.

Although Orissa province came into existence on 1st April 1936 but it was declared as a separate state of Indian Union only after India’s independence i.e. in 1949. Modern Orissa, with its potential economic resources in the form of abundant minerals, extensive forests and fertile lands, is making great stride towards develpment.