Mayurbhanj State

{{Short description|Princely state of British India in modern-day Odisha}}

{{Infobox former subdivision

| native_name =

| conventional_long_name = Mayurbhanj State

| common_name = Mayurbhanj

| capital = Khiching
Haripur {{small|({{circa|1400}})}}
Baripada {{small|({{circa|1800}})}}

| nation = British India

| subdivision = Princely State

| era =

| year_start = {{circa|12th century}}

| event_start = Established

| event1 = Mughal rule

| date_event1 = {{circa|1508}}

| event2 = Maratha rule

| date_event2 = {{circa|1751}}

| event3 = British Raj

| date_event3 = {{circa|1803}}

| event4 = Independent State

| date_event4 = 1947

| year_end = 1948

| event_end = Accession to the Union of India

| event_post = Merged with Odisha

| date_post = 1949

| p1 = Eastern Ganga dynasty

| s1 = Dominion of India

| flag_p1 =

| flag_s1 = Flag of India.svg

| image_flag = Flag_of_Mayurbhanj.png

| image_coat = Coat of Arms of Mayurbhanj.png

| image_map = Orissa Tributary States-IGI.jpg

| image_map_caption = Mayurbhanj State in a 1901 map of the Imperial Gazetteer of India.

| stat_area1 = 10982

| stat_year1 = 1901

| stat_pop1 = 610,383

| today = Odisha, India

| footnotes =

}}

File:Shri Hari Baladev Jiu Temple Baripada.jpg

Mayurbhanj State ({{langx|or|ମୟୂରଭଞ୍ଜ ରାଜ୍ୟ}}; colloquially Morbhanj) was one of the princely states of India during the British Raj.{{cite EB1911 |wstitle=Morbhanj |volume=18 |page=820}} It was one of the largest states of the Eastern States Agency and one of the four salute states of the Orissa States Agency. The emblem of the state was two peacocks, for according to legend the ancestors of the rulers had originated from a peafowl's eyes.{{Cite web|url=https://dsal.uchicago.edu/reference/gazetteer/pager.html?objectid=DS405.1.I34_V17_248.gif|title=Imperial Gazetteer2 of India, Volume 17, page 242 -- Imperial Gazetteer of India -- Digital South Asia Library|website=dsal.uchicago.edu}}

The state included a vast mountainous area inhabited by many different people, such as the Santal, Munda, Ho and Kisan.{{Cite web|url=https://www.gutenberg.org/files/20583/20583-h/20583-h.htm|title=The Tribes and Castes of the Central Provinces of India—Volume I|first=R. V.|last=Russell|website=www.gutenberg.org}} Its former territory lies in the present-day state of Odisha, bordering West Bengal. The capital of the state was the town of Baripada since the 15th century. Daspur was another important town. Large tracts of Mayurbhanj state were covered with forest.

History

{{See also|Bhanja dynasty|Mayurbhanj Palace|Mayurbhanj State Railway}}

File:Mayurbhanj state map 1935.jpg

The rulers of Mayurbhanj state were descendants of the Bhanj dynasty of the Khijjinga mandala of the ancient local Kshatriya lineage.{{citation |title=Kshatriyaization and social change: A Study in Orissa setting |publisher=Popular Prakashan |url=https://core.ac.uk/download/pdf/83630303.pdf |author=Hermann Kulke |page=404 |date=1976 }} According to the early inscriptions of Ranabhanja and Rajabhanja, the dynasty has its origins from the mythical peahen likely pointing out to the early peafowl related traditions of the ancient Bhanja clans which is observed on their emblems which is also shared by the successive branches.{{citation|title=Bhanja Dynasty of Mayurbhanja and their ancient capital at Khiching |url=https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.126590/page/n3/mode/2up |publisher=AD, Mayurbhanj |last=Chanda |first=Ramapradas |date=1929}}{{citation|url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/44140816 |publisher=Indian History Congress |last=Sahu |first=NK | title=The Bhanja Kings of Orissa | journal=Proceedings of the Indian History Congress |date=1956| volume=19 | pages=130–131 | jstor=44140816 }}

Their influence likely declined with the dominance of the Somavamshis in the Utkal region, but centuries later came back to prominence in the region with the rise of the Eastern Ganga dynasty after uniting the three realms of Trikalinga with the Bhanjas as their feudatories. Traditions point to numerous origins of the dynasty but lack of records renders them unlikely although it is generally accepted that the founder, Adi Bhanja of the 12th century established the current dynasty of the Mayurbhanj state with his brother Jyoti Bhanja founding the Keonjhar State succeeding from the Khijjinga Adi Bhanja dynasty.{{citation |title=ODISHA DISTRICT GAZETTEERS MAYURBHANJ |publisher=GAD, Govt of Odisha |url=http://gopabandhuacademy.gov.in/sites/default/files/gazetter/Mayurbhanj_Gazetteer.pdf |pages=61–66 |date=1990 }}

Mayurbhanj State had been under Maratha rule during the 18th century and paid an annual tribute of 6000 rupees.{{Cite book |last=Ray |first=Bhabani Charan |url=http://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.136229 |title=Orissa Under Marathas 1751-1803 |page=128|date=1960}} It became a British protectorate in 1829, many years after the Third Anglo-Maratha War.

During the British Raj, the kings of Mayurbhanj pioneered the upliftment of the region. Under their enlightened rule Mayurbhanj became one of the most progressive areas. The Bhanj dynasty's kings established the first medical college of the state in Cuttack, donating funds and land for the establishment of higher education institutions such as Ravenshaw College and welfare schemes, such as the one undertaken by the Evangelical Missionary Society of Mayurbhanj (EMSM), established in 1895 at the instance of Maharaja Shree Rama Chandra Bhanja Deo.[http://www.hvk.org/specialrepo/wadhwa/Graham.html Special Report] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110409123228/http://www.hvk.org/specialrepo/wadhwa/Graham.html |date=9 April 2011 }} at Hindu Vivek Kendra website Mayurbhanj Palace was built by Maharani Sumitra Devi Bhanja Deo in 1804.{{cite news|title=Mayurbhanj palace in shambles|url=http://news.webindia123.com/news/articles/India/20111015/1851002.html|accessdate=15 January 2013|newspaper=Web India 123|date=15 October 2011}}{{cite news|title=Mayurbhanj palace wallows in royal neglect|url=http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2011-10-29/bhubaneswar/30336347_1_heritage-building-buckingham-palace-ghat|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131214170802/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2011-10-29/bhubaneswar/30336347_1_heritage-building-buckingham-palace-ghat|url-status=dead|archive-date=14 December 2013|accessdate=15 January 2013|newspaper=The Times of India|date=29 October 2011}}

The Mayurbhanj State Railway was started by the erstwhile ruler of Mayurbhanj Maharaja Shree Rama Chandra Bhanja Deo. The first section of 52 km from Rupsa to Baripada railway station being opened for traffic on 20 January 1905.{{cite book|last=Malleson |first=G. B. |title= An historical sketch of the native states of India |location=London |year=1875 |edition=Reprint Delhi 1984 |url=}}{{page needed|date=April 2023}}{{Cite magazine| title= Power of Creativity |volume=2 |date=March 2009 |page=34|url=https://unesdoc.unesco.org/ark:/48223/pf0000181293 |access-date=2023-04-02 |website=unesdoc.unesco.org}}

After the independence of India, Mayurbhanj State under Maharaja Pratap Chandra Bhanja Deo acceded to the Dominion of India on 1 January 1949, and was merged with Orissa Province, which became later the state of Odisha.

=Rulers=

The rulers of Mayurbhanj State of the Bhanja dynasty.{{Cite web|url=https://www.worldstatesmen.org/India_princes_K-W.html|title=Indian Princely States K-Z|website=www.worldstatesmen.org}} They were entitled to a 9 gun salute.[http://members.iinet.net.au/~royalty/ips/m/mayurbhanj.html Mayurbhanj Princely State (9 gun salute)] The rulers of Mayurbhanj are:{{Cite web |title=Orissa District Gazetteers: Mayurbhanj |url=http://www.indianculture.gov.in/gazettes/orissa-district-gazetteers-mayurbhanj |pages=87, 90 |access-date=2022-03-02 |website=Indian Culture}}

Succession from the Khijjinga mandala Bhanjas (8th–10th cen)
Adi Bhanja of Mayurbhanj
Santai Bhanja
Chakkai Bhanja
Lakshmana Bhanja
Kalpi Bhanja
Surjya Bhanja
Ramachandra Bhanja
Batuli Bhanja
Iswanath Bhanja
Jagannath Bhanja
Nilakantha Bhanja
Baidyanath Bhanjadeba (1556–1600)
Jagannath Bhanjadeba (1600-1643)
Harihara Bhanjadeba (1643–1668)
Sarvesvara Bhanjdeba (1688–1711)
Viravikramaditya Bhanjadeba (1711–1728)
Raghunath Bhanjadeba (1728–1750)
Chakradhar Bhanjadeba (1750–1761)
Damodar Bhanjadeba (1761–1796)
Rani Sumitra Devi (f) - Regent of Mayurbhanj (1796–1810)
Rani Jamuna Devi (f) - Regent of Mayurbhanj (1810-1813)
Tribikram Bhanja Deo (1813–1822)
Jadunath Bhanja Deo (1822–1863) - became a British protectorate during his reign
Shrinath Bhanja Deo (1863–1868)
Krushna Chandra Bhanja Deo (1868–29 May 1882)
Sree Rama Chandra Bhanja Deo (29 May 1882 – 22 February 1912)
Purna Chandra Bhanja Deo (22 February 1912 – 21 April 1928)
Pratap Chandra Bhanja Deo (21 Apr 1928 – 1 January 1949)

=Titular=

Pratap Chandra Bhanja Deo (1 January 1949 – 16 July 1968)
Pradeep Chandra Bhanja Deo (16 July 1968 – 15 September 2000)
Praveen Chandra Bhanja Deo (15 September 2000 – till date)

= Dewans and Superintendents =

class="wikitable"

!Name

!Position

!Term

Prasanna Coomar Ghosal

|Dewan{{Cite web|url=https://archive.org/details/dli.ministry.08558/page/80/mode/2up|title=Orissa district gazetteers : Mayurbhanj|first1=Nilamani|last1=Senapati|first2=Nabin Kumar|last2=Sahu|date=12 May 1967|publisher=Orissa Government Press, Cuttack|via=Internet Archive}}

|Died on 17 June 1905

Mohini Mohan Dhar{{Cite book |last= |url=https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.22010/page/n525/mode/2up?q=Mohini |title=The Asiatic Review Vol.15, January-october 1919 |date=1919}}

|Dewan, State Judge

Vice President of State Council, Judicial Magistrate of Mayurbhanj district{{cite web|url=https://magazines.odisha.gov.in/orissareview/2015/Sept/engpdf/63-67.pdf|title=Odisha Review - A Tale of Two Luminaries|date=September 2015|first=Gobardhan|last=Dora|website=magazines.odisha.gov.in|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250507141325/https://magazines.odisha.gov.in/Orissareview/2015/Sept/engpdf/63-67.pdf|archive-date=7 May 2025|url-status=live}}{{cite journal|url=https://sampratyaya.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/s4.pdf|title=Prajamandal Movement in Mayurbhanja: A Subaltern Fight for Power|last=Mallick|first=Pravat|date=August 2024|journal=Sampratyaya|issue=1|volume=1|pages=41-55|doi=10.21276/smprt.202408.1s1.a4|issn=3048-5851|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250430062834/https://sampratyaya.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/s4.pdf|archive-date=30 April 2025|url-status=live}}

|20 June 1905 - 21 April 1912

Hari Das Bose

|Officiating Dewan

|22 April 1912 - 12 May 1912

C. L. Philip, I.C.S.

|Superintendent

|13 May 1912 - 30 July 1912

E. Mc. Leod Smith

|Superintendent

|31 July 1912 - 3 November 1912

C. L. Philip, I.C.S.

|Superintendent

|4 November 1912 - 9 February 1916

J. E. Scott, I.C.S.

|Superintendent

|10 February 1916 - 22 April 1917

N. F. Peck, I.C.S.

|Superintendent

|23 April 1917 - 12 October 1919

H. Mc. Pherson, I.C.S.

|Superintendent

|13 October 1919 - 5 August 1920

H. Mc. Pherson, I.C.S.

|Dewan

|6 August 1920 - 14 September 1921

Rai Bahadur Hari Das Basu

|State Judge, Dewan

|15 September 1921 - 6 January 1922

E. Mc. Leod Smith

|Dewan

|7 January 1922 - 28 November 1929

No Dewan appointed

|Dewan

|29 November 1929 - 18 June 1930

Dr. P. K. Sen, M.A., (Cantab), LL.D., Barrister-at-Law

|Dewan

|19 June 1930 - 17 June 1936

K. C. Neogy, M.A., B.L.

|Dewan

|6 July 1935 - 5 July 1940

K. C. Neogy, M.A., B.L.

|Political Adviser

|6 July 1940 - 31 March 1942

Major B. P. Pande, B.A., LL.B., F.R.E.S. (London)

|Dewan

|16 August 1940 - Last Dewan

References: {{sfn|Senapati|Sahu|1967a|p=90}}

Demographics

{{historical populations

|1872|258,680

|1881|385,737

|1891|{{formatnum:532223}}

|1901|{{formatnum:610383}}

|1911|{{formatnum:729218}}

|1921|{{formatnum:754314}}

|1931|{{formatnum:889603}}

|1941|{{formatnum:984741}}

|source=Mayurbhanj district Gazetteer & Census of India{{sfn|Senapati |Sahu| 1967a|pages=92–93}}{{Cite web|title= A-2 DECADAL VARIATION IN POPULATION SINCE 1901 (21 A-2 Odisha)|url=http://www.censusindia.gov.in/2011census/PCA/A-2_Data_Tables/21%20A-2%20Odisha.pdf|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140617091440/http://www.censusindia.gov.in/2011census/PCA/A-2_Data_Tables/21%20A-2%20Odisha.pdf |archive-date=17 June 2014 |website=www.censusindia.gov.in}}|align=right}}

File:1931, Mayurbhanj state's population density map.jpg

{{Pie chart

|thumb = right

|caption = Languages of Mayurbhanj State (1931){{sfn|Laeequddin|1937|page=224}}

|label1 = Odia |value1 = 41.02

|color1 = saddlebrown

|label2 = Santali |value2 = 29.1

|color2 = darkturquoise

|label3 = Ho

|value3 = 12.42

|color3 = deepskyblue

|label4 = Bhumij |value4 = 7.73

|color4 = teal

|label6 = Kurmali |value6 = 2.94

|color6 = darkgoldenrod

|label5 = Bengali |value5 = 4.14

|color5 = orchid

|label7 = Others

|value7 = 2.64

|color7 = Grey

|footer =

}}

References

= Gazetteers =

{{Cite book |last=Laeequddin |first=Muhammad |title=Census of Mayurbhanj State 1931 |year=1937 |volume=I |location=Calcutta |publisher=Caledonin Printing Company |url=http://www.new.dli.ernet.in/handle/2015/116045 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170117000000/http://www.new.dli.ernet.in/handle/2015/116045 |archive-date=17 January 2017 |jstor=saoa.crl.25352830

|jstor-access=free

|oclc=496724918}} [https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.116045 Alt URL]

{{Cite web |last1=Senapati |first1=Nilamani |last2=Sahu |first2=Nabin Kumar |title=Orissa District Gazetteers: Mayurbhanj |url=http://www.indianculture.gov.in/gazettes/orissa-district-gazetteers-mayurbhanj |access-date=2022-09-19 |website=INDIAN CULTURE |publisher=Superintendent Orissa Government Press |year=1967a |location=Cuttack |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210304000000/http://www.indianculture.gov.in/gazettes/orissa-district-gazetteers-mayurbhanj |archive-date=4 March 2021|language=en}} [https://archive.org/details/dli.ministry.08557 Alt URL]
{{Cite book |editor-last1=Taradatt |editor-first1=Dr |editor-last2=Basa |editor-first2=Kishor K |title=Odisha District Gazetteer (Mayurbhanj)|url=http://gopabandhuacademy.gov.in/sites/default/files/gazetter/Mayurbhanj_Gazetteer.pdf|url-status=live|publisher=Gopabandhu Academy of Administration [Gazetters Unit], General Administration Department Government Of Odisha|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210507215956/http://gopabandhuacademy.gov.in/sites/default/files/gazetter/Mayurbhanj_Gazetteer.pdf |archive-date=2021-05-07 }}