About us: Odisha’s past, told from the sources

Our mission

Why History of Odisha exists

Odisha has one of the richest histories in India — from Ashoka’s Kalinga War and Emperor Kharavela to the temple builders of Bhubaneswar, Puri and Konark, the Gajapati kings, the Paika Rebellion and the creation of the first linguistic province in 1936. Yet reliable, readable accounts of that history are hard to find online.

We started this website to change that: to bring the findings of standard histories, inscriptions and research together in clear English, organised so that anyone can follow Odisha’s story from the beginning — and to keep it free to read.

1. Unveil the pastExplain Odisha’s history period by period, with dates, rulers, events and debates set out clearly.
2. Preserve the legacyDocument temples, faiths, literature, crafts and tribal traditions before they are forgotten.
3. Educate and inspireSupport students and examination aspirants, and help every reader take pride in Odisha’s heritage.

What we cover

Explore the site

Our guides are the best place to start. Each one explains its subject and links to every related article on the site.

• Start hereBrief History of OdishaThe whole story in one read.Read →
• Period guideAncient OdishaPrehistory to c. 1100 CE.Read →
• Period guideMedieval OdishaThe Gangas to the Marathas.Read →
• Period guideModern Odisha1803 to the present.Read →
• Period guideContemporary OdishaOdisha since 2000.Read →
• Culture guideCulture of OdishaFaith, art, festivals and food.Read →
• Culture guideCult of JagannathaHistory, rituals and significance.Read →
• Culture guideTemple ArchitectureThe Kalinga style explained.Read →
• Culture guideTribes of OdishaPeoples of the hills and forests.Read →
• DirectoryPersonalities of OdishaThe people who shaped Odisha.Read →

We also publish editorials, opinion and news on issues shaping Odisha today. Opinion pieces reflect the views of their authors and are clearly labelled.

Who we are

The people behind the site

• BM
  Brajabandhu MahantaFounder & EditorMA (Gold Medalist). Writes and edits the articles on History of Odisha and is responsible for the accuracy of its content.About the editor →
• SM
  Sambhunath MahantaPublisherPublisher of History of Odisha, supporting the site’s operation and outreach.

The website is designed, built and maintained by Chronition Web Services. Our partner sites are History of Odisha (.com), Odisha Geography, Objective IAS and PoliPrepHub.

How we work

Our editorial standards

1. Based on sources. Articles draw on standard histories of Odisha, published research, inscriptions and official records, and list their main sources at the end.
2. Legend kept separate from history. Where a story comes from tradition rather than evidence, we say so; where historians disagree about dates or interpretations, we set out the main views.
3. Clear and accessible. We write in plain English for students and general readers, and explain Odia and Sanskrit terms when we use them.
4. Kept up to date. Guides are reviewed and revised; the date at the top of a guide shows when it was last updated.
5. Corrections welcome. If you find an error, write to us with the details and, if possible, a source. We review every report and correct mistakes promptly.
6. Independent. The site is supported by advertising. Advertisers have no influence over what we write, and ads are always shown separately from articles.

Our sources

Sources and references

These standard works form the backbone of our research. Individual articles list further books, inscriptions and studies relevant to their subject.

1. Das, Manas Kumar. History of Odisha, Vols. I–III.
2. Sahu, Y. K. History of Odisha, Vols. I–II.
3. Sahu, N. K., P. K. Mishra and J. K. Sahu. History of Orissa.
4. Banerji, R. D. History of Orissa, 2 vols. Calcutta, 1930–31.
5. Mahtab, H. K. The History of Orissa.
6. Panigrahi, K. C. History of Orissa (Hindu Period). Cuttack: Kitab Mahal.
7. Eschmann, A., H. Kulke and G. C. Tripathi (eds.). The Cult of Jagannath and the Regional Tradition of Orissa. New Delhi: Manohar, 1978.
8. Donaldson, Thomas E. Hindu Temple Art of Orissa, 3 vols. Leiden: Brill, 1985–87.

Using our content

Copyright and permissions

All articles, guides and original images on this website are the property of History of Odisha. You are welcome to quote brief passages for study, reviews or articles with a link to the original page. For any other use — including reproducing full articles, in print or online — please ask for written permission first by email.

See also our Disclaimer, Privacy Policy and Terms of Service.

Get in touch

Contact us

For corrections, suggestions, contributions, complaints or permission requests, please write to us. We read every message.

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