Eastern Ganga-Haihaya rulers victory over Tughlaqs revealed
Berhampur: In an extraordinary revelation resurrecting the thundering hoof-beats of medieval glory, a rare 14th-century inscription discovered at the ancient Dharmalingeswar temple at Panchadharla in Anakapalli district of Andhra Pradesh, has brought to light the long-forgotten military triumph of the combined forces of the Eastern Ganga dynasty of Utkala and the Haihaya rulers of Mahismati over the imperial armies of Delhi's Tughlaq dynasty.
The monumental finding is chronicled in the newly published scholarly work 'Relics of Kalinga in South India, Part-I', meticulously documented by the INTACH Odisha State Chapter. The research expedition was led by Project Coordinator and author Deepak Kumar Nayak, with epigraphist Bishnu Mohan Adhikari and surveyor Suman Prakash Swain, who visited the site in November 2024.
The inscription, carved onto three faces of a square black stone pillar at the temple's eastern gate, dates back to Saka Samvat 1325 (1403 CE). Penned in Sanskrit using Telugu script, it contains remarkable 93 lines of poetic and historic verse from the reign of Choda III, a sovereign of Haihaya lineage.
Among its most compelling revelations is verse 16, which commemorates not just the construction of a temple gateway and grove, but a thunderous military episode: the defeat of Firoz Shah Tughlaq, then ruler of Delhi, by Choda II, an illustrious ancestor of Choda III. Acting as a subordinate commander under Eastern Ganga Emperor Bhanudeva III, Choda II led a daring expedition to Bengal to assist Sultan Haji Iliyas of Panduva in 1353 CE, when Delhi's forces threatened his kingdom.
Bishnu Mohan Adhikari, the young epigraphist who deciphered the inscription, highlighted that this victory was not only political but deeply symbolic, cementing the martial alliance and matrimonial bond between the Eastern Gangas and the Haihaya warriors. In the aftermath, Choda II offered 22 elephants as war tribute to the King of Utkala and sent dancers to the Sultan of Panduva as Bijayashri — tokens of valour and conquest.
The revelation suggests that the Sultan of Panduva might have been either a vassal or military ally of Odisha's powerful monarchs. The Haihayas, who ruled South Kalinga from 1200 CE to 1403 CE, had fortified dominions over Simhachalam and Panchadharla and played a critical role in repelling Northern imperialist advances into the South.
The book, launched on April 27 in Cuttack, is authored by Deepak Kumar Nayak and jointly edited by Sanjib Chandra Hota (IAS retired) and Prof Asoka Kumar Rath. The first volume covers Kalingan relics across five Andhra districts: Srikakulam, Vizianagaram, Parvatipuram Manyam, Visakhapatnam and Anakapalli. The upcoming volumes are set to unearth the vast Kalingan legacy across Telangana, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra and remaining Andhra regions.
This inscription is not just a stone, it's a silent scroll of sovereignty, whispering tales of valour, alliance and resistance that shaped the subcontinent's forgotten frontiers.
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Eastern Ganga-Haihaya rulers victory over Tughlaqs revealed
Berhampur: In an extraordinary revelation resurrecting the thundering hoof-beats of medieval glory, a rare 14th-century inscription discovered at the ancient Dharmalingeswar temple at Panchadharla in Anakapalli district of Andhra Pradesh, has brought to light the long-forgotten military triumph of the combined forces of the Eastern Ganga dynasty of Utkala and the Haihaya rulers of Mahismati over the imperial armies of Delhi's Tughlaq dynasty. The monumental finding is chronicled in the newly published scholarly work 'Relics of Kalinga in South India, Part-I', meticulously documented by the INTACH Odisha State Chapter. The research expedition was led by Project Coordinator and author Deepak Kumar Nayak, with epigraphist Bishnu Mohan Adhikari and surveyor Suman Prakash Swain, who visited the site in November 2024. The inscription, carved onto three faces of a square black stone pillar at the temple's eastern gate, dates back to Saka Samvat 1325 (1403 CE). Penned in Sanskrit using Telugu script, it contains remarkable 93 lines of poetic and historic verse from the reign of Choda III, a sovereign of Haihaya lineage. Among its most compelling revelations is verse 16, which commemorates not just the construction of a temple gateway and grove, but a thunderous military episode: the defeat of Firoz Shah Tughlaq, then ruler of Delhi, by Choda II, an illustrious ancestor of Choda III. Acting as a subordinate commander under Eastern Ganga Emperor Bhanudeva III, Choda II led a daring expedition to Bengal to assist Sultan Haji Iliyas of Panduva in 1353 CE, when Delhi's forces threatened his kingdom. Bishnu Mohan Adhikari, the young epigraphist who deciphered the inscription, highlighted that this victory was not only political but deeply symbolic, cementing the martial alliance and matrimonial bond between the Eastern Gangas and the Haihaya warriors. In the aftermath, Choda II offered 22 elephants as war tribute to the King of Utkala and sent dancers to the Sultan of Panduva as Bijayashri — tokens of valour and conquest. The revelation suggests that the Sultan of Panduva might have been either a vassal or military ally of Odisha's powerful monarchs. The Haihayas, who ruled South Kalinga from 1200 CE to 1403 CE, had fortified dominions over Simhachalam and Panchadharla and played a critical role in repelling Northern imperialist advances into the South. The book, launched on April 27 in Cuttack, is authored by Deepak Kumar Nayak and jointly edited by Sanjib Chandra Hota (IAS retired) and Prof Asoka Kumar Rath. The first volume covers Kalingan relics across five Andhra districts: Srikakulam, Vizianagaram, Parvatipuram Manyam, Visakhapatnam and Anakapalli. The upcoming volumes are set to unearth the vast Kalingan legacy across Telangana, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra and remaining Andhra regions. This inscription is not just a stone, it's a silent scroll of sovereignty, whispering tales of valour, alliance and resistance that shaped the subcontinent's forgotten frontiers.
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On February 11, Executive Officer V. Trinadha Rao and trust representative Vishal Limkar exchanged a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to undertake the repairs, and the work, which began in April, is currently under way. According to K. Muniratnam Reddy, Director-Epigraphy, Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), scientific repairs can ensure longevity for ancient rock structures. 'We have suggested the use of traditional materials—lime, Arabic tree gum, hirda, jaggery, okra, jute and urad dal,' he added. Muniratnam Reddy was visiting Simhachalam temple to participate in the MoU exchange programme. On the preparation of the traditional mortar, he said that materials like Arabic tree gum, jaggery and jute would be boiled and kept in tanks for about a month and a half. After that, lime and surkhi would be mixed to form a concrete of sorts. Around 80% of the restoration work, being carried out by Uttaradevi Charitable Trust-Pune, has been completed, he added. The main temple has a common roof for both Sri Swamy Varu and Ammavaru. Leaks have developed on the temple beda mandapams on the four sides (north, south, east and west), the Asthana mandapam, Kalyana mandapam, pakasala-1 and pakasala-2 (the lord's kitchen). The common roof is spread over 24,000 according to the temple management. The roof is made of hard black stone slabs, which is not locally available. These slabs are overlaid with brick jelly (second layer), surki lime (third layer) and cement concrete and mortar (fourth layer). Age of the temple Though the exact age of the temple remains unknown, an inscription found at the temple has been dated to 1098-99 CE. It is believed to have been commissioned by Chola Emperor Kulottunga-I, who conquered the Kalinga territories. It could be deducted that the temple must have been a place of importance even at that period. Another inscription shows that a queen of the Velanandu chief Gonka III (1137-56 CE) gilded the idol in gold. The central shrine, the mukhamandapam, the natyamandapam and the enclosing veranda were built in the later half of 13th century using black stone. The temple also has inscriptions commissioned by Vijayanagara Emperor Krishna Devaraya, recounting his successes and narrating how he and his queen presented the lord with a necklace of 991 pearls and other costly gifts. The government epigraphist's lists for 1899 shows that the temple has at least 125 such inscriptions, making it a repository of the the district's history. 'Sthalapurana' Local legend has it that the temple was built by demon king Hiranyakasipu's son Prahlada. Hiranyakasipu and brother Hiranyaksha were mighty demons bent on disturbing world peace. When Lord Vishnu slayed Hiranyaksha by assuming his boar incarnation (Varaha Avatara), Hiranyakasipu swore revenge. He propitiated Lord Brahma and secured a boon that he could not be killed by either animal or a man, neither in the morning nor at night, by any weapons and neither in sky nor on the earth. Much to Hiranyakasipu's chagrin, however, his son Prahlada became a devotee of Lord Vishnu right from his birth. When his attempts to mend the ways of his son failed, Hiranyakasipu asked his servants to throw him into the sea. His servants chose to drop Prahlada at sea near Mount Simhadri, but he was saved by Lord Vishnu. Simhadri is thus the place where the Lord rescued Prahlada. According to the Stalapurana, Prahlada built a temple for the deity. At the end of that life-cycle (Krita yuga), however, the temple was neglected and fell into disrepair. At the beginning of another life-cycle, the temple was discovered by Emperor Pururava of the Lunar Dynasty. He worshipped the deity and rebuilt the temple. Architectural grandeur The temple has a square shrine surmounted by a high tower, a portico in the front with a smaller tower above it, a sixteen-pillar square mandapam (mukhamandapam) facing this and an enclosed veranda, all made of dark granite richly and delicately carved with ornamental floral designs and scenes from Vishnu Puranas. One of the pillars is called the kappa stambham or 'tribute pillar', which devotees believe has the ability to cure diseases. In the veranda is a stone car with stone wheels and prancing stone horses. Outside this inner enclosure, to the north of the temple, is a Natyamandapam, where the Lord's wedding is performed. This is supported by 96 pillars of black stone arranged in sixteen rows of six each. Each pillar is embellished with unique carvings but has the general capital of an inverted lotus. The idol remains covered in sandal paste, which is ritualistically removed once a year (on Akshaya Thritheeya day). Celebrated as Chandanayatra or Chandanotsavam, this occasion gives devotees a glimpse of the idol's true form; it is the most important festival in this temple. The temple is supervised by the family of the Vizianagaram Samsthanam and is being run under their trusteeship. According to their resolutions, necessary activities are taken up for the temple administration. The Commissioner of Endowments is the final authority for all the decisions and rulings on temple maintenance.
