Kalinga (historical region) facts for kids

Kalinga (which means "Kaliṅga" in Sanskrit) is a very old region in India. It's mostly found along the eastern coast, between two big rivers: the Mahanadi and the Godavari.

Today, the main part of Kalinga is in central and southern Odisha and northern Andhra Pradesh. Sometimes, Kalinga was even bigger, reaching into parts of Chhattisgarh to the west.

The people of Kalinga are mentioned in the ancient story Mahabharata. In the 3rd century BCE, Kalinga became part of the Mauryan Empire after a big battle called the Kalinga War. Later, many different ruling families took control of Kalinga. These rulers often called themselves Kalingādhipati, which means "Lord of Kalinga."

Where Was Kalinga Located?

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Kalinga is usually described as the eastern coastal area between the Mahanadi and Godavari rivers. However, its exact borders changed a lot throughout history.

In ancient Indian writings, Kalinga is linked to the Mahendragiri mountain. This mountain is in the Ganjam district of Odisha, close to the border with Andhra Pradesh.

Sometimes, Kalinga's southern border reached as far as the Krishna river. To the north, it sometimes went beyond the Mahanadi river, up to the Vaitarani river. The eastern side of Kalinga was always the Bay of Bengal.

The western border of Kalinga was not always clear. It changed depending on how powerful its rulers were. But some old texts suggest Kalinga reached the Amarakantaka hills in the west.

You might also hear the term "Trikalinga". Some people think this means the largest area Kalinga ever covered. However, other records suggest Kalinga and Trikalinga were different places. Trikalinga might have been the hilly area to the west of Kalinga.

Kalinga's History

Early Times

The name Kalinga comes from an ancient tribe. According to the Mahabharata, the Kalingas and their nearby tribes were all brothers. These neighbors included the Angas, Vangas, Pundras, and Suhmas.

The Kalingas lived in a large area from the Baitarani river in Odisha to the Varahanandi river in the Visakhapatnam district. Their old capital city was Dantakura or Dantapura.

Kalinga was an important kingdom even in very early times. Ancient texts mention its king Karaṇḍu. Other texts also talk about King Sattabhu of Kalinga.

Kalinga was located on the eastern Indian coast around 1100 BCE during the Vedic Period.

Early Kalinga Kingdoms (around 1100 – 261 BCE)

The Mahabharata and other old stories say that a prince named 'Kalinga' started the Kalinga Kingdom. This kingdom was in the coastal area of what is now Odisha. Many kings ruled Kalinga during this long period.

Some of the early rulers included King Kalinga himself, and later kings like Srutayudha and Avakinnayo Karakandu. Another important king was Chullakalinga.

Later, a different group of rulers, sometimes called the Suryavamsha of Kalinga, took power. This period lasted until 261 BCE, when a major event changed Kalinga's history.

Nanda Empire Takes Over (around 345 – 322 BCE)

Kalinga was briefly taken over by the Nanda ruler Mahapadma Nanda. This happened between 345 and 340 BCE.

This map shows the possible size of the Nanda Empire around 325 BCE, under its last ruler Dhana Nanda.

The Nanda Empire was very large, stretching from Punjab in the west to Kalinga in the east. An old stone carving, the Hathigumpha inscription, confirms that the Nandas controlled Kalinga.

When Chandragupta Maurya fought against the Nandas, Kalinga became independent again in 322 BCE.

The Kalinga War and Mauryan Rule (around 261 – 225 BCE)

The Mauryan Empire during Ashoka's rule in 250 BCE.

The most famous event in Kalinga's ancient history is the Kalinga War. In 261 BCE, the powerful Mauryan emperor Ashoka invaded Kalinga. It was a very bloody war.

After a fierce battle near the Dhauli hills, Kalinga's capital city, Tosali, fell to the Mauryas. Tosali then became the main city for the Mauryan province of Kalinga.

Kalinga remained part of the Mauryan Empire until around 224 BCE, when it broke away during the rule of Dasharatha.

The Mahameghavahana Empire (around 224 BCE – 250 CE)

Map of the Maha-Meghavahanas around 20 BCE.

After the Mauryan Empire became weaker, the Mahameghavahana family took control of Kalinga. Their most famous king was Kharavela. He called himself the "supreme Lord of Kalinga."

King Kharavela ruled around the 2nd or 1st century BCE. We know a lot about his rule from the Hathigumpha inscription, which is carved into a rock. This inscription tells us about his building projects, how he helped his people, and his many military victories. It also says he supported different religions, including Jainism.

Kalinga After the Classical Period

Gupta Empire's Influence

Kalinga came under the influence of the Gupta Empire in the 4th century CE. After the Guptas left, several smaller ruling families took over. These rulers also used the title Kalingadhipati ("Lord of Kalinga").

Shailodbhava Dynasty

In the 7th century, the Shailodbhava dynasty ruled parts of eastern India. Their main area was called Kongoda-mandala. One of their kings, Madhavaraja II, claimed to be the "lord of the entire Kalinga." Later, the Bhauma-Kara dynasty ruled the region, calling their kingdom "Tosala."

Somavamshi or Keshari Dynasty

The Somavamshis ruled parts of Odisha between the 9th and 12th centuries. They first ruled the Kosala region, then conquered Kalinga and Utkala. They called themselves the lords of Kalinga, Kosala, and Utkala. They also brought a new style of art and buildings to Odisha.

Medieval Kalinga

Eastern Ganga Empire

From the 11th to the 15th century, the Eastern Gangas became the most powerful rulers in the region. They also used the title Kalingadhipati. They even called themselves Trikalingadhipathi, meaning "Lord of three Kalingas" (Kalinga, Utkala, and Dakshina Kosala).

Their first capital was Kalinganagara (modern Mukhalingam). Later, King Anantavarman Chodaganga moved the capital to Kataka (modern Cuttack) in the 12th century. He also built the famous Jagannath Temple in Puri.

Another important king, Narasimhadeva I, built the amazing Sun Temple at Konark. He was also the first king in Odisha to use the title Gajapati, meaning "Lord of war elephants."

Gajapati Empire

The last Eastern Ganga ruler was replaced by Kapilendra Deva in 1435. This started the Gajapati Empire. This empire ruled over Utkala (North Odisha) and Kalinga (South Odisha, North Andhra Pradesh).

Prataparudra Deva was the last great king of the Gajapati Empire. After he died in 1540, his sons became kings but were later killed. This led to the fall of the Gajapati empire, and many smaller states became independent.

Shankara Dynasty

The Bhoi dynasty continued to rule some areas, including Puri. Later, Vishwanath Deva became a powerful prince of Odisha. He united many old areas under his rule, from Bengal to Telangana. He also took the titles of Kalingadhipati and Gajapati.

However, after Vishwanath Deva died in 1571, the central power in Kalinga weakened. This led to the kingdom breaking into many smaller, independent states.

Kalinga's Influence on Other Cultures

Kalinga had a wide influence, especially in Southeast Asia.

• Funan Kingdom: A merchant named Kaundinya I from ancient Kalinga helped start the Funan kingdom in what is now Cambodia. He married a local princess named Queen Soma.
• Shailendra Dynasty: Some historians believe the Shailendra dynasty of Java (in modern Indonesia) came from Kalinga. This dynasty was very powerful in Southeast Asia, controlling large parts of the sea.
• Burma (Myanmar): The region of Burma was sometimes called Kalinga-rattha. There is evidence that traders and Buddhist missionaries from Kalinga settled in southern Burma very early on. Old ship remains found near Yangon are thought to belong to Kalingan traders.
• Maldives: According to Maldivian history, the first kingdom there was established by a prince from the Kalinga Kingdom.
• Philippines: In the Philippines, a king of Butuan was called Kiling. Some think this name might be linked to the Malay term Keling, which refers to people from India.

The term Keling or Kling is still used in parts of Southeast Asia today. It refers to people from the Indian subcontinent. In some places, like Malaysia, it can have a negative meaning.

Images for kids

• Jagannath Temple, Puri.jpg

  The famous Jagannath Temple in Puri, built by King Anantavarman Chodaganga.

See Also

• History of Odisha
• List of rulers of Odisha
• Kalinga script, an ancient writing system
• Keling, a term used in Southeast Asia
• Kalingga Kingdom, an ancient kingdom in Java