WESTERN ODISHA (WO) comprises of 10 districts i.e. Bargarh, Bolangir, Boudh, Deogarh, Jharsuguda, Kalahandi, Nuapda, Sambalpur, Subarnapur, Sundargarh and Athmallik sub-division of Angul district (i.e. areas coming under WODC). It is a vast geographical area, exhibiting a great degree of cultural uniformity in terms of demography and life-style. This geographical area is also recognised by state government of Odisha as the area under Western Odisha Development Council (WODC).
Brief History:
In the epic Ramayana, Western Odisha is described as a part of “Dandakaranya”. During the period of conquest of Kalinga by emperor Ashoka, this area was known as Attabika, i.e. a region inhabited by people of forests and mountains. This region was part of Dakshina Koshala in ancient times.
Many small kingdoms, ruled by local chieftains, existed in ancient times, in what is now called Western Odisha. Tibardeb of the Soma dynasty, whose capital was at Sripur, in Chhattisgarh was the first ruler, who defeated all these chieftains and established a large kingdom in Dakshina Koshala comprising what is present day Chhattisgarh and Western Odisha. There upon, he used the title of “Kosaladhipati”. He ruled in the 6th century. ‘Janmejaya Mahabhab Gupta’ became king in 640. He subsequently shifted his capital, first to ‘Binitpur’ (now known as Bin’ka) and then to “Son-pur” in Western Odisha. In the middle of the 10th century, Yayati, a king of the Soma dynasty of South Kosala, whose capital was at Sonpur, acquired control of Utkal and shifted his capital to Yayatinagar in Utkal region. There upon he kept Sonpur under a prince of his clan.
Jajalla-deva, a ruler of the Kalachuri Dynasty of Ratanpur, defeated the ruler of Sonpur and annexed it with his kingdom in 1110. It was under the Kalachuri rulers of Ratanpur (Now in Chhattisgarh state) from 1110 to 1238. Thus, South Kosal again remained as one unit. Both, eastern part of South Kosal (Western Odisha) and western part of South Kosal (Chhattisgarh) were united and ruled by the Kalachuri rulers of Ratanpur.
‘Ramai Deb’ of the Chauhan dynasty established his kingdom in 1320 with his capital at ‘Patnagarh’ in present day’s Balangir Dist, and virtually ruled independently. He used the title of ” Hirakhand Nrupati”.
In 15th century AD Narasingh Deva, the twelfth Raja of Patnagarh, ceded to his brother Balram Deva all the jungle country bounded on the North by the river Mahanadi, on the East by the river Tel, on the South by the Ang river, and on the west by the river Jonk. Balram Deva, who is regarded as the founder of the Sambalpur Raj, installed Samalai, the tutelary goddess of his family. The town thus established is the modern Sambalpur.
He defeated the rulers of Bamanda, Gangpur, Surguja and Ratanpur. The State founded by Balram Deva soon became the most powerful of all the Garhjat States, and the power of the Sambalpur chiefs steadily increased, while that of Patnagarh declined.
After the death of Narasingha Deb of Patnagarh in 1547, his son ‘Hamir Deb’ became king. He died in 1549. His son ‘Pratap Deb’ was only 7 years old, so the queen ruled in the name of his son. Taking advantage of this situation ministers started misruling. So, Balaram Deb sent his son ‘Hridayanarayana Deb’ to rule Patnagarh in 1550. Thus, Patnagarh became a subsidiary of Sambalpur. After death of Balaram Deb, Hridayanarayana Deb became ruler of Sambalpur and Pratap Deb was again made king of Patnagarh but Patnagarh remained under Sambalpur. Hirde Narayan Deva’s successor, Balbhadra Sai (AD 1605–1630) occupied sonepur region from the Bhanja ruler and Baud accepted feudal superiority of Sambalpur. He settled his second son Madan Gopal in Sonepur.
Madhukar Sai, the eldest son of Balbhadra Sai succeeded to the Sambalpur Raj; and on his death it passed to Baliar Singh, whose suzerainty was acknowledged by the chiefs of the eighteen Garhjats, viz; Bamra, Gangpur, Bonai, Patna, Sonpur, Khariar, Raidehakhol, Raigarh, Sarangarh, Binda-Nuagarh, Sakti, Borasambar, Phuljhar, Baud, Athgarh, Panchgarh, Mayurbhanj, and Keonjhar. He was bestowed with the title of Hirakhand Chhatrapati Maharaj, that is, the great lord of the country of diamonds.
This kingdom lost its independence to the Maratha Bhonsla of Nagpur in 1800 AD. The Raja, Jainth Singh, and his son, Maharaj Sai, were captured and sent as prisoners to Chanda, the Maratha stronghold near Nagpur. In 1803 AD, Raghuji Bhonsla, Raja of Nagpur ceded this land to the British under the treaty of Deogaon. Sambalpur along with all feudal states didn’t remain long under the British suzerainty, in 1805 it was gratuitously restored to Raghuji Bhonsla again.
British Rule:
In 1817, the Sambalpur State again came under British suzerainty, when the fourth Maratha war broke out. Raja Jainth Singh was restored to power again in Sambalpur in that year but he died in 1818, and the country was then administered by the British for a year.
Maharja Sai, the son of Jainth Singh, was made Raja in 1820, though without the feudal superiority which the former Rajas had held over the other Garhjats. He died in 1827 AD. Separate sanands were granted to all the chiefs of Garhjats in 1821 AD by the British and thereafter all the Garhjats enjoyed semi-independent status under British by paying annual tributes, till 1948 AD when they were merged into Independent India.
When the last ruler of Sambalpur, ‘Narayan Singh’, died in 1849 without a direct male heir, the British seized the state under the doctrine of lapse. Sambalpur was kept under “South west Frontier Agency” with headquarters at Ranchi. “South west Frontier Agency” was renamed Chhota Nagpur Division in 1854. The name of Veer Surendra Sai, who fought against the British Rule, is recorded in golden letters in the history of India’s struggle for independence. During the Sepoy Mutiny in July 1857 the mutineers broke open the prison at Hazaribagh, where Surendra Sai was imprisoned and released all the prisoners. Surendra Sai fought against the British after reaching Sambalpur.
In 1860 AD, Sambalpur was temporarily transferred to the Odisha Division of Bengal to subdue the rebellion led by Veer Surendra Sai.
By a notification of 30 April 1862 it was made over to the newly constituted Central Provinces. Sambalpur along with other princely states of Western Odisha was included in the newly created Chhatisgarh Division of Central Province in 1862.
Bengal’s Odisha division became part of the new province of Bihar and Odisha in 1912, and on 1 April 1936 became the separate province of Odisha.
Merging of Western Odisha with Odisha:
After Indian Independence on 15 August 1947, Odisha became an Indian State. Most of the present Districts of Western Odisha were merged with Odisha in January 1948 and became part of Odisha state.
Natural resources:
Western Odisha region is rich with minerals. Iron ore is available in plenty at Tensa and Barsuan in Sundargarh district, Bauxite is available in Niyamgiri and Karlapat in Kalahandi district, Gandhamardan in Bargarh district, Khariar in Nuapada district and Baphlimali in Rayagada distinct. Coal is available in Himgir in Sundargarh district and Rampur in Jharsuguda district. Dolomite is available at Dubulabera and Kangorama in Sambalpur district and Lephripada in Sundargarh district. Graphite is available at Patnagarh and Titilagarh in Balangir district. Manganese ore is available in Nuapada and Balangir district. Fireclay is available at Belpahar in Jharsuguda district, Gandawara in Sambalpur district and some places of Sundargarh district. Precious stone deposits are found in Balangir and Kalahandi districts. There was a time when Western Odisha was abundant with gems and jungle. Hence, the region is also described in literature as “Ratna Garbhaa Mahaaranya“.
Western Odisha Development Council (WODC):
To minimize the regional imbalance WODC was formed. The Western Odisha Development Council( WODC) Act,2000 as amended vide Orissa Act 8 and 14 of 2001 & 2003 respectively provides for the establishment of the Council with the prime objective of accelerated development and advancement of the people residing within 10 districts and one sub-division of Angul district of Western Odisha. The Act empowers the Council for the socio-economic, educational, cultural advancement and development of the people residing within the WODC area. The Western Odisha Development Council comprises of 10 districts i.e. Bargarh, Bolangir, Boudh, Deogarh, Jharsuguda, Kalahandi, Nuapda, Sambalpur, Subarnapur, Sundargarh and Athmallik sub-division of Angul district.
Sources: WO Wikipedia & wodc website
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