RodEsters254334 at 14:48, 28 January 2026

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{{Short description|Eastern Ganga emperor from 1078 to 1150}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2024}}
{{Use Indian English|date=June 2024}}
{{Infobox royalty
| image = Chodaganga Deva.jpg
| caption = Sculpture of Chodaganga Deva at Chudanga Sahi, [[Puri]]
| succession = [[Eastern Ganga Empire|Eastern Ganga emperor]]
| image_size = 200px
| name = Anantavarman Chodaganga
| title = Raja Parameswara Trikalingaadhipati Gangesvara Paramavaishnava Paramabhattaraka Paramabrahmanya Kunjaradhipati
| reign = 17 February 1078 – 1150<ref name="p264">{{cite web | publisher=Kitabistam, Allahabad | title=Full text of "Historical Inscriptions Of Southern India" | website=Internet Archive | date=23 October 2016 | url=https://archive.org/stream/historicalinscri035270mbp/historicalinscri035270mbp_djvu.txt | access-date=27 February 2025}}</ref>
| coronation = 17 February 1078
| predecessor = [[Rajaraja Devendravarman|Rajaraja Deva I]]
| successor = Kamarnnava Deva
| birth_place = [[Mukhalingam|Kalinganagari]], [[Kalinga (region)|Kalinga]], Eastern Ganga dynasty (modern day Srimukhalingam, [[Andhrapradesh]])
| death_date = 1150
| death_place = [[Cuttack|Kataka]], [[Kalinga (region)|Kalinga]], Eastern Ganga dynasty (modern day Cuttack, [[Odisha]])
| spouse =
* Chodadevi
* Kasturikamodini
* Indira devi
* Lakshmi
* Chandralekha
* Prithvi-Mahadevi
* Somala-Mahadevi
| issue =
* Kamarnnava Deva
* Raghava
* Raja Raja II
* Aniyanka Bhima
* Umavallabha
| regnal name = Kunjaradhipati Gangesvara Anantavarman Chodaganga deva
| house = [[Eastern Ganga dynasty]]
| father = [[Rajaraja Devendravarman|Rajaraja Deva I]]
| mother = Rajasundari
| religion = [[Hinduism]]
}}

'''Gangesvara Anantavarman Chodaganga Deva''' (died 1150) was the [[Eastern Ganga dynasty|Eastern Ganga]] emperor from 1078 until his death in 1150. He was a great patron of arts and architecture who built many temples, one of them being the [[Jagannath Temple, Puri|Jagannath Temple]]<ref name=":0">{{Cite book |last=Tripathy |first=Dr. Kunjabihari |title=A Brief History of Oriya Literature|publisher=Bijoy Book Store |year=1972 |volume=1 -Part I |location=Berhampur-1, Ganjam ,Odisha |pages=e-f |chapter=No 1 - Introduction |author-link=Dr.Kunjabihari Tripathy}}</ref> in [[Puri]]. He was the ruler of the [[Kalinga (historical region)|Kalinga]] region from river [[Ganga]] to [[Godavari]]<ref>{{Cite book |last=Haldar |first=Narotam |url=http://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.265493 |title=Gangaridi - Alochana O Parjalochana |date=1988}}</ref> and later the early medieval [[Odisha]] region with the incorporation of the constituent regions with the decline of the [[Somavamshi dynasty|Somavamshi]]s.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Rajaguru|first=Satyanarayan|url=https://archive.org/details/cu31924063477313|title=Inscriptions of Orissa, Volume III, Part I|publisher=Orissa Sahitya Akademi|year=1960|location=Bhubaneswar|pages=[https://archive.org/details/cu31924063477313/page/n189 174], 175}}</ref><ref>* {{cite book |author=Walter Smith |title=The Mukteśvara Temple in Bhubaneswar |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=y0MQmNx8g2gC&pg=PA21 |year=1994 |publisher=Motilal Banarsidass |isbn=978-81-208-0793-8 |page=26 }}</ref> He is often considered as the founder and significant ruler of Eastern ganga dynasty.<ref name=":0" /> He is related to the [[Chola dynasty]] through his mother's side and the Eastern Gangas through his father's side. His mother, Rajasundari, was a Chola princess and the daughter of emperor [[Virarajendra Chola]] and granddaughter of Chola king [[Rajendra Chola I]].His father was king Rajaraja [[Rajaraja Devendravarman|I]] of the Eastern Ganga dynasty. He possessed a vast number of elephants which made him used the title ''navanavati sahasta kunjaradhisvara'' or the lord of ninety-nine thousand elephants, though this is an exaggeration but it is likely that he possessed a vast number of elephants.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Sah |first=Ayodhya Prasad |date=1968 |title=FEUDATORIES AND BENEFICIARIES IN MEDIAEVAL ORISSA (Cir. A. D. 600-1200) |url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/44141454 |journal=Proceedings of the Indian History Congress |volume=30 |pages=73–79 |jstor=44141454 |issn=2249-1937}}</ref>

According to ''vallala-charitam'' Anantavarman had diplomatic relations with Vijayasena of Bengal.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Banerji |first=R. d |url=http://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.45579 |title=History Of Orissa Vol. 1}}</ref>

Anantavarman ruled for a very long reign of 72 years according to his own inscription.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Banerji |first=R. d |url=http://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.45579 |title=History Of Orissa Vol. 1}}</ref> This makes him one of the longest ruling monarchs in the [[Middle Ages]]. He was succeeded by his son Kamarnava Deva from the queen Kasturikamodini.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Banerji |first=R. d |url=http://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.45579 |title=History Of Orissa Vol. 1}}</ref>

==Life and reign==
[[File:Temple-Jagannath.jpg|thumb|Present [[Jagannath temple]] in [[Puri]] built by Anantavarman Chodaganga.|263x263px]]
He was the son of [[Rajaraja devendravarman|Rajaraja Deva I]] alias Devendravarman and Kalinga Mahadevi Rajasundari and grandson of Trikalingadhipati Anantavarman Vajrahasta Deva V. Anantavarman's mother Rajasundari was the daughter of emperor [[Virarajendra Chola]] and granddaughter of Chola king [[Rajendra Chola I]]. However, historian S.N. Sen states that Anantavarman was the maternal grandson of [[Kulottunga I]].

The [[Jagannath Temple, Puri|Jagannath Temple]] at [[Puri]] was rebuilt in the 11th century<ref name="sen">{{Cite book |last=Sen |first=Sailendra |title=A Textbook of Medieval Indian History |publisher=Primus Books |year=2013 |isbn=978-9-38060-734-4 |pages=36–37}}</ref> atop its ruins by Anantavarman Chodaganga. He was known as the first Gajapati/Kunjaradhiparti as per Ronaki Stone inscription.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.asianart.com/articles/patachitra/index.html#4 |title=Bernard Cesarone: Pata-chitras of Orissa |first=Bernard |last=Cesarone |work=asianart.com |year=2012 |quote=This temple was built between approximately 1135-1150 by Codaganga |access-date=2 July 2012 |archive-date=23 September 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120923063936/http://www.asianart.com/articles/patachitra/index.html#4 |url-status=live }}</ref> Emperor Chodaganga was originally a [[Shaivite]] from [[Srimukhalingam]]. But he embraced [[Sri Vaishnavism]] under the influence of [[Ramanuja]] when the latter visited the Sri Jagannath Puri temple.<ref>{{cite book|title=Orissa Review, Volume 44|author=Orissa (India). Public Relations Dept, Orissa (India). Home Dept|publisher=Home Department, Government of Orissa, 1987|page=56}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|title=Traditional Paintings of Orissa|author=Dinanath Pathy|publisher=Working Artists Association of Orissa, 1990 - Painting, Indic - 93 pages|page=16}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|title=Studies in the cult of Jagannātha|author=Oḍiśa Saṃskr̥ti Parishada|publisher=Institute of Orissan Culture, 1991 - Religion - 256 pages|page=150}}</ref>
[[File:Outside wall design of Srikurmam Temple, Srikakulam district.jpg|thumb|In saka 1035 CE Anantavarman Chodaganga Deva converted the Kurmanathaswamy temple to a Vaishnava khetra from a Siva temple.]]
In his Sindurapura grant (1118 A.D) Anantavarma styles himself ''Paramavaishnava''. He re-established [[Kurmanathaswamy temple, Srikurmam]] after Ramanuja's visit to Kalinga.<ref>{{cite book|title=Kalādarśana: American Studies in the Art of India|author=Joanna Gottfried Williams|publisher=BRILL, 1981 - Art, Indic - 183 pages|page=39}}</ref> Despite being related to Anantavarman, [[Kulothunga Chola I]] did not stop from burning Anantavarman's empire. Tamil historians propose that it was probably because the king failed to pay his rent for two consecutive years. He was ousted by Kulothunga's general Karunakara Thondaiman and this victory is detailed in the [[Tamil language|Tamil]] classic ''Kalingattupparani''. However, this could be a far fetch from the actual truth considering that such poems often exaggerate the Kings they are praising and often overlook the defeats the Kings have faced. Monarchs from this region of the subcontinent regularly assumed the title Chodaganga Deva throughout the ancient and medieval periods to allude to their [[Chola]] and Eastern Ganga heritage.<ref name=":0" />

From various inscriptions it is known that King Anantavarman Chodaganga Deva established the present temple some time near the end of the eleventh century. A copper plate inscription made by King Rajaraja III found on the [[Tirumala Venkateswara Temple]] near the north entrance states that Jagannath temple was built by Gangesvara, i.e., Anantavarman Chodaganga Deva.<ref name=":1" />

Later, King [[Anangabhima Deva III|Ananga Bhima Deva II]] (1170–1198) did much to continue the work of Chodaganga Deva, building the walls around the temple and many of the other shrines on the temple grounds. He is thus often considered one of the builders of the temple. He also did much to establish the regulations around the service to the Deity.<ref name=":1" />

A scion of this dynasty made extensive donations to the [[Koneswaram temple]], [[Trincomalee]] on [[Puthandu]], 1223 CE in the name of King Chodaganga Deva. Shortly afterwards, the [[Konark temple]] was constructed in Odisha. A brother of the king titled Ulagaikonda Permadi is known to us from several inscriptions.<ref name=":1">{{cite book|title=Epigraphia Indica, Volume 30|author=Archaeological Survey of India, India. Dept. of Archaeology|publisher=Manager of Publications, 1987|page=92}}</ref>

== Administration ==
[[File:Royal court scene of Chodaganga at Garedi Panchana Temple.jpg|thumb|A depiction of Eastern Ganga Emperor Chodaganga Deva.. a Royal court scene at Buddhanath Temple, Garedi Panchana.]]
Anantavarman's Capital was Kataka. Puri had a great religious importance where the king built the magnificent Jagannath Temple, influenced by Ramanuja.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Mukherjee |first=P. |date=1949 |title=The Influence of Vaishnavism in Medieval Orissa |url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/44140555 |journal=Proceedings of the Indian History Congress |volume=12 |pages=291–295 |jstor=44140555 |issn=2249-1937}}</ref> The king's inscription sheds light on a well organized form of administration. Empire was divided into several mandalams or provinces and each mandala into several Vishayas or districts and each Vishaya into several gramas or villages. there are several nadus mentioned in the inscription and most of the villages or agraharas granted to Brahmins or temples or ministers or commanders are found in these nadus.

Rastrakuta Pramukhas or Janapada ministers are exempted from paying taxes, they advise the king in several matters.

Several officers both civil and military are mentioned in the inscriptions such as:

* Karanam
* Purohit
* Puravasi
* Talvari
* Dandanayaka
* Dandapasi
* Raja Guru
* Maha Pradain
* Mahasenapati
* Mahamandalika

The King's Revenue was derived from tributes, custom dues and crown lands. Royal expenditure was divided into four kinds:

* Administrative charges
* Religious benefactions
* Public works
* Household expenses

=== Coinage ===
[[File:Eastern Ganga fanam Chodaganga.png|thumb|Gold fanam of Anantavarman Chodaganga depicting a Bull (Reverse) and saka year]]
The Coinage under Chodaganga are of varied type and metals such as:

* Madas
* Ganda-Madas
* Malla-Madas
* Matsya-Madas
* Ganga-Madas
* Fanams
* Tankas (Gold, Silver, Copper)
* Chinuams<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Rao |first=R. Subba |date=1944 |title=Life and Times of Anantavarma Chodaganga of Kalingadesa, a. D. 1076-1147 |url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/45436561 |journal=Proceedings of the Indian History Congress |volume=7 |pages=228–230 |jstor=45436561 |issn=2249-1937}}</ref>

== Conquests ==
[[File:Royal Elephant Procession Scene of Chodaganga Deva.jpg|thumb|A Royal elephant procession depiction of Chodaganga Deva along with his consort possibly Gundi Chodi Debi at Buddhanath Temple, Garedi Panchana.]]
Anantavarman was a benevolent and absolute ruler who was served by several faithful generals, commanders and ministers who assisted him in his conquests, some of whom were ; Banapati, the Brahmin general who served his father in Vengi campaigns; and took Kimidi, Kosala, Oddadesa and was made a governor; Pinnayabhata a learned Brahmin; Sommula Rechana the foreign minister.

=== Conquest of Utkala ===
According to the Sindurapura grant issued in the saka year 1040 (1118 A.D), Anantavarman Chodaganga had sovereignty over entire of the whole Utkala. Madalapanji states that he defeated the last Kesari king Mahasivagupta and shifted the capital to Chaudwar Cuttack.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Smith |first=Walter |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=y0MQmNx8g2gC&pg=PA21 |title=The Mukteśvara Temple in Bhubaneswar |date=1994 |publisher=Motilal Banarsidass Publ. |isbn=978-81-208-0793-8 |language=en}}</ref><ref name=":2">{{Cite journal |last=Rao |first=R. Subba |date=1944 |title=Life and Times of Anantavarma Chodaganga of Kalingadesa, a. D. 1076-1147 |url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/45436561 |journal=Proceedings of the Indian History Congress |volume=7 |pages=228–230 |jstor=45436561 |issn=2249-1937}}</ref>

=== Conquest of Vengi ===
Vengi kingdom was being ruled by Kulotthunga Chola who was related to Anantavarman Chodaganga from his mother's side. After the death of Kulottunga in 1118 AD vengi came under the rule of Vikramchola, But Vikramchola left the Vengi viceroyalty to Velnati Cholas. As there was no strong ruler in Vengi, the kingdom suffered from internal strife and foreign invasions. It seems that Chodaganga saw this as an advantage and conquered the part of Vengi lying north to river Godavari. but was failed to conquer the whole of Vengi.<ref name=":2" />

=== Conquest of Bengal ===
Bengal was being ruled by the Pala dynasty, which ruled over Bengal from 8th century to 11th century. After the death of Rampala, Chodagangadeva attacked Bengal beyond Danda Bhukti.

According to the inscription by his successors, Anantavarman Chodagangadeva defeated the king of mandara. The accounts describe how Anantavavarman destroyed the fortified town of Aramya. The location of Aramya has been identified as modern-day [[Arambagh]], situated approximately eight miles from [[Gar Mandaran|Garh Mandaran]].<ref>{{Cite book |last=Banerji |first=R. d |url=http://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.45579 |title=History Of Orissa Vol. 1}}</ref>

== Extent of the Empire ==
Kalinga remained formidable under Anantavavarman. According to his own inscription and those of his successors it seems that Anantavarman's empire extended to river Godavari in the south, the city of midnapore in the north, the bay of Bengal in the east and the Eastern ghats in the west.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Rao |first=R. Subba |date=1944 |title=Life and Times of Anantavarma Chodaganga of Kalingadesa, a. D. 1076-1147 |url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/45436561 |journal=Proceedings of the Indian History Congress |volume=7 |pages=228–230 |jstor=45436561 |issn=2249-1937}}</ref>

== Family ==
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{{Tree chart|||Panchavan Mahadevi|y|Rajaraja I|y|Tribhuvana Mahadevi||Rajaraja I=[[Rajaraja I]]|Tribhuvana Mahadevi=[[Tribhuvana Mahadevi]]|Panchavan Mahadevi=Panchavan Mahadevi||||13=y|boxstyle_Rajaraja I=border-width:2px; border-color:#FF0000}}

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{{Tree chart|||||Araiyan Rajarajan||Rajendra I|y|Mukkokilan Adigal|||||17=|Araiyan Rajarajan=[[ Araiyan Rajarajan]]|Rajendra I=[[Rajendra Chola I|Rajendra I]]|Mukkokilan Adigal=Mukkokilan Adigal|boxstyle_Araiyan Rajarajan=border-width:2px; border-color:#FF0000|boxstyle_Rajendra I=border-width:2px; border-color:#FF0000}}

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{{Tree chart|Rajadhiraja I||Rajendra II||Virarajendra Chola|y|Arulmolinangai||Amangai Devi|||13=|14=|15=|16=|Amangai Devi=[[Amangai Devi]]|Rajadhiraja I=[[Rajadhiraja Chola|Rajadhiraja I]]|Rajendra II=[[Rajendra Chola II|Rajendra II]]|Virarajendra Chola=[[Virarajendra Chola]]|Arulmolinangai=Arulmolinangai|boxstyle_Virarajendra Chola=border-width:2px; border-color:#FF0000|boxstyle_Rajendra II=border-width:2px; border-color:#FF0000|boxstyle_Rajadhiraja I=border-width:2px; border-color:#FF0000|boxstyle_Amangai Devi=border-width:2px; border-color:#FF0000}}

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{{Tree chart|||||Rajaraja Devendravarman|y|Rajasundari||Athirajendra Chola||Madhurandhagi=Madhurandhagi|12=y|14=|15=|16=|17=|Athirajendra Chola=[[Athirajendra Chola]]|Rajaraja Devendravarman=Rajaraja Devendravarman|Rajasundari=Rajasundari|boxstyle_Rajasundari=border-width:2px; border-color:#FF0000|boxstyle_Athirajendra Chola=border-width:2px; border-color:#FF0000|boxstyle_Rajaraja Devendravarman=border-width:2px; border-color:#0000FF}}

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{{Tree chart|||||||Anantavarman Chodaganga||||||14=|15=Vira Chola|16=|17=Vikrama Chola|Vikrama Chola=[[Vikrama Chola]]|Anantavarman Chodaganga=Anantavarman Chodaganga|Vira Chola=Vira Chola|boxstyle_Vira Chola=border-width:2px; border-color:#FF0000|boxstyle_Vikrama Chola=border-width:2px; border-color:#FF0000|boxstyle_Anantavarman Chodaganga=border-width:2px; border-color:#0000FF|boxstyle_Rajaraja Chodaganga=border-width:2px; border-color:#0000FF}}

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== Art and Architecture ==
Anantavarman was a patron of arts. ''Bhasvati'', a work on astronomy, was composed in the ''Saka year'' 1021 (1099 A.D) by Satananda, Son of Sankara, an inhabitant of Puri. The tradition of keeping records in Madala Panji, the Odia chronicle is believed to be started with Anantavarman Chodagangadeva.
[[File:View of the Dol-Mandapa, Puri from outside the exterior wall.jpg|thumb|The main shrine, with a towered sanctuary and mandapa with a pyramidal roof, is attributed to Anantavarman Chodaganga of the Eastern Ganga dynasty (r.1077-1147).]]
He is credited with the construction of the Jagannath temple at puri. According to Mr. Manmohan Chakravarti the ''Vimana'' and the ''Mandapa'' and the ''Jagmohana'' were erected by Chodaganga towards the close of 11th Century.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Banerji |first=R. d |url=http://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.45579 |title=History Of Orissa Vol. 1}}</ref>

He was a great patron of architecture. According to a Sanskrit inscription excavated from the [[Koneswaram Temple]] , Chodaganga Deva made rich donations to the temple after visiting the temple on [[Puthandu|Tamil New Years Day]].<ref>{{Cite book |last=de Silva |first=K. M. |title=History of Ceylon |publisher=Ceylon University Press |year=1959–1973 |location=[[Colombo]] |pages=112 |oclc=952216 |quote=The inscription, found in the Hindu temple premises dates the landing of ''Chodaganga Deva'' at ''Gokaranna'' to Friday 14th April, 1223 A.D. (recorded as [[Saka]] Era Year 1145), and details donations this royal made to Konamamalai temple}}</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

== Sources ==
* {{cite book | first= K. A. Nilakanta| last=Sastri| author-link=K. A. Nilakanta Sastri | orig-year= 1935| year= 2000| title= The Cōlas| publisher= [[University of Madras]] | location= Madras| pages=322–323|ref=Sastri}}

[[Category:1150 deaths]]
[[Category:Eastern Ganga kings]]
[[Category:11th-century Indian monarchs]]
[[Category:12th-century Indian monarchs]]

Anantavarman Chodaganga - Revision history

RodEsters254334 at 14:48, 28 January 2026