Mukunda Deva
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(Bhoi dynasty)
(Bhoi dynasty)
| Mukunda Deva Harichandana | |
|---|---|
| Gajapati Maharaja Mukunda Deva | |
| Reign | 1559 A.D - 1568 A.D |
| Coronation | Cuttack |
| Predecessor | Raghuram Raya Chotaraya (Bhoi dynasty) |
| Successor | Ramachandra Deva I (Bhoi dynasty) |
| Died | Gohiratikiri, near Jajpur (present day Bhadrak district) |
| House | Eastern Chalukya |
| Religion | Hinduism |
Mukunda Deva or Mukunda Harichandana (1559-1568 A.D) was the founder of "Chalukya dynasty" in ancient Orissa (now Odisha).[1][2][3] He traced his descent from the Eastern Chalukyas of Vengi. He was the sole monarch of his dynasty and the last independent ruler of Odisha before it lost its unitary realm and independence in 1568 CE.[4] He came to the throne at Kataka in 1559 after killing Raghuram Raya Chotaraya, the last Bhoi ruler. During his reign he tried to revive the power of Orissa.[5][6][7] As per the Bhimeswara temple inscription of Mukunda Deva his father’s name was Saravaraju while his grandfather is mentioned as Singaraju.[8]
The Bahubalendra Chalukya dynasty, to which Mukunda Deva Bahubalendra belonged, traces its ancestry to the Eastern Chalukyas of Rajahmundry, a powerful dynasty that ruled parts of South India between the 7th and 12th centuries. The dynasty’s spiritual and dynastic lineage is linked to divine origins—stemming from the sage Atri and Pururavas, leading to the Pandavas of the Mahabharata, particularly Arjuna, and continuing through his son Abhimanyu and descendant Vishnuvardhana, the progenitor of the Eastern Chalukyas. From this illustrious line, Vijayaditya, son of Kulottunga I and Chandambika Devi, founded the independent Chalukya kingdom of Elamanchili around 1175 CE. Over time, his descendants, known as the Chalukyas of Elamanchili, ruled parts of modern-day Andhra and Odisha, particularly in the Vizagapatam and Godavari districts. Despite recognizing the suzerainty of the Eastern Gangas, they remained mostly independent and were known for military resilience and cultural patronage. As time passed, a northern branch of the Elamanchili Chalukyas migrated and established themselves in Machamara village (now in Odisha), giving rise to the Bahubalendra Chalukyas of Machamara. Their royal insignia—a wild boar holding a sword, flanked by the sun and half-moon—symbolized their divine protection, strength, and enduring sovereignty.
Activities
He set up two streets from Lion's gateway to the Gundicha Temple and laid a smooth road by covering up the pits and holes on the way. He erected a cradle arch (Dola Mandap) on the outer part of the southern walls for the Lords to swing on the Dola Festival during the last five days of falguna. Bada Jagamohan (the great front hall) of the shrine.[9]
Mukunda Deva built a chain of forts at Raibania (in the present Balasore district) of Odisha. The fort was stormed by Kalapahad in 1558 A.D.[10]