The reign of the Somavamsis for two hundred years forms a glorious epoch in history of Odisha. For the first time Kalinga, Utkala, Kongoda and Kosala were unified and brought under one political authority. The uniform pattern of administration removed anarchy and confusion throughout the state and paved the way for a cultural synthesis leading to the emergence of a unique Odia culture. The Odishan temple architecture took a concrete shape during the Somavamsis and the kingdom witnessed peace and prosperity.
The early history of the Somavamsis
The Somavamsis, other wise known as Panduvamsis, ruled over Odisha from the middle of the ninth century A.D. to the early part of the twelfth century A.D. Initially, in the seventh and eighth centuries A.D., they ruled over a piece of territory, known as Dakhina Kosala or South Kosala (corresponding to the Raipur and Bilaspur districts of Madhya Pradesh and the Sambalpur and Kalahandi districts of Odisha). Sirpur, a place, situated in the Raipur district, was the capital of-the Somavamsis of south Kosala. Udayana was the founder of this dynasty. Tivaradeva, the fourth king of the line, was its most powerful ruler. He established his sway over the whole of Kosala. In the west he extended his territory as far as the Vindhyas. But in the east his efforts to bring Kangoda within his political sway failed. Tivaradeva ruled from 700 A.D. to 725 A.D. At the dawn of the ninth century A D., Sornavamsi kingdom was invaded by Govinda III, the Rastrakuta king. For sometime, the Somavamsis remained under the hegemony of the Rastrakutas. After the death of Govinda-III in 814 A.D the Somavamsis could emancipate themselves from the hegemony of the Rastrakutas. But, there after they were exposed to the threats of another power, the Kalachuris of Ratnapur. By the middle of the ninth century A.D. the Somavamsis were seeking eastward expansion most probably because of the Kalachuri menace. The last known king of Somavamsis of south Kosal was Balarjuna Sivagupta who died in 810 A.D. After him, there is a genealogical gap for more than half a century. With the emergence of Janmejaya I in the last quarter of the ninth century A.D. we get a regular genealogical line of the Sornavarnsis up to the beginning of the twelfth century A.D. The inscription of Janmejaya-I, the builder of the Somavamsi power in Odisha, mention Sivagupta as his predecessor. The Somavamsi rulers of Odisha were alternatively using two titles - Mahabhavagupta and Mahasivagupta. Besides these facts the same dynastic name strongly suggests that Janmejaya-I was the descendant of the Somavamsis of south Kosala.
Sources:
There is no such written record regarding the complete history of the Somavamsi rulers and their achievements. However, we get some information from the following inscriptions. The Banda Copper plates of Tivaradeva, Adhavara plates of Mahanannararaja Banda plates of Mahasivagupta; Patna, Kalibhana and other copper plates of Janrneiaya Cuttack, Nibinna and Patna plates of Yayati I; Kalanjar stone inscription, Arang stone inscription, Sirpur stone inscription and other inscriptions of the rulers of this dynasty ar the contemporary Bhanja, Bhauma-Kara, Gauda and other inscriptions throw a good dea of light on the achievements of the rulers of this dynasty.
Dynastic history and achievements of the rulers
Janmejaya I Mahabhavagupta
(C-882-922 A.D.)
Janmejaya I was the successor of Panduvamsi or Somavamsi dynasty. His copper plates describe his relation with Mahasivagupta, his only predecessor, who is supposed to be his father. Being driven away from Dakshina Kosala that comprised the undivided Sambalpur and Bolangir districts of western Odisha which he termed as Kosala whose capital was Suvarnapura (modern Sonepur), Janmejaya I, thus, became the first ruler of the Somavamsi dynasty of Kosala. After consolidating his empire, Janmejaya I wanted to cross sword with the Bhanjas of Khinjali Mandala who were the feudatory of the Bhauma-Karas of Tosali. The Bhanja king Ranabhanjadeva became the victim of Janmejaya who inflicted a crushing defeat on the former and annexed the Baud-Phulbani area to his kindgom. This paved the way for the conquest of Utkala.
In addition, Janmejaya I wanted to extend his sway over Utkala. He was instrumental in placing Tribhuvana Mahadevi II alias Prithvi Mahadevi, the widow queen of Subhakaradeva IV on the throne of the Bhaumas. Though he had defeated the King of Odra, but he made peace with him perhaps, due to the fact that he had to deal with the Kalachuris of Dahala. However, his endeavour to extend his authority upto Utkala was certainly commendable. Janmejaya I also subdued the Kalachuris. In the record of his son and successor Yayati I, Subhatunga (Janmejaya I) is said to have defeated the Chaidyas (Kalachuris). Janmejaya I was a powerful ruler of the Somavamsi dynasty. He assumed high sounding titles like 'Paramesvara', 'Paramabhattaraka', 'Trikalingadhipati' etc.
Mahasivagupta Yayati I
(C-922-955 A.D.)
Yayati I ascended the throne after Janmejaya I. He not only firmly consolidated his empire but also followed a policy of expansion. Soon after his accession, he shifted his capital from Suvarnapura to Vinitapura, which has been identified with Binka situated on the bank of river Mahanadi. Fifteen years after, he shifted the capital again to Yayatinagara near Baud. However, Biswarup Das identifies Yayatinagara with Jajpur which was also known as Yayatitirtha. Yayati I had a rift with the Kalachuris. His two copper plate grants state that he captured 32 elephants and rescued the captured women who were forcibly being taken away from Kosala by Yuvaraja, the Kalachuri king of Dahala. The charters narrate that Yayati I not only rescued the women and elephants of Kosala but also killed the protector and burnt a part of the Kalachuri country.
The great achievement of Yayati I was his annexation of the Bhauma kingdom into his own kingdom. In his ninth regnal year, he granted a village Chandragrama in Dakshina Tosali in favour of a Brahmin named Sankhapani of Odra desa recorded in his Cuttack plate charter. From this it is evident that he had extended his sway upto Tosali. It was Yayati I who was instrumental in subjugating the Bhanjas. From his copper plate grant of the fifteenth regnal year it is known that he offered a village named Gandharadi as gift in the Gandhatapati mandala. Yayati I was a brave warrior who held his sway over the Bhauma kingdom of Tosali.
Bhimaratha Mahasivagupta I
(C-955-980 A.D.)
After Yayati I, his son Bhimaratha ascended Somavamsi throne. Bilhari stone inscription of the Kalachuri king states that Lakshmanaraja defeated the Lord of Kosala. This shows that by that time Odra had become a part of the Kosala kingdom. The defeat of the king of Kosala and the taking away of the effigy of Kaliya (the serpent) from Odra by Lakshmanaraja clearly shows that Odra was under the sway of Kosala. In the Khandapara plates of Dharmaratha, he has been praised as "religious, courageous, valorous who assumed the status of Devaraja (Indra)." Definitely, his rule contributed in the consolidation of the Somavamsi Empire.
Dharmaratha
(C-980-1005 A.D.)
Dharmaratha who succeeded Bhimaratha was definitely a powerful ruler. His grant of a village in the Antaruda Visaya (undivided Puri district) clearly shows that he was the master over the Bhauma Kingdom by then. In the Brahmesvara temple inscription, he has been described as the 'Second Parasurama'. Perhaps, he subdued the Pala power in Gauda and fought valiantly with the Eastern Chalukyas of the South.
Nahusa (C-1005-1021 A.D.) and Indraratha (C-1021-1023 A.D.)
As Dharmaratha died issueless, his brother, Nahusa succeeded him. His period was uneventful. Perhaps, he was killed by Indraratha, another brother of Dharmaratha. Indraratha had been appointed as the governor of Kalinga. Indraratha was regarded as a usurper and so, his name does not figure in the Somavamsi charters. He was defeated at the hands of Rajendra Chola and was probably killed.
Chandihara Yayati II
(C-1023-1040 A.D.)
The death of Indraratha by Rajendra Chola at Yayatinagara created anarchy and confusion. At that critical juncture, the ministers declared Chandihara Yayati II, the son of Abhimanyu as the king of Kosala. With his accession, Yayati II paid his attention to the kingdom of Utkala which fell vacant due to the death of Dharma Mahadevi, the last ruler of the Bhauma-Karas. Yayati II immediately occupied it. Thus, Utkala was totally subjugated and amalgamated with the kingdom of Kosala.
Chandihara Yayati II was a mighty ruler. In his records, he has been credited to have conquered Karnata, Lata, Gujrat, Dravida country, Kanchi, Gauda, Radha, Trikalinga and assumed the title 'Maharajadhiraja'. Yayati II was a patron of Brahmanism. Tradition credits him of inviting 10,000 Brahmins from Kanyakubja (Kanauj) to perform Dasasvamedha sacrifice at Jajpur. This was a great landmark in the cultural heritage of Odisha. Yayati II is also credited with the construction of the Lingaraj temple at Bhubaneswar which was completed during his successor Udyotakesari. His family deity was Panchamvari Bhadramvika (Durga). Under his patronage, Brahmanism flourished in Odisha.
Udyotakesari Mahabhavagupta
(C-1040-1065 A.D)
Udyotakesari was a worthy son of an illustrious father. He settled score with Karna, the Kalachuri ruler. Similarly, the enemity that existed between Gauda and Kosala ended with the defeat of Vigrahapala II of the Pala dynasty. He divided his kingdom into two parts: Kosala portion left under Abhimanyu and he himself ruled over Utkala. He also completed the construction of the Lingaraj temple at Bhubaneswar.
The Decline: Janmejaya II, Puranjaya, and Karnadeva (C-1065-1110 A.D.)
With the accession of Janmejaya II, the disintegration of the Somavamsi dynasty started. Somesvaradeva (Chandika Naga ruler) and his general Yasorajadeva (Telugu Choda) occupied Eastern Kosala. Western Kosala passed into the hands of the Kalachuris. Janmejaya II also faced invasion from the Ganga king Raja Raja II. Puranjaya I succeeded him and resisted invasions from Gauda, Dahala, Kalinga and Vanga. Karnadeva was the last known ruler. During his period, Chodagangadeva attacked Utkala. At last, the Somavamsi Kingdom fell a prey to the Gangas.
Administration of the Somavamsis
The political unification of Odisha under the Somavamsis brought an efficient administration. Their charters were issued from Vinitapura, Murasima, Suvarnapura and Yayatinagara (Jajpur).
Position of the King
The king occupied the highest position. No doubt, kingship was hereditary but ministers had a voice in selection (e.g., Yayati II). They were not despots but liberals who patronised Brahmanism, performed Vedic sacrifices (Asvamedha), and built Saiva temples.
Ministers and officials
Important ministers were Mantritilaka (Chief Minister), Mahasandhivigrahika (Minister of war and peace), and Mahakshapatalika (Minister of charters). The Mahasenapati (Commander-in-chief) looked after the army. The kingdom was divided into mandalas (provinces), further divided into bhuktis, bhoga, khanda and grama (smallest unit).
Cultural & Religious Significance
The Somavamsis accepted the Varnashrama dharma and gave the highest status to the Brahmanas. This period promoted the Brahminisation of Odisha and assimilated north Indian Sanskritic culture. Women enjoyed respectable status initially; Queen Kolavatidevi (mother of Udyota Keshari) constructed the Brahmeswar temple. However, the Devadasi practice (Mahari) and prostitution also appeared. Karnadeva married a dancing girl, named Karpurasri.
Religious Life
The rulers were devoted Saivites. Saiva gurus like Sadasivacharya and Acharya Gagana Siva enjoyed patronage. Janmejaya I helped build the Someswar temple at Ranipur-Jharial. They also showed religious toleration toward Jainism, Vaishnavism and Saktism. Udyota Keshari carved the Navamuni and Varabhuja caves at Khandagiri for Jaina ascetics.
Art, Architecture & Learning
The Odishan temple architecture reached its height of perfection during this period. Four magnificent temples in Bhubaneswar include Lingaraj, Brahmeswar, Mukteswar and Rajarani. These are masterpieces of architecture and sculpture.
Promotion of Learning
Proficiency in Vedas, Vedanga, Smritis, and Arthasastra was common. Learned Brahmanas like Sadharana (minister of Janmejaya I) and Purushottam Bhatta flourished. This period saw the formation of the Odia language, as inscriptions used words like Khamba, Punya and Machha.
Conclusion
The Somavamsi rule ushered a new era. They gave geographical unity to Odisha and their cultural activities remain uneffaceable. Though their political power faded under the Gangas, their legacy in architecture and Odia identity remains a permanent part of history.
