History
The founder of the state was Raja SriKaran Niladri Bhagirath Barman Patnaik. He was the minister of the Raja of Puri, who conferred on him the title of Raja and gave him Athgarh for his services, or according to another account, as a dowry on marrying the Raja's sister.
The Rajguru of Athgarh lived near Gada (Rani Mahal). Athgarh is alleged to have originally extended on the east as far as Parganas Cuttack and Dalijora, on the west up to Tigria princely state, on the north from Kapilas to Gobindpur, Baldiaband, Nadiali, Krishnaprasad and Pachimeshwar temple and on the south to Banki, Dompara, Matri and Patia. Kakhari and Tapankhand were annexed by the Mughals. Parajan and Bajrakot were given as religious endowments. Raja of Dhenkanal who married the daughter of Raja of Athgarh obtained possession of most of the villages of Majkuri Bisa. It's reported that there was a succession struggle in the ruling house of Athgarh after the death of Raja Bhagirathi Patnaik in the year 1893 between his uterine brother Raghunath Samanta and his illegitimate son Srinath Gambit Samanta. Rajas of Athgarh maintained a military force around 341 soldiers or Paikas (state militia) and a police force of around 50 men, these Paikas were granted rent free lands in exchange for their services. The independence movement also witnessed a widespread agitation of the public against the Raja of Athgarh as Raja Radhanath Patnaik is said to have spent 10 percent of the total income of the state in purchasing motor cars and aeroplanes. Raja Radhanath had also stopped the sale of goods from his state to other states which harmed the economy of Athgarh, such events finally led to Praja Mandal movement in Athgarh. During the British Raj, Athgarh was one of the Feudatory States of Orissa and acceded to India following the independence of India when the last ruler Raja Radhanath Bebarta Patnaik signed the accession to the Indian Union on 1 January 1948.
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