Athgarh State

Athgarh State
Princely State of British India
1178–1948
Atgarh State in the Imperial Gazetteer of India
Area 
• 1931
435.12 km2 (168.00 sq mi)
Population 
• 1931
42,351
History 
• Established
1178
1948
Succeeded by
India
Raja Radhanath Deb Burman Patnaik of Athgarh from Oriya Bhasha Kosh 1931
Athgarh New Palace
Portrait of Raja Srikaran Radhanath Beberta Patnaik from the 1937 book “His Imperial Majesty King George V and the Princes of India and the Indian Empire”.

Athgarh was one of the princely states of India during the period of the British Raj. The state was founded by Raja Srikaran Niladri Bebarta Patnaik in 1178 and had its capital in Athgarh (Athagad) town. It was made part of Cuttack district after its merger into the state of Odisha in 1948. The emblem of the state was Radha Krishna. The state encompassed 192 villages. Other accounts mention that Athgarh encompassed 211 villages. Athgarh holds a rich architectural legacy, notably the 90-foot-tall Attali Jagannath temple established by Raja Srikaran Viswanath Patnaik. Athgarh was also home to the Dhabaleswar Temple dedicated to Lord Shiva which was repaired, renovated and maintained by the erstwhile rulers of Athgarh State. Both of the temples are now part of the Cuttack district. The Raghunatha Temple dedicated to Lord Rama, and the Radha Madhava Temple, dedicated to Lord Krishna and Goddess Radha, were also built by the rulers of the ex-princely state of Athgarh.

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 Puri 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 of around 341 soldiers or Paikas (state militia) and a police force of around 50 men, as authorised by the British government/administration, the Paikas were restricted to guard and escort duties for the chiefs or for appearance in occasions, their numbers were greatly reduced, as per older traditions, Paikas of Athgarh were granted rent free lands in exchange for their services by the chiefs. 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. Raja Radhanath Patnaik had completed his education at Rajkumar College, Raipur, and ascended the throne (gaddi) of Athgarh at eight years of age as a minor after the death of his father Raja Viswanath Patnaik. Raja Radhanath Patnaik married the eldest daughter of the Raja of Hindol. 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.

Rulers

The rulers of Athagarh princely state:

Titular

  • Raja SriKaran Radhanath Bebarta Patnaik (1 January 1948 – 23 Aug 1983)
  • Raja SriKaran Sankar Prasad Bebarta Patnaik (23 Aug 1983 – 30 Jan 1990)
  • Raja SriKaran Subhrapada Bebarta Patnaik (30 Jan 1990 – present)

See also

References

  1. ↑ Memoranda on the Indian States. Manager of Publications. 1938.
  2. ↑ Orissa (India) (1966). Orissa District Gazetteers: Cuttack. Superintendent, Orissa Government Press.
  3. 1 2 3 4 Cobden-Ramsay, L. E. B. (2011). Feudatory States of Orissa: Bengal District Gazetteers. Concept Publishing Company. pp. 101, 109–113. ISBN 978-81-7268-216-3.
  4. 1 2 3 Chatterjee, R. P. (1937). His Imperial Majesty King George V and the Princes of India and the Indian Empire: Historical-biographical. Imperial Publishing Company. pp. 152–153.
  5. ↑ SETHY, ITISHREE (18 August 2025). "DHW Members Explore Attali Jagannath Temple in Athagarh". PRAGATIVADI.
  6. ↑ "ASI report Dhavaleswara Shiva Temple, Anantakuda, Macheswar, Dist:- Cuttack" (PDF). ignca.gov.in.
  7. ↑ "ASI report Radhamadhava Temple, Athgarh Town (Samanta Sahi), Dist. - Cuttack" (PDF). www.ignca.gov.in.
  8. ↑ "ASI report Raghunatha Temple, Athgarh Town (Gopabandhu Chowk), Dist. - Cuttack" (PDF). www.ignca.gov.in.
  9. ↑ "ATHGARH". 1 January 2017. Archived from the original on 1 January 2017. Retrieved 22 November 2021.
  10. ↑ Imperial Gazetteer of India, v. 6, p. 121.
  11. ↑ Pradhan, Sadasiba (1986). Agrarian and Political Movements: States of Orissa, 1931 to 1949. Inter-India Publications. ISBN 978-81-210-0038-3.
  12. ↑ Lethbridge, Sir Roper (1893). The Golden Book of India: A Genealogical and Biographical Dictionary of the Ruling Princes, Chiefs, Nobles, and Other Personages, Titled Or Decorated, of the Indian Empire. Macmillan.
  13. ↑ Nayak, Prasant Kumar (2003). History of Modern Political Movements. Akansha Publishing House. ISBN 978-81-87606-40-6.
  14. ↑ Pati, Satyabhama (1987). Democratic Movements in India. Discovery Publishing House. ISBN 978-0-8364-2204-7.
  15. ↑ Mishra, D. P. (1998). People's Revolt in Orissa: A Study of Talcher. Atlantic Publishers & Dist. ISBN 978-81-7156-739-3.
  16. ↑ Ghosh, Sunit (1978). Orissa in Turmoil: A Study in Political Developments. Sankha.
  17. ↑ Princely States of India A-J

20°32′N 85°37′E / 20.53°N 85.62°E / 20.53; 85.62