Govinda Vidyadhara

Govinda Vidyadhara^[1] was the founder of Bhoi Dynasty^[2][3] in Eastern India.

Govinda Vidyadhara
Gajapati Suvarnakeshari Vira Govinda Deva
Gajapati Emperor
Reign	1541 CE –1548 CE
Coronation	1541 CE
Predecessor	Kakharua Deva
Successor	Chakrapratapa
House	Bhoi
Religion	Hinduism

Early life

He belonged to writer caste and came from a community of accountants or Bhoi.^{[4][5][6][7][8]} According to Historian KC. Panigrahi Bhoi rulers belonged to Karana caste.^[9] Historian Hermann Kulke while quoting KC. Panigrahi mentions the lineage of Govinda Vidyadhara's ancestors and their ancestral occupation, according to him Govinda Vidyadhara's ancestors were Karanas who were employed as writers in Gajapati Empire and had received land grants in Rajahmundry in Gajapati administration. Govinda Vidyadhara's younger son was also the founder of Peddapuram Zamindari of Andhra Pradesh.^[10] Kulke also mentions that there was an attempt made by later poets to connect the Bhoi rulers with other dynasties despite them being of writer caste lineage.^[11] Other historians like Ashirbadi Lal Srivastava and Francesco Brighenti have also affirmed that Bhoi rulers were of Karan (writer caste) descent.^[12][13] Govinda Vidyadhara had usurped the Gajapati throne by killing 16 sons or heirs of Prataparudra Deva through treachery and after ascending the throne he took the regnal title of "Suvarnakeshari" as per Madala Panji, his rule was short-lived that for seven years only followed by his son Chakrapratapa.^[14][15] Govinda Vidyadhara founded the Vira-Govindapur Sasana for Brahmins and his son Chakrapratapa was the founder of RaiChakrapur Sasana for Brahmins.^[16]

Not recognised as Gajapati

After ascending the throne Govinda Vidyadhara was not recognised as Gajapati by the feudatory Gadajat states of Odisha as the rightful ruler as evident from his own "Jagamohana" inscription of Jagannath Temple, Puri in which he warned the feudatory states to stay loyal to him or else they will incur the wrath of Lord Jagannath for the sin of killing a Brahmana.^[17]

Conflict with Golconda Sultanate

Immediately after ascending the throne Govinda Vidyadhara came into conflict with the Sultan of Golconda Sultanate who had invaded southern Odisha, Govinda Vidyadhara had to spent eight months in fighting the Sultan in southern Odisha meanwhile Raghu Bhanja Chhottaraya a nephew of Prataparudra Deva started a rebellion in North Odisha with the help of an individual named Abdul Shah and managed to capture Cuttack, Govinda Vidyadhara rushed back to his capital after hearing the news of rebellion and defeated Raghu Bhanja driving him out of Cuttack, Raghu Bhanja wanted to get revenge for the murder of the sons of Gajapati by capturing Cuttack.^[18]

See also

• Ramachandra Deva I^[19]
• Bisara Mohanty

References

1. Society, Bihar Research (1927). The Journal of the Bihar Research Society.
2. Krishna Chandra Panigrahi (1981). History of Orissa: Hindu Period. Kitab Mahal.
3. Mohapatra, Gopinath (1982). Jagannātha in History & Religious Traditions of Orissa. Punthi Pustak. p. 109.
4. Subodh Kapoor (2002). The Indian Encyclopaedia: Gautami Ganga -Himmat Bahadur. Cosmo Publications. pp. 2687–. ISBN 978-81-7755-266-9.
5. Reddy (1 November 2005). General Studies History 4 Upsc. Tata McGraw-Hill Education. pp. 2–. ISBN 978-0-07-060447-6.
6. Indian History. Tata McGraw-Hill Education. pp. 2–. ISBN 978-1-259-06323-7.
7. Mukherjee, Prabhat (1953). The History of the Gajapati Kings of Orissa and Their Successors. General Trading Company. p. 108.
8. Mohapatra, Gopinath (1982). Jagannātha in History & Religious Traditions of Orissa. Punthi Pustak. p. 87.
9. PANIGRAHI, KRISHNA CHANDRA (5 January 2023). History of Orissa: (HINDU PERIOD). Notion Press. ISBN 978-1-68586-798-0.
10. Kulke, Hermann; Schnepel, Burkhard (2001). Jagannath Revisited: Studying Society, Religion, and the State in Orissa. Manohar. ISBN 978-81-7304-386-4.
11. Kulke, Hermann; Sahu, Bhairabi Prasad (13 January 2022). The Routledge Handbook of the State in Premodern India. Taylor & Francis. ISBN 978-1-000-48514-1.
12. Brighenti, Francesco (2001). Śakti Cult in Orissa. D.K. Printworld. ISBN 978-81-246-0179-2.
13. Srivastava, Ashirbadi Lal (1959). The Sultanate of Delhi: Including the Arab Invasion of Sindh, Hindu Rule in Afghanistan and Causes of the Defeat of the Hindus in Early Medieval Age (711 - 1526 A.D.). Shiva Lal Agarwala.
14. Subrahmanyam, R. (1957). The Sūryavaṁśi Gajapatis of Orissa. Andhra University. p. 129.
15. Verma, Balraj (2006). The Beautiful India - Orissa. Reference Press. p. 62. ISBN 978-81-8405-005-9.
16. The Journal of Orissan History. Orissa History Congress. 1987.
17. PANIGRAHI, KRISHNA CHANDRA (5 January 2023). History of Orissa: (HINDU PERIOD). Notion Press. ISBN 978-1-68586-798-0.
18. PANIGRAHI, KRISHNA CHANDRA (5 January 2023). History of Orissa: (HINDU PERIOD). Notion Press. ISBN 978-1-68586-798-0.
19. PANIGRAHI, KRISHNA CHANDRA (5 January 2023). History of Orissa: (HINDU PERIOD). Notion Press. ISBN 978-1-68586-798-0.