Exploration in Odisha History and Culture

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This collection of essays entitled Exploration in Odisha History and Culture covers selected aspects of early, medieval, post-medieval, colonial and post-colonial modern Odisha with the interpretation of many new documents. It includes new interpretation of the inscriptional material connected with the famous Kalinga War of Ashoka Maurya, studies on Sakta cult in Odisha, reinterpretation of several Somavamshi copper plate grants for a proper chronological account of the Somavamshi family ruling in Odisha, studies on Maritime trade and commercial activites, new aspects of Konarka temple, new interpretation of Padmini and Kalapahad tradition, new aspects of the social resurgence in Odisha, studies on nationalist phase in Odisha with emphasis on new documents so far neglected, contributions of the illustrious historians like Kedarnath Mahapatra, Nabin Kumar Sahu and Krishna Chandra Panigrahi and many other aspects which are now necessary for a comprehensive account of the past of Odisha.

Kailash Chandra Dash (1954) is former Reader in History, Government Colleges under the Government of Odisha Education Service, He passed MA in History in First Class from Utkal University, Bhubaneswar, Odisha and got doctorate from Utkal University in 1987 for his studies on the Ganga King Chodaganga and His Times. He had published papers on Odisha History and Culture in Journal of Asiatic society (Kolkata), Studies in History (JNU), Indian Historical Review (ICHR), Journal of Social Change (New Delhi), East and West (Rome) and in many other national and international journals. His published books in English Legend, History and Culture of India, Calcutta, 1997, Sacred Centre Bhubaneswar Revisited (2023, New Delhi), Chodaganga, the Illustrious Ganga King of Odisha and His Times (2024, Agamkala, New Delhi), Odias in Resurgence (2023, Abhijeet, New Delhi). His books in Odia include Anchalika Janasruti O Itihasa (Regional Tradition and History), 2000, Bhubaneswar, Odisha Bahare Odia Jagruti (Odia Resurgence outside Odisha), 2003, Bhubaneswar, Sanskaraka Bairagi Mishra, 2006, Bhubaneswar, Abismaraniya Biswanath Kar, 2023, Cuttack, Odishare Swadhinata Sangramara Keteka Prasanga, 2023, Cuttack and Odisha Itihasara Abismaraniya Patra O Prasanga, 2024, Cuttack He has more than three hundred articles in Odia published in different magazines like Jhankara. And others He has several Honours and prizes like Emakra Sammana, Prajatantra Prachar Samity Jhankar Prize, Bagmi Viswanath Kar Sammana and Fakir mohan Prabandha Sammana.

Odisha has a brilliant record of her past and it is covered with literary, epigraphical and other archaeological materials which are also supplemented by traditional narratives. With the beginning of vernacular resurgence in the medieval phase Odisha history was given a new form. The colonial historians of 19th century starting from A.Stirling, Bhabani Bandyopadhay, W.W. Hunter, Rajendralal Mitra, Siba Chandra Som, Pyari Mohan Acharya, Man Mohan Chakraverty and Sitanath Ray had taken considerable interest in the compilation of the history of Odisha from different perspectives. In the first five decades of the 20th century Odisha history was written with more nationaliste passion and interest and in this venture historians like Jagabandhu Singh, Kripasindhu Mishra, Man mohan Ganguli, R.D. Banerji, Tarini Charan Rath, Brajabandhu Das, Gopabandhu Vidyabhushan. Paramananda Acharya, Kedarnath Mahapatra, Krishna Chandra Panigrahi, Sushil Chandra De, Prabhat Mukherji,Chintamani Acharya, Harekrishna Mahatab, Ghanashyam Das, Dinesh Chandra Sircar, Satyanarayan Rajaguru, Nabin Kumar Sahu, Jagya Kumar Sahu, Karuna Sagar Behera, Ramesh Prasad Mahapatra, Bijay Kumar Ratha, Snigdha Tripathy and many others had great contributions.