A study on the history and culture of Khallikote zamindary estate of south Odisha

Abstract

The main concern of the work is to present the history and culture of newlineKhallikote Zamindary estate of South Odisha in a critical, compact newlineand comprehensive manner. The period taken up for study begins newlinewith the medieval Ganga rule and ends with the abolition of the newlineZamindary system as per the Odia Zamindary Abolition Act of 1952. newlineThe study encompasses itself the origin of the estate, achievement of newlinethe Rajas, system of administration, the village culture, temple newlinearchitecture, role of the rajas in the anti-colonial resistance newlinemovement and Odia irredanta movement and spread of education and newlinedevelopment of communication not only in Khallikote region but also newlinein Ganjam. This Zamindary estate was one of the oldest Zamindary estates of newlineOdisha. It was bounded by the British regulated districts of Puri in newlinethe North, Estate of Kodala and Athagada in the South, Bay of Bengal newlinein the East, Ganjam and Chatrapur in the West. It covered an area of newline238.24 sq. miles and contained a population of 41,311 (according to newline1881 Census). The Estate was divided into three Muthas namely newlinePankal Mutha, Chatra Mutha and Baranga Mutha or Sub-division and newlinecontained 309 ryoti villages and 38 inam villages. From the records of newlineKhallikote palace library, geneaological table of Khallikote House and newlinethe British letters and corresponds, it is revealed that the estate was newlinefounded by one Bhuyan Sardar namely Rama Bhuyan when Gajapati newlinePurusottam Deva rulled over Odisha. Scholar like A.Vadivelu commented that Marua Harigopal Rana, a descendent of Rajput family newlineof Marwar was the founder Khallikote royal dynasty. But, according newlineto Pandit Baikoli Mahapatra the kingdom Khallikote was founded by newlineGandu Rana and Kirtan Rana two brother of Rajput family of Marwar newlineof Rajsthan. newline