History

 
 
The district has a pre historic habitations. How ever the pre-historic facts are shrowed in oblivion.But the Nasik Rock inscription shows that , during 2nd C.AD, Dhenkanal was a part of the Sattabahana empire. In the 3rd & 4th C.AD, it was a part of the Gupta empire.In the 6th &7th C.AD the region remained under the sway of the Bhauma Karas. The Sulki dynasty ruled over some part of Dhenkanal in 8th& 9th C.AD.

The somavansis ruled over the part of this region .After them the Ganga vansis occupied the area and drove away the Stamvas from the western part of the district.

When the Suryavansis emerged in the political field of Orissa,by that time Dhenkanal was scattered in many a small kingdoms.The ancient capital Karamul had 7 kosas only in radius.

By 16th AD , a tribal chief namely ‘Dhenka’ was ruling over Ghumuranali,Dudianali &Kantanali.He was a shabara and was ferocious.However ,Sridhar Bhanja of Besalia defeated and killed him in the battle.His kingdom was annexed.He named the kingdom “Dhenkanal” after the shabara chief ‘Dhenka’ .Subsequently , Hari Singh Vidyadhar who was a commander of Gajapati Pratprudra deva defeated the Bhanja kings and occupied Dhenkanal and Karamul ,its capital in 1529 AD.Subsequently, the capital was shifted from Karamul to Dhenkapidha and the kingdom was named Dhenkanal.Geneologically the following kings ruled over Dhenkanal.

·        Hari Singh Vidyadhar – 1530-1594AD

·        Loknath Ray Singh Bharamarbar- 1594-1615 AD

·        Balabhadra Ray Singh – 1615-1641AD

·        Nilakantha Ray Singh- 1641-1682AD

·        Nrusingha Bhramarbar- 1682-1708AD

·        KunjaBehari Bhramarbar – 1708-1728AD

·        BrajaBehari Bhramarbar- 1728-1741AD

·        Damoodar Bhramarbar-1741-1743AD

·        Trilochan Singh-1743-1785AD

·        Dayanidhi Mohindra Bahadur - 1785-1796AD

·        Ramachandra Mohindra    Bahadur  - 1796- 1807 AD

·        Krushna Chandra Mohindra Bahadur-1807-1822AD

·        Shyamchandra Mohindra Bahadur – 1822-1830AD

·        Bhagiratha Mohindra Bahadur – 1830- 1873AD

·        Pitambar Deo-1873- 1877AD

·        Dinabandhu Mohindra Bahadur-1877-1885AD

·        Surya PratapMohindra Bahadur(Minor)- 1885-1905AD

·        Surya Pratap Mohindra Bahadur- 1905-1918AD

·        Shankar Pratap Mohidra Bahadur-1918-1947AD

                 These 18 kings ruled over Dhenkanal & brought about so many administrative,political,socio-economic and cultural evolutions of the district.In 1947 when the Country gained freedom,the princely State of Dhenkanal merged in the Indian Union.