Odisha Review ISSN 0970-8669

K anchi was a small independent state in

faraway south India in Tamilnadu, from time
immemorial, ruled by Salwa Narasingha Dev.
Kalinga was extended up to border of Kanchi
under the rule of Gajapati King “Kapilendra Dev”.
Both the rulers were in cordial terms with each
other. After the death of Gajapati King Kapilendra
Dev his youngest son Purusottam Dev ascended
the throne and became the ruler of Kalinga. He
was in good terms with king Salwa Narasingha
Dev from his father’s times, specially his beautiful
daughter Rupambika, the Princess of Kanchi was
his attration. Every year in divine month of

How came Kanchi Ganesh, Maa Tarini and

Gopal to Utkala Kingdom !!

Dr. Surendranath Pati

Ashadha the great chariot yatra of Lord Jagannath
is observed at Srikshetra Puri, where lakhs of
people from every nook and corner of India come
to have a holy Darshan of their Lord on the
chariot. One year the idea came to the mind of
King Purusottam Dev to invite King of Kanchi to
Kalinga to attend the great Rath Yatra, along with
his queen, princess and other dignitaries of his
court, which was accepted by the King, without
any hesitation. At the heart of Purusottam Dev, a
small flame was burning to attract the princess to
which she may be aware. The two hearts will come
closer during the brief stay at Srikshetra Puri. In
due course everything happened as expected. On
the great auspicious day, Lord Balabhadra, Maa
Subhadra and Lord Jagannath were brought to
their respective chariots for onward journey. One
ritual was to be performed by the Gajapati King
Purusottam Dev in front of the deities that while
sandal wood paste with water and scented flower
would be sprinkled around the deities on the
chariot, King with his royal uniform would swipe
the space by a golden cleaning stick. By doing
this service King Purusottam Dev, performed the
seva as a “Sweeper or Chandal”. In front of the
eyes of Kanchiraja, this seva was equal to the
service of a Chandal in his Kingdom. They did
not stay for long and in few days left for Kanchi.

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After some months, King Purusottam out of love
and affection for the Princess, sent the marriage
proposal to Kanchi King which was turned down
with defamatory words, such as “The so-callled
King of Utkal is not the son of the previous King,
he serves the Lord as a Chandal, I cannot give
the hands of my daughter to a Chandal King.”
On getting the information in exact vocabulary
Purusottam was infuriated. He could tolerate the
insult thrown up on him, but that was an insult to
his Lord Jagannath. As a result of which he sent
his army to Kanchi but due to his badluck and
unpreparedness, Utkal was defeated. King himself
came back with insult of Lord Jagannath. His heart
was bleeding inside, the Utkal army was being
prepared silently just to regain the prestige and
honour of the Lord. This time the King had the
Darshan in the temple at Srikshetra and prayed
to upkeep the honour of his Kingdom. The vast
army marched towards the Chilika lake and from
there to Kanchi.
This time Lord Jaganath and Lord
Balabhadra marched in the uniform of soldier.
They were thirsty, got curd from a woman named
“Manika” whose business was to feed the passers
by, unable to pay the price, both the Gods handed
over a Royal ring to her and requested her to
show the ring to the King of Utkal, coming behind
them. Every thing became clear to Purusottam
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Odisha Review
Dev and he could know that the guardian of his
Kingdom is going to fight for him at Kanchi War-
field. Needless to say that Utkal army won the
battle. Salwa Narasingha Dev was severly injured.
Princess Padmabati, Lord Gopal, Lord Ganesh
and Maa Tarini were brought to Utkal with utmost
respect and honour as war-winner’s property. The
Princess, Padmabati took shelter at the house of
the Rajguru at Puri, with the instruction that she
will be married to a Chandal or Sweeper of Utkal,
in due cause. But as per the wishes of Lord
Jagannath, she was married to the King, on the
Chariot, on the occasion of the Ratha Yatra, that
year. Lord Gopal was kept in the premises of
Srimandira, then at Barabati fort of Cuttack, next
at Khurdhagarh and now all see him at Sakhigopal
temple from Nineteenth Century. The Lord
Ganesh being worshipped in the Bedha of
Srimandira in a special temple, towards the
western side. The then Senapati, Gobinda
Bhanja, took the deity “Maa Tarini” to his
Kingdom of Keonjhar and costructed a temple
for her at Ghatagaon, 200 kms from Cuttack in
1480 AD, where the deity is being worshipped
on “Pratyaksha Devi” till today at Ghatagaon.
Dr. Surendranath Pati, Renuka Enclave, Badasankha,
Puri-2, M-9437494776.
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