The Antiquities of Orissa v2.c17.s1.178.3

v2.c17.s1.178.3

Gold and jewels to the value of a million and a half measures of gold were set apart for the work, being estimated at half a million sterling in the money of our time. Fourteen years the artificers laboured and the temple was finished in A. D. 1198'. These details have been taken from the *Temple Annals* which had for some time before the date of Anaṅgabhīma [110] commenced to be daily recorded and for the period may be accepted as authentic ; and the account, therefore, is much more reliable than that of the historian of Puri who brought no other qualification for the task than a knowledge of routine figures acquired by his connection with the office of the Puri Collectorate of which he was the head clerk. Neither Mr. Stirling nor Dr. Hunter has, however, noted a fact of considerable importance mentioned in the *Temple Records* ; it is that the father of Anaṅgabhīma was the first to turn his attention to the Puri temple. Gaṇeśvara Deva, having been guilty of incest, was assassinated by his wife and followed in the sovereignty of Orissa by his son Kāmadeva Deva, who had the nick-name of Ekajaṭā on account of a lock of matted hair which he had on his head. He pulled down the old temple at Puri and commenced to build a new one. His reign, however, was limited to five years and he did not live long enough to finish the work he had taken in hand. His eldest son Madana Mahādeva had a reign of only four years.