The Antiquities of Orissa v2.c18.124

v2.c18.124

Cuttack. The word Kaṭaka in Sanskrit has, among other meanings, that of an army and of a metropolis. The former of these was communicated to the Jesuit missionary, Pere Tieffenthaler, a wag embellishing it by adding that the place of the name ( Anglicé Cuttack ) was so called from the circumstance of Rāma having encamped his army there on his journey to Ceylon, This is, however, not acknowledged by the Uriyas. They accept the latter meaning, and say there are seven Kaṭakas in Orissa. The 1st is Yājapur, where Yayāti Keśarī first established his metropolis. The 2nd is Puri, to which he removed when he had established his authority in the centre of the province. The 3rd is Bhuvaneśvara, where he settled about the close of his reign. The 4th is Biḍānasī on the fork between the left bank of the Mahānadī and the Kāṭjurī, to which Nṛpa Keśarī removed the metropolis in 985-953 A. D. The 5th Sāraṅgaḍ, to which Mādhava Keśarī removed the capital between 971-989 A. D. The 6th is Chauduār on the left bank of the Mahānadī, where Anaṅgabhīma held his court ; and the 7th is Chaṭiā, where he put up for a time. Of these the last four are frequently and promiscuously called Kaṭaka. Three of them are now in ruins, and the 4th alone deserves a passing notice.