History of Orissa from the Earliest Times to the British Period v1.c19.48.2

v1.c19.48.2

The phrase *Aṇḍaja-vaṃśa-prabhava* to be found in the charters of Śatrubhañja I and Raṇabhañja I is omitted in those of Neṭribhañja II, Vidyādharabhañja and Neṭribhañja III. The same legend is given in a more elaborate form in the inscriptions of the second group. The Bamanghāti plates of the second group of kings mention that the Gaṇadaṇḍa Virabhadra was born in Koṭṭāśrama from the egg of a pea-hen and was nursed by the renowned sage Vasiṣṭha. In his family was born Koṭṭabhañja and his son was Digbhañja II. From him was born Raṇabhañja II, who was a constant resident of Khijjiṅga-koṭṭa. This is the first time that Khijjiṅga is mentioned in Bhañja history. The charter is dated in the year 288 of some unknown era and records the grant of four villages named Timaṇḍira, Nankolaḍā, Jamvupadraka and Pāsanna in the district of Uttarakhaṇḍa, which included the districts of Koraṇḍiyā and Devakuṇḍa, to a son of the Mahāsamanta Maṇḍi.¹ The Koṭṭa or fort of Khijjiṅga is certainly modern Khiching, about ninety miles from Bāripada, the present capital of the State. Jambupadraka has been identified with Jamda, eight miles west of Bamanghāti, Timaṇḍira, with Tendra, south-west of Bamanghāti, Koraṇḍiyā with Korinjiya, five miles from Khiching and Devakuṇḍa still exists under the same name about seventy-five miles west of Bāripada and eight miles of Bamanghāti in the Mayurbhañja State.