History of Orissa from the Earliest Times to the British Period v1.c24.39

v1.c24.39

With the accession of Rajaraja III a new era begins in Orissan history. During the last six or seven years of the reign of Anangabhima II the map of India had been completely changed by the fall of the great Rajput kingdoms of Northern India. Prithviraja II, the Chahamana king of Delhi and Ajmer, had fallen after the second battle of Tarain in 1192. The proud Jayachchandra had fallen on the field of Chandawar in 1194. The Musalmans had advanced as far as Chunar and Maner near Patna at the time of the death of Anaṅgabhīma II. The fall of the great Buddhist University at Nālandā was imminent. The conquest of Western Bengal, which was to open the road to Orissa to the Musalmans, was to follow next year. We find that the kings of the Eastern Gaṅga dynasty of Orissa were as unmindful of the impending catastrophe as the Chāhamānas, the Gāhaḍavālas, the Chandelas, the Pālas and the Senas. Concerted action against the foreign invader or against the iconoclast, who was menacing the sacred Hindu religion, did not seem to have entered into the conception of Hindu kings and statesmen of Northern India in the 12th century. The grandsons of Anaṅgabhīma II revived and met Musalman aggression with equal vehemence, but for the time being Rājarāja III was completely paralysed by the first Musalman raids into Northern Orissa on account of the supineness of his father and grandfather.