History of Orissa from the Earliest Times to the British Period v1.c31.8

v1.c31.8

Govinda Vidyādhara was succeeded, according to the *Mādalā Pāñji*, by his son Chakra-Pratāpa or as he is known locally Chakā-Pratāpa. According to one version of the *Mādalā Pāñji*, this king ruled for eight years and according to another twelve years and a half. Mr. Chakravarti, with his usual historical acumen, has accepted the shorter period, making his reign end in 1557. The *Mādalā Pāñji* represents him as a bad king who oppressed the people. Nothing is known of the reign of this king and no record has been discovered of the period. He is not even known to us from any other source. At the close of his reign he was succeeded hy his son Narasimha Rāya Jenā, who was murdered by the general Mukunda Harichandana, a Telinga by birth, after a reign of one month and sixteen days. A civil war now ensued between Raghurāma Jenā, a younger son of Chakra Pratāpa and Mukunda Harichandana, who defeated and captured the prime ministers of the kings of the Bhoi dynasty, named Dānāi Vidyādhara and at the same time defeated and captured Raghu Bhañja Chhoṭa Rāya, who had once more invaded Orissa from the north with the help of the Musalmans of Bengal. Finally after one year seven months and fourteen days Mukunda Harichandana succeeded in capturing the king and ascended the throne after putting him to death. This long record of Hindu treachery and murders comes to a temporary halt in 1559-60 with the accession of Mukunda Harichandana. Inspite of his crimes he is remembered with affection in Orissa as the last Hindu king of the country who gave some respite to the people from continual warfare. But before he had succeeded in making himself secure on the throne of Orissa, the northern part of the country was captured by the Musalmans of Bengal. In 1560, which was the first or the second year of the reign of Mukunda Harichandana, Sulṭān Ghiyāṣuddīn Jalāl Shāh of the Sūr dynasty of Bengal had conquered northern Orissa as far as Jajpur and established a mint at that place.¹ Only one coin from this mint has been discovered, and none are to be found in any of the Indian museums.