Early History of Orissa

SR No.: 006922
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Amarchand Mittal
Publisher: Jain Cultural Research Society
Publication Year: 1957
Total Pages: 506
Language: English
Classification: Book_English
File Size: 9 MB

Page 117

92
AN EARLY HISTORY OF ORISSA
the Utkalas are mentioned along with the Mālavas, the Kārushas, the Mekalas, the Daśārņas, the Bhojas and the Kishkindhakas. In the next verse, the Tosalas and the Košalas are mentioned along with the Traipuras, the Tumuras, the Tumbaras and the Nishādas.
The Matsya clearly mentions the Odras with the Utkalas, while the text in the Vāyu Purāņa corrupts this word into Uttamarņa. This grouping of the countries proves that the compilers of the Purāṇas did not place them haphazardly according to the needs of the metre but according to the position of the country. Thus both the Purāṇas clearly state that the Kalingas, like the Mushikas and the Vanavāsikas, were inhabitants of the Dakshiņāpatha or the Southern India. The Utkalas or the Odras are placed in south-central India along with the Mālavas, the Mekalas, the Daśārņas and the Bhojas. The mention of the Tosalas and the Kośalas along with the people of Tripuri and Vidiśā shows that Tosala or (central Orissa) and Kośala (or Chhattisgadha) were situated in north-central India. In this way, the verdict of the two Purāṇas shows that of the three different divisions of Orissa, the people of Kalinga were regarded as inhabitants of southern India. But the people of Odra or northern Orissa and Utkala or the hilly tracts were regarded as people inhabiting the Vindhya ranges (Vindhyavāsinah) along with the Bhojas of Berar and the Mekalas of southern Madhya Pradeśa. The people of Tosala (or central 1. Original :
"Mälavāscha karūsbāscha mekalāschotkalaiḥ saha Uttamarņā daśārņāscha bhojäh kisbkindhakaiḥ saha"
(Matsya, 113, 52; Vāyu, 45, 132) 2. Original :
Tosalāh kosalāścbaiva traipurā vaidikastatha • Tumarăstumburāścbaiva shatasură nisbadhaiḥ saha"
(Matsya, 113, 53 ; Vāyu, 45, 133).