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 44

POLITICAL DIVISIONS OF THE COUNTRY
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part of Singbhum, and southern Bankura. This appears to have been the boundary during the Epic period. Pliny, mentioning a certain people as Oretes, identified as the people of Orissa, places them near a mountain Mallus. In another passage, he locates this mountain amongst the Monedes and Suari ; while in a third passage, he places mountain Mallus among the Malli. Cunningham has pointed out that as the last people were to the north of the Calingæ and as the Monedes and Suari were to the south of Polibothri, we should look for the Oretes somewhere about the river Mahanadi and its tributaries. B. C. Majumdar also holds the same view and writes—"The hilly country lying between Kalinga and Dakshiņa Kośala was the Odra land.” He further makes it more clear—"The high lands of Orissa extending from the southern limit of Keonjhar and Mayurbhanj to the left bank of river Mahānadi constituted the land of Orissa." R. D. Banerji calls the Odras as people of northern Orissa.?
Coming to the Puranic age, the Matsya Purāņa clearly mentions the Odras with the Utkalas and regards them as people inhabiting the Vindhya range (Vindhya-vāsinaḥ). Here the position assigned to the Oịras does not appear to be of former significance and might point towards their decreasing power about this time.
But the tribal name Odra again gains importance in the 1. Mahtab, H.O., p. 2. 2. Cunningham, A.G.I., Ed : S. N. Majumdar, 1924, pp. 511.12. 3. Ibid. pp. 511-12. . 4. Ibid. 6. Orisga in the Making, p. 16. 6. Ibid. p. 17. 7. H.O. Vol. I, p. 64. 8. Qtd. Banerji, H.O. I, p. 53.