Afghanisation and De-Afghanisation of Orissa.
While neighbouring Bengal was under Íslamic rule for centuries, it would be surprise for some people that Orissa till mid 16th century had not a single muslím living in its territory. It was soon to be changed.
While neighbouring Bengal was under Íslamic rule for centuries, it would be surprise for some people that Orissa till mid 16th century had not a single muslím living in its territory. It was soon to be changed.
Bengal was then ruled by an Afghans. The afghans of Bengal were not in friendly relations with Mughal emperor Akbar. In Orissa, the remnants of what was once mighty Gajapati empire was on its last leg due to internal problems.
The Ruler of Orissa already accepted nominal Mughal suzerainty and gave asylum to some Afghan rebel of Bengal but since they were friendly with Akbar, Afghans couldnt do anything about it. The Afghan ruler Sulaiman got an opportunity when Akbar was busy with siege of Chittor.
The Afghan army of Bengal swiftly penetrated into Orissa, with the help of some traitors, they completely crushed the hindu ruler of Orissa. From its new base of Jajpur in north Orissa, Sulaiman sent his general named Kalapahar to Puri. Kalapahar marched directly
for Jagannath Puri and so sudden was the surprise that people could offer little resistance. Being outside Íslamic influence that took over the whole country for last few centuries, people of Puri when warned that, Múslims are coming, they responded what is Múslim.
And who can have power of harming the God Jagannath. But surprise was complete and Afghans dismantled the temple of Jagannath and captured many Bràhman women who took refuge in the temple, they ordered to the image of Jagnnath to be dismantled as well.
Within just matter of this short time, the once wholly hindu kingdom came under the Afghans' sway. And soon the Afghan population in Orissa shot up. With slow pressure of mughals on Bengal, many Afghans who came to Bengal since times of Khalji, migrated to Orissa.
During subsequent time mughal conquered Bengal from Afghans and the Afghans made their base in Orissa. New Subedar of Bihar was Raja Man Singh of Amer. He after stabilising his rule in Bihar marched directly for Orissa. Seeing the might of the army of Man Singh,
the Afghan king who was a boy at that time bowed to Man Singh and submitted to mughal sovereignty. He presented many gifts to Man Singh and ceded the territory of Puri in which Jagannath temple was situated. An uneasy peace was stored, and Man Singh returned to Bihar.
Treacherous Afghans with whom Man Singh was well aware when he crushed their brethren in Afghanistan, rebelled. The boy king on the advice of his minister attacked and captured the temple of Jagannath. Man Singh rose again and marched from Bihar in two divisions.
After initial skirmishes, the Afghans were utterly defeated near Suvarnrekha river and remnants of their army fled deep into Orissa. Man Singh marched in pursuit of Afghans and slowly captured whole of Orissa till Puri. Every Afghan worth the name was rooted out of his hiding
place. Even those Afghans who surrendered were not let live in Orissa and transported to Bengal. In a short period Orissa which was main base of Afghans, was made totally free from Afghans. Deity was installed in the Jagannath temple and Raja of Khurda who earlier submitted
to Man singh and gave his daughter in marriage to the Kachhwaha Raja, was given the custody of Jagannath temple and since then to this day that dynasty is called Raja of Puri and considered head of the temple of Jagannath. After extérminating Afghans and freeing
the temple of Jagannath from their clutches, Man Singh washed his sword in the sea at Puri.
Even as late as mid 18th century, Raja Man singh was known as champion of Hinduism in Bengal where he became Subadar after Bihar.
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