Early Historical Tel Valley, Orissa (From C.600 B.C. to C.600 A.D.)

,b>About the Book Attempt is made in the book to unravel the early historical aspects of the Tel valley, Orissa, which has been regarded as tera - in - cognition the domain of research. The valley was part of Atavi and Kantara alias Mahavana and Mahakantara in ancient period. The book focuses on ancient toponmy and topography, state formation, urbanism, script and language, religion, society and art etc of the concerned valley. On the basis of original sources such as, archaeology, literatures, epigraphs, numismatics and folk lore etc, the author has treated each topic with empirical insight. It is hoped that the book because of its multi disciplinary nature will be useful to students and researchers.

About the Author Baba Mishra [b. 1959] is Reader in History at Govt. Autonomous College, Bhawanipatna, Orissa. He is the author of 'Medieval Orissa and Cult of Jagannatha' [1995] and 'Early Orissa: Urbanization in Tel Valley [2011]. He has compiled the volume 'Settlement and Urbanization in ancient Orissa' [ 2009] and 'Facets of Orissa History, Culture and Archaeology' [2010]. He has presented his research findings in several national and international seminars/conferences and symposia etc. His hundreds of original articles on history, culture, archaeology and art are published in leading journals of India and foreign countries. He has completed research projects of U.G.C [major] and L.C.H.R, New Delhi. He has been editing Klahanie Renaissance [A multi-disciplinary Research Journal] of Govt. Autonomous College, Bhawanipatna, Odisha.

Preface The Tel river Valley is terra-incognita in the domain of research, which has further accelerated the scope of its backwardness in the present time. Hence, raises the question-was the landmass underdeveloped in the past? This and other such issues vexed curiosity and prompted the present research on the early history of the Tel Valley, which is financially supported by ICHR, New Delhi.

The present project is a sub-regional study. It is a fact that small cultural bits of different sub-regions of the sub-continent had built the spectrum of Indian culture in the past. In this context, the attempt to understand the early history of the Tel river Valley of south-west Orissa carrics significance. It is an inter disciplinary study to find out the hidden past of the concerned landmass at least from circa. 600 BC up to circa 600 A.D. The arguments put forth in the investigation are mainly based on primary sources.

The research is divided into seven chapters. Introduction deals on the problem, physical setting of the Tel Valley and the sources, viz. archaeology, numismatics, epigraphs, and literatures. It is followed by the chapter, the identification of ancient toponymy and topography of the Valley after converging the literary and archaeological data together. Chapter-III discusses the political history. Emphasis is being made to study the dynamism of state formations, early ruling dynasties and justification of the Kingdom [Mahakantāra) as State on the basis of the Saptanga theory, which may be called Indian Historical Model. Chapter-IV highlights the urbanization process keeping in view of the pan-Indian level and the said chapter deals on the urban boom of at least ten archaeological sites situated in the upper, middle and lower Valley of the Tel. The evolution of script and language during historical time is a milestone in human civilization. Attempt is made to identify the graffiti/sign and motif of stone-metal age which are traded on the potsherds and cave arts of the Valley with alphabet. The early script and language understood in the landmass were bilingual script such as Kharosthi-Brahmi and Prakrit which prevailed during the 1st and 2nd centuries A.D. Sanskrit language with box-headed and angular script is traced during the 5th-6th centuries A.D. While the Chapter VI primarily concerns about prevailing religion, brahmanization, social condition, impact of brahmanization on the society and art convention of the region, Chapter VII draws the conclusion of the research.

Thus, I must record my thanks to the Indian Council of Historical Research, New Delhi, for financial grant to carry on this research project. To the staff members of Bhubaneswar State Museum, Bhubaneswar, N.K. Sahu Museum, Sambalpur Jniversity and Manikyapuri Museum, Bhawanipatna, I register my thanks for their co-operation while analyzing the preserved artifacts.

Introduction Early historic people of the Tel Valley did not accelerated the growth of agriculture throughout write down history for posterity, but had created history which percolates in their discarded materials. Endowed with natural resources, the Valley area was the cradle of civilization and culture'. From food gathering to food producing, leading to state formation and urbanization in between 400 BC to 600 A.D. are the evolutionary characteristics of the civilization and culture of the Tel Valley. These chronological phases were landmark in Indian archaeology and history. From archaeological point of view, the epochs stand for the prize ceramics, [such as northern black polished ware, knobbed ware, black polish ware and roulette ware] urban setting, hydraulic technology, profusion of terracotta art, coined money and long distance trade as well as script and language.

In political, economic and cultural spheres, imperial powers like the Maurya, Kushana and Gupta played remarkable role during the third Century BC to fourth Century A.D. Under the aegis of these dynasties, political unity and cultural integrity of India was achieved. Communication system was improved. Kingdoms were connected by highways and roads. A uniform standard of weight and measurement prevailed in the sub- continent. This facilitated brisk trade and commerce through which ideas were transmitted from one part of the country to another. State formation and urbanization were in full swing throughout India at that time. Moreover, congenial eco-system.

the sub-continent during the periods from at least 500 BC to 500 AD. Expansion of agriculture by converting fallow land into agricultural patch, migration and settlement of people at the source of agriculture, and development of canal irrigation etc. resulted in surplus yield that brought into existence ranked society and other social complexity. Control over water through canal irrigation ushered a period of hydraulic despotism in polity. In ideological sphere, the role of Parivrajakas and Sramanas to spread the gospel of "Buddha, Mahavira and Vedic culture in the hinterlands and far off regions of India as well as foreign countries was in vouge. Art and architecture, language and literature thrived and became the vehicle of expression of the philosophy. idea and ethics etc that shaped the personality of human being in the then India, resulting thereby spurt of creativity in every field. Absence of foreign invasion and internal stability during the heyday of the Mauryas and the Gupta rule further facilitated all round development of India. The Kushanas although alien to Indians, ultimately were assimilated with Indian society and culture. The great Kushana king Kanishka, espoused the cause of Indian Culture. In the domain of science and technology remarkable escalation took place and India carved a distinctive nitch in the intellectual edifice of the world.

All these optimistic conditions shaped the foundation of Indian civilization and culture during the periods ranging from the 6th Century BC to them 6th Century AD.

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