Gajapati: a king without a kingdom

The institution of Gajapati is intrinsic to the history of Odisha. The Gajapatis, even when they had complete authority, ruled the kingdom only as vassals of Lord Jagannath and have always considered themselves as servants (Adyasebak) to the Supreme Sovereign. It was this unique experiment in statecraft that helped them consolidate their power and gain the trust and support of the people. The Odishan kingdom had reached its pinnacle of glory under the reign of Kapilendra Deb (AD 1435-1467) where the area under the kingdom stretched from the river Ganges to the Cauvery River. But with Gajapatis having to concede land to multiple invaders since 1568, the Raja of Puri was reduced to a king without a kingdom. The book throws light on many historical facts and has lesser-known stories about the rule of Gajapatis, their eventual decline, and how their association with Lord Jagannath continues to thrive even to this day. Ashok Kumar Bal is an alumnus of the Delhi School of Economics and the Management Development Institute, Gurgaon. After a long career in the Indian Revenue Service, he moved to the private sector, and till recently he was the CEO of an Aditya Birla Group company. The institution of Gajapati has always fascinated him. What served as an inspiration for him to write this book was the Chherapanhara ritual during the annual Rath Yatra where the Gajapati sweeps the chariot with a broom.