Daspalla State


Daspalla State was one of the princely states of India during the period of the British Raj. Its capital was Kunjabangarh, located in present-day Nayagarh district, Odisha.
History-
Available records in writings and books reveal that at first there was no such place known as Daspalla. Rather it was a part of Baudh State ruled by the Bhanj dynasty of Rajput kings. During the rule of Bira Bhanj there was a rift in between Bira Bhanj and his cousin, Sal Bhanj. The dissident Sal Banj left Baudh and went to meet the Gajapati King of Puri through the ages old Jagannath Sadak. While resting with his followers at Padmatola Forest, the king of Nayagarh got the news and made alliance with Sal Bhanj and declared him the king of that area. Getting the news, Bir Bhanj of Baudh got angry and sent troops to capture Sal Bhanj. But the troops of Baudh got defeated at the hands of Sal Bhanj and Nayagarh soldiers. As Sal Bhanj got "Yasha" he named his kingdom as "Yashpalla" or "Daspalla". Other historians tell that king Sal Bhanj had only "das" "Pallies" so "Daspalli" got renamed as Daspalla. This incident took place in 1495. King Sal Bhanj ruled for 3 years only and then his son Naran Bhanj ascended the throne. The headquarters of Daspalla changed from Badmul to Gania, Gania to Madhyakhand, Madhyakhand to Puruna Daspalla. The ninth king of Daspalla Padmanav Bhanj, during hunting, saw a wonderful thing that a wild dove was hunting and defeating a Chhanchan. So, he thought the place a heroic one and decided to change his capital to that place. At that time there was a Kandha chieftain named Kunj Malik. King Padmanav Bhanj defeated Kunj Malik and started his capital here but after the name of Kunja Malik the capital got named as Kunjabanagarh Guri Charan Deo Bhanj was crowned ruler in 1803. He was succeeded by a line of titular Rajas. Reference-.