Rayagada

Tehsil Rayagada, District Rayagada (Rayagada), Odisha, Bharat

Rayagada is a municipality in Rayagada district state of Orissa. It is the administrative headquarters of Rayagada district.History

In the third century B.C, during the reign of Ashoka the Great, it was under Kalinga empire(ancient Orissa). The hilly track between Bansadhara and Nagabali was famous for spices1. The Rastriks were defeated by Kharvela, the only Aryan Emperor of Kalinga (ancient Orissa), during the Chawpagada battle 2 .
During the rule of Gangavansi and Suryavanshi Kings in Orissa, it was under feudatory chief of Kalinga-Utkala empire Dadarnab Dev of Gudari Kataka 3 This region went to the Bahamanis when the last Hindu Gajapati emperor of Orissa, Mukund Dev was defeated at Gohera Tikiri in 1519. It came under the Nandapur Kingdom for 47 years. Biswambar Dev was defeated and killed by Hasin Khan of Mughal Chicacole Sarkar rulers of Orissa,was perhaps the third king installed at Rayagada.
The Sati Kunda Goddess Majhi Ghairani and the mudfort around it speaks much about its evidence. In subsequent years it was under Bobbili Tahasil of Vijayanagaram. During the English regime, Rayagada came under Jeypore administration and later was part of Koraput District. As part of the extension plan of districts in the Orissa state, On 2 October 1992 Rayagda District was carved out of the erstwhile Koraput district.