History

 PREDECESSORS AND SHORT HISTORY: The past glory of Manjusha, which had a very important place in the Kalinga era, is evident even today, through oriya books and documents available with libraries and individuals. Also known as Mandasa, it is a very old princely house, the first Raja of Manjusha being, Raja Vaman Singh Deo, a Rajput from the North, who established the Kingdom in 1206 A.D. It is said that he gave up his kingdom to his uncle in the North of India and came to the Mahendra Hills for penance and established the kingdom of Manjusha thereafter. Legend has it that while doing penance, he had a vision that his Kingdom would be established at a place where a sign from him would be found. At that moment a gold ring slipped from his finger and fell into the river. It was found downstream at a certain place and the Kingdom of Manjusha was established there. The river still flows and its name is very apt, ” Suna Muddi” [Golden Ring]. The head of the family continues to bear the the hereditary title of Raja. Manjusha was initially in Ganjam District of Madras Presidency then it became part of Vizag Distirct of Madras Presidency, when Orissa was formed in 1936 and is now in Srikakulam District of Andhra Pradesh. It can be approached from the NH-5 between Sompeta and Palasa. While there is a Railway Station, Mandasa Road, for important trains the Railway Station is Palasa about 11 km away . It is a place of scenic beauty with the Mahendra Giri Hills of the Eastern Ghats in the West and the Bay of Bengal in the East. The Manjusha (Mandasa Zamindari) is surrounded by the Bay of Bengal in the east, Tarla and Parlakhimidi Zamindaris in the South, the Mahendra Giri Hills in the West and Jalantara and Budharsingi Zamindaris in the North. Two rivers , namely the Sunnamuddi and the Mahendra Tanaya flow from the Mahendra Giri mountains and fall into the Bay of Bengal. Manjusha is a place of religious and mythological importance. It is said that the Pandavas, in the course of their wanderings stayed for sometime in the Mahendra Giri Hills. There are Temples dedicated to the Pandavas as well as a Shiv Temple Mahendragiri is foremost of the seven Kulagiris or principal mountains of India. It finds mention even in the epics. Mahendra Giri  is also supposed to be the abode of the ancient Sage Parsurama.The Mahabharata mentions that Parsurama, the sixth incarnation of Lord Vishnu made penance here for long twelve years. The Ramayana also refers to the Mahendra mountains indifferent contexts. According to the Ramayana Lord Hanuman leapt from this mountain for Lanka, in search of Devi Sita. The reference to Mahendra mountain in the ancient literature accounts and epigraphy is wide-ranging and vivid. The Brahmanda Purana describes the Mahendra mountains as sacred for its association with Indra and Hari as a place for Sraddha. The Viraja Kshetra Mahatmya gives a traditional account of Orissa in connection with the killing of the demon Gayasura by Vishnu. The legs of Gayasura fell at Mahendra Giri.  The Agni Purana, the Markandaya Purana and the Skanda Purana also refer to the geography of the Mahendra mountains.  The great historian Ptolemy in his description of the sea route to Eastern India refers to the Mahendra mountain. His mention of Barua (now Baruva, about 10 km from Manjusha) as a flourishing trade centre proves ancient Kalinga’s trade relations with Burma and the Mahendra region, as an important commercial centre was known to travellers and traders of foreign lands, Pliny, the Geography also refers to Mahendra Giri in his account of India. Epigraphic reports like the Nasik Cave inscription, Allahabad Pillar inscription and literary works like Raghu-Vansa of Kalidasa and Oriya Mahabharata of Sarala Das and Harsa Charita of Banabhatta give vivid accounts  of the Mahendragiri. The Eastern Gangas installed the temple of Lord Gokenswara  on the Mahendra mountain and the area was given the status of a Visaya which brought the place into prominence.  Before Manjusha was established, the area around Mahendragiri was ruled by the Sailidbhavas, Bhaumakaras, the Cholas and the Imperial Gangas.  There are three temples on top of the mountain. These temple as are named after the Pandava brothers and their mother Kunti. Sarala Das the author of Oriya Mahabharat attributes the establishment of the Gokuneswar Shivalinga to the Pandava brothers. The archaeological remains, ancient literary texts and epigraphic evidences of the place offer an interesting study for scholars to explore hitherto unknown facts about this place which was an important area under different dynasties.  On the day of Shivaratri, a big festival is held which attracts thousands of pilgrims to the Hill top. The Raja Saheb of Manjusha is the Hereditary Trustee of these Temples. ‘Lord Vasudev’ is the presiding deity of Manjusha, while ‘ Ma Khillamonda’ is worshipped as the presiding Devi. Manjusha is also noted for the Manjusha Library, which is more than 115 years old, and was earlier the personal Library of the Raja Jaganath Rajamni Raj Deo I of Manjusha. Nowadays, it is managed by a Trust, and is perhaps the oldest Oriya Library in the world.

  {Note: Although PREDECESSORS AND SHORT HISTORY of Manjusha was there in the link given by me, I am giving below a little more, so that you can replace the same. This contains the importance of Mahendra Giri, which you will not find in my original link. Regards, B.K. Singh Deo}

Greatermandasa.com greatly appreciates Sri B. K. Singh Deo for providing us with the above invaluable information.