The Old Nuapada

It is not known when Kamalmandala became known as Kalahandi. The earliest reference to the name Kalahandi is found in the Dadhivaman temple inscription dated in Yugabda 4819, i.e., A.D. 1718. In British records this territory was called Karond. This territory assumed independence after the downfall of the Gajapatis of Orissa in 1568 A.D. According to tradition the Kalahandi kingdom commanded sovereign power over eighteen garhs before it was occupied by the Bhonslas of Nagpur in the middle of the 18th century A.D. In 1803 when the Marhattas were defeated by the British and the coastal regions of Orissa as well as the Patna-Sambalpur group of states came under the British, Kalahandi, very probably, continued under the Marhattas. The Patna-Sambalpur group was subsequently restored to Raghujee Bhonsla II in 1806. The Marhattas of Nagpur became subordinate to British power after the 3rd Anglo-Marhatta War in 1818.But Kalahandi continued to be under Marhatta rule till 1853, when the Nagpur state lapsed to the British Crown as Raghujee III died without an heir. The Chauhans were ruling over Khariar since about the time of Rama Deo, the first Chauhan king of Patna. In 1590 A.D. Gopal Ray, a scion of the Patna family became the king of Khariar and started a line of semi-independent kings in that territory. Khariar came under the Marhattas in 1741 A.D. and the British occupied it in 1818.In 1905 when the District of Sambalpur and some feudatory states including Kalahandi were amalgamated with Orissa Division of Bengal, the Government of the Central Provinces opposed merger of Khariar with Sambalpur and in 1906 Khariar became a part of the Mahasamund tahasil. When the separate province of Orissa was formed in 1936, Khariar was added to Orissa and was made a sub-division (Nuapada sub-division) of Sambalpur District. On the 1st January 1948, Kalahandi alongwith other feudatory states of Orissa except Mayurbhanj, merged with Orissa and on that date the new District of Kalahandi was formed with the ex-states of Kalahandi, Patna and Sonepur. On the 1st November 1949, Patna and Sonepur together constituted a separate District and the Nuapada sub-division of Sambalpur was added to the District of Kalahandi.