entities and merged with eastern part of South Kosal or Kosal. But this was also for a short period as in succeeding phase it assumed a distinct name Trikalinga. By 9th – 10th century A.D. the region including Western Odisha, Kalahandi, Koraput and Bastar was known as Trikalinga. The Somavamsi king Mahabhavagupta I Janmejaya (925 A.D. 960 A.D.) assumed the titleTrikalingadhipati. Trikalinga was short lived and Chindakangas carved out a new kingdom called Chakrakota Mandala or Bramarakota Mandala,which later one expanded to whole Kalahandi and Koraput. Nagas started ruling Kalahandi since 1006 AD. History of Naga dynasty of Kalahandi is the only dynasty in Odisha having a record of thousand years (1050 - 1948 AD). During 12th century AD Chkrakota Mandal was incorporated with the Ganga realm of Kalinga, and renamed "Kamala Mandala", thus Kalahandi region became part of Kalinga as a feudatory of the Eastern Gangasunder Nagas rules and continued till 14th century. After 14th century Nagas owed allegiance from Eastern Gangas to the Suryavamsi Gajapatis. This territory assumed independence after the downfall of the Gajapatis of Odisha in 1568 AD. According to tradition the Kalahandi kingdom commanded sovereign power over eighteen garhs. It was occupied by the Bhonslas of Nagpur in the middle of the 18th century AD but still it was a Gadajat under Nagas rule. In 1853 AD the Nagpur state lapsed to the British Crown as Raghujee III died without an heir. Then Kalahandi became a princely state under British and known as Karonda Mandal. Maharaja Pratap Keshari Deo, the Ex-Maharaja of Kalahandi, in one of his articles expressed his view that the historical significance of naming Kalahandi as Karunda Mandala is based on the availability of Corundum in this region. Manikeswari (the goddess of Manikya), the clan deity of the Naga kings of Kalahandi may have also necessitated the adoption of the name. After Indian independence, Kalahandi joined with the Union of India on January
