PREDECESSORS AND SHORT HISTORY: The
origin of the state is obscure. Tradition states that the founder
of the family, Pratap Dev, came to Puri and quarrelled with the Raja,
who
put to death two of his seven brothers. The survivors fled to Bonai and
established themselves there. Pratap Dev next proceeded to Baudh and
thence
to Athmalik, of which he took possession after killing the Dom Chief.
He established a village
named
Pratappur and declared himself as the Raja of the area. He subsequently
divided the territory into 8 divisions, each under a
Chieftain, called Malik, as a measure to suppress the unruly tribes.
Hence, the
Kingdom changed its name from Hondapa to Athamalik which means the
land
of 8 chieftains. In the course of time his successor shifted the
capital
from
Hondapa to Thakurgarh, Nuagaon and finally to Purunagarh
(Kaintaragarh). The palace records show that 42 Kings of this dynasty
have ruled the
estate in succession from the time of Pratap Deo. Laxmidhar Deo, who
ruled
from 1785 to 1802, threw off allegiance to Baudh and declared himself
as
an independent ruler in Athmalik. In
the treaty engagement of 1804, it is mentioned as a tributary of Baudh,
but was treated as a separate state in the sanad granted to the Raja in
1894. The Chief of Athmalik was
officially
known as Zamindar and was addressed as Samant. In 1874, the chief
of Athmalik was recognized as ruler, and he was granted the hereditary
title of Raja. Predecessor state founded in antiquity, the modern
Princely State came into being in 1874. Rulers
were...
- Raja JOGENDRA DEO SAMANT 1874/1877, married and had issue.
He died 4th February
1877.
- Maharaja MAHENDRA DEO SAMANT (qv)
- Maharaja MAHENDRA DEO SAMANT 1877/1902, born about 1848,
succeeded
4th February
1877 (#1) , he was
granted the title of Maharaja in
1890 as a personal distinction, in recognition of his good
administration of the state; he married and had issue.
- Raja BIBHUDENDRA DEO SAMANT (qv)
- Raja BIBHUDENDRA DEO SAMANT 1902/1918, established a
number of Primary Schools during his benevolent rule; he married 1stly,
a Princess of Patna, married 2ndly, a
Princess of Tarala, and
had issue, three surviving sons and three daughters. He died 1918.
- Yuvraj Baidyanath Chandra Deo (by first wife), died
unmarried in his youth.
- Raja KISHOR CHANDRA DEO SAMANT (by first wife) (qv)
- Rajkumari (name unknown) (by first wife) [Rani
Saheb of Kaptipada]
- Raja SURAJ MANI DEO SAMANT (by 2nd wife) (qv)
- Rajkumari (name unknown) (by 2nd wife) [Rani Saheb
of Parikud]
- Rani Satyavati Devi (by 2nd wife), married Raja NARAYAN
PRASAD DEO of Baudh.
- Kumar Saheb Rudra Mani Deo (+) (by 2nd
wife), married
and had issue, two sons.
- Raja KISHOR CHANDRA DEO SAMANT 1918/19xx , born 10rd
November
1904, succeeded 3rd November 1918, Investiture held on 24th December
1925, educated
at
Rajkumar
College, Raipur; M.L.A. (Orissa), after the death of the late Raja
Saheb, Col. Cobden Ramsay,
the Commissioner
and
Political Agent, took control of the royal properties, as the Heir was
a minor and he appointed a superintendent for management of royal
affairs
along with education and up-bringing of the young prince. The Raja was
responsible for the construction of Primary
Schools,
a Girls’ School, the temple of Maheswari, bridges on the road from
Kaintaragarh
to Boinda, improvements in the road from Kaintaragarh to Kiakata, a
road from
Kaintaragarh
to Durha, Kacheri road and many big tanks. He devoted himself to the
task of bringing all
round development to the state. He had brought about many
administrative and taxation reforms, the whole state being administered
in 4 praganas and two sub-divisions namely
Athamallik
sadar
and Kishorenagar; married 1stly, a Princess of Keonjhar, daughter of
Raja GOPINATH NARAYAN BHANJ Deo of Keonjhar,
married 2ndly, Rani Srimanta Manjari, daughter of Lal Saheb Harish
Chandra Bhanj Deo of Mayurbhanj, had adoptive issue, married 3rdly,
Rani Khirod Kumari
Devi, daughter of the Raja of Tekkali in Andhra Pradesh, had adoptive
issue, married 4thly,
Rani Umnani Devi, daughter of the Raja of Maheshpur Raj. He died sp.
- (A) Rani Manoj Manjari Devi, eldest
daughter of Raja KIRTI CHANDRA Deo Harishchandra
Jagadev
of Surangi, and his wife, Rani
Soubhagya Manjari Devi; adopted by Rani
Srimanta Manjari; educated at St. Joseph’s
Convent and Sailabala Women’s College, Cuttack and has a diploma in
Interior Decoration and a Post Graduate Degree in Psychological
Counselling. She is a Reiki Grandmaster (Reiki is a healing therapy
recognized by the W.H.O. as an alternate therapy). She is the Director
of SVADHYAYA FOUNDATION involved in Reiki teaching and practising. She
is also a Founder member of AOL Bhubaneswar Chapter. She is proud to
have represented AOL in World Faith Conference in 1999 as its youngest
delegate. She was associated with the Training Division of AMWAY
INTERNATIONAL, which was awarded for its express efforts at setting up
the Pick up Centre at Bhubaneswar. She is the Hereditary Trustee and
President of Nilgiri Debotar and is involved in many religious and
charitable services through it. She is a Trustee of VISAMO FOUNDATION
involved in educating brilliant children from BPL families. Besides
Social activities, her literary awards have been rewarded by Swami
Tejomayananda in Chinmay International Magzines. Some of her works have
been published in Asian Age, Sambad and Bhubaneswar Club Magazine of
which she was on the Editorial Board. She has addressed the Rotary Club
of Bhubaneswar on two occasions, once on Reiki and recently on Life
After Death; married Raja JAYANT CHANDRA MARDRAJ HARICHANDAN of Nilgiri,
and has issue, one son.
- Yuvraj Janmajay Mardaraj, born
around 1986.
- (A) Kumar Martanda Mandan Chandra Deb, son
of Rajkumar Pratap Chandra Deb of Talcher,
and his wife, Rajkumari Indira Devi,
daughter of Raja Govind Chandra Deb of Tekkali, Senior Branch, adopted
by Rani Khirod Kumari
Devi; presently working in Gurgaon, Haryana.
- Raja SURAJ MANI DEO SAMANT, married Rani Radha Manjari
Devi, daughter of the Raja of Sankhemundi (District Ganjam), and had
issue, two sons and two daughters.
- Raja PRADIP CHANDRA DEO SAMANT (qv)
- Pattayet Arun Chandra Deo, married Patayet Rani Anuma
Devi, daughter of a Lal Saheb of Bamra, and has issue, one son.
- Kumar Mahesh Chandra Deo, married in Garwha, Jharkhand
and has issue, one daughter.
- Rajkumari Manoj Manjari Devi, married in Kutumdola
(District Bolangir), and has issue, one son and one daughter.
- Rajkumari Shobha Manjari Devi, married in Lakhanpur, and
has
issue, three daughters.
- Raja Shri PRADIP CHANDRA DEO SAMANT (see above)
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