INTRODUCTION
Ancient Period
Since ancient time a huge land area has been mentioned Kosal. It spreads from the foothill of Himalaya to North Godavari in the South, and up to the west boarder of Utkal in the east and upto Benganga (Benu) or Vidarva in the west; has been found mentioned from different sources. In Valmiki’s Ramayana; the ancient epic of India; also two Kosal has been mentioned. One is Uttar (North)Kosal and the other is Dakshin (South) Kosal. Though in ancient and medieval India’s Puran and literature are providing many facts and information about king of South Kosal, Kingship, geography, culture and language etc and even it has original dignity and independent status, our historian and researchers could not have given error free accounts on its original culture and language. The main reason is unbiased study on folk culture and language of Dakshin Kosal. The Kosal region was spread up to such a vast area that further it was divided into seven parts for better administration. The name of the seven parts has been described from stanza 129 to 132 of Bayupurana as below:
- Mekal Kosal
- Kranti Kosal
- Chedi Kosal
- Dakshin Kosal
- Kashi Kosal
- Purba Kosal
- Kalinga Kosal
But Kosal was mainly known as North Kosal and South Kosal. That’s why Valmiki Ramayana also describes about two Kosal; Uttar Kosal and Dakshin Kosal. Uttar Kosal was spread in the geographical boundaries of Sarayu River where as Dakshin Kosal was spread encompassing the huge land lock of Vindhya Hill Range. The King of Uttar Kosal was known as Uttar Kosaleswar and Dakshin Kosal as Dakshin Kosaleswar. But sometime Dakshin Kosal has been mentioned as Kosal. The derivation of name Kousalya; the princes of this state and chief-queen of King Dashrath and mother of lord Ramachandra; according to Deshanusari Sutra (name given after the land) also implies it. After marrying to Kousalya, the princes of Kosal, the state of Dashrath and Kosal (Dakshin Kosal) was merged.
In the later period, due to political instability, the state was broken and went into the hands of different kings. Uttar Kosal was known as “Awadh”, Mekal Kosal was acquired by Baghel Rajput and named as Baghelkhandi, southern part of Dakshin Kosal was known as Chattisgarh and eastern part remained as Kosal. And other parts of original Kosal merged with different states. Due to many historical reasons different parts of Kosal were known by different names but this part of the Kosal is still known as Kosal. Along with Kosali Prakrit the original Kosali culture and beat of feelings is found here.
Modern Period
Due to historical blunders, though the region is broken into pieces and scattered but in the present time according to the culture and language perspective, the western part of Odisha comprising ten districts Balangir, Bargarh, Boudh, Deogarh, Jharsuguda, Kalahandi, Nuapada, Sambalpur, Sonepur, Sundargarh, and Athmallik subdivision. In addition, a large population of Chattisgarh state encompassing Bhatri region of Bastar district, and from eastern part of Debhog, Phuljhar, Raigarh, Sarangarh to Jashipur consist it. And the language of this huge region is Kosali in actual.
Taking notes from ancient literature, it can be state that this Kosal exist before 7th Century BC. The great grammarian Panini has written rules on Kalinga and Kosal. According to linguistics this reference of Kosal meant Dakshin Kosal. In 3rd Century BC symbol of Kosal state has been found in Brahmi script. The cultural tradition of Kosal spread circling up to 2000 miles rooted and covered with so many years of historical elements. Evidences have been found South Kosal has appeased the world with donating religion, culture, diamond etc. When Buddhism was in its depleting period, a few new concept of religion was born and this land of Kosal was the birth place of those new religions. Kosal is known as the land of Vajrajan, Sahajjan, Kalachakrajan, Tantrajan, and Sambartantra etc and also the grazing land for Shivaism, Shakta cult, Vhairab worshiping, Nath cult, Mahima cult, and Vaishnabaism.
The great Chinese pilgrim Huentsang has mentioned in his travelogue that people of Madhya Desh used to sell diamond in Kalinga. The mentioned Madhya Desh is present Sambalpur situated in the bank of river Mahanadi. He has also mentioned that a port named Kosal was there in the east seashore. Possibly the port with the help of Kosali boat of Kosal state used to do business of diamond, clothes, etc. and that port was named as Kosal port.
Maharanya-Mahakantara, Mayaguha and Maghababana (Indrabana) etc associated with the ancient history of Kosal are also associated with the ancient history of Kalahandi. The jewel full land of Kosal is today’s Kalahandi and Karunda and Mahakantara. Land of Tantra, land of Indrabana, were parts of this land. Mayaguha is today’s Maraguda. The Somabansi rulers used to Known as Sakal Kosaladhipati and Chouhan kings also used to known as Kosaleswar. This is strongly supported by Kosalananda Mahakavya by Pt Gangadhar Mishra and Jaya Chandrika authored by Prahllad Dubey of Saranggarh. Prahllad Dubey was the court poet of Jait Sai of Sambalpur. Jaya Chandrika is a historical poetry. In that poem he has written about the situation of Sambalpur and Kosal state. A few lines from the descriptions:
“Kosal mukhya Sambalpur deshaa
yahaan basata Chouhan nareshaa
base nagra pur nadi simahi
jaha upuje mani kanchana hiraa
sastra sasatra purak purabasi
bidya mein manu chahare kasha”
Historian BC Mazumdar has also mentioned this area as Kosal in his book “Chauhan Rulers of Sonepur” (pg3)
“Balarjuna’s successors made the Sambalpur tract their Kingdom and always designated this tract by the name of “ Kosala” though the trunk of Kosala consisting of Chhathisgarh fell in the hands of other rulers. The term ‘Kosala’ occurring in the records of successors of Balarjuna signifies the Sambalpur tract defined above.”
Perhaps this eastern part is possibly was known as East-Kosal from time to time. An ancient book “Kapil Samhita” also designates this area as Kosal. Like the holy places Puri, Konark and Bhubaneswar of Utkal, holy places of Kosal have also been mentioned:
punya swarnapuri proktaa, punya chitrotpalaa nadi
kosalesu traya punya, punyo marjara keshari
Upto 18th century authored have referred this land as Kosal. In Vikram Bilash of Babu Rewaram Kayasth, it is mentioned that:
paawan dacchina kosala deshaa
jahin hari otu keshari beshaa
Up to modern period, all the intellectuals, and historians like Ramachandra Mallick, Purnachandra Rath etc have written as the history of this land as history of Kosal. From political point of view King Rajendra Narayan Singhdeo was a supporter of Kosal sentiments. Still today so many things are named after Kosal like, Kosali Danga, Kosal Gour, Kosal Mali, Kosal Bhaji, Kosaleswar Mahadev, Kosali Babhan, and the temple architect of this region is also known as Kosal architect.
Saket Sreebhushan Sahu
saket.sahu@gmail.com
