The celebrated Temple of Lord Jagannath now
existent at Puri was constructed by Raja Ananta Varman Chodaganga Dev in 12th
century A.D. The wooden images of Jagannath Balabhadra and Subhadra were
installed in that temple. The management of the temple continued under the
Hindu rulers till 1558, when the State of Orissa was conquered by the Afghan
Nawab of Bengal and the temple was attacked by the Afgan General ‘Kalapahad’.
Then, an independent Khurda kingdom was established by Ramachandra Deb, who
assumed the management of the temple. He consecrated the temple and reinstalled
the deities. Raja Mansingh, a General of the Mughal King Akbar, defeated the
Afghans and annexed Orissa in to the Mughal dominion. It remained under the
Mughals till 1751 A.D. Till 1760, the temple continued under the Khurda Raja,
who was paying tribute to Mughals and Marhattas. Marhattas took up direct
management of the temple till 1803. The Britishers annexed Orissa into British
empire in 1803 and allowed Puri Raja to manage the temple. The position
continued till 1947.
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