The shift from the study of dynastic history to the study of the State represents a comparatively recent concern among historians, and, to an extent, this concern derives, for good or for bad, from recent discussions on the formation of the State. This is not to say that writings on the state in Early India are only of recent origin, What, however, was written, at least at the analytical level, was largely based on theoretical/normative texts. Such texts relate obviously to how a State was expected to function and what it was expected to uphold, rather than to the functioning of actual historical states. While therefore there is no dearth of detailed reconstructions of histories of dynasties, there has so far hardly been any attempt, with the exception of the much-debated study of the Chola State, to understand the structure and working of any single state, particularly of the early medieval period. The publication of the English version of Dr. S.K. Panda's Ph.D. work. The State and the Statecraft in Medieval Orissa under the Later Eastern Gangas (AD 1038-1434), the German version of which was published several years back, should therefore receive hearty welcome from those who are interested in the study of early medieval and medieval India as well as from those interested in the study of pre-modem state. Dr. Panda, in his work, has made thorough use of available evidence, particularly epigraphic evidence, but this is not all that he has attempted to do. He has tried to show that the functioning of an actual state in history differed considerably from what was prescribed in normative texts and, further, that a state which remained in existence for four hundred years could not have been a static structure. He has tried to bring out the changes that the organization of the Later Ganga State experienced during its history. Admittedly, his approach and conclusions, and particularly his theoretical position, are likely to be contested, but this is precisely what should happen to all serious efforts toward historical reconstruction. I hope Dr. Panda will continue to produce more works on important historical themes.
The present work is an English version of my Ph.D. dissertation entitled, "Herrschaft und verwaltung im ostlichen Indien unter den Spaten Gangas (ca. 1038-1434) written in German and submitted to the Heidelberg University in 1986. This is also published by the South-Asia Institute, Heidelberg University in their publication series under the same title. Since this work is not accessible to the Indian and other English speaking scholars, I feel it necessity to publish it in English language for larger number of scholars and students.
I am grateful to my Ph.D. supervisor Professor Hermann Kulka whose meticulous and continuous supervision enabled me to complete this work in a limited period of my staying at Heidelberg. He is not only a guide for me but also a friend, philosopher and a source of inspiration to me. I take this opportunity to express my deep sense of gratitude to him.
I thank my teachers, Professor Romila Thapar and Professor B.D. Chattopadhyaya of Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi from whom I am greatly benifitted in my training in historical research.
For the completion of this work a number of scholars and friends have helped me in various ways. My thanks are due to Professor D. Rother-mund, Director, South-Asia Institute who always came forward to help me in different matters. Professor Thomas Donaldson Cleveland University, U.S.A. is kind enough to supply me information and photographs of the war-horses depicted in the temples of Orissa. I am thankful to him. Dr. M. Kaiser, Department of Economics, South Asia Institute helped me in doing computational analysis of the inscriptional data and also taught me the use of computer. Prof. Dr. H.V. Stietencron University of Tübingen is kind enough to allow me to use his map on Orissa in the present work. I am indebted to all of them.
Also, I thank my friend Mr. Martin Brandtner who greater helped me in preparation of the Manuscript Dr. P.S. Ghosh, Dr. (Mrs.) Indira Ghosh and a number of my German friends helped me in various ways to make my staying comfortable at Heidelberg. I still cherish the sweet memory of their company. I am thankful to them.
I am grateful to the German Research Council (Deutschen Forschungsgemeinschaft) for necessary financial assistance for my staying at Heidelberg without which the present work would not have been possible.
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