Anangabhima Deva III

Anangabhima Deva III was the Eastern Ganga emperor from 1211 to 1238. He maintained a large territory that stretched from the river Ganga in the north to Godavari in the south. He had defeated the Kalachuris on the western frontiers of the empire and established a matrimonial alliance with them. His brother or brother-in-law, Rajaraja II, became the ruler of the dynasty in 1198. When Anangabhima III came into power in 1211, he expelled the Muslims of Bengal from his kingdom. He had a son, Narasingha Deva I, who invaded Bengal in 1244 and captured the capital city, Gauda. He was a reformist in the social and spiritual structure of the Odia society as he declared Lord Jagannath as the supreme ruler of his empire and himself a servant (Rauta) under him. The Madala Panji chronicles depict him dedicating everything to lord Jagannath. He built the famous Pradaskhina mandapa of Srikurmam temple.