PRESENT RULER: Raja Shri SHIVENDRA NARAYAN BHANJ DEO, Raja Saheb of Kanika since 1st October 2009. (The Palace, P.O. - Kanika, Dist. - Cuttack, Orissa, India)

married Rani Mrinalini Devi, daughter of Yuvraj Uppen Singh Ju Deo of Jashpur, and his wife, Yuvrani Mohini Devi [now Rajmata Mohini Devi of Jashpur].

PREDECESSORS AND SHORT HISTORY: Traditionally founded by Jagadishwar Bhanj, son of Raja Lakshman Raj Bhanj of Mayurbhanj around 726AD. More likely founded by Bhujabal Bhanja, a brother of the Raja of Mayurbhanj around 1200AD. The conquest of Orissa in 1803 was followed by consolidation of the British authority in this part of the country. The movement started in 1804 by three rajas, namely the Rajas of Khurda, Kanika and Kujang, and it assumed formidable proportions when a triple alliance, both offensive and defensive was formed among them with a view to driving out the foreign invader from their soil. It did not stop also either with the defeat of the rajas in 1805 or with the dethronement of the Raja of Kanika in the same year, the death of the regent Jayi Rajaguru in 1806 and the ultimate banishment of Raja Mukunda Deva II of Khurda from his kingdom in 1807. On the contrary, it continued to gain momentum. The raja of Khurda was still regarded as the "Fallen but revered descendant and representative of their ancient native sovereigns". More and more rajas came forward to join either openly or secretly: the storm centre continued to be the same -- Khurda, Kanika and Kujang. These rajas became more and more defiant and aggressive. And though not an active participant, the raja of Khurda was the guiding spirit of the struggle against the British in 1817 which, to quote British historian G. Toynbee, was a "veritable storm that burst with such relentless fury as to threaten the expulsion of the British, if not from the whole of Orissa, at least from the territory of Khurda". Rulers were...

• Raja BHUJABAL BHANJ, Raja of Kanika, he lived around 1200.

• Raja BISHWANATH BHANJ, Raja of Kanika

• Raja TRILOCHAN BHANJ I, Raja of Kanika

• Raja GOPINATH BHANJ I, Raja of Kanika

• Raja PARAMANANDA BHANJ I, Raja of Kanika

• Raja DIBYASINHA BHANJ I, Raja of Kanika

• Raja NARASINHA BHANJ I, Raja of Kanika

• Raja TRIBIKRAM BHANJ I, Raja of Kanika

• Raja GANGADHAR BHANJ, Raja of Kanika

• Raja GOPAL BHANJ I, Raja of Kanika

• Raja BASUDEB BHANJ I, Raja of Kanika

• Raja RAGHUNATH BHANJ, Raja of Kanika

• Raja LAKSHMAN BHANJ, Raja of Kanika

• Raja BAIRAGI BHANJ I, Raja of Kanika

• Raja TRILOCHAN BHANJ II, Raja of Kanika

• Raja GOPINATH BHANJ II, Raja of Kanika

• Raja PARAMANANDA BHANJ II, Raja of Kanika

• Raja SARBASINHA BHANJ, Raja of Kanika

• Raja BASUDEB BHANJ II, Raja of Kanika

• Raja DIBYASINHA BHANJ II, Raja of Kanika

• Raja NARASINHA BHANJ II, Raja of Kanika

• Raja TRIBIKRAM BHANJ II, Raja of Kanika

• Raja GADADHAR BHANJ, Raja of Kanika

• Raja GOPINATH BHANJ III, Raja of Kanika

• Raja DASARATHI BHANJ, Raja of Kanika

• Raja GOPAL BHANJ II, Raja of Kanika

• Raja BAIRAGI BHANJ II, Raja of Kanika -/1803

• Raja BALBHADRA BHANJ DEO, Raja of Kanika 1803/1817, captured and sent to Midnapur as a prisoner in July 1805; married a daughter of the Raja of Kaladwip Ilaka.

• Raja JAGANNATH BHANJ DEO, Raja of Kanika

• Raja HARIHAR BHANJ DEO, Raja of Kanika

• Raja BENAYAK BHANJ DEO, Raja of Kanika

• Raja TRIBIKRAM BHANJ DEO III, Raja of Kanika

• Raja PADMANAVA BHANJ DEO, Raja of Kanika, married and had adoptive issue.

  • (A) Raja Bahadur Sir Rajendra Narayan Bhanj Deo Bahadur (qv)

• Raja NRIPENDRANATH BHANJ DEO, Raja of Kanika, he died while still a minor.

• Raja Bahadur Sir RAJENDRA NARAYAN BHANJ DEO Bahadur, Raja of Kanika 1899/-, born 24th March 1881 ^(#1) as Rajkumar Bansidhar Deb, younger brother of Raja Pitamber Deb of Aul, he was adopted to Kanika in 1896; educated at Ravenshaw Collegiate School and Ravenshaw College, Cuttack; he took charge of the estate on attaining his majority in 1902; he was nominated Member of the Advisory Fishery Board in 1908; he attended the Royal Coronation in England at Westminster Abbey in 1911; elected to the Provincial Council of Orissa in 1912; elected to the Council of Bihar and Orissa in 1916; President of the Orissa Landholder's Association; Member, Royal Asiatic Society, London; Member, Patna University Committee; Member, Governing Body of Ravenshaw College; Member, Managing Committee of the Ravenshaw Girls' High English School, Cuttack; he was granted the title of Raja in 1910 as a personal distinction, which was made hereditary in 1919, he was granted the enhanced title of Raja Bahadur in 1934; he was awarded the O.B.E. in 1934; married 1899, a daughter of Raja Ladu Kishore Mandhata, Chief of Nayagarh, and had issue, one son and one daughter.

  • Raja Saheb Sailendra Narayan Bhanj Deo (qv)

  • Rani Kanak Lata Devi, born 30th September 1909, M.L.A. (Orissa) 1957/1961; Chairman of Social Welfare Board; awarded a certificate from Orissa Sahitya Accademi for her literary work; author of Bhakti Puspanjali, Tarani Sen, Ram Bhagaban, Narayan Chandra Biyega, Dukhini Bharat Mata, Puyusa Dhara, Uchhas Taranga, Satkosia, Oriyanka Prathana, Pramila Kabya Sati Kabya, and Bhaochhwas; interests and pastimes were Reading. Writing Poems and Drama Books; married 1929, Raja Bahadur Ananta Narayan Mansingh Harichandan Mahapatra of Narsinghpur, and had issue, one son and one daughter. She died 14th February 1986.

• Raja Saheb SAILENDRA NARAYAN BHANJ DEO B.A., Raja of Kanika -/1982, born 29th September 1908, M.L.A. (Orissa) 1946/1971; elected Municipal Commissioner in 1932; took an active part in Utkal Sammelani Movement; elected from Rajnagar Mahakalpada to Cuttack District Board 1934/1937; elected as Independent Candidate from Landholders' Constituency in 1946; elected Leader of Opposition 1946/1951; Member, Orissa Jail Reforms Committee, 1954; he was nominated as Speaker for a short period when the new constitution came into operation in 1952; Chairman, Public Accounts Committee, 1946/1951; remained in Opposition till 1956, joined the Congress Party in 1957 and became Minister of works in the coaliton ministry and took a keen interest in Balimela and Talcher projects; Appointed Chairman Flood Inquiry Committee; interests and pastimes were Shooting, Boat building, Sailing and Reading; married Rani Manjul Manjari Devi, daughter of Raja Sriram Chandra Singh Deo of Kharsawan, and his wife, Rani Giriraj Devi, and had issue, three sons. He died 19th July 1982.

  • Raja Saheb Shri Rabindra Narayan Bhanj Deo (qv)

  • Pattayet Saheb Shri Saurendra Narayan Bhanj Deo, married Kumari Paresh Kumari Devi of Raidih, a zamindari of Kharswan, and has issue, one daughter and one son.

    • Kumari Jayanti Devi, married Shri Deepak Samantray, an industrialist, and has issue, one son and one daughter.

    • Kumar Shuvendra Narain Bhanj Deo

  • Kumar Saheb Shri Jyotirendra Narayan Bhanj Deo, married Rajkumari Indu Prabha Devi, daughter of Raja Birendra Bikram Singh of Payagpur (U.P.), and has issue, one son and one daughter.

    • Kumar Girendra Narayan Bhanj Deo, married Kumari Durga Devi, only daughter of Thakur Saheb Pushpendrasinhji Narendrasinhji of Virpur, and has issue, two sons.

      • Kumar Ujendra Bhanj Deo

      • Kumar Ajendra Bhanj Deo

    • Kumari Vijaya Raj Laxmi, married Kunwar Ambarish Singh, son of Kunwar Balwant Singh of Shahpura (Rajasthan), and has issue, one daughter.

      • Kumari Bhargavi Singh

• Raja Saheb Shri RABINDRA NARAYAN BHANJ DEO, Raja of Kanika 1982/2009, Member of the Executive Committee of Rajkumar College at Raipur; married and had issue. He died 1st October 2009 at Bhubaneswar aged 72.

  • Raja Shri Shivendra Narayan Bhanj Deo (qv)

  • Rani Rajlaxmi Singh Deo, married Col. (Ret'd.) Raja Chhatrapati Singh Deo, 51st Raja Saheb of Mandasa (Manjusha), and has issue, two sons.

• Raja Shri SHIVENDRA NARAYAN BHANJ DEO, Raja of Kanika (see above)

OTHER MEMBERS:

• Rani Indumati Dei, married (as his second wife), Raja Brajendra Mansingh Bhramarbar Rai of Dompada.