Daspalla State (Odia: ଦଶପଲ୍ଲା) was one of the princely states of India during the period of the British Raj. Its capital was Kunjabangarh, located in present-day Nayagarh district, Odisha.
The region of Daspalla used to be part of Baudh State ruled by the kings of Bhanja dynasty. Around 1498, the Raja of Baudh made his brother Naren Bhanja the chieftain of the region. Eventually due to political intrigues, he seceded from the Baudh kingdom and laid the foundation of the Daspalla state along with help from the neighbouring rulers of Khandpara State.[1][2]
The Raja of Dashapalla was exempt from paying tribute, a privilege granted in exchange for supplying all the timber needed annually for the construction of the cars used in the festival of Lord Jagannath at Puri. This arrangement highlights a unique form of tribute that was not monetary but rather a provision of essential resources. It suggests that the system for collecting tribute from feudatory chiefs lacked a consistent principle, with exemptions and obligations potentially tailored to specific local agreements and necessities. The case of Dashapalla exemplifies the varied and pragmatic approaches taken by the ruling powers to manage and extract resources from their subordinate territories.[3]
The state acceded to India in 1948 following independence and merged into the Nayagarh district of Odisha.
The rulers of Daspalla of the Bhanja dynasty:
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