Thread.
Here we will discuss the question:- Did Raja Mansingh make Gajapati Ramachandra Deva I the Gajapati of Odisha and by extension gave control of Jagannath temple?
We will try to discuss point by point objectively. 1/n

After the fall of Mukunda Deva in 1568 Odisha came under the Afghans of Bengal who went on rampage to destroy thousands of temples or other monuments. Kalapahara was leading from the front. He is said to have destroyed idols of the lord and Mukundadeva died by treachery. 2/n

So, basically after1568 Gajapati title seized to exist in Odisha as there was no centralised kingdom nor any king. As per some claims from 1568 to around 1590 till the arrival of Mansingh there was no Gajapati in Odisha. Now let's 3/n

discuss if this is the case or not. To make it clear we have to find evidences proving that indeed Ramachandra Deva I was the Gajapati before 1590. If there will be no evidence then we can consider the argument of Mansingh making him the Gajapati.4/n

I would like to argue that Ramachandra Deva I (RCD) was already the Gajapati much before arrival of Mansingh. So, the basis of the argument that Mansingh somehow made him Gajapati is wrong. Below are my evidences.
1. A drama named "Srikrishna Bhaktibatsalya Natakam" was 5/n

written by year 1575-76 which deals with reestablishment of lord Jagannath at Puri talks about RCD and calls him Gajapati and obviously there was no mention of Mansingh. That means not only RCD was already the Gajapati by 1576 but he successfully reinstalled the lord at Puri 6/n

by then.
2. The Madala Panji and other popular culture of tht time calls RCD the 2nd Indradyumna. People aware of d Jagannath temple legends must b aware tht Indradyumna is the legendary king who is said to hv installed the temple and lord for the first time. So, if RCD didn't7/n

Install the idols then there was no reason to call him second Indradyumna. If Mansingh would have done that then all the sources including popular culture people of Odisha must have called Mansingh as the second Indradyumna. But, there is no such instance even though Mansingh8/n

Is praised in Madala Panji and else where.
3. Now, the next point is the inscription found in Medinapur dated 1587 before arrival of Mansingh in Odisha where Anka Ganana year of RCD from 1568 is mentioned. If he was not Gajapati then why would they mention it. It also says .9/n

Murtis were reinstalled by thenfrom these 3 very important points it is more than clear that much before Mansingh came murtis were reinstalled. RCD had already became the Gajapati. People of Odisha had accepted him as d Gajapati as well as they called him 2nd Indradyumna. 10/n

As he was the one who facilitated reinstallation of murtis of lord. No one can be more deserving for the title of Gajapati other than someone who had restored the glory of Sri Jagannath. Anyone who knows Odisha knows this very well. 11/n

Now the final evidence that in reality Mansingh most likely didn't like RCD and probably preferred Mukunda devas son over him as Gajapati. Therefore, even though RCD had submitted to Akbar still he choose to fight with him when RCD didn't agree to meet him in person.12/n

As per Akbarnama when Akbar came to know that Mansingh had attacked RCD's kingdom of Khurdha and tried to siege the fort he got angry and issued "censures" to Mansingh. So, hesitantly Mansingh had to apologize. And after seeing this RCD obliged to meet Mansingh. 13/n

So, the matter settled and finally Mansingh accepted RCD as the Gajapati instead of Mukundadeva son. Mansingh was aware o lf his Hindu credentials and as per Madala Panji his wife probably renovated the Mukti Mandap in srimandira. However, his other actions were political in 14/n

Nature. And were mostly done in betterment of Mughal empire as shown above Akbar used to censure him at times and he had to oblige. One more ex to prove this point I want to bring into notice to the attack of Golconda sultanate from south of Odisha. The Golconda army. 15/n

Marched from south towards Khurdha in 1590 . Remember Puri is south of Khordha and Jagannath temple was threatened due to invasion of iconoclasts from south. When RCD requested Mansigh to help he initially agreed but later retreated as there ws no benefit for him. This is as 16/n

Per accouns of Ferista. So, if Mansingh would have thought it in terms of Hindu muslim binaries then he would hv helped RCD atleast to save lord Jagannath who was threatened. Probably this ws the reason later RCD challenged Mansingh and helped enemies of Mansingh in 1592-93 17/n