Analysis of information sources in references of the Wikipedia article "Khandayat (caste)" in English language version.
land that had been granted to chiefs ( dalabehera ) , sub - chiefs ( dalai ) , and peasant foot - soldiers ( paik ) - primarily of the Khandayat caste.
As highlighted above, most of the chiefs, zamindars, privileged tenure holders were Kshatriyas/Khandayats - this marked them out as rulers.
These estates were generally held by Khandayat militia chiefs who earlier served the Gajapati Kings.
Many of the border chiefs, the Khandayats and the bhunias received estates during 11th century. Raja Ananga Bhima Deva was created 16 sawant Rajas who were posted all round and along the frontier of Orissa in order to defend the kingdom against foreign aggression.
According to K.N. Mohapatra, an eminent historian of Orissa, during the ganga rule in the 11th and 12th centuries Khandayat strategies were established in the surrounding area of Bhubaneswar to protect the Great Temple of Lingaraj.
They (the zamindars) are of the castes Khandait and telinga, Kinsmen of Mukund Dev.
The Paik Rebellions of 1804 and 1817-18 against British administration in Orissa left the feudal khandayat militia deprived of both its age-old swords as well as free-hold lands.
