The emergence of the history of Bolangir is attributed in the 16th century when Raja Balaram Deo flourished. It is believed that Raja Balaram Deo has established Bolangir and constructed it as the capital city of his own kingdom. As the past history of Bolangir reveals, formerly the district was known as Balaramgarh, which owed its name from the king Balaram Deo. Though there is no documented history of Bolangir to support the accepted theory.
But the history of Bolangir reveals that in the rural set up, Tantric culture attained popularity. Balaram Deo patronized the flourishing of Art and culture and also experimented the form of republican government and ensures then public participation on politics. But he was succeeded by Ramai Deo, who abolished the form of republican Government and repudiated the concept of popular participation in politics. The history of Bolangir is marked with the militant expedition and oppression of Ramai Deo, who founded his kingdom. He became the head of the cluster of 18 garhs. Finally, the Chauhan rule started in the history of Bolangir and they continued to be the absolute sovereign power till the whole of Orissa came under the sway of the British with the sanction of the grant of Diwani.
As far as the history of Bolangir is concerned, Patna and Sonepur constituted the integrated whole of the Bolangir District. Till the independence the last ruler of Bolangir was Rajendra Narayan singh Deo, who successfully made transition to the democratic politics and served as the Chief Minister of Orissa from 1967 to 1971.
