There are inscriptions that indicate that in the middle of the 8th century CE Boudh region was a part of Khinjali Mandala and it was under the rule of the Bhanja rulers.

Dhirtipura was the capital of Khinjali Mandala; this has been identified to be present day Boudh town.

The Ganga dynasty fought a protracted war with the Kalachuris for nearly a century for the control of Kosala territory.

It is inferred from the Chatesvar Inscription (1220 CE) that the war finally ended in favour of the Gangas during the reign of Anangabhima Deva III.

This dynasty continued to rule over this area till 1948 when the state of acceded to merge with the Orissa Province after British withdrawal from India.

The capital was moved to Boudh due to the friction with the Chouhan rulers of Patna (Patnagarh in Bolangir District).

During this period the Chouhan rulers of Sambalpur had already established their supremacy over almost entire Western Orissa.

However Boudh maintained a friendly relation with the emperors of India both during Maratha rule and Mughal/other Muslim rulers.

Due to this assistance the title "Swasti Sri Derlakhya Dhumbadhipati Jharkhund Mandaleswar" was conferred upon him.

In 1498-99 CE, the then Raja of Boudh state gifted the territory Dasapalla to his younger brother Narayan Dev.

In 1599-1600 CE Raja Madan Mohan Dev ceded the territory lying between Amaimuhan and the Kharang river on the west as dowry to his daughters who married into the Chouhan royal family of Patna State.

[16] After the Third Anglo-Maratha War, British Government permanently occupied Boudh from the Marathas and included this state in the South West Frontier Agency till 1837, when it was brought under the superintendent of Tributary Mahals, Cuttack.

During his reign, there was an uprising in the Khondmal region of Ganjam District led by Chakra Bisoyi.

Pitambara Dev could not quell this uprising and on 15 February 1855 CE, Khondmal of Ganjam was separated from the Boudh state and was annexed to the British territory.

He also developed the modern day Jagti village (the historical Yayatinagar, the erstwhile Somavamsi Capital) and renamed it to, Narayan Nagar.

Across the Mahanadi lay the districts of Bolangir to the west, Subarnapur to the northwest, and Angul to the northeast.

[21] Boudh is well connected with road and rail with other district headquarters and the state capital Bhubaneswar.

[2] The majority of the people of the district are Hindu (99.32%) and other religions as minority, including Muslim (0.23%), Christians (0.12%), Sikh (0.01%) and others (0.33%).

As all civilization started on the banks of the river and the riverine passage was the mode of transport in the days of yore, people of Boudh claimed to be inheritors of rich culture.

From 2nd century AD up to a period of one thousand years, Boudh was an important seat of Jagannathism, i.e. Odia Vaishnavism, Shaivism and Shakti cult in the country.

The domestic festivals are confined to worship of family deities, observance of Ekadashi, various vratas, etc.

The public festivals are usually religious ceremonies attended by a large number of men, women, and children who come for worship as well as entertainment.

People usually gather in the evening at the temple or in a common place where the priest or Puran panda recites and explains from the religious texts like the Bhagabat, the Mahabharat, the Ramayan, the Haribansa, or other Puranas.

The singing of Bhajan or kirtan accompanied with musical instruments like khanjani, gini, mrudanga or harmonium is also another popular form of entertainment for the people.

With the spread of Saivism, Vaishnavism and a number of other cults, numerous shrines dedicated to various deities were found in this region.