The present titular head of the former state is Anant Pratap Deo who resides in the Kalahandi Palace in Bhawanipatna Kalahandi was the largest of the 26 feudatory states of Odisha.

According to local tradition, the state originated with Raja Raghunath Sai of the Naga dynasty, who traced descent from the Nagabanshis of Chotanagpur[3] of Eastern India, beginning to rule the Kalahandi area in 1005 CE.

However, historians have disputed the early date for the establishment of Naga dynasty rule in Kalahandi but most agree the Nagas succeeded the Gangas as the feudatories in the region during the 15th century, taking advantage of the weakness of the central authority as the power of the Eastern Ganga dynasty started to decline in Odisha.

[5] Hence the state's coat of arms had two cobras facing each other[7] and the presiding deity of the dynasty is Manikeswari.

The rulers of Kalahandi princely state were granted a hereditary salute of 9 guns by the British.