Regional cultures grew around religious traditions as people expressed their beliefs through art, music and rituals. Temples were centres of all cultural activities.
The best example of this process is the cult of Jagannatha (a name for Vishnu) at Puri, Odisha. Anantavarman, constructed a temple for Purushottama Jagannatha at Puri. In 1230, king Anangabhima III dedicated his kingdom to the deity. He proclaimed himself as the 'Deputy' of the God. With the temple gaining importance as a centre of pilgrimage, its authority in social and political matters also increased.
Those rulers who conquered Odisha, like the Mughals, the Marathas and the English East India Company, attempted to gain control over the temple. They felt that this would make their rule acceptable to local people.