Ancient rock shelters found in Banpur

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Bhubaneswar, June 28:A group of students of PG Department of Ancient Indian History Culture and Archaeology, Utkal University made an amazing discovery of Satabakhara rock shelters. The students were—Dakhineswar Jena, Ramakanta Pradhan, Minaketan Sundaray, Nilamani Behera and Kaibalya Charan Pati. They were led by Dr Anam Behera, assistant professor of the same department According to Anam Behera, Satabakhara rock shelters were found in the Barbara hill range in the dense forests in the villageAranga, Dhuanali in Banpur, Khurda. Another chalcolithic site at Asuradhipa in Ganjam district was also reported by him. Both the places are situated in the nearby areas of famous historical sites of Bankadagarh—the capital of Mathara dynasty of ancient Orissa. Informing about his latest finding Behera claimed, “Recently, we went to these places. Bankadagarh is surrounded by hills on three sides and Salia dam on another side and Satabakhara rock shelters is 10 km north of
Bankadagarh. The rock shelters Satabakhara are natural caves. These caves are an ideal place for shelter of ancient man. Speaking further he said, “It is a huge stone like a mushroom, covering an area of 25 metres, in which several caves are formed with a block of stone. The surface of the rock is so frazzle that it is difficult to identify the rock art on it. However with much difficulty we found some traces of rock art within it identified as animals, man and lord Jagannath like image. These are subject to more investigation.” Similarly, our preliminary research suggest that the Asuradhipa could be a chalcolithic site which is located 14km east of Bankadagarh below Salia dam in village- Sankuda, of BlockBeguniapada in Ganjam district, he added “Bankadagarh is famous for the capital city of Mathara dynasty during sixth century AD but finding of rock shelters at Satabakhara indicate presence of prehistoric man. Where as Asuradhipa chalcolithic site represent proto historic people there,” claimed Behera.