Dhenkanal: When you travel along this serpentine road passing through hills and verdant green jungles located at an altitude of 2,239 feet above the mean sea level, it gives you a feeling of travelling along a hilly road either in Shimla or Manali.
This hilly winding road famous as ‘Barabanka’ is in Dhenkanal. It gets its name perhaps because it has many turns as the word ‘Barabanka’ is the portmanteau of Bara and Banka mean 12 and turns respectively.
This is nature’s gift to Dhenkanal district.
Nature has bestowed abundant natural beauty on Dhenkanal district. This is why the tourism map of Odisha cannot be imagined without Dhenkanal. The Shaivite shrine Kapilas has been a source of attraction for both devotees and nature lovers for ages. And ‘Barabanka’ is closely associated with the shrine where Shree Chandrasekhar Jew is worshipped.
The shrine, which is located at an altitude of 2,239 feet from the mean sea level, can be reached on foot or by vehicle. If the twisting foot track is chosen, you have to climb a flight of as many as 1,352 steps.
According to researcher and columnist Antaryami Mishra, the temple was constructed in 1246. At that time, devotees would have no choice but to trek a hilly path to reach the shrine.
“It was in 1909 when the shrine witnessed developmental works to be undertaken by the then Dhenkanal king. In those days, the king and his family members would visit the shrine sitting on caparisoned elephants. A path was laid out up to the temple through the hills in 1916. After independence, the path was reconstructed in phases. Once a narrow pathway, it has now become a pucca road. Since the road is serpentine with curves, the road has been made wide enough with concrete sidewalls to ensure zero accident,” Mishra said.
To reach the temple, one has to travel five kilometres on ‘Barabanka’ road from the foot of Kapilas hill. The beauty of this five-kilometre stretch lies in its 12 curves. While travelling, visitors get transported to a different land with lush green forests on both sides, with trees standing as if to welcome them amidst the pleasant chattering of colourful birds. In order to facilitate them to enjoy nature, the road between Curve no-7 and 9 has been made extra-wide. Visitors park their vehicles here and capture the beauties of nature in their cameras and mobile phones. Lately, it has earned the moniker of ‘Selfie Point’.
“‘Barabanka’ is in no way inferior to Ooty or its ilk. The ranges of hills, verdant green jungles make our journey worthwhile. I must mention a huge banyan tree at Curve No-10. It not only offers a suitable place to take rest for some time but also makes the scenery perfect,” Sarat Behera, a visitor, observed.
Echoing the same, another visitor Satyabrata Sahu praised ‘Barabanka’ saying it is a perfect place for a getaway. One should take some times out of the busy and burdensome life schedule and come here to enjoy nature’s gift with clouds passing by.
When asked, District Rural Development Agency (DRDA) project director (PD) Narottam Behera said on the occasion of ‘Jagar festival’ and ‘Shiva Chaturdashi’, the numbers of visitors to the shrine go up significantly causing traffic issues. The proposal placed for illumination of the entire ‘Barabanka’ road has been accepted. In coming days, the illumination work will begin on the stretch.
PNN
