Keonjhar: The old royal palace of Keonjhar extends all the way from the foothills of Chulia hills to the Judia ghats. There are two moats in the west and east to protect it from invasion while the mountains provide a natural barrier against enemies.
The moats were dug to protect the palace from external attacks, however, they are in a dilapidated state owing to lack of maintenance and encroachment among others. Known as a symbol of the district’s heritage, the ruined and neglected palace now cries for renovation.
It is said that the palace and moats were built during the reign of Dhanurjay Narayan Bhanjdeo (1861-1905), the then king of Keonjhar.
To the south of the palace is a high mountain from Judia to Nalapat Sahi, called ‘Indrachhatra Hudi’. To the north, there used to be two ponds- Gopalbandha and Meenshikata. There was also a pond on the south side. There were four domes on the outer wall of the palace where soldiers watched over the security of the area. The ponds are nowhere in their old shape owing to silting and encroachment.
The palace features the king’s office, a court hall for the assembly, an armoury, a temple of Dandadevi-Gadchandi, the queen’s area, a wedding mandap, a bathhouse, and a secret gate.
The two main gates were used by the royals. The north gate had ‘Chhatisa Nijog’ while the south gate had a pond named ‘Chandan Pokhari’. The door on the west side was used only when it was necessary. There is a place for worship near the Hadibandh pond on the east side.
Similarly, horses and elephants were worshipped on the fifth day of Ashwapanchami at Basulishal. There is a temple in the middle of the Chandan Pokhari where the Chandan Yatra of the Lords were held. The palace has a Shiva temple and also one of the oldest Goddess Tarini temples.
Researcher Vimbadhar Behera says the scenic views of the royal palace and the moats often fascinate tourists and commuters over the Judia ghat on National Highway 49 (formerly NH 6). If properly packaged, this palace holds the potential to attract a fair number of tourists to the district.
Another local expert Sujit Patnaik added that the palace needs to be preserved for the future generation and more research is required to trace its history.
Many tourists still come here to revisit the old glory, but the palace is in ruins amid lack of maintenance and security. Local researchers, writers, archaeologists and historians are all concerned regarding the condition of the palace.