Orissa, home to a myriad of monuments, has sites that can boast of a history as old as 4000 years. A plethora of ancient structures dot the length and breadth of this magnificent land starting from the famed rock-cut elephant head of Dhauli dating back to Mauryan period to the famous Black Pagoda at Konark erected in thirteenth century. However, there are dozens of equally magnificent monuments in the state that are no less weightier albeit less talked about. Nandapur’s Batrish Singhasan is a case in point. The site has a rich history peppered with juicy anecdotes, but not fully explored yet.
Of all the ancient sites that dotted Koraput district, the Batrish Singhasan (32-step throne) at Nandapur ranks high. This top drawer site beckons to the rich history and glorious past of this land. This famous monument, however, has remained broadly untapped and hence out of bounds for tourists.
Located at the heart of Nandapur block headquarters, (45 km from Koraput town) Batrish Singhasan – a throne supported by a flight of 32 steps akin to Battisi Singhasan of King Vikramaditya of Ujjain, is an embodiment of rich cultural heritage of Nandapur village. This land, believed to have been co-terminus with the Buddhist period, was forsaken and forbidden for it had been conquered by many invaders.
Though there is no empirical evidence to vouch for its history and how it came up in Nandapur, experts tell an interesting tale about it. There are plenty of folklores about its origin still popular among local folks. “Herding and pasture community known as Goudas lived in Nandapur and its adjoining villages. A Gouda child while taking care of its cattle came across the upland where present day Batrish Singhasan stands. He used to sit there playfully and deliver judgments like a scholar or a great king. However, once out of this place, his behavior changed to that of a common man,” Prof Kapila Khemundu HoD in-charge of Department of Sociology, Central University, Koraput, said.
“Though there is no historical evidence to buttress it, this place was chosen by the king to be the seat of the historic Batrish Singhasan. The structure was designed in line with Battisi Singhasan of the famous Vikramaditya,” says Prof Khemundu, a native of Nandapur.
Legend also has it that the King of Jeypore used this place for administrative reasons. It is said that the King of Jeypore, back from hunting in nearby forests, used this place as his throne. Sitting on this throne, he delivered outstanding judgements on public matters just like the legendary Vikramaditya. This led to this place being dubbed as Vikaramaditya’s Batrisha Singhasan.
On the other hand, a section of researchers say that the historical throne is inextricably linked to Silavamsis who ruled over Vindhyas in 14th century.
Indrajeet Mohanty, Reader in History, VD (Auto) College, Jeypore, in one of his works ‘Jeypore – a Historical Prospect’ has written that the history of Jeypore entered a new phase with the advent of Silavamsis in 1353 AD under Ganga-Raja. These rulers with their seat of administration at Nandapur – the first capital of the Jeypore Kingdom—tried to emulate the glory of Vikramaditya of Ujjain. The Last Silavamsa ruler- Vinayak Deo, who ruled from 1443 AD as a Suryavamsi ruler claiming his descent from an ancient Rajput prince, had installed the throne known as Vikramarka which is still to be found there.
At present, Goddess Kanak Durga is worshiped as the main deity on the throne along with Ashta Betals.
Khemundu makes a strong case for intensive research on this site. From the regional historical point of view this place requires archaeological excavation, he added.
Locals demand research on this site as at present there is hardly anything in sight that could educate tourists about its importance and historical background.
The historical structure is one of the 218 protected monuments of the Orissa State Archaeology and has been declared as a heritage site under the Ancient Monuments Preservation Act.
Orissa State Archaeology superintendent Sanghamitra Satpathy said the ancient monument has been recently restored from decay and destruction. However, locals feel that more is needed to be done for its upkeep and maintenance.
The famous Nandapur site is flanked by Rani Duduma water fall – a picnickers’ hunt and an 11th century Jain temple at Subei. However, there is a lot that the state government needs to do to put Nandapur and other nearby sites on the tourist map of the state.
Sudarsan Maharana
