Monalisa Patsani
Post News Network
Bhubaneswar, Sept 21: A heritage site dating back to the 16th century AD which could have turned out to be a major tourist attraction in Khurda district is now in a shambles and deteriorating every hour thanks to acute government apathy.
Khurda fort that once sprawled a large area on the outskirts of Khurda seems to be staring at a bleak future. Dense shrubbery and wild growth have engulfed parts of the site and the filth dumped adjacent to the historic structure is by no means pleasing to the eye.
The fort was built by Divyasingdeva at the foothills of Barunei in the 16th century and was considered the greatest stronghold of the kingdom. Rectangular in shape the fort measures 4,000 ft by 3,000 ft comprising the inner and outer walls and four gates on each side. Archaeologists say the area in between the two walls was the ditch with a maximum breadth of 75 ft encircling the fort. The drainage system of the fort too was nicely designed.
Now in ruins the traces of walls of the fort and the ramparts are still visible. It was a major fort from 1568 AD to 1803 AD and after 1817 came under the control of the East India Company.
Although a few months back the Orissa State Archeological department conducted some renovation work and is also planning to start a museum here, nothing much has been done to promote it as a tourist destination. Visitors to spot will certainly be put off by the wild bushes and the litter all around. Unfortunately, it has turned into an open defecation spot.
According to the Archaeological Survey of India in every protected monument there should be a guard to guide visitors but the story here is different. As this reporter approached the site she witnessed villagers using the place as an open-air toilet.
Historians say Khurdha fort holds significance as the symbol of anti-colonial struggle. After a slight upheaval in October 1804, a group of Paikas considered to be soldiers of Khurda attacked Pipili to overthrow the British. This alarmed the imperial authorities and a massive attack on Khurda fort followed. The then King Mukundadev II was dethroned and arrested.
Sunil Pattnaik, secretary of Odishan Institute of Maritime and South East Asian Studies, said, “Khurda Fort is historically important as the site of the famous war against the British. Though in ruins it is the only fort in the state whose foundation is visible along with the boundary wall. After Mukundadev was arrested he submitted a petition from the prison pleading the British to release him. He, however, wasn’t allowed to stay at the fort after his release.”
“The Paika revolt of 1817 was a reaction against the dethronement and demand for the restoration of the King’s seat of governance. Nobody knows much about the history of the fort and I believe the tourism department needs to do something to highlight it as a tourist destination. The government needs to make people aware of the importance of the fort and the villagers have to be involved in conservation efforts,” adds Pattnaik.
Villagers of Khurdhagarh which came into existence after the fort was demolished by the British are still waiting signs of development. “Recently the archeology department people came for renovation work but some parts of the fort have been left untouched. We even heard that a museum will come up here. Apart from the fort there are important temples like Radhakanta Dev and Kunjobihari Dev that need urgent protection,” said 65-year-old Kunjobihari Martha, a resident of Khurdagarh.
Priest Ramachandra Dixit who is looking after Kunjobihari Dev temple said, “Khurdhagarh is a very important place but nothing has been done by the government for the beautification of the area. Apart from historians and archeologists, how many of us know the history of Khurda and the fort? Villagers are also ignorant about its important and they don’t care about the conservation of the monument.”
Last year the tourism department under the guidance of tourism minister Ashok Panda decided to undertake infrastructure development work in and around the historic site. It was decided that the 200 years of the Paika rebellion would be celebrated in 2017 for which the Barunei Hills and Khurda fort would be projected as places of historic interest. Work, however, is yet to start.