ISSN 0970-8669 Odisha Review

Subarnapur - A Cultural Throwback

P.K. Chhotroy

The story of Subarnapur is so fascinating that, no a city of gold or Subarnapur. Discovery of few matter how much has been written already, there copper plate grants, containing the description of is scope for more. Not everything on Subarnapur the location of Subarnapur in the close proximity could be said and written about. Enriched with of the confluence of the river Mahanadi and the remnant of stone Age, settlements of primitive river Tel revealed the truth of the legendry tribes, megalithic monuments, ancient pottery, old Subarnapur. coins, architecture and sculpture of Buddhist Vihar and Hindu Temples, Subarnapur showcases a PRE- HISTORIC SUBARNAPUR unique growth of history and culture. Unknowingly I stepped in to few camp sites of Perhaps, Sonepur assumed the name of pre-historic men in the close vicinity of Subarnapur in tune with India’s movement to Subarnapur, located at the confluence of the river reclaim local place names. Elsewhere the Mahanadi and Tel. Exposer of pebbles with movement has spread to cover knowledge and edges, microliths and remains of chipping history with little local inputs than at Subarnapur operation to fashion stone tools came to my notice in Odisha. Epigraphic records combined with on the murum layer along the nullahs. Finds of authentic information enable us to shift through worn out and broken tools in between the sites decades of misinformation and learn the truth lead me to believe that I was trekking along the about Subarnapur. We know examples of time’s path of pre-historic men of Subarnapur. Starting ruthlessness in pushing places into a total oblivion. from the Baiganajori nullah near the village For centuries men were ignorant of Subarnapur Baiganajori, I moved to Chhelia Dunguri and except a legendary account of the rain of ‘gold’ finally reached at Ratakhandi. Two more sites during the enshrinement of lord Subarnapur Siva came to my notice on the left bank of the river at Sonepur (Subarnapur). Gold particles are Mahanadi viz Hikudi and Paikpalli pabli. Spurred noticed in the sand of the river at Sonepur by these finds, I expanded the area of survey, (Subarnapur). Some are inclined to believe that leaving the terrain of river valley and exploring the name Subarnapur is derived from the name the banks of river phase of fashioning stone tools of the lord Subamameru Siva. These were enough were noticed in a number of ancient sites. The for its passionate inhabitant to glorify Sonepur as other sites are Deuli, Banjujor Mouthh, Badhalla

92 NOVEMBER - 2019 Odisha Review ISSN 0970-8669 and Kapasira along the left bank of the river with and without slip, micaceous, graphite coated Mahanadi. Along the right bank of the river and pottery of fine fabric and metallic texture. Most Mahanadi sites have been noticed at of the shreds contain incised mostly consist of Kurumpaadar. Kullipalli and Halidipalli located decoration and beautiful painting. The painted on the left bank of the river Tel contain exposure ornaments mostly consist of geometrical figures, of stone tools. Stone tools have been also loops, hooks, wavy lines, fish, flower and peacock collected from Nimkudi near Manamunda. The motif, graffitti, Brahmi alphabets and religious site is located on the right bank of the river Tel. symbols. Every object has a story to tell. The Hikudi contained relatively more polished axes shape, motif of the paintings and the pattern of and mace heads. Various types of axes such as: decoration determine the cultural tradition of the (1) Pecked and edge ground, (2) Fully ground, age. (3) triangular, round and pointed butt and BLACK AND RED WARE (4) Broad edge and splayed edge have been collected from the site mentioned above. The Among the finds identified so far are findings suggest effort for refocusing on the Stone shreds of black and red ware. This kind of pottery Age culture of Subarnapur. was also discovered during the excavation at Sisupal garh and Jaugad. At Sisupalgarh it Its river banks have yielded the evidence occurred in period A and B dated by the excavator of different typologies of lithic cultural remains, to Circa, 200 B.C. to 200 A.D. Black and red which indicate their antiquity for thousands of pottery is a kind of pottery which is black inside years. Dr. K.C. Tripathy has collected lithic and red outside. It takes this appearance because implements of pre-historic men from Manamunda, of inverted firing technique in baking the pot. Haldiapalli Khari and Ghatkaintara. His collection Generally, the shining but crackled surface and includes chopper-biface-flake, flake blades and graffiti marks, painted design and graffiti marks short blades which roughly correspond to the are noticed on similar pottery of Sonepur in Bihar. early, middle and last Stone Age culture of the The typological of this includes bowl, dish and Abbevillio-Acheulian tradition. Dr. S.B Ota of basin. Some shreds with a red or brown slip are Deccan college has found the tools of Middle noticed. At later levels of Ahichhatra similar Paleolithic period dating back to 40000 years at pottery with religious symbols have been exposed Hikudi on the left bank of the river Mahanadi near during excavation. Manamunda. Microliths have been also noticed on the lateritic layer of the bank of the river Tel BLACK SLIPPED WARE (BIHAR TYPE) and its tributaries. Black Slipped Ware is made of fine ANCIENT POTTERY grained clay and ranges from fine to medium thickness. Both the surface are treated with black The most striking feature of Subarnapur slip, sometimes burnished. It has been discovered is that varieties of pottery belonging to different at Sravasti, Rajghat, Patalliputra, Vaisali and ages ranging from early historic period to Kushan Sonepur and Chirand in Bihar. Archaeologists period are noticed here. The broken pots and have dated it to Chalcolithic period. Almost all pot sherds include black and red, dull grey, glazed, the sites of Subarnapur have yielded this ware.

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BLACK POLISHED WARE (SOUTH MEGALITHIC MONUMENTS INDIA TYPE) A megalith is a large used as a marker or as an It is fully black with a fine surface and altar for religious purpose. There are different section. Often compared with N.B.P., it comes varieties of such monuments like crain circle (big with moulded band and left pattern on the rim. stones arranged in form of a circle), menhir ( tall The time period of this ware ranges from 500 granite slab erected vertically), cist slab A.D. (rectangular stone slab placed on stone blocks. A cist slab indicates a burial chamber below with Spouted vessel, dish on stand and two compartments, one to house the body and miniature Sarcophagus encountered in different another to keep burial pots, weapons and the sites are interesting from archaeological point of personal effects of the deceased. Megalithic view. Spouted vessels come in buff colour but monuments throw light on socio-ritualistic and differ in polish. The findings of Kurumpadar is ancestral beliefs. Archaeologists date the finely polished whereas its texture is rough in megalithic culture between 1000 B.C. to 300 B.C. Kandhaghat. Two types of dish on stand have These are noticed at Baulatal and Ghodaghat Pada been noticed so far. Manamunda variety is short river Ghat of Subarnapur town. It also exists at in height, black in colour finely glazed and contains Basudev Palli and Khairmal of Manamunda area. Braahmi alphabets or graffiti marks. Kandhaaghat TEMPLE ARCHITECTURE and Nuagaon Kumursingha variety is red in colour and unpolished. Its dish is decorated with incised The temples of Subarnapur with their designs. Miniature sarcophagus of Chirand unique rhythms in stone, embody a culture’s vision (Biharr) type has been found in Badhila, of itself and its past times and clothing remind the Kurampadar I and Kuramapadar II. Surface persona of the generations of unknown sculptors finds, of course cannot too reliable. It is therefore who lived and built there temples. necessary to conduct a regular excavation in these important sites. Subarnapur is said to be the temple town of western Odisha. At present there are as many COINS as 30 temples including both big and small. The temples of Lord Aditya, Kesava, Varaha Nath Coin in most weathered condition sometimes and Sasisena mentioned in epigraphic records or noticed after rain. I was lucky to get one literary works are no more existing. Some of the uninscribed cast coin made of copper. The reverse new temples have been reconstructed on the base of the coin contains the figure of an elephant where of the old temples and prevents the investigator as the obverse has the figure of a crescent or from studying its architectural and structural peacock on a hill. Similar coin found throughout features. Gundicha temple is the loftiest religious India and sub- continent are dated to 500 B.C to edifice of the town. Lord Gopaljee was the richest 500 A.D. Punch mark was also discovered in deity of Subarnapur state. This deity owned vast Subarnapur region. landed property and was the zamindar of 22

94 NOVEMBER - 2019 Odisha Review ISSN 0970-8669 villages. Besides the Vaishnavite celebrations, the Kanthaka, and rode off into night, surrounded daily oblation of Lord Gopaljee consisted of 26 by rejoicing demigods”. The horse Kanthaka kgs of rice and numerous delicious dishes. It was dropped dead from grief when he found that he an abode of saints, poets, pundits, artists and was to be parted from his master. Siddhartha craftsman, who have made rich contribution to performed his “Great going forth the art, craft and literature of the Subarnapur state. MAHABHINISKRAMANA and became a The walls of the temple were adorned with wandering ascetic”. (Bhasam, A.L, The wonder beautiful paintings. Themes depicted in the that was India P-260). Symbols relating to the paintings are from Gopa-Lila and stylistically life of Buddha were worshipped in the early related to Gujarat miniatures and palm leaf periods. The worship of the image of Buddha miniatures. came into practice at a later phase. It seems that Lankeswari Rock was the earliest Buddhist centre Situated on the left bank of the river Tel, of Subarnapur. Koseleswar temple is about 9 kms from Subarnapur. In the words of Charles Louis Fabric In Sadhanamala Lankeswari has been “The main fabric of the temple consisted originally referred to as a Buddhist Dakini. (Mahajan V.D) of Buddhist masonry; of very large sized bricks, Lankeswari is a tantric deity of Buddhism. (Sahu beautifully polished and finely set in mortar, the N.K). Probably the site was named as Lankeswari ceiling was supported, it appears by four internal Rock during the tantric phase of Buddhism. pillors, declaring it at once either a Buddhist shrine Paikapalli Pabli, a small hillock situated at a or very early shrine of Hindus”. Everyone of the distance of six kms from Subarnapur bears the pillars supporting the veranda has a figure of relics of Brick works and Buddhist images. An beautiful work. The village charade situated at a image of Buddha taken from this site was distance from Subarnapur contains the beautiful worshipped under a tree at Bhajabalpur. This has temple of Kapileswar with sculpture. been shifted to the Museum of Sambalpur University. The name of the neighbouring village MONASTIC ARCHITECTURE Buddha Vara appears to be related to some minor Buddhist Vihar of the locality. The Marchipur of Relics of Buddhist monasteries, shrines, Buddhala area, the Tarapur of Binika area and and images lying scattered all over the region Baidyanath of Kosaleswar temple area may add throw light on its decayed prosperity and past further evidence to the Buddhist tradition of enterprises. There was a Buddhist Vihar at Subarnapur. Subarnapur or Sanabati. Now there is no trace to have been brought from the Buddhist sites. A SCULPTURE Buddhist symbol drawn in bas-relief is noticed on Lankeswari Rock situated in the bed of the Apart from the temple and monastic river Mahanadi. This consists of a horse about to architecture, evidence on sculptural site is march and an umbrella represents royal overwhelming. Tantric remains belonging to sovereignty. This represents the departure of Vajrayana School of Buddhism and to the Sakta Buddha in pursuit of truth. “All were sleeping he and Saiva Cults are found in some places. Image roused channa, who saddled his favorite horse of Buddha, Avalokiteswar, Lokeswar, Tara,

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Marichi, Sitala, Varahi, Mahisasurmarddini and Glorious was the 19th century for India, Bhairava are either enshrined in modern temples the seed time when several spiritual luminaries or worshipped under trees. The headless image were born to lead the Indian renaissance. Bhima of Tara found near Sureswari Temple is seated Bhoi is one of them. Bhima Bhoi the saint poet on a lotus throne with worshippers at base. This and propagator of Alekha Dharma (cult of void) image of hard black stone has round breast, and has sang and won the heart of many not in slim waist bedecked with jewellery. There are two Subarnapur alone but also in other parts of Odisha. lotus stalks rising on either side of the image, add His devotional songs are vibrant with mysticism, further rhythm and graceful appearance of devotion and fellow feeling. “When Sahitya goddess. Although it is headless, one can plainly Academy wanted to have a significant motto from see how imposing and beautiful it might have been each of the fourteen literatures of India, symbolic once. It is a prototypical copy of the image of of its total ethos, the literature of Odisha Tara unearthed at Banpur. An image of Buddha responded with a line from Bhima Bhoi. It runs is found in the premises of Subarnapur temple. It “Let my stay in hell forever, if Lord, that saves is remarkable for its natural grace. Another image the world”. (M.Mansingh) Some Scholars have of Buddha is seen on the wall of the said temple. called the followers of Alekha Dharma as Crypto- It is likely to be the image of Muchalinda Buddha. Buddhist. Their cult is no more than an A broken image found in the premises of unconscious revival of Mahayana Buddhism. Rameswar temple appears to be the image of Muchalinda Buddha. The image of Marichi The culture of Subarnapur is a synthetic enshrined in the premises of Manikeswari temple of many coloured threads, each thread with its has eight arms, three faces and the space below own identiy, and yet inseparable from the cloth. her chariot depicts seven pigs in a vigorously active In spite of diversities, their interrelatedness is form. A severally damaged head of conspicuous. It does not stand in isolation and Avaloketeswar and an image of Chamunda in interrelatedness with Indian culture is the bottom highly weathered condition are seen there. Villages line of continuity from time immemorial. under the name of Tarapur and Marichipur speak of its association, with Buddhist tantric deities like Tara and Marichi. P.K. Chhotroy, Retd. Principal, Berhampur.

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