Contributions of Sarala Mahabharat to Odisha Tourism
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ISSN 0970-8669 Odisha Review Sarala Mahabharat is primarily a literary work; glorified a number of places like, Jhankad the based on the story of Sanskrit Mahabharat but it Sarala Pitha, Asta Sambhu of Prachi valley, Apoda contains ample sources of information on socio- Bhumi Swargadwara at Puri, Ekamra Kshetra or cultural and political history as well as the Bhubaneswar,Biraja Kshetra Jajpur, Saiva Pitha geography of contemporary Odisha. Its lucid style Kapilas, Arkakshetra Konark, Dharmapur near of writing in vernacular language (Odia) admixture Jaj Nagari, Amarabati Katak, Chilika lake, the with creative thoughts and cultural potentiality of Mahanadi, Prachi, the Vaitarani, the Brahmani, Odisha, establishes an Odia identity among the Jagannath Dham Puri, Hingula Pitha Talcher etc.2 contemporary world. A number of historians and In other words Sarala Mahabharat made some researchers have tried to gain knowledge on places of Odisha historically, culturally and history and geography of Odisha from Sarala religiously famous (important) and provides Mahabharata. So it is not a translation of Vyasa’s tourism potentiality to Odisha tourism. The main Mahabharat rather it is a transcreation. In the true purpose of this article is to unveil the contribution sense Sarala Mahabharat is a synthesis of history, of Sarala Das to the tourism of Odisha through polity, geography, economy and literature. That’s his masterpiece Sarala Mahabharat. Contributions of Sarala Mahabharat to Odisha Tourism Dr. Chittaranjan Mishra why Sarala Das has been honoured as Adi Kabi JHANKADA/JANKHEIPUR, THE BIRTH (first poet), Adi Aitihasika (first historian) and Adi PLACE OF SARALA DAS: Bhugolbit (first geographer).1 Above all Sarala Sarala Das was of humble origin and a Das gave emphasis on a number of places of farmer and boat faring by profession belongs to Odisha and promotes religious, cultural and festive the village Jankheipur, Kanakabati Patna situated tourism through his description in his Mahabharat. in the south of the river Chitrotpala (ancient port Sarala’s Patriotism finds a nice reflection in his Cheritola or Chelitalo). In the words of the poet: monumental masterpiece the ‘Mahabharat’. It begins with the reference of Odisha and its “Se nilasundara giri uttar kachhade important places. Though the major characters Sarabhumi Bhratha Khande purbadiga ishanara ade of Mahabharata are alien to Odisha but Sarala Chandrabhaga namena eko nadigoti Das snatched and entangled these characters by Bruddhamatanka Parushe Maudadhire Jain phuti his innovative thought to Odisha and also made it Se nadira tire parsuram ghatai as their area of operation and activities. He Kanakabati name patna prakasai 62 NOVEMBER - 2018 Odisha Review ISSN 0970-8669 Tanhira sannidhye Sarol name grama “Atha khanda hoi chhidigala je languda Bije maheswari Saroli Chandi nama” Asta sambhu hoile se Prachi nadi kulara (Adi Parva) Gokarneswar Kapeleswar Sovaneswar Grameswar As boat faring was one of his ancestral Hara Sankareswar Someswar Natakeswar duties, a ghat is named after his elder brother Sukleswar” Parsuram Parida, as Parsuram Ghat and Sarala Sadhana Pitha as Muni Gasain Math. But Sakta The tail of Gomukhi Hari has become eight literature gives us information that great epic pieces by spades of Gandharvas and historians Brahmin hero Parsuram had taken rest on this identified these eight Siva temples of the Prachi holy place when soil of the earth was able to bear valley named Gokuleswar, Pingaleswar, the weight of his bow. So above places now Hareswar, Grameswar, Maheswar, Swapneswar, attract a number of cultural and religious tourists Rudreswar and Natakeswar. Presently these to visit.3 temples are the most attractive religious places for the Saivites and Hindus. The glory and holiness SARALA PITHA of the River Prachi are described as:- Sudramuni Sarala Das has frequently Lomash kahile je gopyana tirtha yehi Prachi invoked goddess ‘Sarala’, the presiding deity of Satya juge snahana karuthile Sachi his native place Jhankada. In our tradition it is Amara swarga Bhubanu asanti olhai believed that Sarada and Sarala are the two Je nadire snahana kari Asta Sambhu dahi. different names of the goddess of wisdom ‘Saraswati.’ He describes the blessings of (Swargarohana Parva-2659) goddess Sarala on him and propagated Her glory MADHAVA OF THE PRACHI VALLEY in different parts of Mahabharata:- Again he glorifies the Prachi valley by ‘Sri Sarala Chandinkara Sada ate dasa giving a narration about Pandava Ghat and Lord Agnyare mu sastra kichi karichhi ayata Madhava as:- Se jaha karanti agnya mu taha lekhai Apandita murkha mora sastragyana nahin.’ 4 Pandava ghate jehu snahana Karina Prachi kule Madhabanku karai darshana (Birat Parva) Madhavanka anugrahe sarbasiddha hue Being inspired by these narrations of Jete papa thile sudha sarba kshaya hue Sarala Das most of the wisdom lovers, students, (Swargarohana Parva) learners and devotees have been paying their frequent visit to Sarala Pitha to worship the Poet glorified Madhav temple of the goddess for Her blessings. Presently it is one of Prachi valley by his description in Mahabharat. the famous tourist places of India. So it is now very famous among the Vaishnavas and other sects of Hindus. ASTA SAMBHU OF THE PRACHI VALLEY KAPILAS Poet describes about presence of Asta Sambhu in the Prachi valley in Musali Parva of Kapilas temple is one of the very his Mahabharat as:- important tourist places of Odisha. Its glory is NOVEMBER - 2018 63 ISSN 0970-8669 Odisha Review highlighted in Swargarohan Parva of Sarala Though Konark temple is famous for its Mahabharat. artistic sculptural value but poet’s admixture of a ‘Sata parbata upare tanhu uthi aasi dekhile tathi legend to the history of Konark, gives it great name and fame as a religious tourist place. As he upare Kapilashabasi’ narrates:- (Swargarohan Parva) 5 ‘Agasti bolanti Jambudwipa Agni koneArka APODA BHUMI (SWARGADWARA, datyakaine nasile Biranchi Narayane NILACHALA DHAM, PURI) Dakshine maudadhi utare Chandrabhaga Present Swargadwara on the seashore of Kotie tirtha gheni tanhi vijaye Devi Ganga Nilachala Dham, Puri has been described in Tanhi snahana kari je dekhai Biranchi Sarala Mahabharat as ‘Apodabhumi’ (the land, Sarira nikalanka tahara je sanchi not used for anybody’s funeral rite) and used as Yesaneka tapa je karai kumara the cremation ground for Bhisma Pitamaha. Poet kebana jala pabana karai ahara tried to relate most of the Places of Odisha with dwadasa barasa tapa kalaka yehu bidhi the epic story of Mahabharat to make these sarira nikalanka tahara bhala hoilaka byadhi’ famous and popular among the people of India. CHANDRABHAGA ‘Manuysa astiman pruthire paduachhi Famous River Chandrabhaga is also Martyapure emanta apodabhumi kanhi achhi highlighted in Mahabharat by the poet. Anybody Neela sundara parbate achhi tila mandara sri who takes a bath in it in the holy month of Makar tanhire bijaye kari achhanti Baseli or Magha (January –February) purifies his body Masthyadese Kasikshetra tirthanadi tate and soul and gets enormous punya (holiness). As Tanhira nikate bruksheka achhai Banchhabate he says:- Odarastra mandale Chitrotpala nadi kule 'Ehi Chandrabhaga kshetra dekha Judhisthira Pareswar bhumi achhi apoda bhumire.’ Ethire snana karile papa heba dura (Santi Parva, Sarala Mahabharat, p-2524) Makare Chandrabhagare karina snahana jebana loka ethare kare pinda dana ARKA KSHETRA (KONARK) bara barsa basanti ta pitru swargaloke In Santi Parva Sarala Das brings Syamba, anya sradha nakariba bara barsa jake' 7 the son of Lord Krishna to Konark, to worship VAITARANI Sun god for his recovery from leprosy. Here Syamba goes for a long penance of twelve years Poet glorifies the holy River Vaitarani in meditation to please Sun god. As per his Vana Parva of Sarala Mahabharat, where he description:- describes the story of Lord Siva taking a holy dip to purify Himself from the sin of slaughtering a ‘Durvasyanka bani suni sama tanhu chaligala cow.8 Arka tirthe prabesina tapa acharila Maudadhire snana kari Chandrabhagare snana CHITROTPALA Bata pratikshyana kari kala Konark darsana’6 Utpaleswar and Amareswar temples of (Santi Parva 2531) Chitrotpala valley have given a great importance 64 NOVEMBER - 2018 Odisha Review ISSN 0970-8669 in Mahabharat by the poet and make these famous 'Bauda name lata je Mahindra name giri as religious tourist places. Kotie linga gheni tanhi Bijaye Tripurari' Chitrautpala tire Utpaleswara puji It was at that time under Boudh kingdom Amareswara drasane aneka tosa bhaji and famous Lord Birupakshya Siva along with a RUSHIKULYA number of Siva Lingas present on the bank of the river Brutanga to bless the people. Presently it is Sarala Das described in his Banaparva about the stay of Pandavas in Deulapalli and a popular religious tourist place for Saivites and Sunatara Pandiapathar near Purusottamapur of Hindus. Ganjam District during their forest life and Lord Krishna blessed the river and established Gupteswar Sivalinga at Deulapalli. ordered her to stay there to purify the people while There Devi Draupadi had taken her holy bath in taking a holy dip in it as following verse of the the Rushikulya River on fifth day of her poet. menstruation period as:- 'Boile Suravi tumbhe ambha agnya suna 'Pancha dina pare karibaku suddha snana Maha maha baruni je padiba jeban dina Rushikulya nadiku kaleka gamana' Satya Tretaya Dwapar Kali Juga chari (Banaparva) Ye sara age thiba ahi rupa dhari BRUTANGA RIVER Melechhanku mukati hoibara nimante Abasya bije devi karibu sara pathe' The glory of Brutanga River has been mentioned in Madhya Parva of Sarala Accordingly on the day of Tila Saptami/ Mahabharat. During Arjuna’s Banabas (forest life) Magh Sukla Saptami (March) people gathered Arjuna requested Lord Sri Krishna to bring Ganga there for Baruni Snana (to take a holy bath in it). 9 near Manibhadra mountatin to take a holy dip in JAJNAGAR (JAJPUR) it as it was a day for holy bath in a holy river (Baruni Snana Divas). To fulfill the desire of Arjuna In Adiparva of Mahabharat poet gives Lord Krishna ordered Arjun to bring Ganga with his description about Biraja kshetra Jajnagar, the the help of an arrow.