Great Heritages of Orissa

Orissa Review * December - 2004 Great Heritages of Orissa Dr. Hemanta Kumar Mohapatra Etymologically, 'heritage' is anything that is or Cultural heritages are the creation of human may be inherited. In such case 'heritage' covers beings, who have created it by virtue of their everything that is seen around the human innovative power, creativity, skill and artistic civilization. Heritage is thus natural or created ability. or has evolved in the course of history. It is natural or man-made. Of the man-made Cultural heritages may be tangible or heritages some are already made and existing intangible. Archaeological heritages may be and others are in the process of making. But otherwise called tangible heritages. The everything what we inherit or may be inherited intangible ones may be called living heritages. can not be heritage in the proper use of the But for better comprehension and convenience term. To assume the dimension of heritage such we have discussed the cultural heritages in features must have influenced the socio- entirety under the following sections. economic and cultural life of the people. It must (a) Archaeological heritages (b) Literary have substantially influenced the imagination heritages (c) Religious heritages and life style of the human beings. A society (d) Performing art heritages, (e) Heritage or civilization is known and become unique festivals (f) Art and craft heritages by its own tradition. It gets its identity by its (g) Modern heritages of Orissa. own heritages. The cultural dimension of Orissa is Heritage is something which is specific varied and wide. Every bit of Oriyan culture and typical of a place, area, region or country and tradition is not included in this discussion. on the one hand and of a family, community or people on the other. It may broadly be But the existing monuments and the cultural categorised under two heads. They are activities which had shaped or is shaping the (a) Natural, (b) Cultural. Natural heritages life style of the Oriya people are included in include all the natural features like mountain, the perview of this feature. From this peaks, valleys, forests, deserts, water bodies, discussion the identity of the Oriyas and Orissa landscape, flora and fauna. In it we can include can evolve in a proper and distinct form. everything that is gifted to human being by However at first let us have a discussion on nature good or bad, peaceful or terrible. the natural heritages of Orissa. 37 Orissa Review * December - 2004 Great Natural Heritages of Orissa To maintain the eco-balance and to Nature has given everything to Orissa. protect the flora and fauna, national parks are Nature's bounties and glories are distinctly earmarked at Similipal and Bhitarakanika of expressed through its gifts like beautiful Orissa. Besides these national parks, Orissa beaches, mighty rivers, water streams and has a number of wildlife sanctuaries. Similipal falls. In Orissa we have spectacular mountains National Park in Mayurbhanj district is known and valleys as well as sprawling green field for its Tiger Reserve. It has other wild animals of plains. In Orissa nature is also bountiful for and 231 species of birds. Bhitarakanika its wide varieties of flora and fauna. National Park (Kendrapara) which sprawled The widespread sandy sea beaches with over 367 square km. is known for its protected roaring sea can best be observed at Puri, mangrove forest. It has a wide variety of Gopalpur and Chandrabhaga (near Konark). animals and crocodiles. Gahiramatha beach is Chandipur at sea has a special attraction. Here well known for its sea-turtles. Gharial Bay of Bengal recedes and proceeds 5 km. sanctuary of Satkosia Ganda (Gorge) at everyday. It is a peaceful sea-side resort. At Tikarpara is well known. Ushakothi wild life Puri, the Bay of Bengal is known as sanctuary near Sambalpur is known for its Mahodadhi and on the sea shore there is a place elephants, leopards, bisons and black panthers. called Swargadwar which is very sacred for Belghar (Phulbani ) and Chandka (Khurda) are performing funeral rites. known for elephants. Orissa is rich with sacred rivers like the Though Puri, Chandipur and Gopalpur Mahanadi, Brahmani, Baitarani, Subarnarekha, are well developed summer resorts, the real Rushikulya and Indravati. Mountains like natural summer resort and hill station is situated Deomali and Gandhamardana are well known. at Daringbadi of Kandhamala district. Deomali is the highest mountain peak of Orissa Daringbadi is nicknamed as the Kashmir of and Gandhamardana is a sacred one. It is rich Orissa, especially due to the snowfall in the with rare spacies of flora and fauna. On the winter-season. one side of Gandhamardana hill there is Harishankar and on the other side there is However the greatest natural heritage of Nrusinghanath. Gonasika hills in Keonjhar Orissa is the beautiful Chilka. Originally it is district is known for the origin of the river a salty lagoon. Baitarani. Utkal Kamala Bilas Dirghika - Maralamalini Nilambu Chilika, Utkalra Tuhi Charu Alankara-Ae Biswabhubane There are a number of beautiful Shobhara Bhandara. waterfalls in Orissa. They are Bada-Ghagara, Sana-Ghagara and Khandadhara in Keonjhar Thus said the great oriya poet Radhanath district, Barehipani waterfall in Similipal Ray in his Kavya "Chilika", spread over 1100 National Park, Pradhanpat (Deogarh), Phurli square km. Chilika is the largest inland lake of Jharan in Kalahandi, Duduma of Malkangiri India. It is dotted with a number of small and etc. Khandadhar is the loveliest waterfall of big islands. It has the richest variety of aquatic Orissa. The known natural hotsprings of Orissa fauna. Its "Nalabana" is famous for its are Atri (Khurda), Taptapani (Ganjam) and migratory birds in winter. One can see the Deulajhari (Angul). Irrawady Dolphins in this lake at Satapara area. 38 Orissa Review * December - 2004 Chilika is also well known for its fishing and memorise the great event of Asoka's change boating. The other two lakes of Orissa are Sara from Chandasoka to Dharmasoka and his and Ansupa. acceptance of Buddhism from Upagupta, a The famous Nandankanan Zoological Buddhist Bhiskhyu. Park and the Botanical garden adjacent to it At Khandagiri and Udayagiri near have turned to be great heritages of Orissa. Bhubaneswar rock-cut caves are seen. These Endowed with a natural lake, it is known for caves were originally built for the Jain monks. the rare white tigers and migratory birds which The double storeyed Ranigumpha is the largest nest here during winter. It has India's largest cave of this series and has ornate carvings. The lion safari as well as a white tiger safari. Hatigumpha has the chronicle of King Archaeological Heritages of Orissa Kharavela carved on it. The glorious days of powerful Kalinga empire under Kharavela are Orissa has around 4000 monuments and very much enlivened by this inscription in Pali archaeological sites. They include prehistoric language. remains, Buddhist monasteries and structures Ratnagiri-Lalitgiri-Udayagiri hills near like chaityas and stupas, Jain caves and Kendrapara and their environs comprise a temples, important inscriptions, Hindu temples remarkable Buddhist complex around it. Hiuen and sculptures, ancient and medieval forts, Tsang, the chinese pilgrim found it to be the palaces as well as colonial architecture. seat of a flourishing Buddhist university called Cave paintings of Neolithic age is seen Puspagiri. It had equal status with Takshyashila at Yogimath of Kalahandi district. Another and Nalanda. Extensive ruins of brick pagodas, prehistoric site is also located in the same sculptured stone portals and esoteric Buddhist district. The site is at Gudahandi and is known images testifying its ancient glory, have been for cave painting. In the district of Keonjhar at unearthed. Ratnagiri is the gem of the complex. a place called Sitabinjhi one can see ancient The magnificently carved door jamb of the fresco paintings on a rock shelter called Ravan Vihar and the superbly finished Buddha images Chhaya. form perhaps the greatest concentration of the The Asokan inscriptions of Dhauli (near post Gupta period Buddhist sculptures. Bhubaneswar) and Jaugarh (Ganjam) had The Kalinga style of temple architecture shaped the life pattern of Kalinga people in flourished from 7th to the 13th century A.D. the ancient days. The hillock of Dhauli and the The most important monuments of this period sideby river Daya reminds of the heroic can be seen in and around Bhubaneswar and Kalinga militia which showed great valour and Puri. In Bhubaneswar alone there are more than courage preferring death to surrender. They 500 temples and rightly it is called the 'temple fought the great Kalinga battle, were defeated city of India'. Bhubaneswar was a Saiva Pitha at the hands of Magadhan soldiers but their (centre of Saivism) and in most of the temples heroism and sacrifice compelled the Magadhan of this place, Siva is being worshipped as the emperer Asoka to renounce war once for all. principal deity. The Parasurameswara Temple A viswa Santi Stupa has been erected at Dhauli built in 7th century A.D. was the earliest one. by the Japanese Nippan Baudha Sangha to Other richly decorated and remarkable temples 39 Orissa Review * December - 2004 of Bhubaneswar are Svarnajaleswar temple, Mahanadi island on the north west side of Vaital temple. Mukteswara temple and its Cuttack, the cluster of temples at Sonepur famous makar torana was built in 10th century (Suvarnapur) and Bhawanipatna. A.D. The beautiful Rajarani temple was built The archaeological remains of the forts in 11th century A.D. The great Lingaraj temple and palaces found in Orissa are valuable of Bhubaneswar was built in the same 11th heritage sites. These forts and palaces had century by Somavamshi ruler Jajati Keshari. influenced the life-style of the Oriyas in the The Great temple Srimandira of Lord past.

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