Odisha Review ISSN 0970-8669

Rambha Palace : An Altar of Odia Movement

Dr. Janmejay Choudhury

The Palace was a monument of great Madhusudan Das and Maharaja Sriram Chandra importance not only for but also for whole Bhanja. It was the Rambha Palace which Odisha. This beautiful palace is situated on the provided the befitting platform for the bank of . This palace was built by amalgamation movement of Odia Speaking Tracts Thomas Snodgrass, the Collector of Ganjam in on the auspicious occasion of the 2nd birthday of 1791-92 on Government expenditure. European Yuvraj Rama Chandra Mardaraj on 13.01.1902, engineers were engaged for its construction. Later, the worthy son of King Harihar Mardaraj. King on this ground, Snodgrass was dismissed from Harihar Mardaraj sent royal invitation to many his service. Subsequently, it was purchased by kings and distinguished personalities like king Rama Krushna Mardaraj of to Radhanath Ray, Sri Nilamani Vidyaratna, Sri Fakir be used for his residence. When he faced great Mohan Senapati, Narasingh Das, Madhusudan financial crisis, because of famine in Odisha, he Das, Sriram Chandra Bhanja and Sri Gadadhara sold it to F.J.V. Minchin, the owner of the Aska Bidyabhusan. The 2nd conference of Utkal Sugar Factory. This palace attracted the attention Sammilani was hosted by king Harihar Mardaraj of King Harihar Mardaraj who purchased it and from 29.04.1905 to 01.05.1905 to harness the made it his residence. Being attracted by its scenic cause of the Odias as they were not getting their beauty, Lord Curzon, the Governor General of legitimate justice. In the year 1909, Harihar once stayed here. Harihar Mardaraj was Mardaraj organized the 3rd Rambha Conference always in the forefront of the Odia movement till which was reorganized as the Utkal Union his death in 1909. After the sad demise of the Conference. Thousands and thousands of King Harihar Mardaraj at an immature age of 39, delegates from different parts of Odia Speaking his queen Kanaka Manjari Devi rose up to the Tracts united at Rambha Palace with the invitation occasion and finished many incomplete work of of King. The important role played by King her King. She was a very sociable queen of the Harihar Mardaraj at the early part of 20th century Khallikote ruling dynasty. was the amalgamation of Odisha. King Harihar Mardaraj was the principal leader of the Odia The foundation of the famous Utkal Union movement till his death in 1909. Then his son Conference was laid here in the presence of Rama Chandra Mardaraj organized another Odia eminent personalities like Utkal Gourav conference in the precinct of Rambha Palace

APRIL-MAY - 2020 47 ISSN 0970-8669 Odisha Review where Madhusudan Das vowed to realize the had hosted their Excellency Lord and Lady most cherished dream of the Odias to get a Willingdon at Rambha Palace. King Rama separate State of their own. King Ram Chandra Chandra Mardaraj had left no stones unturned in rose to the occasion to accomplish the incomplete inviting high dignitaries like Gandhi and sister nation-building exercise of his father. The Phillip- Miraben to Rambha Palace when they were Duff Commission that visited Odisha to assess moving through the various states for the cause the situation relating to merger of Odia Speaking of Swaraj. In 1955, King Bahadur had assembled Tracts and formation of Odisha province stayed Sri Balabant Ray Mehta, Pandit Nehru, Sri U.N. at Rambha palace from 17.12.1924 to Dhebar (Congress President), Lal Bahadur 21.12.1924 as distinguished guests of the King Sahstri, Gobinda Ballava Panta, Nabakrushna Ramachandra Mardaraj who succeeded in Choudhury at Rambha Palace to discuss on persuading the Commission to support the cause various issues about the nation. From Lord Wavel of the Odias. Utkalmani Pandit Gopabandhu Das to O’Donnell, Mr. A.C. Duff, Mr. C.F. Phillip, and Gopal Chandra Praharaj were also among Sir John Austin Hubback and many national and the main guests of Khallikote to stay at Rambha state leaders also stayed at the same palace for Palace. few times. Many dignitaries who had been the guests of Khallikote especially during the time of In the year 1927, the Simon Commission King Harihar Mardaraj and King Rama Chandra under the chairmanship of Sir John Simon was Mardaraj stayed at this historic Rambha Palace. guest in Rambha Palace where King Rama So Rambha Palace has earned the distinction of Chandra Mardaraj boldly advocated for an important monument in the annals of Odisha amalgamation of the Odisha province. In 1931, history. Which was an altar of Odia Movement. the Government constituted a Boundary Committee under the chairmanship of Sir Samuel Hoare and O’Donell. King Rama Chandra Mardaraj hosted the Committee in his Rambha Palace with the single motto of uniting the Odia race.

In the process of the nation building exercise, Dr. Janmejay Choudhury, Lecturer in History, when King Rama Chandra Mardaraj was 22 he Sri Jagannath College, Kaipadar, .

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