Orissa Review * June - 2008 Similipal Biosphere : Genesis of Historicity Samarendu Das Balabhadra Prasad Das The countless interferences and thereby its and protection to the core, the national park, and consequent infringement on nature have been a the buffer, the sanctuary, as there shall be habitual trend with the man, and this phenomenon transitional zone around these two existing knew no bounds during the last one and half concentric protected areas with more centuries of the Darbar Administration in conservational activities for conservation of the Mayurbhanj. The Similipal hill reserve 2,750 typical ecosystem in its natural form for good. sqkms. compact patch of broad leaved tropical From the hoary past till the present, through natural forest classified by Champion and Seth out the annals of history of Mayurbhanj, many a as type-3/C North Indian Tropical Moist chronicle and document referred to Similipal Decidious forests with its sub-types at different extensively at its various forms. At the rise and elevations, clads the massif with varied flora and fauna with species of Temperate forests also. Its fall of Mayurbhanj in its glories and glooms, unique geological formation, typical ecosystems Similipal always remained as epicenter of activities. controls and regulates the ecology of the North- It witnessed as a mute spectator to the political east region. The imbalanced ecology, could be development of Mayurbhanj; it shaped and restored with the help of scientific forest groomed the economy and the culture of the management and by devoted knowledgeable people. Similipal at its fullest version is no less foresters, improving the level required. The than an organic whole. For common man of protected area, 50% of the massif, under Tiger Mayurbhanj; Similipal is a symbol of reverence Project came under Sl. No.1 - Conservation and awe to them. It has the appeal of the religious Forestry, classified in 1976 by National sanctity, a coherent bend of cultural assimilation Commission on Agriculture and balance area and a perinnial source of livilihood. Hence, under production forestry, ranking 3rd in the list, Similipal, is not only hills and valleys, streams and 2nd being social forestry. This protected area with rivers, ravines and waterfalls, but a bewildering V.H.F. and telephone connections all over the panaroma of many hundreds of millions of trees, project area keeps the staff alert and encouraged. depicting a huge and mammoth canopy bloomed The offenders and intruders are scared and keep in green veils; it is more than a wordly endeavour, away. The declaration of Similipal as Biosphere as it represents the heart throb and the emotions got international status and provided more security of the people of Mayurbhanj. 1 Orissa Review * June - 2008 which was then known as Khijinga Mandala covering the present area of Mayurbhanj and Keonjhar Districts as well as parts of Singhbhum and Midinapur districts now in Bihar and West Bengal states. During the Moghul period, the Bhanjas extended their teritory as far as the sea with capital at Haripur. During the reign of Maharani Sumitra Devi the capital was shifted to Baripada during the last part of 18th century and on 25th November 1803, it came under British occupation. History of Mayurbhanj The history of Mayurbhanj, part-I, Mayurbhanj is a small spot on the surface compiled by late Ramprasad Chand basing on of the earth where the man has lived over fifty records of British regime, gives an early account thousand years. The stone axe(hewn) and left over of the extensive deep jungle of Mayurbhanj, hearth to melt iron for arrow-heads and describing the expedition of Aliverdi Khan against ploughshares are the evidences, speak of the early Raja Jagardhar Bhanj in 1741. The writer quotes man living in the area. The tribal people of the the following from the contemporary history Raiz- area namely : - the Santals, the Kols, the Mundas us-Saltin. and the Savaras speak Austro-Asiatic language. From the discovery of Kusan coins in Mayurbhanj "The latter (Raja of Mayurbhanj) was at and in other districts of Orissa, Dr. A.S. Altekar Haripur which contained his mansion and was at believed that one Indo-Scythian tribe called that time plunged in pleasures and amusements. Murandas were ruling over the area during 2nd. His knowledge of the denseness of the forest that and 3rd century A.D. But a tribe called "Bhanna" surrounded him coupled with his command of who were the probable ancestors of the Bhunja numerous hordes of Chawars and Khandaits tribes, inhabiting this region during 6th century made him feel insolent ... Raja seeing the A.D. Two ruling families i.e. Mayuras and Bhanjas superiority of the Aliverdi Khan's army, with his ruled over Bonai and Khijinga Mandals effects, followers and dependants fled to the top respectively. The capital of the later was Khijinga of the hill and hide himself in a secret fastness, Kotta, the present Khiching. These two ruling beyond the keen of discovery. Similarly, cessation families had close social and cultural relations. of Orissa by Marahattas in 1751 and during their During 1361 A.D. the capital, Khijinga Kotta was struggle for independence, the Raja of destroyed by Sultan Firoz Saha Toghluq. So it Mayurbhanj had occasion to flee into the hills was shifted to Haripur on the bank of river before the depredation of the Marahatta army. Subernarekha during 1400 A.D. and the name The author, therefore, records in his introduction of the kingdom was changed to Mayurbhanj in to the above history. Thanks to the hills and jungles commemoration of the traditional relation of that spread across it and the indomitable spirit Mayuras and Bhanja families. and political vision of the chief, it managed to The Bhanja dynasty ruled the state survive the greed of either (British and continuously since 9th century A.D. in succession Marahattas) powers. Later on, after the 2 Orissa Review * June - 2008 annexation of Orissa in 1803 at the conclusion of of 2750 sqkms. with their innumerable crests and the 2nd. Marahatta war, conditions continued to valleys and perinnial streams. Sir William Hunter be the same and Mr. W.W. Hunter, the 1st. describes Similipal Hills during 1872 as - "The British Commissioner in his history of Orissa Vol.- hitherto almost unexplored mountains of II, page 113 writes :- Mayurbhanj heaped upon each other in noble "Herds of elephants still roam through masses of rock from 3,300 ft to 4,000 ft. high .... forests and mountains of Mayurbhanj and the The peaks are densely wooded to the sumit, and English Officer in charge of the operation for except the regular passes, are inaccessable to catching them lately bagged upward a hundred the beasts of burden." fine animals during two seasons." (Senapati & The Khairiburu, in south Similipal, amidst Sahu-67). the group of hills is 1178 mtrs. whereas Meghasani Situation is 1,165 mtrs. high. The elevation in the central region at Dhudurchampa is 1000.8 mtrs, that in The Similipal massif lies between 200-17' the North at Chahala is 774.5 meters. and 220-34' North latitudes and 850-40' and 870- 40' and 870-10' East Drainage longitude comprising of The Similipal hills are nearly 2,750 Sqkms of drained eastward by a large compact forest, perhaps the number of perinnial streams largest single mass of natural and nalas flowing in all forests, still left in this part directions. They ultimately of the country, This massif, join with one of the main not part of the Eastern Ghats river systems such as - the or Gadjat hills, stands out in Budhabalang, Baitarani and the north east corner of the Subernarekha. The Khairi, Decan Plateau with its glory Bhandan, Birol, West-Deo, of varied tropical flora and Salandi, Khadkai and its fauna. The entire massif is tributaries flow into separated from the Bengal Subernarekha while the Bay by a narrow strip of Budhabalang forms itself a coastal plain. The monsoon river. and moisture laiden Bay Fully - Grown Tusks Capital & Bold Geology, Rock, Soil wind have definite influence on the vegetation pattern. Nature has epitomised The sequence of rock of Similipal basin all her living resources in this massif. beginning with a well developed dark carbon phyllite as base and followed by a quartzite band Topography which is conglomorate at places. Overlying this The hills rising very precipitiously from the there is lower layer of spilitic lava with volcanic plains of Baripada and Udala extend as far as broceia. The three concentric cups of Jashipur in North and Bisoi in the East and metamorphic rocks inter-beded with sub- Thakurmunda in the West covering a total area metamorphic layer helps to increase the water 3 Orissa Review * June - 2008 holding capacity. This geological formation is and settled conditions, agriculture flourished and unique in the world. Out-crops of metamorphic new settlements came to exist. In this process lots sand stone and quartzites are to be found all over of forest areas vanished, giving rise to new villages Similipal hills. They produce a redish and sandy and cultivation. Mr. C.C. Hart at the time of his soil in which Sal appears to be doing well. Most visit about the year 1895-1896 describes the of the areas in Similipal have rich spread of red forest of the state as follows :- loam. Extensive pockets of laterite soil also come "The plain and accessable parts have across on the plateau. Heavy clay is also found in already been denuded of mature Sal, except in the wide flat basin. one place in the plains of south Climate west, where there is a little, The climate of the massif which is three parts ruined by is warm and humid.