From the
Publisher
Bijay Kumar Rath (B. 1949) did his M. A. in History from
the Berhampur University, Ganjam in 1970. He joined the
Berhampur University, first as a University scholar and later
as a UGC Fellow from 1971 to 1974. He joined the State
Archaeology Department, Bhubaneswar, as a Curator in 1974.
He has spearheaded the Listing work of unprotected
monuments of Orissa with singular devotion and this
publication is a culmination of his efforts.
He was associated with editing State Government
publications-"The Heritage of Orissa" and "Archaeological
Survey Report of Prachi Valley." He is a co-editor of "The
Journal of Orissa Research Society", Bhubaneswar. He has also
authored "Cultural History of Orissa", "Brick Temples of
Orissa" and "Vishnu Sculpture from Orissa".
Introduction
Under the Fundamental Duties, enshrined in the Constitution
of India, it is laid down that "it shall be the duty of every
citizen of India to value and preserve the rich heritage of
our composite culture." Hitherto, the responsibility for such
preservation had rested with the Government. Monuments
declared to be of national importance are looked after by the
Central Government through the agency of the Archaeological
Survey of India, and monuments other than those of national
importance by the State Governments through their respective
Departments of Archaeology. According to the existing
legislation, nearly 5, 000 monuments are looked after by the
Central Government and approximately 3,5000 by the State
Governments. For a country of the size and cultural wealth of
India, this admittedly is not a large number. There are still
a large number of monuments, which, for various reasons, have
remained 'unprotected' and need to be preserved before they
are damaged or destroyed either through neglect or misuse, or
as a result of developmental schemes. Besides, there are many
new buildings and historic quarters which, being less than a
hundred years old, do not qualify for protection under the
existing legislation and yet are architecturally and
aesthetically very important, like those of the colonial
period.
The Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage
(HNTACH), therefore, decided to list all notable buildings,
constructed before 1939, which survive in anything like their
original condition and have significance in Indian history,
architecture, archaeology and culture. In choosing such
buildings particular attention has been paid to:
(i) Association with events that have made a significant
contribution to the pattern of our history.
(ii)
Association with the lives of persons who have made a
significant contribution to our history.
(iii) Special
value within certain types.
(a) reflecting a distinctive
architectural style.
(b) representing the work of a
master.
possessing high artistic or aesthetic value.
(d)
representing a distinguishable entity.
(e) illustrating
social and economic history.
(f) technological innovations.
(iv) Group value as examples of town planning (e.g.
squares, terraces, dharmashalas, sarais, baolies, streets.)
These buildings are classified under the following four
categories:
(i) Monumental architecture-religious
(ii)
Monumental architecture-civic
(iii) Residential buildings
and
(iv) Streetscapes and ancient sites.
Of these, the
first two categories deal with monumental buildings, massive
and imposing, which were used by the community as a whole or
by the head of the state or community, and represent typical
architecture of the period. The remaining two represent
traditional and vernacular architecture, with an added
emphasis on environment, neighbourhood, emotional, cultural
and historical value and archaeological potential.
In terms of importance, these buildings have been graded
into three categories, I,II and III, on the basis of (a) the
date of construction (b) the state of preservation and (c)
architectural or aesthetic value, considered from the
archaeological (cultural), historical and architectural points
of view. Buildings of exceptional interest with unique
features which must be saved at any cost are graded as I. such
buildings are required to be maintained in a state of constant
repair, and could be recommended for protection under central
or state legislation. Buildings of special interest are graded
as category II, while those which do not qualify for permanent
retention but are nevertheless considered to be of some
importance, historically or architecturally, are graded as
III.
Selected photographs have been included in the listing.
Since the listing is intended for use throughout the country,
the spellings have been standardized as far as possible and
are not always strictly based on vernacular usage or
Sanskritik transliteration.
In this context, we would like to mention that the
information furnished for each building does not claim to be
exhaustive, for the scope of the project does not permit in-
depth studies. Difficulties were experienced in ascertaining
the ownership of buildings since such claims were often found
to be conflicting or vague. Similar problems arose in
determining the age of the buildings. In the absence of any
firm inscriptional evidence or of definitive stylistic
considerations, approximate dates, based on information
available locally, have been indicated. Further, since the
compilation of information on buildings is an ongoing process
and reflects the state of the building at the time of listing,
the list is not final and is subject to additions, and in some
instances, deletions.
The purpose of such listing, apart from it being of
interest to students of history, architecture and urban
planners is to recommend that the state governments undertake
the protection of the listed monuments and include them as a
schedule to Master Plans/Development Plans of all cities, and
incorporate them in statutory maps. In the absence of any
existing legislative protection for these buildings, it is
hoped that the civic authorities will undertake responsibility
for their maintenance and upkeep against misuse, damage or
sometimes even destruction. In fact, some of these buildings
could be found suitable for compatible re-use, in consonance
with their dignity and original function. The need of the
hour, however, is an effective legislation through the Town
and Country Planning Acts of the respective State Governments
with suitable enabling and requiring provisions for the
conservation of historic building, quarters and cities.
Foreword
Orissa has aptly been called the Land of Temples. In early
historic times the area was referred to as Odra from which the
modern name derives. One can see monuments testifying to the
growth of many religions amongst which dominate Hinduism,
Jainism and Buddhism. At a later date, the names Kalinga,
referring to the southern coastal part and Utkala, to the
northern, more interior part, came into vogue.
Historically, the area came into prominence when, attracted
by the fame of its culture and wealth, Emperor Asoka decided
to add it to his empire. It was on the road between
Bhubaneswar and Puri on the banks of the river, symbolically
named "Daya" that the Kalinga battle was fought. A victorious
Asoka was witness to the vast numbers of dead warriors along
the river bank. In a unique perception the emperor underwent a
transformation and accepted the tenets of Buddhism. It was
from the coast of Orissa the Noble Truths spread world wide
and the Indian traditions traveled all over the South East
Asia and Sri Lanka to establish a cultural empire, an event
that is still celebrated in Orissa as the festival of Bali-Jatra.
Orissa is unique in that ideas have been permanently
transformed into stone. The symbols of that age stand
testimony in the monuments of Orissa. There are innumerable
temples and monuments in the whole state dating back to the
first century BC. Vagaries of nature and vandalism of man has
led to degradation of such priceless architecture.
One of the aims and objectives of INTACH is to undertake
measures for the preservation and conservation of cultural
property of the country that have a high archaeological and
historic value so far not protected by the Central and State
Statutes. Towards this objective INTACH has undertaken this
work of listing of unprotected monuments.
Commendable work has been done by Dr B. K. Rath and his
team. Not only will this exercise be of use to scholars and
students of history and architecture, but I hope it will
enable readers to bring to the notice of the government, State
and Central, the sites which are in desperate need of
conservation so that they move towards their restoration and
protection expeditiously.
Editor's Note
The great tradition of built heritage in Orissa is as old
as her recorded history or even older, and it still finds an
echo in the religious and cultural life of the odia people
even today. For scholars, tourists and laymen Orissa offers
its rich and varied archaeological treasures and wealth of
monuments in a pristine and, fortunately, intact form. The
entire State is dotted with a large number of standing
monuments such as early Jaina caves, medieval Jaina temples;
Buddhist viharas, chaityas and stupas, Hindu, temples, mathas;
mosques; churches, ancient and medieval forts; palaces of
erstwhile kings and ruling chiefs and the colonial
architecture built during the British rule in Orissa.
Numerically Hindu temples predominate over other class of
monuments in Orissa.
We do not come across any monument in Orissa which can be
dated earlier than the third century BC But, from third
century BC onwards, the built heritage is recorded for a
period of about twenty - two hundred years. Among these, the
temples of Orissa form a class by itself and are famous for
their architectural peculiarities. These are known to
represent Kalinga School of architecture, Kalinga being one of
the names of ancient Orissa.
In conformity with the origin and growth of post Gupta
temple architecture in India, we have in Orissa early temples
at Mahendragiri, Jaipur, Bhubaneswar and Bankada near Banpur
of Puri district. Besides, a number of sculptural and
architectural remains are found in the above places which
evidently were from early temples in Orissa and which clearly
indicate the origin and growth of a separate regional style in
ancient Orissa like that of the early Pallava architecture at
Mahabalipuram or early Chalukyan architecture at Aihole and
early temples in parts of north and central India.
The temple building activities started with the advent of
Sailodbhava kings (circa AD 575 to 736). After the
Sailodbhavas, the Bhauma-Karas (AD 736 to 1435) ruled
successively as masters of the area. Amongst the above four
dynasties, the Somavamsis and the Gangas were prolific
builders and have left to us a large number of temples. Though
temples belonging to different periods dot each nook and
corner of Orissa, we find concentration of temples in known
religious centers and important places like Jaipur and
Chaudwar in Cuttack district, Bhubaneswar, Konark, Puri in
Puri district and Ranipur-Jharial in Bolangir district. But
Bhubaneswar takes the place of pride in having a large number
of extant temples built during all the above dynastic periods
and it becomes a unique place for the study of the development
of Orissan architecture and sculpture.
In the beginning an Orissan temple in the manner of Gupta
temple, consisted of a square sanctum with a sikhara and a
rectangular mukhamandapa (porch). The
mukhamandapa, known in Orissan temple terminology as
jagamohana, had pillars inside it to support the flat
roof. We find jagamohana of this type at Niladriprasad,
near Banpur and Parasuramesvara temple of Bhubaneswar, dated
to seventh century AD.
The pillars inside the jagamohana disappeared
gradually in the Bhauma-Kara period, and with the use of the
cantilever principle the load of the ceiling was taken by
pilasters provided on the inner walls of the
jagamohana. In plan it retained the rectangular form
but became more restricted lengthwise. The jagamohana
of the Vaital, Sisiresvara, Mohini and Markandesvara temple at
Bhubaneswar bear evidence to this.
During the period from AD 600 to 950 we also find a gradual
transformation in the sanctum proper or the rekha
deula. Its exterior plan underwent changes. The earlier
temple facades have three vertical sections known in temple
terminology as raha paga or the central vertical section and
konika paga or corner vertical section as low
projections. This resulted in a squarish appearance of the
exterior plan of the temple known then as a triratha
temple. But with the change in the subsequent periods, the
triratha form of the temple plan transformed into the
pancharatha temple. The hange was due to the increase
in the number of vertical sections on the facades by addition
of subsidiary vertical sections called anuratha paga
and their bold projection. This resulted in a round-like shape
of the exterior plan of the sanctum. In the Ganga period the
number of pagas increased and we find saptaratha and
even a navaratha plan in the temple at Vakesvara at
Bhubaneswar.
Side by side there was noticeable transformation on the
elevation profile of the rekha deula. In the earlier stage the
sanctum rises from the ground level abruptly and the
sikhara gradually tapers inside as it rose in height.
By the time of the Somavamsis the tapering is only from the
top portion of the sikhara or gandi, and it takes a
sudden inward curve to the base of the beki or the neck, below
the amalaka.
The Somavamsi period witnessed a formative phase in the
temple architecture of Orissa with the introduction of
pancharatha plan, the square jagamohana and the
division of the vertical sections of the cube of the
jagamohana in the manner of the rekha deula. The
height of the Jagamohana increased with the
introduction of stepped pyramidal roof or pidha deula.
Towards the middle of the eleventh century AD both the rekha
and pidha deulas are fully developed as evident in the
Brahmesvara and the Lingaraja temples at Bhubaneswar. There
was also experimentation to go in for higher structures and
large temple complexes.
During the rule of Imperial
Gangas, who succeeded the Somavamsis, we find two important development in Orissan
architecture. The first in the introduction of the plinth. All
the temples built during this period have a raised platform
making the temples further high.
The second important feature introduced in this period is
the addition of two more chambers, natamandira or the
dancing hall and bhogamandapa or the offering hall,
along the axial plan of the rekha and pidha structures. We
find the raised plinth all well as the natmandira and
bhogamandapa in the Lingaraja temple, the Jagannatha
temple at Puri, the Ananta Vasudeva temple, and the Parvati
temple inside the Lingaraja temple complex at Bhubaneswar. But
the famous temple of Sun God at Konark has only the
natamandira and that too detached from the general plan
of the main temple. Generally the natamandira has a flat roof
and the bhogamandapa is a pidha structure. The four
chambered plan of a temple complex continued and there was no
further elaboration on the plan of a temple either
horizontally or vertically during the subsequent periods.
As part of the Listing Project the Orissa Regional Chapter
of INTACH took up the listing of unprotected monuments and
buildings of special interest in the State from July 1987 and
completed it in March 1992. A team of four Field-cum-Research
Assistants conducted the actual listing, covering all the
former thirteen districts of Orissa. The total number of
unprotected standing monuments and buildings of special
interest listed thus stands at 2706. it has not been possible
to cover all the places in each district of Orissa because of
various factors although a sincere effort has been made to
reach most of the important places. We have also not covered
the forts of Orissa which are not found as standing
structures.
During the period when the listing work in Orissa was
initiated and completed the State had thirteen districts. The
number of districts have now increased to 30. These new
districts were formed by up-grading the sub-divisions of old
districts.
In our publication however', we have followed the earlier
thirteen districts which existed at the time of listing. The
listing of Orissa is being published in three volumes
following the alphabetical order of the thirteen districts.
Thus volume I contains list of unprotected monuments of
Balasore, Bolangir, Cuttack and Dhenkanal; Volume II of Ganjam,
Kalahandi, Keonjhar, Koraput and Mayurbhanj; and
volume III of Phulbani, Puri, Sambalpur and Sundergarh
districts.
INTACH has formulated a specific format for documentation
of these monuments viz. 1. Serial Number 2. Name, 3. Category,
4. Location, 5. Ownership, 6. Present Usage, 7. Special
Features, 8. State of Preservation or Structural Stability, 9.
Date, 10. Grading, and 11. References. Against the first
information column the district, pin code, serial number given
to each unprotected monument of that district and the year of
listing are given. Under Category, the listed monument is
specifically categorized into either Religious, Streetscape,
Civil or Residential. Under Location, the details of the
village or street/are of the town, nearest town, and districts
are mentioned. Under Special Features we have tried to
describe the Physical Features, Decorative Features and
Special Significance of an unprotected monument thus listed.
On the whole we have tried to be brief but specific.
From the listing made in Orissa it is apparent that a large
number of unprotected monuments lie neglected in the State.
The number of monuments already protected by the ASI and the
Orissa State Archaeology is negligible compared to that of the
unprotected ones. When the lists of different districts are
compared we find that the three coastal districts, viz. Ganjam, Puri and
Cuttack, account for a larger majority. There
is a historical reason for this. All through her history the
political epicenters of the State were located either in the
present Puri or Cuttack district. All the major ancient and
medieval dynasties such as the Sailodbhavas (AD 575 to 700).
The Bhauma -Karas (AD 736 to 940), the Somavamsis (CAD 925 to
1110), the Gangas (CAD 110 to 1435) and the Suryavamsis (CAD
1435 to 1540) had their capitals located either in Puri or
Cuttack district. Secondly, the five sacred religious centers
of Orissa such as Viraja, Mahavinayaka, Ekamra, Srikshetra,
Arka-Kshetra, respectively famous for Shakti, Ganapati, Shiva,
Vishnu and Surya worship, are located at Jaipur, Mahavinayaka
(Cuttack district) and Bhubaneswar, Puri and Konark (Puri
district). Obviously these religious centers and the nearby
areas became the centers of built heritage. In Ganjam, a large
number of standing monuments of a later period are also found.
The other districts, covering the areas of feudatory rulers
under the imperial powers of ancient and medieval Orissa as
well as the erstwhile princely states, contain monuments of
early as well as late periods. Again those places, where the
Britishers had their administrative headquarters or commercial
links, contain buildings built in colonial style of
architecture.
It would not be out of place to mention here that the later
temples of Orissa, particularly in border districts such as
Balasore, Mayurbhanj, Sambalpur, Sundargarh, Kalahandi,
Bolangir and Ganjam, have imbibed traits from other
architectural style and one finds a beautiful fusion of
Bengali chal type architecture with Orissan architecture in
Balasore, blend of Central Indian style and Orissan style in
Sambalpur and Sundargarh etc. the palaces, numbering about 50,
of the princely states form a special category of built
heritage in Orissa.
I am really thankful to INTACH for giving me this
opportunity of supervising the Listing Project in Orissa,
which wad completed within the scheduled time frame. As
already stated earlier, we cannot claim this listing to be
comprehensive and final, but it is the first of its kind and
will need to be revised and up-dated as further developments
take place in the State.
I am equally thankful to the Department of Culture,
Government of Orissa for allowing me to help in the editing
work of these volumes.
It is hoped that the list would be found to be useful to
students and the general public interested in built heritage
of Orissa.
Contents
| Map of Balasore |
1 |
| Note on Listing of Balasore District |
1 |
| Listing of Balasore District |
3 |
| Map of Bolangir |
49 |
| Note on Bolangir District |
49 |
| Listing of Bolangir District |
51 |
| Map of Cuttack |
117 |
| Note on Listing of Cuttack District |
117 |
| Listing of Cuttack District |
119 |
| Map of Dhenkanal |
271 |
| Note on Listing of Dhenkanal District |
271 |
| Listing of Dhenkanal District |
273 |
| List of Protected Monuments |
299 |
| Glossary of Terms |
309 |
|
Volume Two |
|
| Map of Ganjam |
1 |
| Note on Listing of Ganjam District |
1 |
| Listing of Ganjam District |
3 |
| Map of Kalahandi |
207 |
| Note on Listing of Kalahandi District |
207 |
| Listing of Kalahandi District |
209 |
| Map of Keonjhar |
231 |
| Note on Listing of Keonjhar District |
231 |
| Listing of Keonjhar District |
233 |
| Map of Koraput |
247 |
| Note on Listing of Koraput District |
247 |
| Listing of Koraput District |
249 |
| Map of Mayurbhanj District |
313 |
| Note on Listing of Mayurbhanj District |
313 |
| Listing of Mayurbhanj District |
315 |
| List of Protected Monuments |
339 |
| Glossary of Terms |
347 |
|
Volume Three |
|
| Map of Phulbani |
1 |
| Note on Listing of Phulbani District |
1 |
| Listing of Phulbani District |
3 |
| Map of Puri |
19 |
| Note on Listing of Puri District |
19 |
| Listing of Puri District |
21 |
| Map of Sambalpur |
249 |
| Note on Listing of Sambalpur District |
249 |
| Listing of Sambalpur District |
251 |
| Map of Sundargarh |
325 |
| Note on Listing of Sundargarh District |
325 |
| Listing of Sundargarh District |
232 |
| List of Protected Monuments |
347 |
| Glossary of Terms |
359 |
