INTACH launches documentation of Kalingan heritage sites in AP

Berhampur : When many heritage sites in the present-day Andhra Pradesh with Kalingan influence need proper listing and preservation, the Odisha chapter of Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH) has started a documentation campaign of these sites.

The INTACH’s campaign aims to highlight these sites, ensuring that their historical significance is recognised and protected. By documenting Kalingan heritage sites outside the current boundaries of Odisha, INTACH aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of the region’s historical expanse and influence. According to INTACH Odisha sources, the publishing of this documentation is expected to be completed by the end of this year.

The six-member survey team includes Bishnu Mohan Adhikari, Bikram Kumar Nayak, Suman Prakash Swain, Bikash Das, Chiranjib Rout and co-ordinated by Deepak Kumar Nayak (Co-Convenor, INTACH-Cuttack Chapter).

Bishnu Mohan Adhikari, a history researcher-cum-archivist of South Odisha, has said that the Kalingan heritage sites in Andhra Pradesh have a rich tapestry woven with threads of history, architecture, religion and culture.

“These sites collectively form a vital link to our past, offering important historical, linguistic, cultural and architectural insights. Their neglect poses a significant threat to our shared heritage. By undertaking a concerted effort to list and document these sites, we can ensure their preservation and continued appreciation by future generations,” he said.

“This initiative will not only honour our history but also enrich the cultural fabric of this land and beyond. It will lay the foundation for educational enrichment, cultural appreciation and economic growth in the present and future. The ongoing effort to document Kalingan heritage sites in Andhra Pradesh is a significant endeavour to preserve our cultural and historical heritage that will also act as a vital resource for future generations, researchers and scholars,” said Adhikari, who has been chosen as the only member from South Odisha who can also read, write and speak Telugu.

Many of these sites including temples, palaces, forts, caves, stupas, inscriptions and other archaeological remains all having Kalingan connection are lesser-known and some of them are documented for the first time by the INTACH team. Architectural and cultural elements of the Kalinga style are prominently featured in several locations throughout Andhra Pradesh, highlighting the historical and cultural connections between these regions.

Project Coordinator Deepak Kumar Nayak has provided further insights into the project, saying, “Our team has meticulously documented and catalogued numerous historic Kalingan sites, primarily situated in the North Andhra Pradesh region. Our objective is to locate and document as many Kalingan historic sites as possible in all the districts of Andhra Pradesh in the near future,” Deepak added.

Eminent historian Ananataram Kar, Sitakanta Rajaguru and many intellectuals of south Odisha have welcomed this project and inclusion of Bishnu Mohan Adhikari in the team from south Odisha.

Bishnu, along with a team of INTACH researchers, had discovered a 1,700-year-old neglected and dilapidated ancient Hanuman idol dating back to the 4th or 5th century at Patikota village near JITM situated on the outskirts of Paralakhemundi which was lying under a tree. They requested the Odisha Government to initiate steps to preserve it.

Bishnu also decoded a 238-year-old copper plate of the ancestors of Vikram Deb, the Maharaja of Jeypore, retrieved from a metal scrap trader of Rayagada district. It was issued by Odia King Ramachandra Deva II of Nandapur Samasthana (present day southern Odisha), the old capital of Jeypore kingdom, with his signature. The plate is dated May 31, 1787 AD.

The importance of this decipherment shed a new light on the gift of the village ‘Sana Tadama’, situated in south-west direction of Rayagada to ‘God Radhakanta’ for conducting ‘Avadhana (Guru) Varana’ in the temple by the King on the occasion of Jyestha Purnima.