Oldest British era structure of Bhubaneswar to be demolished

Bhubaneswar: The Dak Bungalow at Mahatab Road, the oldest colonial vestige of Bhubaneswar, is slated for demolition for the construction of a Kalyan Mandap, heritage expert Anil Dhir said.

The Prachi Division has been allocated a sum of Rs 2.60 crore and the ground work has been started. Built sometime in 1850 for the convenience of British officers, the Dak Bungalow has an interesting history. It was also the staging point for mail runners of the Imperial Mail Service. For years, it served as a makeshift court house for proceedings held by the British officials.

The many properties in the Old Town that were taken up by the gentry of Bengal under the draconian Sunset Law were auctioned at this place. It was also used by the surveyors of the Great Indian Trigonometrical Survey held between 1840 and 1870. The Bengal Nagpur Railways engineers too had used the place when the railway was being laid.

The modest two-roomed bungalow was set in thickly wooded plot with a well and two outhouses for Khansama and Chowkidar. The large-walled compound was dotted with trees, many fruit-bearing and others for shade. Just a single tamarind tree remains.

The Dak Bungalow was renovated during the visit of Lord Curzon in 1899. It was from here that he went to Curzon Tower to view the Lingaraj temple. The place has been known as Dakabangala Chhak since ages. Old- timers tell of the times when leopards would come and rest in the veranda.

The Dak Bungalow was converted into Settlement office and remained as the RI office for years before a new adjoining building was made. This building, which has been witness to so much history and has survived the vicissitudes of time, lies neglected. Locals say the place is haunted, with its share of strange paranormal happenings. Old-timers recollect that there were two graves of Englishmen inside the compound. However, no trace of them can be found.

Dhir said INTACH has been persistently writing to Odisha government regarding the neglect of this historic structure. The INTACH had formed a team, inspected the abandoned place and submitted a report.

As per the report, the building was found to be structurally intact, the thick walls and the wooden roof beams are undamaged. Dhir said the building can be easily restored with some conservation efforts. Even the outhouses and the horse stable are in a restorable condition.

Built of thick laterite stone blocks and chunsurkhi, the walls have little damage except for the peeling plaster.

Dhir, also the Convener of INTACH’s Bhubaneswar Chapter, has unearthed many accounts of the Englishmen who had stayed here for months, convalescing from diseases like malaria and tuberculosis. Many physicians of Calcutta would recommend patients to go to Bhubaneswar and imbibe the therapeutic mineral waters of the well inside Kedar Gouri temple complex.

It was believed that the water had curative and rejuvenating properties. A two-storied sanatorium had been made near the present day Ravi Talkies, which too catered to the convalescing Britishers. Unfortunately, it was demolished 10 years ago and a block of flats has come up at the place.

During two different occasions in the last regime, it had been planned to demolish the structure, but the timely intervention of INTACH’s State Chapter had stopped it. Dhir said much mindless destruction of heritage had happened during the Ekamra Kshetra Beautification Project and whatever remains should be properly conserved.

The INTACH had suggested that the place was ideal for making a site museum and interpretation centre of the various artefacts of the Old Town,

Dhir said.