Heritage enthusiasts visit Jajpur

A group of heritage and nature enthusiasts, who have been exploring various heritage sites on the city outskirts under the banner of Aitiha , recently visited Jajpur district, which is home to various heritage sites.

Moving along the Baitarani river valley, they visited many heritage temples and scenic spots.

The maiden tour touched a handful of magnificent sites, including Deuli hills , Barahanatha temple , Dasaswamedha ghat , Jagannath temple and Biraja temple . “We had designed the route in such a way that the participants get to know about monuments that are less known,” said Taranisen Pattnaik , an organiser.

The team first visited the majestic Deuli hills, better known as Sunrise point, which is situated near the confluence of two rivers. Next came the Barahanatha temple on the left bank of Baitarani river. This unique temple is dedicated to Lord Baraha and was built in the 15th/16th century by Suryavanshi Gajapati rulers. The next destination was the popular Dasaswamedha ghaata, a riverfront best known for the Hindu rituals of shraddha, pinda daan and bathing. There are also other temples in the area like Siddha Ganesh temple and Saptamatruka temple. The team then moved to the Jagannath temple nearby and finally to the famous temple of Biraja Khetra. Having Maa Durga as the presiding deity, the temple is said to have been established in the fifth century.

“It’s a fact that there are a lot of historical places and heritage sites in different parts of Odisha. Jajpur is not far from Bhubaneswar, but most tourists come here for the Buddhist monuments. It was wonderful to know about such lesser known monuments along with few popular ones. It was a good initiative,” said Arobinda Mohanty, a participant.