First-Ever Jagatsinghpur Heritage Walk Held on Saraswati Puja

Jagatsinghpur: The inaugural edition of Jagatsinghpur Heritage Walks (JHW) was successfully conducted on the auspicious occasion of Saraswati Puja, commencing from the revered Maa Sarala Temple. The event witnessed enthusiastic participation from over 35 heritage enthusiasts from across Odisha.

Srikanta Singh, the convenor of JHW, welcomed the participants and elaborated on the vision and mission of the initiative, emphasizing the rich historical and cultural legacy of Jagatsinghpur. Dating back to the 6th century AD, the region shares a historical link with the Prachi Valley Civilization and has been a center of archaeological significance, inland and overseas trade, fabric manufacturing, religious harmony, and contributions to the freedom struggle.

The group was addressed by Pandit Ranjan Panda, the Chief Priest of Maa Sarala Temple and author of Shri Chandi Sarala Madala, along with Dr. Ajay Kumar Mishra, a renowned researcher and author of Chitramaheswari. The speakers delved into the historical and mythological significance of the Maa Sarala Temple, believed to have existed near the Prachi and Chandrabhaga rivers in the 15th century, as mentioned in the Mahabharata authored by Sarala Das.

They also highlighted the temple’s connection with Landa Deula Temple, where Maa Sarala was originally worshipped before her idol was relocated. The Bali Ratha tradition was discontinued in 1946, while the temple structure suffered damage first under Kalapahada’s invasion and later during Aurangzeb’s rule. The present-day temple was reportedly constructed in two phases, with the main temple built around 1890-1895 and Parshwadevatas installed in 1914.

The speakers took the participants through the literary legacy of Sarala Das, whose Mahabharata has been translated into Bengali and Telugu. They also discussed the confusion surrounding the poet’s identity and historical accounts. The Chief Priest further explained the daily rituals at the temple and the amalgamation of Buddhism, Tantrism, Shaivism, and Vaishnavism at the sacred site.

The heritage walk saw the participation of several eminent heritage enthusiasts, including Dipak Samantrai (Convenor, Cuttack Heritage Walks), Sanjay Baral (Convenor, Puri Heritage Walks), Biswa Ranjan Dehury (Founding Member, Dhenkanal Heritage Walks), and Prabhanshu Santarai (Publisher, Divya Duta Publication). Local college students also joined the walk, making it a successful initiative to explore and celebrate the region’s historical richness.