The travels of Bengalis in the past
Sumana Dam
(Continued from the last part)
The author commented that to describe the numerous temples in Puri, another separate book would need to be written. However, he has given descriptions of certain notable temples. Puri was the site of the great sage Markandeya's presence. Currently, there is a Shiva temple named Markandeshwar and a water tank called Markand Pushkarini. Puri has 700 monasteries. The noble intent behind the construction of these monasteries by accomplished individuals for deity worship and offering has largely failed, as the funds are being used for the luxury of the heads of these monasteries, according to the author. In the western part of Puri, there is a self-manifested Shiva temple named Loknath. The idol of Mahadev is located in a cave, which is often filled with water, and only on Shivaratri, after much effort by the priests, is the idol retrieved. The residents of Puri hold deep reverence for this Shiva idol. Inside the premises of Puri's main temple, there is a temple dedicated to the goddess Vimala. Although the Jagannath temple serves only vegetarian offerings according to the Vaishnavite tradition, non-vegetarian offerings are also made at the Vimala temple on specific dates. It is also sometimes stated that Jagannath is regarded as Vimala's Bhairab. The reconciliation between Vimala Devi and Jagannath Devi is a very difficult matter. There is a goddess named Harachandi in the nearby village, and her worship and animal sacrifices are conducted with great enthusiasm. At the seashore of Puri, where pilgrims bathe, it is known as Swargadwar (Gateway to Heaven). Nearby, there are many monasteries, including the those dedicated to Kabir and Nanak. To the west is the tomb of Sri Chaitanya (but was it actually there at that time?). The sandy coastline is dotted with trees planted by the monks. Several saints, including Nanak, Kabir, Dattatreya, Shankaracharya, Tulsidas, and Sri Chaitanya, are believed to have spent their final days there (though in reality, only Sri Chaitanya's divine play ended in Puri, and others are said to have spent some time there). The seat of Sage Dattatreya is located to the left of the Swargadwar in Puri. The monastery of Shankar Swami (Shankaracharya) is on the seashore, and it houses many ancient books. The head of this monastery, Damodar Tirtha Swami, is a profound scholar, while the priests of Puri are wealthy but uneducated. The city of Puri is long in size and divided into seven villages or palli. In these villages, one or two Durga Puja celebrations take place. On Dashami (the tenth day of Durga Puja), all the idols from the city are collected and displayed in front of the Simha Gate, an event known as 'Vhet.'
After spending the end of summer and the beginning of autumn in Puri, the author left for the south along the coastline of the Bay of Bengal. After traveling ten miles, he visited the Harachandi Temple. According to legend, Lord Ram installed this idol during his exile and worshiped it. Then, after traveling another two miles, the author stayed the night at Katakuri. From here, the Chilka Lake begins. The place has only three small shops selling grocery. Boats for traveling to Chilka are available from here. The author sailed to Chilka the next day. The water in Chilka is salty. Thirsty, the author asked a sailor for water, and a fellow passenger made him a two-foot deep hole on the bank where sweet water could be found. On the right side of the boat, villages are visible, while on the left is the sandbank. Fishermen are seen catching fish with nets, and some fish are drying in the sun along the shore. The author passed by a three-mile long sandbar known as Parikuda, the capital of the Parikuda kingdom. The sandbar has the king's palace surrounded by the homes of peasants and agricultural lands. After spending two days at the royal palace and conversing with the king, the author moved on. He traveled along the coastal road, where the Utkal and Madras regions meet (At that time, Andhra Pradesh did not exist, and Madras referred to present-day Tamil Nadu). From the Chilka Bay, the author could see the hills on the shore. Once on land, the path leading to Madras was visible. Between these hills was the capital of the Khallikot kingdom. The royal palace seemed hidden among the mountains for self-protection. The governance of this kingdom was poor, and the king was oppressive.
Next, the author traveled through the jungles of Utkal or the Karad Rajya (Revenue states of the British). He followed the road from the previous mountain pass towards Utkal’s jungle region, reaching Banpur, a place that was once the capital but now only has a few old temples. From there, he traveled six miles southwest through the jungle to an outpost, which marked the boundary between the kingdoms of Nayagarh, Khallikot, and Khalsa Mahal. No one travels this route after sunset due to the presence of tigers and bears. The author stayed at this outpost overnight. The head constable warned him that if he needed to go outside after dark, he should call the constables and watchmen who would light a fire and accompany him for safety. The following morning, the author traveled eight miles northwest into the jungle with a local resident and stayed in a village overnight. The next day, after traveling two miles, they had to cross a mountain. The descent from the mountain was slippery and dangerous. After five miles of travel, they took shelter in a Bhagwat recital hall in a village. The next day, they reached the capital of Nayagarh. The author had a conversation with the young king. The capital is flanked by two mountains. Afterward, the author went to a place called Khondapada, ten miles away. Here, on a small hill, the statue of Nilamadhava is situated. The place is very picturesque. On Maghi Purnima, the author witnessed a fair at the Nilamadhava temple, which attracted nearly ten thousand pilgrims. On the opposite bank of the Mahanadi River were the kingdoms of Nrisinghapur and Dashpala. The author visited the kingdoms of Dashpala, Ramachandrapur, Bomrajya, and Kandamala. The Kandamala region was inhabited by the Kand or Khond tribe, who, until recently, practiced human sacrifice, which the British had stopped. Afterward, the author visited the kingdoms of Hindol and Angul. The oranges of Angul are very sweet. These oranges grow in the wild and are collected and consumed or sold by the indigenous people. Then, they traveled by boat on the Mahanadi River towards Cuttack. After four days of travel, they reached Cuttack, where they took a steamer to Bhadrak and then to Balasore. Afterward, they returned to Mayurbhanj almost a year later.
The author concluded the book with a commitment to publish the second volume, but it is unknown whether these travel accounts were ever written or published, as the books are not available anywhere. Therefore, although the author mentioned in the preface that the book would describe various districts of Bengal, Bihar, Odisha, and Assam, this book ends with only the descriptions of Bengal, Bihar, and Odisha at that time.
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