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Vikramkhol (Bikramkhol)
Vikramkhol is a cave containing pre-historic, undeciphered pictographic
inscriptions[5][6]. The cave is situated at a distance of 26 km to the west
of Jharusguda. The inscription is in a natural rock-shelter, six feet below
the top. The rock is a rough sandstone. The rock-shelter is 115 feet in
length and 27 feet 7 inches in height from the floor (35 m by 8.4 m). It
faces north east. The inscribed portion is about 35 feet by 7 feet (11 m by
2.1 m). Some of the letters are sharply cut, but the incision-marks of the
majority do not show sharp cutting. It seems that an iron chisel was not
used. Some of the letters are partly cut and partly painted, while some
letters are only in paint, but the majority are completely cut. It is
evident that all the letters were first painted before being incised, which
was the method regularly employed in the period of Brahmi inscription. The
color of the paint is red ochre, with which we are familiar in the
pre-historic and historic caves and cave-buildings in India. The inscription
was discovered by an educated Sadhu, Swami Jnamananda. An examination of the
letters, which at first sight give the impression of having Brahmi forms,
showed that the writing was a mixture of Brahmi forms and a developed type
of the Mohenjodaro script |
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Ruins of Hill
Forts of Ulapgarh
On the Jharsuguda-Belpahar Road at a distance of 21 Kms. from Jharsuguda
there is a village known as Lajkura. In the vicinity there is a hill known
as "Maheswar Pahad" where the remains of an old holy fort attracts the
attention of historians, researchers and tourists.
On the foot of Maheswar Pahad, there is small village called "Ulap". About
one kilometer from the village, the ruins of Ulapgarh are situated. At this
place, the Maheswar pahad is about 1000 ft high and on the top there is a
huge plain surface. On this rectangular plain stone surface the fort of
Ulapgarh had been constructed. The plain stone fine surface is about 400
metre long and 250 metre wide. On the eastern side of the fort there are
almost about 7 kms. Of densely forested Baramunda Hills and on the Western
side, the Belpahar Railway Station is located at a distance of 5 kms. On the
north there is a dense forest stretching up to Hemgir and in the South
stretching up to Badjob village.
A 12 ft. wide and 150 mts. Long moat had been constructed which stretches
from east to west. There was a Sivalingam and a place of worship in the
Fort. A well had been dug on the stone floor which provided drinking water
to the inmates of the Fort through out the year.
On the stone floor, there are many square holes and 70 round holes. The
diameters of the hole vary from 1-3 inch. Wooden poles used to be put on
these holes to support super structures for living room, store room,
arsenals, Kitchen, sleeping room etc.
About 1000 people could take shelter at Ulapgarh at a time. On the western
side of Ulapgarh and down hill there is Ushakothi cave. On the walls and
floors of this cave also there are many circular and square holes. Probably
the defence personnel of the fort used to suspend there clothes and other
belonging from wooden poles fitted to these holes. The soldiers of the dense
forest of Maheswar hill could easily over power and defeat the enemies
before they could climb up the hill and attack the fort.
It is believed that Ulapgarh was being used as a residential fort by some
kings of "Naja" Dynasty. Research is going on by various Indian and Foreign
researchers and Historian in this direction. |
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Padmasini
Temple of Padampur
At a distance of 70 Kms. from Jharsuguda, there is Hirakud reservoir on the
left side of village Bhikampali. Just at the point where the river Mahanadi
leaves the than Madhya predesh and enters Orissa to pour in to the Hirakud
reservoir, there was once a town called as "Padampur". The famous Sanskrit
dramatist “Bhabahbhoti” was believed to be born here. Moreover, it is said
that "Bajrajan"’ Tantra marg of Buddhism took origin here.
Goddess Padmasini is the reigning deity of this town. The temple of
Padmashini’ was constructed in 7th century A.D. by a Chalukya king of South.
However the original temple had met decay and was believed to be
reconstructed by the Chouhan king of Sambalpur in 16th century. A look at
the "Jagmohan" of original temple reveals striking resemblance with
architecture of the Chalukya era.
Even the stone statue of goddess Padmasini bears striking similarities with
the style of the Chalukya period. In the whole Orissa Padmasini Temple is a
unique example of Chalukya art and architecture. In 1956 Padampur town was
submerged in Hirakud reservoir, but the deity has been shifted to a new
temple at nearby ‘Pujaripali’.
Who had constructed the temple in the 7th century puzzles many historian &
researchers often.
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Ramchandi
- An ancient Shaktipitha
This important place of ‘Shakti Worship’ is located 10 km. away from
Jharsuguda town inside a cave.
Rampur Dandapat (Jamindari) was created during the reigning ‘Chhatrasai Dev’
the 7th King of Sambalpur (1657-1695). One Khytriya youth of Rajpotana
belonging to Gaharwal family ‘Prannath Singh’ with his velour subdued the
local aborigines of Rampur area in IB basin and received Rampur area as
Jagirdari from Chhatrasai Dev, the ruling king of Sambalpur. The Rampur
Jamindari had an area of 786 sq.miles.
From the remote past Davi Ramchandi is being worshiped as the reigning deity
of Rampur region. The Shrine is famous not only on the Rampur area but
throughout the western Orissa. Many pilgrims and devotees come to the Rampur
cave from far and near to visit and worship the goddess Ramchandi.
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Koilighughar
water fall (Lakhanpur)
The Koilighugar water fall is situated 55 kilometer away from Jharsuguda in
the Lakhanpur block near the village Kushmelbahal. A rivulet named ‘Ahiraj’
takes origin from the ‘Chhuikhanch’ forest and while flowing through its
rocky belt falls from a height of 200 ft. creating the water fall of
Koilighugar. After the fall the rivulet flows west wards to merge into the
river ‘Mahanadi’. It is a picturesque beauty spot with its sylvan back drop.
Inside the fall there is a Shivalingam known as ‘Maheswarnath’. The lingam
is submerged in water and not ordinarily visible. If somebody tries to see
it from inside the water in winter and summer the lingum is visible under
the reflected sunlight, hence for the benefit of the pilgrims another
Sivalingam has been created outside the waterfall There is an "Ashram" of a
holy man "Saham swami" near the water fall. Every year a fair sits in
Kalighugar on the occasion of Sivaratri.
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Jhadeswar
Temple
Ancient Siva Shrine of Jhadeswar Temple,
Jharsuguda
The ‘Jhadeswar’ temple is located at a distance of about 1 km. from the
Jharsuguda Railway station beyond the old town ‘Purunabasti’ inside a small
forest.
There is a self appearing (Swayambhu) Sivalingam here the actual age of
which is unknown. But during the reign of ‘Govind Singh’ Jamindar of
Jharsuguda the lingam was being worshiped inside a hut made up of leaves. In
1916 a Gujarati contractor named "Mulju Jagmal" erected a small temple here.
The Jamindar of Jharsuguda arranged Savayats for daily worship and donated
agricultural lands for maintenance of the temple and puja.
The temple was renovated in 1969 by philanthropist from Calcutta Lt.Surajmal
Mohota.
Since 1916 a fair takes place here on every Sivaratri day. The Jhadeswar
temple area has important significance in the history of Jharsuguda. On the
eastern side of the temple the original ‘Jharguda’ settlement has grown. On
its northern side there was a settlement of ‘Gond subject’ of the Jamindar
of Jharsuguda. Jhadeswar temple is recognised as original Siva shrine.
‘Adyaswambhu pitha’ of Jharsuguda. A Small beautiful garden has been grown
near the Jhadeswar temple which is used as a picnic spot because of its
scenic beauty
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Shree
Pahadeswar Temple, Jharsuguda
It is situated at the top of a small hill on the eastern side of Jharsuguda
and is another place of attraction in the District.
The temple was constructed by a Gujrati Contractor Lt. Bitthal bhai Saha in
1921. With its natural surrounding viz. Garden, Ashsram etc and because of
easy accessibility, it attracts a lot of visitors. From the hill top a
bird’s eye view of Jharsuguda town enthralls the visitors.
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Shiva Shrine of
Mahadebpali
On the South East direction of Jharsuguda and on the bank of river Bhaden
there is an ancient Sivashrine’ at Mahadebpali. The study of local history
reveals that, there was a small kingdom of a ‘Haihay King’ in this region. A
Siva temple had been constructed by the king on the river bank. The king of
Ratnapur (Surguja) attacked this kingdom in concern with the marriage of the
only daughter of the Haihay king’ and during this aggression the ‘Haihay
King’ was killed and his kingdom was destroyed.
In the 16th Century ‘Balram Dev’ the 1st Chouhan king of Sambalpur occupied
this fort and there was a war between the Sambalpur king and the Ratnapur
king, as a result the importance of the ‘Bhogaragarh’ fort declined.
For a long time the ‘Bhogaragarh’ fort and the surrounding temples remained
abandoned. As a result the temples near the fort decayed. A few years back
the villagers of Mahadevpali constructed a new temple at the original site.
As the history of local area is clearly linked with this temple it is
considered to be one of the Astaswayambhus of Jharsuguda district. Every
year fair takes place here on the day of Sivaratri.
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Historical
Kolabira Fort
This fort is situated at a distance of 17 kms. From the Jharsuguda town on
the bank of river ‘Telen’.
The Kolabira Jamindari was formed during the reign of Lt. Jayat Singh
(1781-1818) the Chohan king of Sambalpur. It had an area of 278 sq.kms... It
was bounded on north by villages Arda, Dhutura, Baijapli and Bamra kingdom.
One Manasdhar Singh was the 1st Jamindar of Kolabira. During the 13th
Century the ‘Gond’ tribe was ruling the Gondwara region (Modern Madhya
Pradesh and Chhattisgarh). At that time small Gond kingdoms such as Kherlu,
Betal etc. were created. During the later part of 14th Century, the Gond
kingdom disintegrated. As a result the ferocious Gonds migrated in large
numbers to the Sambalpur kingdom and settled there.
During the 16th Century the kings of Sambalpur appreciating the physical
prowess, valor and loyalty of Gonds gave them shelter as subjects and the
Gond Chieftains were given responsible posts in the earning. Jayant Singh
the King of Sambalpur had appointed ‘Mansadhar Singh’ as the Jamindar of
Kolabira.
After Mansadhar Singh his son ‘Karunakar Singh’ (Nayak) took charge of
Kolabira Jamindari. At this time Maharaja Sai was the king of Sambalpur and
after his death his widow Queen Mohankumari was made the queen, but the
actual administration was done by the British. As a result, there was an
armed revolt started against the British. The queen was sent as pensional to
Cuttack and the British appointed an old Khytriya named ‘Narayan Singh’ as
the king of Sambalpur.
BirSurendraSai, the Chauhan Jamindar of Khinda started armed revolution
against British and Karunakara Naik the Jamindar of Kolabira Joined the
revaluation as a follower and his property was confiscated because of his
support to Surendrasai. The shrewd British authorities declared clemency to
those who surrendered and to escape gallows and to get back the Jamindari.
The rebel Kolabira Jamindar alternately surrendered. But illegally and
treacherously he was hanged in the jail premises of Sambalpur on 11th
February, 1858. The British army in the mean time had blown the palace of
Kolabira Jamindar by Cannons, later the son of Karunakar Nayak appealed
before the ‘Court of Wards’ at Nagpur and got back his confiscated Jamindari
and properties in 1860. The English repaired the damaged palace and fort as
compensation. At present the descendants of Kolabira Jamindar recide in the
premises of the old fort which is grossly damaged. In the history of freedom
struggle Kolabira is known as ‘Agni Tirtha’. Many people including historian
and researchers visit this place often.
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List
of Train at Jharsuguda .Jn |
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Up |
Train Name |
Dn |
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2860
2130
2810
2906
2871
8451
8189
3351
8477
8005
2834
8030
2812
2152
2889
2870
3288A
211
327
321 |
HOWRAH-MUMBAI CST GITANJALI SUPERFAST
EXPRESS
HOWRAH-PUNE AZAD HIND EXPRESS
HOWRAH-MUMBAI MAIL
HOWRAH-PORBANDAR ARADHANA EXPRESS
HOWRAH-SAMBALPUR ISPAT SUPERFAST EXPRESS
HATIA-PURI TAPASWINI EXPRESS
TATA-ALLEPPEY EXPRESS
DHANBAD-ALLEPPEY EXPRESS
PURI-HARIDWAR KALINGA UTKAL EXPRESS
HOWRAH-KORAPUT SAMALESWARI EXPRESS
HOWRAH-AHMEDABAD EXPRESS
SHALIMAR-LOKMANYA TILAK TERMINUS EXPRESS
HATIA-LOKMANYA TILAK TERMINUS EXPRESS
HOWRAH-LOKMANYA TILAK TERMINUS SAMARSATA EXPRESS
TATANAGAR-YESVANTPUR EXPRESS
HOWRAH-MUMBAI CST SUPERFAST EXPRESS
DANAPUR-DURG SOUTH BIHAR EXPRESS
ROURKELA-PURI PASSENGER
TATA-NAGPUR-AMRAVATI PASSENGER
TATA-BILASPUR PASSENGER |
2859
2129
2809
2905
2872
8452
8190
3352
8478
8006
2833
8029
2811
2151
2890
2869
2869
3287A
212
328
322 |