Berhampur: A 300-year-old temple of built Lord Jagannath, which used to be the central place of religious activities, now stands half-submerged in water of Ghodahada Dam near Digapahandi in Ganjam.
The temple was built by Raja Padmanav Ananga Bhima Deb (1691-1731) when he established Vijayanagar Fort as the capital of Khemundi kingdom. The king had also laid a wide road called ‘Bada Danda’ like Puri, a multi-pillared ‘Gundicha Mandap’ and dug tank ‘Mahadei Bandha’ for ‘Chandan Yatra’ at Vijayanagar, according to the Gangavamsanucharitam Champu of Pandit Basudev Rath Somajaji.
Unfortunately, all these structures of historical and religious importance received the watery grave since the Ghodahada Dam was built in 1976.
Dr Anantaram Kar Kaundinya, a researcher on the culture and history of Ganjam, however, said Raja Chaitanya Deb had later shifted the capital of Khemundi kingdom to Digapahandi in 1806. The king also brought three deities of Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra and Devi Subhadra of the temple from Vijayanagar Gada to his new palace at Digapahandi 11 km away for performing daily rituals and offering puja which are still continuing.
It may be noted that Santha Kabi Arakhita Das and Kabi Surjya Baladev Rath, the two great Odia poets were born in Vijayanagar Gada in 1761 and 1779 respectively.
The first war against the British Army was waged in this kingdom 50 years earlier than the Khurda Paika War, said Dr Anantaram.
