Because of unsustainable anthropogenic activities in the Mahendragiri hills in Gajapati district, the population of wildlife is on the decrease. Many of the plant and animal species here find their place in the IUCN Red Data Book as ‘Threatened’, ‘Vulnerable’, ‘Endangered’ and ‘Rare’.
Because of its closeness to eastern coast and remarkable topographic heights, the hill complex on the Eastern Ghat has been a prominent land mark for the early European sailors along the eastern coast. Many captains of European ships have recorded in their shipping logs the appearance of Mahendragiri group of hills as indicating the beginning of Odisha coast.
From ancient historical period Mahendragiri played an important role as a strategic place and strong military base. Several ruling dynasties of Odisha took control of the area. Some of those ruling families were Matharas, Eastern Gangas, Sailodbhavas, Svetaka-Gangas and the Imperial Gangas. The narrow passes and valleys of Mahendra range of mountains controlled the ancient trade route connecting north India with south India on the eastern coast. The early Ganga Kings had built a hill-fort, on the upper part of the Mahendragiri. The remnants are still traceable there. There are few stone inscriptions found here belonging to Chodagangagadeva (AD 1123) and Rajendra Chole of South India. Long before Devendravarman, in the 4th century AD, Gupta Monarch Samudragupta during his southern expedition, arrived at Mahendragiri where he defeated a king named Svamidatta, and several small princes, as recorded in the Allhabad Pillar inscription.
Mahendragiri was the cradle land of the early civilization of Kalinga. The mythology refers to the Mahendra as a sacred place being one of the seven Kulagiris or seven principal chains of mountains in India. The seven mountains designate the seven ancient doors of heaven. The six other Kulagiris or Kulaparbats are Malaya, Sahyadri, Parijatra, Shuktiman, Vindya and Malyavaan. The puranic or mythological literature attach great sanctity to this place being the seat of Parasurama’s penance and sacred land for pinda dana.
There is reference of this hill being associated with worship of Lord Jagannath by the tribes, according to famous epigraphist Satyanarayan Rajguru. The Ramayan, the Chaitanya-Charitamrita, Bhagabat Puran, Kalidas’s Raghuvamsa and other Indian epics refer to Eastern Ghats as Mahendra. The Odia Mahabharata written by Sarala Das, a poet of the 15th Century A.D describes that the five Pandava brothers while in vanavasa (exile), came to the Mahendra hill to perform the sraddha (death anniversary rituals) of their father. Lord Shiva known as Gokarneswar in Kunti temple is now the presiding deity of Paralakhemundi Maharaja, the Ganga dynasty. Every year during the Maha Sivaratri Puja (February/ March) thousands of pilgrims from the Gajapati, Ganjam, undivided Koraput and Srikakulam district in Andhra Pradesh gather on the peak to celebrate the auspicious day. In recognition of its mythological significance the Mahendragiri finds place in the list of fifteen sites identified under the Ramayana Circuit.
The hill complex is the natural habitat of the tribes including the primitive Lanjia saura, Sudha saura and Bhima saura. The other tribes include Kondh, Gond, Santal and Kolh. Their livelihood security is intricately linked to the biodiversity and other local natural resources of the hill complex. The watershed of Mahendragiri hill complex drains into Rushikulya, Vamsadhara, Bahuda river systems and numerous big and small streams. Mahendratanaya river flows in two directions, one on the eastern slope that joins the sea and the other joins the Vamsadhara river. The hilly terrain, endowed with dense tropical semi-evergreen forests, composes a unique ecological marvel in harbouring the genetic diversity.
The vegetation of Mahendragiri hill complex could be classified broadly into four types-Sal forests, mixed forests, grassland, and the scrubs. It is rich with medicinal plants and orchids.
Among the faunal species Mahendragiri is known for the Indian elephant. The other wild animals including the tiger, leopard, hyena, wild bear, deer, antelope, peacock, snake and a variety of other terrestrial species and birds had their best habitat in Mahendragiri. The flora and fauna of Mahendragiri hill complex is interesting because it represents Himalayan as well as peninsular Deccan Plateau species.
There is ample scope of environment-friendly eco-development activities here. The means to improve the local people’s livelihood pattern leading to economic security is to be promoted while taking utmost care of the ecosystem and environment. Cottage industries, value addition of products, skill development of local people honouring their traditional wisdom, development of market net-work, cultivation of local medicinal, fodder and other valuable plants, rearing of domestic animals for cultivation, milk, meat, etc. would go a long way in conservation of local resources and their wise use.
Shifting cultivation is rampant here. In view of the fact that the varied plant and animal species as yet are sustaining in the wild in Mahendragiri hill forest ecosystem, immediate steps need be taken for protection and conservation of the biodiversity and development of the habitat. Development of the hill complex is intricately linked to the economic development and well being of the local community.
The Wildlife Institute of India in their report “Planning a Wildlife Protected Area Network in India” has recommended setting up of a sanctuary and a biosphere reserve in the Mahendragiri hills complex on the basis of phyto-geographic affinities in north, north-eastern and south-eastern India. The Union Ministry of Environment and Forests in 1988 had sent this report to the Odisha Government with request to implement these recommendations. Former Member of Parliament of Berhampur Constituency Gopinath Gajapati raised the matter in the Lok Sabha in 1991 under the matter of urgent public importance, and later in his letter had requested Environment and Forests Ministry to take necessary steps in this regard.
22 MLAs from Odisha had submitted a memorandum in 1993 to the Prime Minister and Chief Minister of Odisha to designate the hill complex as a Biosphere Reserve. The 15th meeting of the Odisha State Wildlife Advisory Board held in 1995 had recommended for creation of a wildlife sanctuary in Mahendragiri hill complex. At the initiative of Orissa Environmental Society (OES) the Government of Odisha in Forest and Environment Department constituted a Committee to study the feasibility of constituting Mahendragiri Biosphere Reserve under the chairmanship of the Regional Chief Conservator of Forests in 2011. Expert members of the OES and local Divisional Forest Officers were the members of the committee. Local MP and MLA were the special invitees to the committee. The Committee in its 4th meeting held in 2014 unanimously agreed in principle that the proposed Mahendragiri hill complex be considered for creating a Biosphere Reserve.
In the meantime, though more than five years have elapsed, the Government of Odisha is not submitting the proposal to the Union Government to accord the status of Biosphere Reserve to the Mahendragiri hill complex.
The hill complex has all the merit to be considered so. Further the presence of ancient temple monuments and the pleasant trekking routes through panoramic scenic beauty justify the Mahendragiri hill complex to be developed as a heritage site. In fact the UNESCO has suggested that the Government should initially nominate the hill complex for inclusion in the “Tentative List” of World Heritage Sites.
Shifting cultivation, reclamation of forest land for agriculture, removal of timber, fire wood and over-collection of minor forest products, stone quarrying, cattle grazing, loss of vegetation cover and biodiversity, reduced flow of water in the streams, loss of fertile top soil, loss of soil moisture, lowering of the water table, damages due to repeated cyclones are some of the causes of eco-degradation of the ecosystem. All these factors contribute to the ruining of economy of the local people around Mahendragiri. As a result, the anthropogenic pressure on the natural ecosystem is mounting up and the ecosystem degrades further posing a threat to its ecological resilience. Taking into account of the fast depletion of its natural resources as well as the ancient archaeological monuments of epic fame, it is imperative to undertake protection and conservation measures in the Mahendragiri hill complex covering a vast area of more than 5,000sq. km. area for their regeneration to the pre-historic status.
Mahendragiri may be recognised as a biosphere reserve as well as a heritage site. A biosphere is a three-tier system, which will have the central core zone with concentration of indigenous species, the peripheral zone and the outer transition zone. All kinds of eco-development activities including eco-tourism, tourism would be allowed in the periphery as well as the transition zones. Such a step will help promote sustainable development of this withering unique ecosystem of Mahendragiri hill complex on the eastern ghats as well as enhance the socio-economic-cultural condition of the locals.
By raising the conservation status of Mahendragiri as a Biosphere Reserve we would find this unique ecosystem in the UNESCO net work. In Similipal forest complex of Mayurbhanj district, the eighth Biosphere Reserve of the county was set up in June 1994. In case Mahendragiri hill complex gets the tag of Biosphere Reserve it will be the second one in the State.
(Dr Patro is president, Orissa Environmental Society snpatro11@gmail.com; 9437190420)
