Now, Kolkata University set to undertake research
While the Kolkata University is keen on resuming the excavation work at the historic Raibania Fort in Jaleswar block, the prolonged silence of the Odisha Government over the project has perplexed archaeologists and historians of the State alike.
Though a series of demands for the excavation work at the fort has been made by historians and local people, the Odisha Government has washed its hands off citing financial crunch.
Surrounded by river Subarnarekha on three sides, the Raibania Fort, much bigger in size than the Barabati fort in Cuttack, was built by king langula Narasimha Dev-I (1238–1264 AD) of the Ganga dynasty to protect his kingdom from external attack. The legendary king is also credited with building the Sun Temple in Konark and Kshirachora Gopinath Temple in Remuna. The fort was later taken over by the Moghuls, Afghans and Marhattas with the fall of the Ganga dynasty.
The historians and archeologists are of the opinion that excavation of the fort and its surrounding areas would reveal a whole lot of valuable information on the period and shed light on the little known aspects social, economic and political life in Odisha between the 13th and 15th century.
It may be mentioned that several metal and copper coins which were discovered near the fort area have been preserved at the State Museum.
Though attempts have been made earlier to take up full-fledged excavation work, it has been severely affected by both shortage of funds and a distinct lack of interest on the part of the State Government to take it forward.
However, with the initiative of well-known historian and researcher Dr Srikant Charan Patra, a team of researchers of the department of Archaeology of the Kolkata University led by Dr Ashok Dutta had taken up the excavation work in 2010 for which the university authorities had sanctioned `5 lakh. The work stopped after the funds ran dry.Since then, the excavation work has never resumed.
Recently, another team from the Kolkata University, during its visit to Baleswar, had taken up the matter with the district administration. But there is little information on what transpired during the meeting and its outcome.
The people of Raibania have been demanding not only a full-fledged excavation of the fort but also the protection and renovation of 74 ponds in and around the fort premises as well as the Maa Gadachandi temple. But all that has fallen on deaf ears.
The fresh initiative by the Kolkata University towards resumption of excavation of this significant historical monument has surely put the so-called ‘culturally sensitive’ Government in the State to a lot of embarrassment over its indifference to a project of such great significance to Odisha’s history.