DEEPAK MAHATO
Tired of your hectic work schedule and looking forward to a short weekend holiday filled with fun and frolic? Visit Keonjhar, the gateway to some of the most scenic destinations in India. The entire region is rich in rare minerals and dotted with splendid waterfalls. The breathtaking natural beauty will surely refresh your tired soul in no time.
A visit to Keonjhar will not only refresh you, it will also be a religious trip as the place has the blessings of Lord Vishnu and Jagannath and is home to the Siddhakali and Panchabati shrines.
A short trip to the district which is spread over 8,240 square km and lies at an altitude of 480 metres is advisable as the place has a serene natural beauty of its own and also exudes a religious aura. The gateway to the scenic destination is surrounded by Jajpur in the south, Dhenkanal and Sundargarh in the west and Mayurbhanj and Bhadrak in the east and also Singhbhum district of Jharkhand on the north.
To reach Keonjhar one can board a train or a bus from the capital city. The train journey could be a bit hectic as you might have to change trains whereas several direct buses ply to the place at frequent intervals every day. While moving on the national highway 25 you will witness two completely different landscapes as soon as you enter the district.
The highway divides the district into two different natural regions. In the east of the highway one can enjoy the scenic beauty of the Anandapur planes, in the west are the lofty hills. Trekking the highest peaks like Gandhamardan (3,477 ft), Mankadnacha (3,639 ft), Gonasika (3,219 ft) and Thakurani (3,003 ft) can motivate you to become a mountain climber and who knows you might become a mountaineer and enter history books by climbing the highest peaks.
Most parts of the district are covered with northern tropical moist deciduous type forests and is home to Asia’s largest sal forest. Watching the river Baitarani coming out of the Gonasika hills is a feeling which cannot be described. The red soil in the district is the subject of many Facebook albums.
A visit to Asanpat is a must, of course. It is home to the oldest rocks of the world which are said to be approximately 38,000 million years old. Standing atop the rocks you could experience a kind of flashback. The mind automatically thinks that only if the rocks could speak they would narrate tales of days gone by.
After spending time at Asanpat guessing about the past, one should move towards Sitabinj to witness the fresco paintings dating back to the 5th century AD in the cave shelter known as the Ravana Chhaya.
The Ravana Chhaya is an unsightly gap between two giant granite boulders. A gap between boulders is explained in different ways by the locals while some say it is a “shadow of Ravana”.
The ‘chhaya’ has been formed by two granite boulders leaning over each other forming a wedge-shaped gap of to 6.7 m high and 4.7 m deep. The gap provides a deep shade. You can also offer prayers to the Mukhalinga with the four faces of Shiva located in Sitabinji. You can witness the Pali scripts which you see only in history textbooks. If you are lucky you will find a few Kushan coins and soapstone figurines.
Hardly a few kilometres from Sitabinj there are rock shelters with drawings from the Mesolithic period. These artworks sometimes are referred as “paintings of Sitabinji”. The drawings show royal procession. According to locals the kings came to the place to hunt tigers.
After a tiring walk and climbing up the hills to witness history in forms of painting, one can just walk down to the banks of Sita river and enjoy the scenic beauty. One can also take a dip in the water to shrug off tiredness.
In a short trip, you cannot visit the whole district as every site is equally mesmerising. In Keonjhar you have various options to choose from; you can start with the waterfalls and the various hills. It is good to plan your trip in such a manner that you can visit the Khandadhar Falls in which the water falls from a height of 500 ft and the Sanghagara Falls in which the water falls from a height of 100 ft. Jets of water falling down and gushing towards the floor is a magnificent sight. Before packing your bag for the trip back do visit the famous shrines and temples, as locals say every wish is fulfilled if you pray at these shrines.
At least, definitely visit the Brahmeswar Mahadev temple situated in the banks of the Baitarani river. The temple is surrounded by valleys and hills. The river suddenly vanishes only a km away from its origin and then reappears from a stone opening resembling a cow’s mouth. The scenic beauty, chirping of birds, squirrels roaming around makes the place a great one to visit.
The next destination should be the Murga Mahadeva situated in the foothills of the Thakurrani in Champua division of the district. According to locals every wish is fulfilled just by a prayer here. Start your day early to visit the temple or reach in the mid afternoon because people in large numbers visit the place. While on your return trip you would like to halt at Ghatgaon to pay homage at the goddess Tarini’s shrine.