INTACH urges Odisha govt to preserve neglected Gohiratikiri battlefield

Bhubaneswar, Sept 25 (UNI) The Odisha chapter of the Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH) has urged the state government to conserve and restore the historic Gohiratikiri battlefield in Bhadrak district, which lies in neglect despite its immense historical and cultural importance.

The site, located within the Dhamnagar Panchayat Samiti on the western bank of the Genguti river, is remembered as the place where the last independent king of Odisha, Gajapati Mukunda Dev, was martyred in 1568 during a war with the Muslim rulers of Bengal.

According to history, Mukunda Dev had set up his military camp in the dense forest near Gohiratikiri, building fortifications, watchtowers, barracks, and ponds to sustain his troops. Several of these ponds, such as Nauri Gadia, Gobind Gadia, Rani Gadia, and Bela Gadia, still exist.

The Kshatriyas of the Udra clan, claiming descent from the ancient king, continue to live in villages around the battlefield.

Many heritage structures are now in ruins. A large tank named Senapati Pokhari lies abandoned to the northeast of the site, while another pond, Alamchand Pokhari, is partially buried under soil. A Radha Krishna temple now stands in the middle of the pond.

An INTACH team led by state convener Dr Biswajit Mohanty recently visited the site and noted that the battlefield has shrunk over the years, now surrounded by farmland. Despite its significance, the government has not declared Gohiratikiri a heritage site.

INTACH has urged the government to set up a memorial and a site museum to restore the lost glory of the battlefield, offering its expertise for the project.
Historian Anil Dhir emphasised that battlefields are sacred grounds symbolising struggles, sacrifices, and turning points in history.

He argued that Gohiratikiri is no less significant than Panipat, Plassey, Haldighati, Talikota, or Khanwa, as it shaped the political and cultural destiny of medieval Odisha.

Dhir stressed that preserving Gohiratikiri is vital not only for remembering Odisha’s last bastion of independence but also for understanding the triumphs and tragedies that defined its past.