Ancient Saibapeeth of Adhapada, Sri Paschimeswar Temple

Ashtasabhu of Jharsuguda is shaped by the accumulation of 6 ancient saibapeeth of the district. Not one guises ,There are  many guises of God. They were worshiped in the way they appeared. The Ashtasambhu are not only adoring the Jharsuguda but also preserve  from natural calamities .Hence, folk of Jharsuguda have been worshiping Asthasambhu for their family happiness and prosperity. The Paschimeswar Temple is perched in the west and south direction of the Adhapada Village near a large pond called Ranibandha. Devotees touch the Shivalinga of 400 years old and feel close to God. The name of the temple is Paschimeswar Temple, because the entrance of this temple is towards the west. The temple of Paschimeswar baba is situated in Purunabasti of Adhapada via NH 200 of Belpahar, about 42 kilometers from Jharsuguda.

(Paschimeswar Temple)

In the ancient south Koshal section (modern western Odisha), Ramdev (Ram chandra dev) was descendant of the last Delhi Hindu emperor Prathibiraj Chauhan  who established independent kingdom named Patana ( modern bolangir) in mid-12th century. His descendant King Balaram dev founded Hirakhand kingdom in 15th century .During the reign  of various  kings of chouhan dynasty,  all   shiv linga  of saibapeeths under  Jharsuguda district came into light, this Supernatural legend has been heard from people. 18 Gaad ( bastions) were established in the Sambalpur empire, known in the name of Hirakhand kingdom. One Commandant "gadtiya" was appointed in each citadel to control governance in the state. Rampella gaad was foremost among all these citadel.

History

 Rampella is Situated on the banks of the river Iravati (IB), this ancient Citadel was familiar with the name of Ramyapalli. Beloved deity temple of Rampella Gadtiya Sri paschimeswar nathji was sited in the north-east  , Just east of the temple was a mango garden called ‘Madhuban’ and Adhapada village was in the west. A small waterfall was flowing between the temple and the mango garden. Loknath Panda was appointed as “gadtiya”( general) of rampella in the middle of the reign of Maharaja Sai, the last king of the Chauhan dynasty of Sambalpur kingdom. At that time, the governance work of the state was under the indirect control of the Britishers. But after the death of the king, the British administrator was trying to directly rule over the Sambalpur empire.

The diplomat-rich Britishers were seated widowed queen mohan kumari on the king's throne and directly ruled the Sambalpur state in her name. In the name of the Queen regime, Britishers used to take excessive tax from people, landlords and friendship Kings and started persecution against them which led to strong resentment among people along with landlords and friendship Kings. On the other hand, they were being forced to pay more in taxes. His descendant jharsuguda zamindar (landlord) Govind Singh as the successor of Maharaja Sai first created a movement against the British administration and claimed for the Sambalpur kingdom throne. Surendra Sai, a descendant of the Khinda landlord  claimed the throne as another rival. They had made the revolt more widespread because many landlords and gand (one caste of india) people behind him. But the British administrators had appointed spies to find the rebels along with arranging many army, cannon and gun to suppress the rebellion that had been created in various provinces of Sambalpur state. In 1933, jharsuguda landlord Govind singh was imprisoned by major uilkinson in a fierce battle against the britisher army crops.

 The British administration suddenly released Govind Shing after a long period of imprisonment of 7 years and made him a "mafidar"(tax collector). Hence, Govind Singh left intention of occupied  Sambalpur throne and withdrew from the rebellion. But revolutionary Veer Surendra Sai and his brothers had terrorized the British administration by intensifying the rebellion. After the armed struggle of Veer Surendra Sai ; gadtiya (general), zamindars (landlord) and people of Kolabira, Rampella, Ghesa, lakhanpur, patkulunda, pahad sirida etc. were organized. Rampella gadtiya Loknath Panda contributed to this revolt with Surendra Sai  as a main supporter. Loknath Panda's palace of Rampella was an impregnable fort from a strategic point of view. In the central part of the palace, a chamber was built under the ground containing a secret road to prevent the enemy's invasion. A room was built near the secret room to store treasure stocks as well as protect the family of general in time of war. 

Independent houses were built for  five sons near his palace campus. A short distance from his palace was a stable, a priest's house and a barber's hut. At  that time, there was a prohibition of people to moving around the palace of general. The house ladies of the village were not allowed to walk near the palace. His favorite deity Pashimeswar Temple was enshrined in the east direction and about 4 kilometers away from Rampella Gadtiya Loknath Panda's palace. Its east side was adhapada village nearby.

Rampela Gadatiya Loknath Panda was an extremely influential and courageous Man. During the armed campaign against the British, he was provided covert shelter to the rebel  surendra sai several times in a chamber located below the land of his palace. So the British administration had not been able to find out  surendra sai with help of the police brigade and spies. But  surendra sai did not always want to live secretly. Because  surendra sai was not ready to suspended  this revolt movement of boycott of foreign Britishers from the motherland so soon. The rebel Surendra Saheb finally surrendered in the aborted state after a fierce struggle against British power for  35 long years. He was sentenced to life imprisonment and Loknath panda also punished with imprisonment along with him, spent his last time of life in exile in Asirgarh jail of Madhya Pradesh and died on September 17, 1868.

India became independent, Asia's longest Hirakud water reservoir project on the Mahanadi river of Odisha became operational. Due to this, many villages were submerged, even today the ancient "paschimeswar Temple" in the suburb of Banharpali located on the north west coast side of the water reservoir still exists. The accurate description of when the Shiva lingam of the Saibapeeth was appeared is yet to be found. However, it is known that the construction of this holy Peeth was found at the time of Rampella Gadatia.

Legend

The following legend is heard from the villagers about the emergence of Shri Paschimeswar Baba. Sri  Paschimeswar temple has been present since ancient times as a witness of all events of adhapada village devastated by Hirakud water reservoir.

The name of the Saa dynasty was well known in the village of Adhapada during the Rajbadi (king regime) period. The Saa dynasty Implemented a plan for digging a drain from the Ranibandh pond to irrigate agricultural lands. The incident of  blood bleeding from the soil at the time of digging the drain terrorized the villagers. On the same night, Lord Shiva came into the dream of the jainak chieftain of the Saa dynasty and proved his presence in that same place. Therefore, the work of digging the channel was first postponed and later stopped completely.

In summer, the buffalo of Saa clan fell asleep in the sludge of desiccated Ranibandh pond and handle of a honda (round shape container used to store asset)  got stuck in its horn.

The buffalo reached the house of the owner dragging Honda in the middle of the night. The owner of saa dynasty was surprised to see the full of silver rupees in the Honda .Remembered dream of Lord Shiva already seen, He  assumed that "God gift  all these properties to me in the hand of the buffalo  to build his temple". But after reaching this news, the king told Saa that the property belongs to our ancestor and requested to give the  property. Saa donated all the properties to the king and awaited the construction of the temple. Seeing the distribution of some wealth among the priests and wages, Saha expressed sorrow and vowed not to drink water from this place.

 Present his descendant is known as Adpariya Saa in Saapada. The king and queen were taking  baths in the "budha Sagar" of the pond. At the time of bathing, the queen was able to walk on a lotus flower of water with the help of supernatural power. There was a ‘badakata’ (pond) above both ponds. At that time the temple was being constructed with lime, jaggery, brick and stone etc. Due to lack of money in temple construction, the king imposed various taxes on the people. A few days later, the queen drowned while walking on lotus flowers and the royal dynasty came to  end after the death of the childless king.

Servitor

Early ‘badapujhari'(priest) was worshiping the temple. The Bada pujhari had two brothers namely Shuru pujhari and Bhubaneswar Pujhari. Because of his desecent Dukha and Kamala being childless, both sons Mahesh and Narayana  of badapujhari, now  their grandsons such as Vishwanath, Dileswar and Bidyadhar Pujhari were worshipping Sri Paschimeswar  Baba and nourishing their families.

(Paschimeswar Baba)

Construction

 The ancient  Paschimeswar temple is about 40 feet in height. Its entry door is in the west. The temple is 75 feet in length and 20 feet in width. This temple has been constructed very beautifully with  sand & lime coating and independent stones.  The stone wall is present around the temple.

The entrance to the temple complex is on the north direction boundary. There is also an independent small gate on the east wall. In its south-west angle was the Bhoga(food) Preparation Room. stone-built idol of Sri Hanuman and other deities have been installed on the premises in front of the temple. To see Sri Shivalinga ,Travelers have to encroach the Natmandap (altar) of the temple to enter six feet deep  "Garbhagriha" (sanctuary) through staircase. Sri Maheshwar Nath Shivling is worshiped in the center of the sanctum sanctorum of the temple. A pond named ‘Ranisagar’ is situated in the lower part of a small mountain, just a short distance from the north direction of Sri Paschimeswar temple. There is a 'srutipeeth'(Memory site)of the "Budharaja"(Name of a king) in an unfurnished position on the ground covered by shade of several trees in the east direction.

In the memory of Hamir Dev, the foundation of the Chauhan dynasty of Orissa, during the reign of  king of Patna State, 'budharaja' 'Shrutipeeth'  were  established by his son in all the Gadatiya and Zamidar governed circles of Sambalpur state. In order to show respect to Hamir dev, the Gadtia, Zamindars and people of the Hirakhand Empire used to call him Budharaja. Such 'Srutipeeth' is located in the  Sonepur of Subarnapur district, Talab of Sambalpur district, Kolabira of Jharsuguda district and Adhapada etc.

After the closure of the zamindari of Orissa, the present  many monastery and temple have been destroyed due to lack of maintenance. Under the “Devotional Department” of State Government, the maintenance and repairment of many temples has been seen in the poor. For this reason, no action has been taken from the Debtar department for the compulsory repair and upgrading of the temple despite the responsibility of worshiping of neglected Sri Paschimeswar Temple taken by descended of the Shri Maheshwar priest of Adhapada village.

feedback

It is a matter of  sadness that despite the Shri Pashimeshwara Temple located at Banbhapali, about 5 kilometers from thermal power Station, this ancient Saibbapeeth has not yet been provided with essential road and electric connectivity.

That is why it is necessary to pay attention of public and  administration  on Sri paschimeswar temple to take immediate action by presenting the necessary plans for  safety and progress .

How to Go :-

You can easily reach jharsuguda district by train, bus and Airplane. Adhapada is about 40 km from jharsuguda and  about 1 hour journey .You can easily get 4-5 Bus to reach Adhapada from Jharsuguda Bus stand. Otherwise , You hire a car or Choose your won vehicle to visit this Paschimeswar temple comfortably and quickly .

Click on the link provided below to see location of Paschimeswar Temple on Google Map :-

https://maps.app.goo.gl/shuRkuXG8rsygvYv6
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Writer :- Rohit Kumar Lohara
                Purunabsti, Jharsuguda

Input From :- (1)  Govind Chandra Tripathy
                              Purunabasti, Jharsuguda
                           (2)  Ananta Ram Sahu
                               Sarbahal, Jharsuguda