Odisha: Debrigarh trail focuses on history

BHUBANESWAR: Debrigarh wildlife sanctuary authorities have started the Barapahad-Gandhamardan trail to help tourists explore some obscure religious places of the state and know the story of western Odisha's prominent freedom fighter Veer Surendra Sai.
Debrigarh sanctuary, the highest peak of the Barapahad mountain range, came up in 1985. “The trail will begin at the Debrigarh’s Zero Point.Sophisticated safari vehicles will run along the sanctuary’s boundary on canal embankment and take tourists to Kedarnath fort at Ambabhona, 50km from the Zero Point, where a 15th century Shiva shrine is located. From Kedarnath, a panoramic view of Barapahad, from where Surendra Sai used to fight against the Britishers, can be enjoyed. The freedom fighter’s army of men used to hide in the caves and operate from there,” said divisional forest officer (Hirakud wildlife division) Anshu Pragyan Das.
Tourists will get to view the glorious architect of the Chauhan dynasty too at Kedarnath, the officer added.
Wildlife officials said, throughout the journey, guides will inform tourists about the freedom fighter’s life and his guerrilla warfare operations against the colonial rulers.
In the second part of the trail, tourists will get to visit Gandhamardan, a hill, situated in between two religious places — Harishankar and Nrusinghanath. While Harishankar, a popular tourist attraction, is located on one side of the hill in Balangir district, Nrusinghanath comes under Bargarh district.
The Gandhamardan trail includes a safari ride, starting from the Zero Point to Nrusinghanath, covering a distance of 95km.
“We have named the trail Gandhamardan owing to its historical significance. The hill has 800 species of medicinal plants. According to the legend in the Ramayana, it is the hill that Lord Hanuman had once mounted on his palm to find a herb to heal Lord Laxman, attacked by a deadly weapon of Ravan’s son Indrajeet,” an official said.