Odisha to set up memorial of freedom fighter Veer Surendra Sai
Oct 12, 2022
Bhubaneshwar (Odisha) [India], October 12 : With an aim to make people aware of the legacy of legendary freedom fighter Veer Surendra Sai, the Hirakud Wildlife Division is developing a first-of-its-kind Veer Surendra Sai Memorial at Bargarh district.
The memorial will be made to make people aware of the legacy of legendary freedom fighter Veer Surendra Sai and his sacrifices in the fight against the Britishers at Debrigarh Sanctuary.
Barabakhara is a popular pilgrimage site and picnic destination of Western Odisha and also has huge caves and waterfall. Thousands of picnickers, trekkers and travellers throng the place from adjoining districts besides Chhattisgarh around the year.
"Barabakhara cave inside Debrigarh Sanctuary is situated in a high elevation with 12 caves and huge waterfall. More than 100 villages surrounding Barabakhra of Debrigarh
Sanctuary (of Ambabhona region at Bargarh District ) have protected and conserved Debrigarh Sanctuary because of their devotion towards Surendra Sai and his sacrifices in the fight against Britishers," said Divisional Forest Officer, Hirakud Wildlife Division, Anshu Pragyan Das.
As per Divisional Forest Officer, "Debrigarh Sanctuary historically has played important role in Western Odisha's revolution against British invasion during 1830s to 1860s under the leadership of Veer Surendra Sai. A chain of hill forts made up of stone and mud were constructed by him at the top of Debrigarh hills, along the principal roads connecting Sambalpur with Raipur, Ranchi and Cuttack.
"The forts were constructed in and around Debrigarh Sanctuary and its contiguous Barapahada hill range which stretches from Western Odisha along Hirakud Reservoir upto Singhoda of Chhatisgarh," he further said.
The "Veer Surendra Sai Memorial" under construction depicts a pictorial representation of major incidents and narrates the war story sequence-wise through a series of sculptures. A group of local sculpture artists are working on it under the supervision of Hirakud Wildlife Division.
Near the memorial, one restaurant and the construction of picnic spots with all picnic amenities is under progress. A jungle trail has been developed in an ethnic style for the pilgrims and visitors visiting Barabakhara. The Barabakhara pilgrimage site has been developed artistically for Puja of Maa Samalei and Saptarishi, who have been worshipped their for ages.
Das further informed that the maintenance and management of the memorial, restaurant, picnic spot, pilgrimage site and jungle trail will be done by the local Eco-Development Committee, who are also followers of Veer Surendra Sai. The revenue generated from these amenities will be utilized for the management and maintenance of infrastructures.
