Reference: http://www.rajnilgiri.com/
Raj Nilgiri, a sub division under
Balasore district, is about 23 K.M. from the district headquarter of Balasore
city . Raj Nilgiri is historically and politically an important place. This
small town is the gateway to many serene tourist places. This small city is
surrounded by hills and greenery from every direction. Near this city are the
important tourist places such as; Panchalingeswar ,Kuldiha sanctuary ,
Sujunagarh chandi temple which are the main attraction for tourists from all
over India. There are regular transport facilities plying from Balasore and
Bhubaneswar .Visitors can see the natural waterfalls & hills around this
area.
Nilgiri State was one of the Princely
States of India. It was headquartered at Raj Nilgiri, which is the modern town
of Nilgiri. The state of Nilgiri merged with state of Orissa in January,1948
and became a part of Balasore district. This place is famous for its
shaktipitha as found from “Bhudhar Chandi” of Sajanagarh,Maa Maarichika Temple
of Ayodhya . The Nilgiri palace also gives pictures of past sun worship and
devotees of sun as there are ancient sun temples found in Ajodhya and also in this
little town itself.
The old ancient remnant of royal
palace of ancient Nilgiri king dynasty is also situated near the Jagannath
temple This palace has endured several storms and turbulence of the unstoppable
stream of time and eras. The
Nilgiri royal palace is standing as the mute witness of several blood bathed
revolutions ,wars and mutiny . Odisha Freedom Fighters like Balaram
Raj, Kailashchandra Mohanty, Banamali Das,Baishnab Patnaik and Nanda Kishore
Patnaik violently fought against the local prince and forced him to surrender
to newly formed Indian National Government. This was the beginning of the
process of 576 princely states joining the Republic of India and thus the
making of modern political India. In Orissa, people of Nilgiri celebrate this
as the victorious uprising of Nilgiri.
Praja
Andolan was initiated against the and then ruler Raja Kishor Chandra
Mardharaj Harichandan of Nilgiri State.The state of Nilgiri merged with
state of Orissa in January,1948 and became a part of Balasore district.
History:
The
forefather of Nilgiri king dynasty was the King Narayan Basanta Bhujanga Baliar
Singh Deo Mandhata who reigned from 1521 AD to 1546 AD . He had his fort in
both Kainsari and Kaptipada region . At the same period the Mayurbhanj King Raja
Nilakantha Bhanja was reigning, the whole Mayurbhanj state, attacked King Raja
Narayan Basanta and occupied the Kainsari forte .With no other way and due to
the irresistible force of Bhanja soldiers ,King Raja Basanta left the Kaptipada
fort along with some soldiers and ministers and fled away secretly into the
jungles and mountains of Panchalingeswar . It was a dense forest indeed . King
Narayan Basanta and his fellow beings, including the queen concealed themselves
in the dense jungle in panchalingeswar mountains . The Mayurbhanja king and his
soldiers searched incessantly and traced King Narayan Basanta and again a
fierce bloody battle that lasted for several days .Finally all the soldiers of
the Mayurbhanja king got killed and he lost all his arms and ammunition .After
this huge defeat, King of Mayurbhanja surrendered and a treaty of peace got
settled between both kings . The King Narayan Basanta Bhujanga Baliar Singh Deo
Mandhata again got his lost empire . The king had two sons , Ananta Mandhata and
Sadhu Mandhata .When both the princes were of minor age, their father King
Narayan Basanta Bhujanga Baliar Singh Deo Mandhata died .Later on Prince Ananta
Mandhata became the King of Kaptipada and Prince Sadhu Mandhata become the king
of the hilly area Gadadih (Now Garadi). Currently people can see the ancient
remnants of their fort in that hilly area as the only mute witness and conveyer
of that historical era. During those historical period the Nilgiri area was
under the reign and occupation of a tribal king known as Nila Sardar . The King
Sadhu Mandhata attacked Nilgiri and killed Nila Sardar and his four brothers ;
Shankara,Hadia,Mahana,Madhu along with sister Kalarei .The present palace and
fort in Nilgiri was built by this king Sadhu Mandhata and thereafter his
predecessors had been reigning the Nilgiri estate . Nilgiri king Sadhu Mandhata
had saved all the temples (including Sujunagarh Chandi temple) of his state
from the attack and demolition of the great robber Kalaa Pahaada .The moghul
emperor Jahangir also had awarded him the title “Mardharaj” in the year 1611 AD
and also gifted him a sword sculpted with the word “Mardharaj” .King Sadhu
Mandhata had extended a great support to Emperor Jahangir during his attack and
war with Kalinga empire . Later on the moghul reigning weakened and
subsequently the Marhattas invaded the entire Kalinga Odisha state into their
reign .During the period of Marhattas there is no evidence or record available
about the Nilgiri estate . In 1803 AD when East India company occupied the
whole Kalinga/Odisha state Nilgiri estate was still isolated from other parts
of Odisha. In 1807 AD during the period of King Mandhata Bhujanga Baliar Singh
Deo Mardharaj Harichandan Nilgiri estate got annexed with the British ruling
empire .After King Ramchandra Mardharaj his son prince Govind Chandra Mardharaj
Harichandan throned as the king .He ruled Nilgiri estate from 1811 AD to 1848
AD .
The Predecessors of Chandra Mardharaj Harichandan:
King
Krushna Chandra Mardharaj Harichandan reigned from 1849 to 1893 AD.
King Shyam Chandra Mardharaj Harichandan reigned from 1893 AD to
1913 AD ( adopted in 1882, son of Maharaja Krishna Chandra Bhanj of Mayurbhanj,
married, and had issue, one son and one daughter)
King Kishor Chandra Mardharaj Harichandan reigned from 1913 AD to
1960 AD. born 2nd February 1904 and succeeded as the 37th Raja Saheb of Nilgiri
on 6th July 1913
King Rajendra Chandra Mardharaj Harichandan reigned from 1960 AD to 2001
AD
At present the 39th king of Nilgiri is King Jayanta Chandra Mardharaj
Harichandan
By
Road: Balasore is the nearest major city
around 20 KMs. Best way is to have your own vehicle. Roads are in very good
condition. Shared autos and buses from Balasore are also available
By Air:
Bhubaneshwar is the nearest airport around 220 KMs
By
Train: The nearest major railway station is Balasore
·
Trains from
Kolkata(Howrah): FALAKNUMA EXPRESS., EAST COAST EXP, COROMANDAL EXP,
SRIJAGANNATH EXP, HWH YPR EXP, HWH PURI EXPRESS
·
From New Delhi: PURSHOTTAM
EXP, PURI EXP, NEELACHAL EXP, ORISSA SAMPARK KRNTI
·
From Chennai Central
(Egmore): COROMANDEL EXP, HOWRAH MAIL
Parking
and Photography:
Parking is properly managed, there is proper
space.
Photography is allowed. Drones should not be
used without permission as there are police personal there.
Nearby
Tourist Attractions:
·
Devikund Waterfalls
·
Kuldiha
·
Jagannath Temple
·
Langaleswar
·
Khirachora Gopinath
·
Bhudhar Chandi Temple
·
Baleshwar Temple
·
Biranchi Narayan Temple
·
Panchalingeshwar Temple