Kalinga Diaries is a brand new project to get people to the lesser known, hidden monuments of Odisha. Founded by a dedicated team determined to make more people aware of the unexplored side of Odia, the startup’s maiden trip will be organised on 24th December 2017. The founders are Ashish Sarangi, an engineer by profession but also a self-made expert in Odisha’s ancient history & Kalingan architecture, who has extensively toured through ancient Kalingan sites for years; Taranisen Pattnaik, an accountant by profession who has been passionately capturing intimate shots of Odia culture through his camera; & Prateek Pattanaik, a physics undergraduate who researches into Odisha’s temples, music and literature and has been digitally documenting them for posterity .
Kalinga Diaries maiden trip will start on 24th Dec 2017 with a tour to the valley of the Prachi river. A lot of interest has been garnered for this first-of-its-kind project. People are seldom aware of the fact that the valley of the Prachi river was once the most coveted site for a new structure. Said to be the ‘most sacred river of Eastern India’, the Prachi has been the cradle of Odisha’s ancient beliefs for centuries. From the hundreds of temples that dot its banks, the maiden tour with touch a handful of magnificent monuments including Gangeswari (at Bayalishbati village in Gop), Barahi Temple (at Chaurasi village), Angeswara (at Pitapada village), Madhaba Temple (at Madhaba village) & Sobhaneswara in Niali.
The fabulous Gangeswari temple was built as a model for the Sun temple of Konark. Chaurasi’s Varahi temple enshrines a fish-loving goddess and is known for its Tantric associations. Angeswara at Pitapada is a rare terracotta temple & is said to be built by the king of Anga, the ancient kingdom of Bihar. Niali’s Madhaba temple at the village of the same name houses an image of Vishnu known to be Jagannatha’s uncle. Finally, Sobhaneswara is a Shiva temple that was once a revered spot for Odisha’s legendary sadhabas or seafarers.
The project and its unique approach have been well-received on social media and elsewhere. More details can be found at the website www.kalingadiaries.com, through the social media handles on Facebook (facebook.com/kalingadiaries), Twitter (@kalingadiaries) and Instagram (@kalingadiaries) or via email at [email protected].
Contact : (+91)8658080770