My trip to Kalinger, UP

Kalinger Fort & Neel Kanth Mandir:

09.04.2015
Ajaigarh is a smallest Taheseel (areawise) of Panna city of MP.It is 35 km from Panna.The nature has bestowed it with the natural beauty of forests and ponds. It is surrounded by narrow hills from three sides and the fourth side is connecting with the Panna Khajurao highway and on its way at Singhpur village the road takes a turn for UP boarder from Dharampur  Chouraha. If we want to visit  the historical place Kalinger, we have to take this road. On the way the main villages are Hardi, Tikuriya,Naya Gaon,Bhondu ki Chakki,Dharampur Gaon and after it the border of MP ends at the border village of  Ramnagar (which is half in MP and half in UP) and UP Starts.After crossing the river Roojh the boundary  of Kalinger starts.



                                                                  (View of Kalinger Fort)

                                                    ( Way to river Roojh, Ramnagar)
                                  

I reached the hill top by car and reached the entrance of the Kalinger Fort. From 1^st April 2015 the entrance ticket of Rs.5/- per head is being charged. Earlier there was no ticket. Now the security guards are also present. Earlier this place was risky. On the top of the hill there is a huge Pathar (open land) where the  beauty of palaces ,temples and ponds is unparallel. The fort’s boundary wall and Neel kanth temple appears of ancient period and rest of the buildings period appears up to the end of 18^th century AD  viz. Coubey Mahel,Rani Mahel,Venkat Vihari Mandir etc.

There is lots of difference in the material used as well as designing and art of architecture in the buildings of both the periods. In the old structures mostly the stone was used and the marvelous art of Scriptures of idols (Murtys) and decoration of the walls with Murtys viz. Neel Kanth Temple. In the medieval periods buildings the attractive geometrical art and beautiful flowers and leaves were designed on the plasters of walls and pillars. The curved wooden logs were used to support the slabs of stones of the roof which are mostly broken and are in dilapidated form.

 (The view of the entterance of the Kalinger Fort. The staircase on the left is the passage towards Chaubey Mahel .)

(Inside of the Chaubey mahel)

                                                   ( Pir Baba ki Mazar at Chaubey Mahel)

 (Rani Mahel)

                                           (Inside view of the Rani Mahel )

                                                        (Venkat Bihari Mandir)

                                                                       (Moti Mahel)

(Entrance of Neel Kanth Hill)

                                                     ( Entrance of Neel Kanth Temple)
However, the roof of the old structures were supported by the stone pillars , ducks and stone slabs with beautiful sculpture drawn on them and wood had not been used anywhere.
On the rocks of the staircase and the walls of the Neel kanth temple the the statues of the god and goddesses had been sculptured.

( Inscription on the rock few yards before the main entrance of the temple)

                               (Sculptures on the walls of the rocks  on the way to the temple)

                                                     (Geometrical  carving on the walls and pillars)

In the Garbhgrah ( the place of main worship) the the Shivalinga is not cylindrical as usual are seen but it has shape of Shiva on the Shivalinga of hight about one meter,of blue colour stone justifying its name (Neel >blue colour. The Murtis of Shiva's family are also there.

                                                (Neel Kanth Mahadev built of Blue Stone)

(Devi Parvati)

 Just below this temple of Shiva there is a kund of size about 30'X20' with a narrow entrance.

The depth of water at the other end is about 30'It is really amazing. Just below it there is another form of Shiva the Natraj sculptured on the wall rock and just above  it there is a small dark cave of Bhairon temple.

Natraj

                                                             
                                                            ( Cave of   Bhairon temple)

                                                                                                                            Vijay Nath Sondhi

                                                                   

My trip to Ajaigarh , Panna,MP

Ajaigarh ,Panna:

Ajaigarh is a smallest Taheseel (areawise) of Panna city of MP.It is 35 km from Panna.The nature has bestowed it with the natural beauty of forests and ponds. It is surrounded by narrow hills from three sides and the fourth side is connecting with the Panna Khajurao highway and on its way at Singhpur village the road takes a turn for UP boarder from Dharampur  Chouraha. If we want to visit  the historical place Kalinger, we have to take this road.

Ajaigarh is also not untouched from deforestation like other places of MP rather India. The forests have become thin. However , I have come to know from the residents of this place the forest were so thick before a decade that they have to travel in the forest by sidelining the branches of the trees to get passage  in the forest was hardly available. It is a subject of meditation how this is happening while the forest guards and rangers are deployed? If this deforestation is not taken care and stopped, this town may suffer from extremely hot weather  in the summer as it is surrounded by rocks from three sides.

Just at the border of this town there is a pond with pictorial view at the bottom of the hills and have one outlet. On  this side on this old historical pond the state department of tourism has renovated the the staircase of the pond and have built shades and made construction of necessary public amenities recently, However it is not inaugurated yet.

At the end of the long staircase, perhaps the state forest department had made the structure of Bandha to store the rainy water of the pond but for years together it is left incomplete. If this is completed along with the enhancement of beauty of this pictorial pond the government can increase the revenue from fisheries. People may get employment and improve their economic status.

The necessary public amenities have been constructed on the side of the pond recently. However it is not inaugurated yet.

This pond could be utilised for water sports and boating for the tourists and the boats could be given to unemployed youth of this area to give them employment and the tourism department may earn revenue by imposing a token ticket for boating. This pond could also be utilized for fisheries (the certain area could be given on lease for it and the revenue could be earned)

(The structure of Bandha  at the outlet of the pond)

                                                    (Shiva temple in the forest near pond)

The name of this place Ajaigarh is known as people says that the Ajaigarh fort was built by Raja Ajaipal Singh Bundela. However, this  fort is almost in dilapidated form, only the entrance of the fort has its shape still. I have not studied the history of Ajaipal Singh ( I will do it) , the construction of this fort appears of early 18^th century AD or so. However this campus is very old observing the beautiful old structures.

                                                 Ajaipal Singh's Fort at Ajaigarh

(The inscription at the main gate of the Ajai garh Hill Fort )

(Ganga-Jamna Kunds at the enterance of the Fort)

(Tracking to Bhuteshwar Hill)

However, tracking about a km. we find three old structures known as Rangmahels  ( as the local people call it) which are the unique examples of art & culture, civil engineering with the sense of science in daily use. Whether these structures were Ramgmahels or temples it should be examined by the Archaeologists and a Board of the history of this place should be placed here by the ASI for the knowledge of the tourists.

These Rangmahels have been given on lease to Oberoy Groups of Hotel to develop ( as the information collected from the local people). However, the developers have removed some constructed portion of the Rangmahel with an objective to give it stronger built (perhaps). The work is not in progress. If the Archaeological Survey of India permits it , the permission could be granted to other palaces of Gondwana Palaces viz. Singaurgarh, Dal Badal Mahel which are in better shape.

                                                                  (Inside of the tower temple):

(Tower temple at Rangmahel)

                                                              (  Pond near Rangmahel)
   Just at the touch of the Bhuteshwar Hill, the temple of Bahu Bali is  on the left side. The style of sculpture explains that it belongs to Jain mythology.

The structures appear older than khajuraho. The sculpture on the walls are mostly geometrical with some structure of idols too. The repairing process might have started but it is cold now.

On moving opposite to this Rangmahel to downwards of the hill,we reach to Bhuteshwar cave the temple of Shiva. The tracking is difficult, only courageous people should do this effort.

                                                                  ( Bhuteshwar hill)

                                                                (  Plates of the rocks )

                                                       (  Bhuteswar cave- Shiva temple)


The name of the head of the decedents of Raja Ajai Pal Singh is Shri Ajairaj Singh. He lives in another fort which is in the Ghati .

View of the palace the residence of the decedent of the Raja Ajaipal Singh Bundela, in the Ghati where the sun rays come first

However I have not visited this palace. Most likely I will visit on getting opportunity.

The  office of Taheseel is in another fort built by Raja Ajai pal Singh in the heart of the town.

 Both appears of 18^th century AD. Hope Archaeological Survey of India might have visited these places.of Ajaigarh, Panna.

In the town there are few temples. The famous temple is of Saraswati Devi opposite to Bus Stand and Radha Krishna temple at Rambagh. In Rambagh temple premises there is an old Bawli in dilapidated form.