BarabatiFort

The Barabati Fort

Barabati fort is situated at Lat.20o 19’N andLong.85o 52’E in between the two rivers Mahanadi and Kathajuri at a distance of 25kms from the state capital Bhubaneswar, Traditional history attributes the founding of this city to Somavansi king Nrupakesari. The Madalapanji indicates that the fort was built in the year 989 A.D. However many scholars like late Prof.P.Mukharjee believes that Ganga king Anangabhimadeva III founded the city of Cuttack. He ruled from 1211 to 1238 A.D.According to a local legend, when the king was going to worship Visvesvara Siva at Barabati village, he witnessed an unusual incident of a heron killing a hawk. He was impressed with this incident and the strategic location of the site and decided to shift his capital fromChudangagada (Chaudwar, Cuttack) to Barabati village and named the city as Abhinava Varanasi Cuttack. His Nagari copper plate grant was issued from this place in the year 1230 A.D. During the rule of the Bhaumakaras, the placewas known to have existed. The Bhauma Kingdom was occupied by the Somavansislater on to consolidate their Kingdom in the Eastern Orissa, Nrupakesari was known tohave built a second capital city at Cuttack. Systematic exploration, excavation and research will definitely throw more light about the antiquity of this ancient township.