TWO MEMORIAL STONES FROM KANSIL NEAR RANIPUR – JHARIAL

Bishwa Prakash Mishra

The Ramayana informs that the coronation of the two sons of Rama, Lava and Kusa; was
performed in their two capitals of North and South Kosala, Sravasti and Kusavati
respectively. Regarding the identification and location of Kusavati, scholars have myriads of
opinions. However, Sreeram Chandra Mallik1 emphasises the Kusavati or Kusasthalipura of
Puranas to comprise the area of Ranipur, Jharial, Kansil, Balkhamar and Bahabal villages. In
the early medieval period, the Sarabhapuriya rule was succeeded by the Somavamsis, who
have left significant reminisces in the cultural development of Odisha, from which the temple
cluster of Ranipur – Jharial, situated 38 km far from the sub-divisional headquarter of
Titilagarh in Balangir district attracts Art Historians and Archaeologists. Amongst the
monumental efflorescence of Ranipur – Jharial, the Circular 64 Yogini Temple, Somesvara
Shiva Temple, Liyahari Temple, Kenduvalli Temple and Indralath Brick Temple in Jharial
dated 8th – 10th Century CE are significant. The author has discovered two memorial stones
erected in the premises of village Kansil recently. One of them is around 5 feet and fully
intact, while the other one is broken having its top portion is intact on the ground.

The memorial stones are different from the megaliths which are basically rude stone
monuments and are sepulchral in nature while the former one is commemorative in character.
These are erected to commemorate the dead who have sacrificed his life during an armed
conflict for any political or socio-psychological cause. These are also called Hero stones. In
addition to this, another stone of commemoration is found dedicated to the wife of the heroic
person; who has committed sati as a token of love and chastity for her deceased husband. In
Hindu society, sati was a cruel custom of burning the widow on the funeral pyre which was
banned by Lord William Bentinck, the first Governor-General of British occupied-India.

The hero stones have narrative panels from bottom to top depicting the cause of the
death during the battle, reception of hero’s soul by celestial nymphs, and finally worshipping
the deity by the hero. Sometimes only depiction of the hero is found. The Sati stone, on the
other hand, is depicted with narrative panels from bottom to top showing the cause of the
death of the husband, self-immolation by the wife and finally worshipping the deity with her
husband. The most remarkable feature of a Sati stone is the representation of right hand with
bangles flanked by a crescent moon and a sun. The standing memorial stone of Kansil village
has a depiction of one female on the left and a male on the right worshipping Shiva lingam at
the middle. The representation is topped by the hand wearing two set of bangles, crescent
moon and the sun. The broken stone, only top portion is surviving has a similar depiction as
well. Thus, the author recourse to declare these memorial stones as Sati Stones.

Odisha has a rich history of military activity during different dynastic rules for their
consolidation of territoriality. Harihar Routray2 is of the opinion that the discovery of a
number of Hero Stones in and around Jajpur town indicates the military importance of the
place. The Hero stones found at Jajpur can be divided into two catagories viz. inscribed and
un-inscribed Hero Stones. There are three Inscribed Hero Stones and four Un-inscribed ones.
From the study of both inscribed and un-inscribed hero stones of Jajpur, it is evident that the
area was once famous as a land of brave soldiers and warriors during 6th – 11th Century CE.
During the Asokan conquest of Kalinga in 3rd Century BCE, he didn’t annex the wild upland
to the west of Kalinga, known as Atavika territory from the Special Rock Edit II by Emepror
Asoka3. Western Odisha plausibly formed the eastern part of atavika land of South Kosala.
Arthashastra4 mentions of a practice of hiring atavikas as scouts and army auxiliaries. Thus, it
can be safely said that Western Odisha had also a military tradition dating back to 3 rd Century
BCE.

J. D. Beglar who visited the site of Ranipur – Jharial during 1874 – 75 and observes5
that the name Ranipur – Jharial is derived from these places, having been built by, or having
been the residence of the Queen for time being, as the ruins are universally said to ruins of a
mahal. Jharial means so far a valley or rather a fertile valley city of the Queen, a perfectly
appropriate name. Tradition also holds that Ranipur literaly means the harem. Now the
question arises, is there any link of cultural or religious, between the Sati stones and the
etymological value given by Beglar? Because, so far the religious importance of Ranipur –
Jharial is concerned, the site is known by Soma-tirtha and Adi-yogini pitha by various
scholars. The presence of a stellate temple ruin, on the route to Kansil, known as Chhelia Dul
(Deul) can be attested to the theory. Moreover, the author discovered a broken image at
Kansil, feminine in appearance, placing right hand on the right knee and left hand holding a
bowl. This, further, confirms the Yogini Cult of the area being prominent in the region. In
Patnagarh, sub-divisional headquarter of Balangir, the legend of Seven Tantric Maidens is
very famous who were engaged in Tantric Practices during early medieval period.

Therefore, with all the archaeological opulence available, for the study of Tantric
Culture; the author thinks that much exploration is needed by the scholars and their
contribution in the narration of the cultural history of Western Odisha.

Reference

1. Mallik, Seeram Chandra, Sanskshipta Kosala Itihaasa (Odia), p. 62-63

2. Routray, Harihar, OHRJ, Vol. XLVII, No.3, p. 78-82
3. Sahu, N. K., Senapati, N. 1968, Orissa District Gazetteer – Balangir, p. 492
4. Kosambi, D. D. 1977, The Culture and Civilisation of Ancient India in Historical
Outline, p. 147
5. Beglar, J. D. 1882, Report of Tours in The South-eastern Provinces in 1874-75 and
1875-76, p. 137

M.A. in AIHC & Archaeology

(Deccan College, Pune – 6)
Shantipada, Balangir
Mob: 9438039315