Dhenkanal: On August 17, the Dhenkanal Heritage Walks (DHW) team led its 28th heritage trail, exploring the magnificent Attali Jagannath Temple in Athagarh, Cuttack.
Standing at 90 feet tall, the temple is a stunning example of the Kalinga “Rekha deula” style of architecture. Its name is derived from the “attali,” or thatched hut, where Lord Jagannath was originally worshipped before the temple was built.
The heritage walk concluded with a thoughtful discussion session. Keynote speaker and poet Himanshu Shekhar Parida set the stage for a series of insightful talks.
Manas Panda shared his knowledge of Jagannath culture, while culture researcher Ajay Kumar Das provided a detailed history of the Athagarh princely state and the temple’s construction.
Historian Suresh Pradhan highlighted a key fact: the current temple was established in 1899 by the then-ruler, Vishwanath Bebarta Pattnaik.
Led by DHW convenor Suresh Prasad Mishra, the event attracted a diverse group of attendees, from local heritage enthusiasts to professors and students from the Dhenkanal Autonomous College.
The gathering was also a testament to regional collaboration, with conveners from Odisha Walks, Cuttack Heritage Walks, and Jagatsinghpur Heritage Walks also in attendance.
The DHW team received a warm traditional welcome upon their arrival, with bouquets and “angabastra” from the local community and temple servitors.