A Hertiage Ride to Cycling to Dhabaleswar by members of Bhubaneswar Cycling and Adventure Club

Bhubaneswar: It is a very beautiful Sunday morning which we have explored in the laps of nature through all our love of cycling & meeting up our friends. Bhubaneswar Cycling and Adventure Club is committed to promote local heritage. We moved through Nandan Kanan, Trisulia, Srisri Univercity, Naraj to reach newly constructed Utkal Gourav Madhu Sudan bridge over Mahanadi connecting Cuttack to Dhabaleswar.
At Dhabaleswar we crossed the river Mahanadi on the hanging bridge of 245 feet length to reach the Dhabaleswar island inside Mahanadi river. We offered our prayers to Sri Dhabaleswar. We came back via the new bridge, Aswini Hospital, Netajee Subash Bridge, Nandan Kanan. As the new bridge is reducing the distance between Dhenkanal and Cuttack by about 16 Km, the traffic on this route has gone up. This has also resulted in increase in tourist flow to Dhabaleswar.
The name Dhabaleswar ( Dhabala or White + Eeswar or God ) is attributed to a miracle performed by Lord Shiva. Once a thief stole a black bull calf from a village and fled to a Shiva temple. He hid himself with the calf in the sanctum while the angry crowd waited outside the temple. The crowd could clearly hear the calf calling out. The thief prayed fervently to Lord Shiva to deliver him from the crowd. Taking pity on him, the Lord appeared as a Sanyassin before the crowd and asked them the cause of their agitation On being told that they suspected the thief of hiding in the sanctum along with the black calf, the sanyassin brought the calf outside to dispel their doubts. The calf turned out to be white, seeing which the crowd let the thief go. The sanyassin disappeared and the thief realized who had come to his aid. He confessed and apologized to the crowd. He took a vow to spend the rest of his life in the service of the Lord. The act of turning a black calf to white caused Lord Shiva to be also known as Dhabaleswara.

The present temple structure was constructed by Bir Kishor, ruler of Khurda. It is said that once he set out on a hunt with his personal bodyguards and attendants. During the course of the hunt, they discovered the original temple which was in a derelict state.The king ordered the renovation of the temple, granted an area of land measuring 314 maana .He also entrusted the care and service of the temple to one Mali.The family of Mali later on found the village of Malisahi which falls on the way to the temple. This was done in 1232 AD.

As counted we are 21cyclist & along with 3lady cyclist. Our cuttack cyclist partner friends have joined us on the way around. We have experienced a good food of cucumber in the pinch of masala. The best food of cuttack Dahi Bara in its pump up taste which is recalling us the taste through the whole day after being full of food its time for some sweet drinks & we have tasted of a great lassi which cumulate our taste sharply through the sweetness of weather as long as wind. It’s the most beautiful ride ever we have experienced in this time & mostly during this summer days.

 

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