ROCK ART, A LEGACY OF PREHISTORIC ,SUNDARGARH
Sundargarh region has a rich cultural heritage. There are evidences of man living in this region, since the old stone age, in the form of stone tools used by them for hunting. However man used Rock shelters in this region during the New Stone Age. Such rock shelters are to be found at Lekhamoda, Manikmoda, Ushakothi, Tonga in Hemgir, Lephripara region .Akhanda Parvata near Belsara at Tangarpali Block and Mahavir Parvat in Bargaon Block. A sogmofocamt discovery in the field of prehistoric archaeology is popularly known as Rock Arts which is a Global phenomenon dating back to 30,000 years. Paintings, engraving and brushing found executed on bare rock faces in the naturally formed caves and rock shelters are the earliest written and visual documents of the prehistoric man. Those are to be found Manikmoda, Ushakothi, Tonga and Lekhamoda signifying the development of human culture in this region. Sundargarh district has almost 2/3rd of the Rock Arts so far discovered in Orissa.
1.USHAKOTHI : Ushakothi is situated near Rajbahal in Lephripara Tahsil. Painting found in three rock shelters where as engraving are found in only two of them i.e. Rishikunda and Sitakund. The engravings of Rishikund executed over a well demarcated rubbed surface on the back wall on one line is very interesting . The engraving is finally smeared with a layer of red orher. The other forms of engravings are human palm,foot and triangular patterns resembling female genitals. To the right of the engraved panel is a space of 1mX 0.60m executed with an excellent specimen of intricate wavy decorative painting in dark red and yellow pigments. Except a few specimen of palm prints and triangular patterns,the entire wall of the rock shelters is randomly decorated with a host of broom/beaten brush or rod patterns in dark. The pattern consists of three to five lines diverging from a point with an average length of 0.20m and are very enigmatic their depiction. Two grinding holes on the floor of the rock shelter and the collection of microliths from the adjoining slope amply atleast to thje archaeological significance of the rock shelters of Ushakothi.
2.MANIKMODA : Manikmoda is situated inside a reserved forest, about 5 km to the south west of Hemgir- To approach this site , one has to proceed aslong the Hemgir-Kanika road and turn to thr right to reach the village Sukhabandha . Then taking the road branching off to right from the Shiva temple at Sukhabandha one can reach this site. The extensive rock shelter of Manikmoda is gifted with a parennial water source oozing from its deep crevices and stored in a large pit on the bedrock. The rock shelter is odorned with 57 specimen of paintings in monochrome of dark red , orange red , white & yellow and the lone specimen of an engraving of a serpentine near the water source. The painted forms include human figures animal forms of f humped bull and deer and miscellaneous pattern and shapes . Paintings in dark red are earlier than the painting in light red , yellow and white. Sometimes there earlier paintings are super imposed by white paintings and the subject matters in white is a reduplication of the subject matter in white darker i.e. a humped bull being dragged or charged by a man . The human figure in white and orange red carry sword and shield , stick and other unidentified subjects and are clad in draperies. The depiction of Hanuman caring a hillock in flying pose is very interesting. The rock shelter yielded large numbers microliths which include blades ,blade-lets,points,burings,lunates,triangles,scrapers,fluted cores,flakes and chips in association with lumps of haematite, which indirectly suggest about the anti-quity off some paintings found in this rock shelters. Nineteen grinding holes could be identified on the floor, with an average depth and diameter of 0.2 m x 0.10m. he largest being 0.60m x 0.80m and the smallest being 0.28m x 0.14m.
TONGO: Tongo is situated near the village Giripur in Hemgir Tehsil. The rock shelter is oriented east west and facing to the south . It got 190 specimen of engravings randomly executed on its back wall in an area of 35m of the total length of 50m. Triangular shapes resembling female genitals predominate the engraved forms. The other forms are plam and foot prints , rhombic and honeycomb patterns, serpentine and a host of forms resembling Roman Character like X,Y,T and H. The rhombic pattern is marked decorative motif of Tango. Serpentine at places take the shapes of female genitals. All these engravings were originally filled in with a paste of Ochre in their grooves. Though there is no discernible paintings at Tongo, in one case the shape of a scooped out female genital has been exquisite embroidered in yellow over red. The decorative patter has been achieved through an urge for sophistication in simplicity.
4.LEKHAMODA GROUP:- Lekhamoda group rock shelters discovered recently by Dr.S.Pradhan and Dr.P.K.Behera of Sambalpur University and situated in the reserve forests of Chenga pahar and Garjan pahar within a radius of 05 Km from Kanika.
CHHENGA PAHAR GROUR:
1.Gangakhol -1
2.Gangakhol –2
3.Sukha Makar
4.Sargikhol
5.Badlimunda
6.Chicharakhol --1
7.Chicharakhol --2
8.Kendu Khulia –1
9.Kendu Khulia -2
GARJAN PAHAR GROUP:-
10.Babaji Math -1
11.Babaji Math –2
12.Phuldungri.
The rock shelters of Lekhamoda group have the richest repository rock art in Orissa.While paintings in monochrome as well as in bi-chrome and poly-chrome of various shades off red ,white and
Yellow are found in all twelve rock shelters ,engravings are found only two of them .
In these rock shelters there are as many as 502 specimen of paintings and 36 specimens of engravings , identified so far, through it appears that originally many more paintings and engravings were executed which have been washed away , obliterated and disfigured.
The paintings include a variety of indefinite and enigmatic geometric and ageometric forms mostly in bi-chrome of purple red and white which consisted about two third of the total painted forms. Yellow is occasionally used in monochrome and in combination with red and white in the polychrome paintings of
Decorative patters and symbols .The decorative patterns are featured by zig-zag wavy, criss-cross and parallel lines within a geometric circulars , square, rectangular or oblong shapes. More or less they look like Carpets, harpoon , blade, san, net and honey-comb patterns. The other painted forms found in Lekhamoda
Group of rock shelters are a few human forms in dark red wearing horned head gears and carrying sticks, human figures in white executed right upon he dark, red paintings carry sword, musical drums and sticks. Animal figures are restricted to only a few rock shelters, they include deer, monkey humped bell, goat, lizard ,snakes, peacock and crane. Human palm and foot are quite common.
The miscellaneous forms include a host ritualistic, astronomical enigmatic and abstract patterns. Grinding holes are found on the floors of all the rock shelters and the other artifacts found are a large number of microliths form the rock shelters and their frontal slopes, Charcoal, Iron fragments and haematite lumps. Their occupational deposits are notified in two rock shelters.
In this context in the absence of any satisfactory explanation as to what motivated the per historic man for such graphic and abstract expression further studies on the subject may not stand irrational in view of the rich tradition of tribal and folk art for which Sundargarh region is so well known.
1.Clark, G, work Pre-historic, Anew outline ,Cam-bridge University Press ,1969PP.60& 66
2.Out of these twelve rock shelters P.K .Behera has reported three Rock shelters. I.e.LMD2,4,and 6
Behera P.K. “Prehistoric Rock Art paintings.
To fertility cult and other subjects of Orissa,PRAGDHARA,1991-92, 2PP,7-17
LMD No.10 has been reported by E.Neumayer
Neumayer E.”Rock pictures in Orissa.”PURATTAVA,1991-92,22,PP.13-24
The other eight Rock shelters are reported by S.Pradhan
Pradhan S.”Rock Art of Orissa,” ,Souvenir , Rock Art Society of India and Orissa history
Congress,1995,PP49-53