Ruins of Hill Forts of Ulapgarh Jharsuguda

Ruins of Hill Forts of Ulapgarh On the Jharsuguda-Belpahar Road at a distance of 21 Kms. from Jharsuguda there is a village known as Lajkura.  In the vicinity there is a hill known as “Maheswar Pahad” where the remains of an old holy fort attracts the attention of historians, researchers and tourists.

Ruins of Hill Forts of Ulapgarh Jharsuguda 

On the foot of Maheswar Pahad, there is small village called “Ulap”. About one kilometer from the village, the ruins of Ulapgarh are situated. At this place, the Maheswar pahad is about 1000 ft high and on the top there is a huge plain surface.  On this rectangular plain stone surface the fort of Ulapgarh had been constructed.   The plain stone fine surface is about 400 metre long and 250 metre wide.  On the eastern side of the fort there are almost about 7 kms. Of densely forested Baramunda Hills and on the Western side, the Belpahar Railway Station is located at a distance of 5 kms. On the north there is a dense forest stretching up to Hemgir and in the South stretching up to Badjob village.

A 12 ft. wide and 150 mts. Long moat had been constructed which stretches from east to west.  There was a Sivalingam and a place of worship in the Fort.  A well had been dug on the stone floor which provided drinking water to the inmates of the Fort through out the year.On the stone floor, there are many square holes and 70 round holes.  The diameters of the hole vary from 1-3 inch. Wooden poles used to be put on these holes to support super structures for living room, store room, arsenals, Kitchen, sleeping room etc.

About 1000 people could take shelter at Ulapgarh at a time. On the western side of Ulapgarh and down hill there is Ushakothi cave.  On the walls and floors of this cave also there are many circular and square holes.  Probably the defence personnel of the fort used to suspend there clothes and other belonging from wooden poles fitted to these holes.  The soldiers of the dense forest of Maheswar hill could easily over power and defeat the enemies before they could climb up the hill and attack the fort.It is believed that Ulapgarh was being used as a residential fort by some kings of “Naja” Dynasty. Research is going on by various Indian and Foreign researchers and Historian in this direction.