Jaugada is an ancient fort that served as a Mauryan fortified capital of the Kalinga province. Jaugada is located near the cities of Berhampur and Purushottampur in Ganjam district of Odisha, India.
Jaugada is an important archaeological and historical site.
Did you know that Jaugada is the second place in Odisha where there is a major Ashokan rock edict, also known as Kalinga edict ?
Though many of us are aware of Dhauli - the first place in Odisha where there is Kalinga edict, Jaugada is not as well-known.
Jaugada was in prominence around 3rd Century BC to 7th Century BC. It is a protected heritage monument now under the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI).
Jaugada is also known as Jatudurga.
In Odia language, Jau means Lac and Gada means fort. Jaugada, thus means a Lac fort.
Jaugada is so named as the walls of the ancient fort were made of Jau. Some believe that the fort of Jaugada was built by Duryodhana, the eldest Kaurava brother of the epic Mahabharata. However, recorded evidence is yet to come to light.
As Jau made the walls slippery, Jaugada provided effective protection from enemies. However, now there is no trace of the Jau walls. The fort of Jaugada was rectangular in shape, the opposite sides being 858 yards by 814 yards respectively.
Ashoka's inscription in Jaugada is on a rock face about 30 feet long and 15 feet high.
The rock edict inscriptions, engraved in Prakrit language in Brahmi script, have information about the better administrative policies based on Ashoka's humanitarian consideration.
The approach to Jaugada reminded me of the heritage sites of Lumbini in Nepal that are connected to Lord Buddha.
As Jaugada is such an important heritage site, I would request better maintenance and upkeep.
The inscriptions on the major rock edict are under threat having suffered from the ravages of time and poor attention. This Kalinga Edict needs better protection. Also, better sign-boards and information-boards can help. We need to create awareness and preserve this site for future generations. High time information about Jaugada is included in the school text-books.
How To Reach Jaugada
Jaugada is situated near Tara Tarini Temple in Ganjam, Odisha.
Jaugada is located at a distance of 10 kms from Purushottampur, 40 kms from Berhampur and 170 kms from Odisha's state capital, Bhubaneswar.
Flight - Nearest Airport is Bhubaneswar Airport (BBI), Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India
Railways - Nearest Railway Station is Berhampur (BAM) railway station, Odisha, India
After reaching Bhubaneswar airport/station or Berhampur station, visitors need to hire a vehicle.
Bus/Car/Taxi - Government and private buses, private taxis and other vehicles need to be pre-booked to reach Jaugada as transport is not that frequently available there.
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