Orissa Newsletter
Temple of poet Kalidasa lies in neglect
Worship of gods and goddesses by building grand temples for them may be common among the Oriyas, who have constructed many glorious mouments like the temple of Lord Jagannath at Puri and Sun Temple at Konark. But monument has been constructed for a poet whose Meghdoot has won acclaim from (readers within and outside the country.
Babakarpur village under Aleilo Gram Panchayat in the coastal belt, hums with activity of art-loving Oriyas who are sympathetic towards art and literature. An old temple stands in the middle of the village. It does not contain any idol of a Hindu god but of the idol the celebrated Sanskrit poet Kalidasa. The great poet and the author of the great works like Meghadoota Raghubansam, is constantly worshiped in this 200-year old temple since ages. Though there is not any reliable information on its date of construction, but according to the locals, it was constructed 150 to 200 years ago by the then landlord, the late Balaram Bramarbar Ray. ?The deceased zamindar was a great scholar of Sanskrit. He constructed this temple in a.d. 1802 for worship of the great Sanskrit scholar Kalidasa?, said Prof. Siva Sankar Das of this village.
Unlike other temples, the priest of this temple chants passages from different epics written by Kalidas instead of the ritualistic slokas. At times, Sanskrit scholars from in and around the come here and organise cultural programmes. But such an unique temple of Asia remains unnoticed which may soon confornt the destructive forces of nature.
