logo
Sword bearing Arabic inscription unearthed from Ganjam archives

Sword bearing Arabic inscription unearthed from Ganjam archives

Hans India21-07-2025
Berhampur: A war-era inscription from the 17th century has been rediscovered in the heart of Ganjam. A battle-worn 'khanda' (sword) bearing an Arabic inscription has come to light from the archives of Badakhemundi Royal Residence, located on Panitanki Road in Berhampur.
The forgotten relic attracted attention when Yubaraj Siddhanta Gangadev brought it to the notice of noted epigraphist Bishnu Mohan Adhikari, who painstakingly deciphered the inscription with the assistance of Arabic scholar Sheikh Imaitullla. The sword contains verses from the Holy Quran (Surah 61:13), inscribed in classical Arabic, which reads: 'Nasrum Minallahi Wa Fathun Qareeb', translated as 'Help from Allah and imminent victory.'
This rare artifact is believed to belong to a turbulent chapter in Odisha's history, when the valiant Ganga dynasty of Khallikote, Paralakhemundi and Badakhemundi fought relentless battles against invading powers such as the Qutb Shahi dynasty of Golconda, Hyderabad's Nizams and Mughal forces.
As per Bishnu Adhikari, though the sword lacks numerical dating, its linguistic style and religious invocation date it within the era of Islamic military campaigns in the region.
Historians recall that the Gajapati Kings Jagannath Narayan Dev and Narahari Narayan Dev had vanquished Malik Khan, a Muslim commander, and issued inscribed commemorations of their victory. The newly rediscovered inscription parallels the 1679 Paralakhemundi epigraph, suggesting it may have been crafted in the aftermath of a significant military triumph by the Ganga warriors over foreign aggressors.
Anantarama Kar Koundinya, a leading authority on the subject, commended the efforts of Bishnu Adhikari and expressed delight at the discovery. Kar noted that Ganjam region, particularly Ichhapur and Chikakole, was historically a battleground where the Ganga rulers frequently repelled Muslim invasions. The Badakhemundi Raja Ananta Padmanabha Dev's valiant confrontations with Sultanate forces find echoes in literary references by Basudev Rath Somayaji.
Historically, the Khemundis, including Parlakhemundi, Badakhemundi and Sanakhemundi, emerged from the same Ganga lineage, and this rediscovery reinforces their shared legacy of martial resistance. The sword's inscription is now seen as a symbolic artifact of not only military confrontation but also of diplomatic victories, where truce and cessation of hostilities were marked by ceremonial exchanges -- perhaps including the inscription of sacred verses.
Bishnu Adhikari further connects this discovery with chronicled histories such as 'The History of Ganga' by Padmasree Satyanarayan Rajguru, and the epigraphic contributions of Laxminarayan Harichandan Jagadev, who recorded multiple war-time inscriptions of the period.
Following the decoding of the script, the Badakhemundi royal family expressed elation, and the local population of the Digapahandi region has celebrated the find as a source of pride and cultural resurgence.
The discovery not only enriches the heritage of Ganjam but also opens new corridors of research into Odisha's resistance narratives during medieval Islamic expansion.
This inscription, now revered as a 'silent testament of valour and divine faith', reanimates a bygone era when steel and spirit defended sovereignty.
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Gaza Artist Destroys His Paintings To Feed Starving Family
Gaza Artist Destroys His Paintings To Feed Starving Family

NDTV

time2 hours ago

  • NDTV

Gaza Artist Destroys His Paintings To Feed Starving Family

A 43-year-old visual artist and father of five has been forced to destroy his paintings and use the wood to cook meals for his family. Israel's nearly two-year-long war on the narrow strip has left a trail of destruction, with no access to food, fuel and medical facilities in the last six months. In a video shared on Instagram, Taha Hussein Abu Ghali was seen tearing apart his paintings, setting fire and baking bread for his family. The clip shows him cutting his painting, snapping wooden frames and stacking the splinters. The artist said, "These were my most beautiful paintings, God is my witness. To me, they were like music to the heart. And now, I break them apart and burn them. Because art has turned into bread." He added, "We're forced, with pain in our hearts, to burn our paintings under the shadow of this crisis. We have no fuel, no electricity, no gas, nothing. And if we're lucky, maybe we have flour or bulgur. But there's nothing to cook with. So, we take the wood and bake bread with it. May God help us." View this post on Instagram A post shared by طه حسين أبو غالي (@art_taha_husien) In an interaction with TRT World over the phone, Hussein said, "To be honest, we're just one step away from starving to death. We're still managing, scraping by with help from friends. But the humanitarian situation is extremely dangerous. We are on the edge of mass death." Displaced for the 11th time, the artist and his family are currently sheltering in a tent in Asda City, west of Khan Younis. When asked what made him burn over twenty of his paintings, he said, "One kilo of wood costs 8 shekels. And we need at least three kilos a day just to make bread or cook something small for lunch. After burning the doors, the cabinets, even the kids' desks, the paintings were all we had left." Taha Hussein Abu Ghali works with abstract and cubist influences. He has a Master's degree in mental health and a degree in art education and humanities. In addition to being an art therapy researcher, he teaches Arabic calligraphy and arts and crafts at Al-Nasr Model School. The humanitarian crisis, coupled with the endless bombing by Israel, has shot the malnutrition rates to "alarming levels" in Gaza, the World Health Organization said on Sunday. "Malnutrition is on a dangerous trajectory in the Gaza Strip, marked by a spike in deaths in July," the WHO said in a statement. In 2025, of the 116 recorded malnutrition-related deaths, 63 occurred in July. The number included at least 24 children under the age of five, a child aged over five, and 38 adults. The Israeli war, which began after the October 7, 2023, attack by Hamas, has killed close to 60,000 Palestinians.

UP launches river revival scheme to rejuvenate 50 rivers, restore ecology
UP launches river revival scheme to rejuvenate 50 rivers, restore ecology

India Today

timea day ago

  • India Today

UP launches river revival scheme to rejuvenate 50 rivers, restore ecology

The Uttar Pradesh government has launched a comprehensive river revival scheme aimed at rejuvenating the state's disappearing, polluted, and seasonal rivers. The initiative is being implemented in coordination with the Namami Gange Mission, Jal Jeevan Mission, and the Forest campaign seeks to restore rivers to their natural state by reviving water flow, protecting catchment areas, ensuring pollution-free streams, enhancing groundwater levels, and safeguarding local ecology and initiative forms part of a larger plan prepared in 2019 to conserve small rivers and tributaries across the state, with active coordination between the departments of environment, water, agriculture, forest, and panchayati raj. Under this new campaign, authorities have identified rivers in all 75 districts that were either dry or at risk due to pollution or encroachment. The government has undertaken efforts to revive these water bodies using sustainable and scientific improve water quality, the administration is treating sewage and industrial waste before releasing it into rivers. Urban sewage is being redirected to Sewage Treatment Plants (STPs), and biological techniques are being used to enhance water measures like the construction of check dams, desilting, riverbank strengthening, and rainwater harvesting have been adopted to sustain river efforts have begun to yield results. So far, 50 rivers have been rejuvenated across a total stretch of 3,363 kilometres. This revival has provided new life to rural areas and improved irrigation access for farmers. As part of the initiative, the government is also reviving small rivers and water bodies in 1,011 Ganga gram boost water storage in rural regions, the state has constructed and reinforced 3,388 ponds. These ponds now serve as reliable water sources for agriculture, livestock, and domestic Forest Department, in collaboration with district Ganga committees, is planting trees on a massive scale along riverbanks. More than 2.14 crore trees have been planted along the banks of 82 rivers in the state, contributing to ecological restoration and flood technology is also playing a crucial role in the revival drive. Institutions such as IIT Kanpur, IIT BHU, BBAAU Lucknow, and IIT Roorkee are providing technical expertise and guidance to ensure the success of the monitor progress, the government has formed committees in each administrative division, headed by the respective divisional commissioner. These committees regularly review revival plans to ensure timely and quality the rivers currently being revived are the Noon River in Kanpur, the Kukrail River in Lucknow, the Tilodki River in Ayodhya, the Pili River in Jaunpur, and the Belan River in Sonbhadra.- EndsMust Watch IN THIS STORY#Uttar Pradesh

How to make the viral bread kunafa at home in minutes
How to make the viral bread kunafa at home in minutes

Time of India

time2 days ago

  • Time of India

How to make the viral bread kunafa at home in minutes

You might have seen it popping up in reels or food blogs, bread kunafa, the easy twist on a beloved Middle Eastern dessert. And yes, it's as doable as it looks. Kunafa, also spelled knafeh, konafa, kunefe, kenafe, or knefeh, has deep roots in the Arab world. The name itself is thought to come from the Arabic word kanaf , meaning 'to shelter' or 'to protect', a nod, perhaps, to the way the two layers of dough encase the cheese inside. Over time, kunafa has traveled far beyond its origin, adapting with each kitchen it enters. The version making the rounds now is a simpler, quicker one, bread kunafa. It's likely you already have the ingredients at home. Here's how to make it. Ingredients To make this simple bread kunafa at home, you'll need a few basic ingredients. 2 slices of bread(or 250 gms if you are using breadcrumbs) 1 slice of processed cheese or roughly 1/4 cup shredded mozzarella 1/2 cup (about 100 grams) of melted butter Sugar Syrup made from equal parts sugar and water (1/2 cup each) + 1 tsp lemon juice Dry fruits for garnishing 170g thick cream or fresh cream A dash of rose water or orange blossom water Crushed thin vermicelli or coarse kunafa dough (about 1/2 cup) How to make the viral bread kunafa Start by combining sugar and water in a pan. Bring to a boil and let it simmer until slightly thickened, around 5 minutes should do. Add lemon juice at this stage. If you like, stir in a little rose water or orange blossom water for aroma. Set it aside to cool. There are two ways to go here. If you're using sliced bread, trim off the crusts. For breadcrumbs, pulse the bread in a food processor until fine. If you're using breadcrumbs, combine them with the melted butter or ghee until well-coated and slightly clumpy. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Check Out These 15 Sculptures That Go Beyond Art Undo This will help form a base and topping. Assembly Options Using sliced bread: Place a slice of cheese between two trimmed slices of bread. If you want a crunchy layer, dip this sandwich in beaten egg and milk, then roll it in crushed vermicelli or kunafa dough. Using breadcrumbs: Grease your pan, either a small baking dish or a thick-bottomed pan if you're cooking on the stove. Press two-thirds of the breadcrumb-butter mix into the base and slightly up the sides. Add a layer of cream (optional) and then the cheese. Finish with the rest of the breadcrumb mix on top and press gently. Cooking the Kunafa Stovetop: Melt a bit of butter in a pan. Cook the bread kunafa on low heat until the base crisps up and the cheese melts. Flip carefully if needed. Oven method: Bake in a preheated oven at 180°C (around 356°F) for about 25 to 30 minutes, or until golden brown on top. At last when the kunafa is warm, pour sugar syrup, as per your liking, and finally garnish it with dry fruits for the perfect bite.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store