BHUBANESWAR: The State government has initiated an attempt to understand the reality behind the Kalinga War and rewrite the history, if required.
At a workshop titled ‘Social, Political, Economic and Military Status of Kalinga State before the Kalinga War’ hosted by the Odisha Sahitya Akademi on Tuesday, a group of 16 historians came together to discuss various aspects of the war that was fought around 261 BCE between the Mauryan Emperor Ashoka and the independent kingdom of Kalinga (Odisha).
“It is an attempt to know the actual history behind the war, given the fact that many historians have said many things about it in the past, both positive and negative about Ashoka and Kalinga warriors,” said Culture Minister Suryabanshi Suraj, who inaugurated the workshop. He added that the outcome of the workshop will be further discussed in the public space and then documented in the form of a book.
“It is said that the war had transformed ChandAshoka to DharmAshoka. If that is the case why were more than 1.5 lakh soldiers of Kalinga Army imprisoned and taken to Patliputra. There are many things like this that need discussion,” Suraj said. He added that it will only help our future generations become aware of Odisha’s history and its valiant warriors.
Among others, director of Odia Language, Literature and Culture department Vijay Ketan Upadhyay, special administrative secretary Deba Prasad Dash and secretary of Odisha Sahitya Akademi Chandra Shekhar Hota were present.