SAMBALPUR: The heritage Rani Bakhri (Queen’s Palace) which has now been transformed into the Nimantran restaurant by Odisha Tourism Development Corporation (OTDC) was inaugurated by Minister of Tourism Ashwini Patra on Monday.
“With the launch of the restaurant here, a new chapter of tourism has opened. To boost development of tourism, Chief Minister, Naveen Patnaik had advised us to open Nimantran here at the earliest,” the minister said.
On the occasion, OTDC chairman Lenin Mohanty said “The local cuisines help tourists to get to know the people and the place in a far better way. Through the restaurants, tourism and cuisines will get more popular.”
Soon after the decision to transform the palace into a restaurant was taken by the government and the renovation work began, it triggered resentment among the locals who were displeased about the likely alteration and tampering of the heritage structure. The resistance gradually subsided and after a long delay, the palace was opened to the public. Around `3 crore was spent on the renovation of the palace to make it ready for the restaurant.
Nimantran restaurant is the third of its kind managed by the OTDC after two others in Bhubaneswar and Puri running successfully. The restaurants serve a variety of authentic Odia cuisines from various districts of Odisha. A special menu has been planned by prominent chefs to serve the taste of Odisha on the platters at the restaurant.
Among others, district collector Ananya Das, ADM Pradeep Kumar Sahu, Zilla Parishad president Kumudini Nayak, SMC commissioner Vedbhushan and president of Samaleswari temple trust board Sanjaya Baboo were present during the inauguration.
Palatial points
The three-storey Rani Bakhri, also known as Jamadei Palace
Built by 5th Chouhan king
of Sambalpur, Baliyar
Singh during 1650 for his daughter Jamadei
There are 16 rooms in the building
The palace lost its sheen due to neglect and encroachments
The state government roped in INTACH in 2016 to restore it
Earlier only the roof of the palace was rebuilt in 2001
INTACH experts used traditional techniques for restoration work