Odisha Historian Uncovers the 'Golden Chariot' Mystery
Odisha Historian Uncovers the 'Golden Chariot' Mystery
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Bhubaneswar: The mysterious golden chariot-like object that washed up on the shore at Sunnapalli port in Srikakulam district is actually a pagoda that Burmese people release into water bodies as part of their New Year celebrations.
On Tuesday, residents of Sunnapalli harbour in Srikakulam district noticed the construction floating in the choppy waters and brought it to shore. The chariot, according to several residents, had something written on it in Malay, Malaysian language.
"Buddhist new year is celebrated in Myanmar, Vietnam, Thailand, and Sri Lanka, and during this time they sail such massive structures like the Odias do as part of 'Biota Bandana' celebrations," historian Anil Dhir said. For them, this is a yearly event." Every year in April, the Buddhist new year falls, and during this time, people sail structures shaped like pagodas.
This specific building, according to Dhir, may have floated in from Myanmar, where people sail such chariots in the Irrawaddy. He stated that this has little historical significance, but that what is remarkable is how it floated all the way from the neighboring country with minimal damage.
Locals in Srikakulam claim there are inscriptions on it, most likely in Malay, but Dhir says it needs to be decoded to determine whose language it is. The pagoda design is similar to those in Burma, according to the historian.
During the news of hurricane Asani causing severe rain in Andhra Pradesh, a video of a golden chariot reaching the shores of Srikakulam in Andhra Pradesh went viral.
People were seen pulling a chariot from the sea to the beach in the footage.
