12/08/2024
Killa Aul Palace – Live with the luxury of history
MMadhu Menon
Until you enter the main entrance, there is no trace of a palace. You will find only small houses, elders sitting leisurely on their verandas, and cows occupying rain-soaked roadsides in short, typical village scenes. But the moment you enter the Aul Palace complex, you will be transported into a different world as if you landed from a time machine.
The Killa Aul Palace is a fort cm residence of the Royal Family of Aul, located on the bank of river Kharsota. Roughly 100 km from Bhubaneswar, capital of Odisha, this is a heritage property dating back to the 17th century, wonderfully maintained by the present owner, Shri Braj Keshari Deb, 18th descendent of the Chalukya dynasty.
The warm welcome you receive while entering the palace complex and the delicious food they serve make you feel like a king or queen. The hospitality extended here has a personal touch of royalty, and Shri Braj Kishore Debji makes it a point to make your stay comfortable and enjoyable with his personal presence. The lunch and dinner times become storytelling sessions. If you are interested in history, he can enlighten you with his knowledge, and if you a novice to history, his storytelling acumen will turn you into a history lover.
One can start the evening by riding a fishing boat through the Kharsota River. While enjoying the scenic atmosphere, you will be served hot tea or coffee along with homemade snacks. Views of small islands created by the perennial river add beauty to the ride. Appreciating the beautiful sunset while sitting in the boat through your camera lens can be an added advantage.
The next day morning, you can take a long upstream ride in a small, motorized boat through the Brahmini River and pass through another river, Baitarani, which joins Brahmini very close to the well-known Bhitarkanika National Park. Bhitarkanika, the second largest mangrove forest, is known for its Saltwater Crocodiles. If you are a birdwatcher, this trip can be rewarding. Though the park remains closed during the monsoon season, one can spot a number of heronries on the banks of the river, dominated by the nesting colonies of Open Bill Storks.
Another day can be spent exploring the ancient Buddhist monuments located nearby at Ratnagiri, Lalitgiri, and Udaygiri. The modern museums, which opened recently, exhibit a huge collection of stone-carved statues of Bodhisatyavs, Aparajitas, Arya Saraswati, etc., and give basic knowledge to both curious and not-so-curious visitors.
Let me conclude that your visit to Aul Palace will be an unforgettable experience only if you invite Shri Braj Keshari Debji to have lunch or dinner with you. We had the privilege of being invited to have lunch and dinner with him.
