I was born and brought up in Baramunda Village of Khurdha District. I was born in the year 1954. . My fathers’ name was chakradhar Sahu and my grand fathers name was Natabar Sahu. My father is having two brothers and one sister.
During 1965, my family was having a Grocery Shop in Siripur Chhaka. I started running a betel shop there. While I was going to unit-6 high school, I spend some time in that shop also. Later I had done many business such as selling vegetables, running small hotels and selling sarbat too. But all of them failed and I kept on switching businesses.
He completed my primary schooling in nearby village highschool. Then I went to complete mine high school from Unit-6 high school but failed exam. I also joined Tapoban High School. I could not pass matriculation and joined my father’s business of running grocery shops. I did not attend college and could not get a Govt Job.
I have two sons and one daughter. My eldest son is a business man, while the youngest is not doing anything. His only daughter is married and my son in law is doing job in a company. I am staying in Barmunda in my ancestral home.
I am now working as an assistant in a temple and managing the canteen of the temple. However, since last 10 to 12 years as I do not owned any business.
I have spent my entire life in Bhubaneswar and I have seen the city growing like any thing. The growth is very thick and fast in last few years. The city is now fulfilling the aspiration of teeming millions and given them opportunity to grow and showcase their skills.
In old Bhubaneswar, People depended on Unit-1 market for vegetable. Saheed nagar has few large shops. Station road was very busy those days. A shop owned by Govinda in old station Bazzar and Rati Marwari in Ravi talkies chhaka used to meet public requirement. People also brought items from Cuttack Chhatrabazar and Jatani of Khurdha. The materials used to be brought on bullock cart only.
Students go to Puri and Kapilash by Bullock cart. He remembered that he often went to Vanivihar through Bullock Cart.
During 1965 the National highway that runs from Cuttack to Khordha is a single line road. The road was not properly developed inside Bhubaneswar. Barmunda was a forest and it has a large hillock which used to supply mortar to the Bhubaneswar for road construction.
From Siriput Chhaka to Old town there was a road. The road to Nandankan road was only a footpath. People used to go to Nandankan from Andharua and Chandaka .There was one town bus from Lingaraj temple to siripur chhaka. It has fixed time from 11.00AM to 3.00PM. Bus started to move around 1965 and gradually moved to district.
After 1960 the election related violence was very visible. Police no. was very limited. But unlike these days, police cannot arrest any one without taking consent of the headman of the village.
The weight of measurement was Bishakathi, then Sera and at last Kilograms were brought into picture. Vegetables sold 50 to 50 paisa per Kilo around 1970s.
The cost of Raleigh and Humber cycle was Rs 250. Atlas & Hercules cycle cost Rs 200/-. Cycle was available both in Cuttack and Bhubaneswar. People who wanted to buy items a bit cheaper go to Cuttack and other buy it from Bhubaneswar.
The prices of the materials were very less in those days. In 1 rupee people used to buy 2200 gms of Rice. Dal Sold Rs 2.00 to 2.25 per KG. Arhar sold 1.75 per KG. Sunlight sold 4.00 per piece and Lyifebuoy sold Rs 5.00 per piece around 1970. The liquor shop was there too. The liquor sold Rs 1.00 to 1.50 per bottle.
The cost of transport in rickshaw from Bermunda to Old town was only 1 rupee. Kabaddi, Football and volley Ball were prominent sports. The winners used to get cup and shield. Jagamara used to have football tournaments.
Rainy season was prolonged in Bhubaneswar. Areas such as Balakati were sub merged. At times it rained for 7 to 8 days at a strength. People used to come to river levee with families before actual flood happened. I have seen helicopters providing relief from sky during 1970 t0 1980s flood.
However, Bhubanewar used to get good breeze round the year. Now this has been restricted due to construction of tower-like buildings. Durgapuja and Ganesha puja were not very popular in Bhubaneswar during that period. It later developed. Ganesh Puja was limited to Schools and colleges only. Raja, Kumar Punima, Khudurukuni Puja were very popular in those areas.
Biren Mitra, Biju Pattnaik and Stayapriya Mohanty along with Hareskrusha Mahtab were very popular leaders in the area. Janaki Pattnaik’s got popularity later.
Mr. Suresh Sahu was having a petrol pump in Rasulgarh. He used to give petrol to leaders like Biju Pattnaik on credit. Biju pattannaik used to take 2lts of petrol on credit and go to attend different meetings by his car.
Vellur And Topoban are few of the oldest mutts of Bhubaneswar. People of Old Bhubaneswar want to see their children pass at least minor education. Many could not afford education later on. Girls education was not very promoted. Very few girls went to school.
Cycles and other utensils were given to girls during wedding. But arranging them is also very stressful if we don’t give dowry in time there is every possibility that girl will be harassed in limited time.
Kalinga, Samaj, Prajatantra, Matrubhumi were very popular. Radio was also available at village. People used to sit besides radio to listen to the news item in the evening at the village. Schools promoted reading news paper.
The Bhubaneswar was largely vacant and there were not much people hence concept of renting a house was not very prevalent. Wherever renting out of premise was done, it was limited to Rs 5 or Rs 10 per month per family in old Bhubaneswar which was quite cheap.
Capital Hospital and Gadadhar Mohapatra Hospital in old town were only hospitals in those days. People used to go to CMC Vellore if they confront with a major disease. Private practice was not much prevalent in those days.
One was Vellur matha and tapoban Matha was there. People visit the places and enjoy the blessings of mutt mahanta. There was one Bipra Pattnaik in Jagamara and his Son Jagu Pattnaik used to give herbal medicines to the people. They were very famous in the area.
People who have passed minor education was easily getting the job of a peon in Govt offices . They were paid monthly remuneration of Rs 30 to 45 Rupees. The labour cost was around Rs 2 to 3 per day. It later increased to 5 to 7 rupees. When male used to get 5 rupees per day, women used to get 3 rupees. Labours came from Ganjam, Kandhamal and Nayagarh area.
People used to fight with each other. I have seen that people fight with each other on issues such as property, football match result etc. Bahadalpur Saraskanta, Sundarpada, Laxmisagar is the area where fights were reported.
