Belgadia Palace Expands Odisha's Architectural Identity Beyond Temples

Ananya Nayak's article, published July 20, 2026, argues that Odisha's architectural identity has been overly defined by its famous stone temples in Bhubaneswar, Konark, and Puri, representing the Kalinga tradition. This focus has left other architectural histories—royal residences, administrative buildings, colonial encounters, vernacular settlements, and former capitals—relatively unexplored. The Belgadia Palace in Mayurbhanj is presented as a living heritage site that broadens this narrative, revealing complex stories of governance, diplomacy, ecology, and cultural exchange. The piece critiques how architectural discourse often compresses a region's built landscape into a few familiar images, while other significant structures fade from view.