Kurumbera Fort

The Kurumbera Fort is situated in Gaganeshwar village, southeast of Keshiari, at about four kilometers from that town. The fort has small quarters and temples, is a protected monument under the Archaeological Survey of India.

Location
Kurumbera Fort is situated in a village named Gaganeshwar, not serviced by any buses. To reach Gaganeshwar, take the State Highway to Keshiari, at about 27 km from Kharagpur, turn left towards Belda and reach a village junction called Kukai, at about 2 km from Keshiari. Turn to the right into a “Kutcha” (Mud) road, Gaganeshwar village lies at about 2 km from Kukai.

This is an ancient fort preserved by the Archaeological Survey of India under the Ancient Monuments Act. However little is known about the people who built it or lived here. There is huge courtyard ringed by pillared corridor and in the middle there are three spherical domes. There is also some kind of an altar in the middle. The village where this located is called Gaganeshwar.

About the fort
Built in A.D. 1438-1469 (written in Oriya inscription) during the rule of Surya Vamsi king of Orissa Gajapati Kapilendra Dev, it also has structures built during the Aurangazeb's period by Mohammed Tahir(stone inscription). Despite being a protected monument, under the ASI, there is no data available about this fort.

Folk legends believe that the fort was built in a single night, when Ram, Sita visited the place, during their Vanvas.

Structures inside the fort
The fort contains a three domed structure over a platform, along with a sacrificial altar. Though the most parts of this fort and its structures are in ruins, the ASI, has taken considerable effort to protect the structures from collapsing by using cement and lime mortar for holding the external pillars. The pillars hold a roofing which is shaped as a flower. The usage of circular pillar to the rear of the left-dome seems interesting.

The presence of an inscription stating about its usage is present right behind of the domed structure. Though the script resembles Oriya, locals state that it is not decipherable.