Take a walk along the Jagannath Sadak

Anil Dhir, a researcher and projects coordinator with INTACH in Odisha, travelled along the Jagannath Sadak over 14 days. This is an ancient road that goes back at least 600 years. In his time on this road, Dhir documented hundreds of monuments from centuries ago. Temples and rest houses, churches, gurudwaras, mosques and Buddhist monasteries. Tanks and wells. People opened up their hearts and homes to him and his team everywhere they went, Dhir says. The connection that the people of Bengal and Odisha have with the Hindu deity Jagannath was something to see, he adds. And it was moving to think of the pilgrims who once travelled all this route, usually barefoot. Most would have been from across the country, not knowing the region or the terrain. Take a look as Dhir turns back the clock and retraces his journey along a path of devotion.