Cuttack's legendary 1822 burial ground has finally received a detailed historical documentation. Author Mahesh Chandra Bhoi spent nearly three years researching the Gorakabar Cemetery to publish his new book, The Lost Echo of Gorakabar Cemetry Cuttack, Unseen but Heard: Tales from the Sleeping Souls. This publication serves as a vital record of the colonial administrators, educators, and missionaries who influenced nineteenth-century Odisha. Cuttack functioned as the capital of Odisha during British rule, making this site a central hub for regional colonial records.
Diving into the neglected grounds, the author mapped out graves belonging to influential historical figures. Readers will discover the resting places of Amos Sutton, a Baptist missionary who pioneered Odia Christian literature. The site also holds the remains of Samuel Ager, who served as the first Principal of Ravenshaw College. Other notable figures include Deputy Magistrate C.W. Mackenzie and Stewart School Principal Gwladys May Robert.
Documenting these lives required intense field research. Bhoi spent years clearing dense vegetation, photographing weathered monuments, and transcribing broken gravestones. Decades of neglect had left many of these historical markers on the verge of disappearing completely. Through archival analysis and mapping, the project saved crucial data before time destroyed the inscriptions. This new publication reframes the cemetery from a simple burial ground into a living archive. Every grave marker reveals details about the religious, educational, and administrative structures that shaped modern Odisha. It highlights how early educators built the foundational schools that still operate in Cuttack today.
Final chapters of the book stress the immediate need for heritage recognition. Without active protection and government conservation, these structural monuments face permanent deterioration. Bhoi presents this study as a final warning to preserve the physical historiography of Cuttack for future generations.
