Rakta Tirtha Eram

Eram is a village in the remote coastal area of Bhadrak. During India’s Independence Struggle Eram was a stronghold of the freedom fighters  a natural fort hidden in the lap of the Bay of Bengal and Gamei and Kansabansa rivers. During 1920s, Utkalmani Gopabandhu Das and Dr. Harekrushna Mahatab used to come to Eram and propagate the ideas of freedom and inspire the people by planting the seeds of revolt against the British rule. Farmers, weavers, mother and children of Eram turned into Sentinels of liberty. Eram caught the nation’s imagination during the Qyut India Movement in 1942. On 28th September 1942 about 5,000 villagers gathered at the ground in a peaceful protest against the British rule. Around 6.30 pm the police of Basudevpur, under the supervision of DSP Kunjabihari Mohanty, opened fire to the unarmed people. In the police firing 28 people were killed on the spot. Amongst the injured Pari Bewa died later. She is the only women martyr of Odisha's freedom struggle. Thus, the death toll reached up to 29 and 56 others were injured. Eram was named as Pilgrimage of Blood and became known as the Second Jallianwala Bagh of India. Eram Smruti Stambha has been erected here to pay the homage of these valiant men and women of the India's Freedom Struggle.