Berhampur: Tension has gripped the coastal village of Sorala in Ganjam district as efforts are being made to bury its historic ‘Matha Well’, a landmark deeply woven into the cultural and spiritual fabric of the region. Mahima Sadhus and villagers have strongly demanded immediate protection and restoration of this revered water heritage.

The ‘Matha Well’ of Sorala holds a distinct chapter in the region’s history. In 1949, during an acute water crisis in the panchayat, Mahima dharma reformer Ekadasi Baba mobilised the villagers and guided the digging of this massive well. The well, once completed, was dedicated to the community to safeguard them from water scarcity.

From 1949 to 2015, the entire panchayat depended almost entirely on this single source of water. Only after a tube well was installed at Gobindpur that the dependence on ‘Matha Well’ gradually reduced.

For the past six years, due to lack of maintenance, the once-sacred well has been left neglected. Now, villagers allege that the husband of the local Sarpanch has begun dumping morrum near the well, in an attempt to bury it and create space for installing a transformer beside the panchayat office.

This unilateral move has sparked sharp opposition from Alekh Mahima Sadhus and villagers, who condemn these authoritarian actions. They insist that a water heritage that once served the entire community should not be destroyed.

Villagers claim that the well still yields abundant sweet water. They argue that preserving the well would help in groundwater recharge and alleviate future water hardships. “How can a structure that once protected generations from drought be buried in the name of convenience?” they questioned, warning that they are prepared to oppose the move to any extent. A large section of the public has now joined the demand for revival of ‘Matha Well,’ adding to the simmering tension in the village.

The Mahima Sadhus and villagers have appealed for urgent intervention from block, tehsil and district administration, stressing that the historic well stands on land belonging to Alekh Mahima Ashram.

As the controversy deepens, Sorala waits to see whether this water shrine, once a lifeline of the community, will be restored to its glory or lost forever beneath layers of soil.