Rameswarpur

Rameswarpur is a village near Dhamnagar in Bhadrak district of Orissa, India. This settlement was initiated about four centuries ago during the reign of Mughal Emperor Akbar by the "Ghosh Mahashays" who migrated to permanently settle down here, having come as a part of the contingent of Todarmal during his famed survey of India.

This small village also boasts of conducting the oldest Durga Puja on record at the same venue anywhere in the world, which continues from the first of the Mahashays.

The Mahashays, who were benevolent Zamindars, gradually lost hold of the land they once owned, still continue the Puja as a part of their centuries old tradition. The family direct bloodline relates to the Luminaries like Annada Shankar Ray whose father incidentally had shifted base to Dhenkanal, also in Orissa following a family feud.

The Village also conducts the "Raksha Kali" Puja which was initially conducted by the Mahashay family but later converted to "Sarbajanin" by handing over to the villagers as a very large number of animal sacrifices [1] were started by the surrounding villagers during the Puja, which did not go well with the family.

The Village has a healthy mix of population of all castes and is generally peaceful.