A newly built park open to the public at Sarakhia, a nondescript village in Odisha’s Dhenkanal district, has been receiving a steady flow of visitors for the past 10 days, with the 35-year-old behind it warmly appreciated for the amenity.
Sanjeev Abhilash Mishra, who has built the park on his ancestral land, is happy with the massive public response, but realising his late father’s dream has been even more fulfilling. Mr. Mishra’s father was lost to COVID-19 a year ago.
“My father was nurturing the ambition of creating a playground for children in our village. For different reasons, he could not do it while he was alive. I thought of creating a public park in my father’s memory. That’s how this public park on private land came into being,” Mr. Mishra said.
An engineer with a private thermal power plant, Mr. Mishra spent ₹9 lakh by taking bank loan for the park, which has been named ‘Jayant Udyan’ after his father Jayant Mishra, a former officer of the State Bank of India.
Sprawled over 7,000 sq. ft., the park has a water fountain, a wooden bench, swings, sea-saws, slides, and a paved pathway. Bright and colourful lights make it even more attractive in the evening. A “selfie point” for youngsters is another attraction. Jayant Mishra’s statue stands at a corner.
“I have just made a beginning. The park will be gradually expanded and more amenities put in place,” Mr. Sanjeev Mishra said. He said the family has three acres of land and most of it will be open to everyone. People from five-six nearby villages throng the park every day. A portion of Mr. Mishra’s salary goes to pay for the maintenance and wages of staff.
Earlier, Pramod Khamari, an entrepreneur in Bhawanipatna, district headquarters of Kalahandi, converted his 12-acre farm into a park with unhindered access for all. Mr. Khamari too named the huge ‘Bhagirathi Park’ after his father.
