Aul, Odisha

Aul is a town and the headquarters of Aul CD Block and Aul Tehsil in Kendrapara district in the Indian state of Odisha. It is 17 km from Chandabali. Aul is surrounded by the river Kharasrota and Brahmani on north and south respectively. To its east is Bhitarkanika National Park.

History
Aul has a clear history of establishment. This state is an outcome of the war between the Suryabanshis and Bhoi Banshis for the throne of Utkal at Cuttack. The ancestors of Aul raj family belonged to the last independent king Gajapati Mukunda Deb of Khurda. Gajapati Mukunda Deb ruled Odisha for a16 years long period from 1559 to 1567. His ancestors were considered as the feudal chiefs under the Gajapati and before acquiring the  throne he worked there as the  military  chief.

When Gajapati Maharaja Pratap Rudra Deb died in 1540 his minister played foul and started conspiracy against Kalua Deb  Allias Ramachandra Deb-I and Kakharua Deb alias Purusottama Deb-II, the two  legal sons of Gajapati maharaja. They were killed by him in 1541.

After this incident, Minister Gobinda Bidyadhar acquired the throne at Cuttack and ruled till 1548. In the meantime Gobinda's nephew Raghubhanja Chhotray created chaos and attacked Gobinda to get  the throne but could not succeed. During this period Utkal was threatened by the Afghans of Bengal also. Chakrapratapa became the King from 1548 to 1557 and after Chakrapratap,  Raghuram Ray Chotaraya and Narasimha Ray Jena ruled Utkal till 1559.

In 1559 Mukundra Deb the Army chief of Gajapati ascended the throne and started his reigning in the name of Gajapati Tailenga  Mukunda Deb as an heir of the Chalukya dynasty.

He fought bravely against the Afghans and became popular by digging ponds and establishing new villages in different  places of Puri. But the Minister named Janarddan Bidyadhar started treachery against him. Looking forward to the throne of Gajapati, Janardan made friendship with the Afghans and dethroned Mukunda Deva by killing him in  the Gohira Tikiri Fort. Janarddan made his son investiture on the Gajapati's throne in the name of Ramachandra Deb-II.

The wife of Mukunda Deb ran away with some of the king's followers and her two kids Rama Chandra Deb and Chakadi  Bhramarbar. They approached the Mughal emperor at Delhi but couldn't succeed. Mahanubhab Samarat Akbar sent two Hindu kings Todar Mall and Raja Maan Singh from his Durbar to Puri to look into  the matter and have a solution. Janarddan tried much to establish Ramachandra Deb-II as the real Gajapati of Odisha. During the Chandan Yatra time Raja Maan Singh entitled Ramachandra Deb-II as the real Gajapati and offered him the Gaddi Prasad. On the other hand, he divided Utkal into three parts between Ramachandra Deb-II and other two brothers.

Telenga Ramachandra Deva got Aul killa as his new Kingdom and Chhakadi Bhramarbar got Patia with Sarangagad fort. From that day Aul came to the front and prospered with Talenga Ramachandra Deb but always cheeked the Gajapati  rule in Odisha. History says that they were always supported the external forces and tried to save their state and never cooperated with the Gajapati and  his allies. Folk tale says something older in its story. The current king of Aul is Shri Braja Keshari Deb. He is the elder son of Late Shri Sharat Kumar Deb.

Colleges

 * Aul College, Aul
 * Laxmi Barah College, Ayatpur
 * Olaver College, Olaver
 * Debaray Samarsingh College, Ganeswarpur
 * National ITC., Aul
 * Gandhi Memorial College, Gobindpur

High schools

 * Hadua Up School
 * Godabarisha Bidyabhaban, Gobindpur
 * C.P.B.E.T. High School, Tunga
 * Sarat Kumar Dev High School, Giribandha
 * Aul High School
 * Samant Singhar Kelu Charan High School, Patrapur
 * Panchayat Sitaram Bidyapitha, Manikapatana
 * Damodar High School, Ayatpur
 * Chakradhar High School, Dahisahi
 * Nrusinghajew A.D.M High School, Aragal Sasan
 * Namouza High School
 * Batipada High School
 * Rameswar nial g p high school, chhotanathpur sasan
 * G.D. High School, Sanamanga
 * Utkalmani Uchha Bidyapitha, Atal
 * Mahu High School
 * Chandiagari High School
 * D.P.S. High School, Padanipal
 * Dadhibamanjew Bidyapitha, Desahi
 * Manapur High School
 * Janata High School, Palimi
 * Mohanpur Ganeswarpur High School
 * Panchayat High School, Sahira
 * S.C. High School, Madhuban
 * Janakalyan High School, Kusumi
 * Athapatana Binapani High School, Dasipur
 * Sahadev Girls High School, Demal
 * Ekamania U.G. High Schools.
 * Govt. U.G. High School, Chandan Nagar, Kolidiha
 * Gopabandhu Girls High School, Hinjal
 * Sansidha High School
 * Panchayat Girls High School, Desahi
 * Mendhapur G.P. High School, Padanpur
 * Odisha Adarsh Vidyalaya, Belasarpur, Nial, Aul

Road
SH-9A from Jagatpur, Cuttack to Chandabali passes through Aali. It connects it with Pattamundai and Rajkanika on either sides. The Manpur-Singhpur Road connects Alli with Jajpur. Another road connects Aali with SH-35 at Aradi, Bhadrak. It is also has a network of roads interconnecting the villages.

Rail
There is no railway station near to Aul in less than 10 km. However Cuttack RailWay Station is major railway station 87 km near to Aul. A newly constructed rail link from Paradip to Haridaspur is at final stage.

Distance from surrounding towns

 * Hadua - 15 km
 * Rajkanika – 11 km
 * Pattamundai – 14 km
 * Rajanagar - 35 km
 * Dhamra - 54 km
 * Dhamarai Temple - 50 km
 * Chandabali- 17 km
 * Akhandalamani Temple- 20 km
 * Jajapur – 45 km
 * Kendrapara-35 km
 * Bhadrak – 57 km

Health
Aul block has one Community health Center at Aul and PHC(N)'s at Batipara, Dasipur, Govindpur, Mahu, Palimi, Sanamanga.

Law and order
The Court of Judicial Magistrate, First Class was established at Aul in 2011.

Politics
Aul (98) is one of the five Assembly Constituencies of Kendrapara parliamentary constituency. It consists of Aul and Kanika Block with 315 polling stations and 237969 voters.
 * Odisha Vidhan Sabha in 1961 in the midterm election : Raja Sailendra Narayan Bhanjdeo, Aul (INC)
 * 4th Bidhan Sabha (1967–71) : Dibakar Nathsharma Aul (INC) Total Votes : 73890 Part Won : Congress Votes Secured: 15049
 * 5th Bidhan Sabha (1971–73) : Sharat Kumar Deb Aul Swatantra Total Votes : 81617 Part Won : Swatantra Votes Secured:
 * 6th Bidhan Sabha (1974–77) : Sharat Kumar Deb Party: Independent % of Votes: 34.08
 * 7th Bidhan Sabha (1977–80) : Sharat Kumar Deb Party: Janata Dal % of Votes: 57.02
 * 8th Bidhan Sabha (1980–85) : Sharat Kumar Deb Party: Janata (S) % of Votes: 52.00
 * Devendra Sharma.jpg of Aul]]9th Bidhan Sabha (1985–90) : Dolagovinda Nayak Party: Congress (I) % of Votes: 52.01
 * 10th Bidhan Sabha (1990–95) : Smt. Sushree Devi Party: Janata Dal % of Votes: 56.61
 * 11th Bidhan Sabha (1995–2000) : Dolagovinda Nayak Party: Congress(I)
 * 12th Bidhan Sabha (2000–04) : Pratap Keshari Deb Party: BJD % of Votes: 59.50
 * 13th Vidhan Sabha (2004–09): Pratap Keshari Deb Party: BJD No of Votes Secured: 61,869
 * 14th Vidhan Sabha (2009–14): Pratap Keshari Deb Party: BJD
 * 15th Vidhan Sabha (2014–19): Devendra Sharma Party: INC
 * 16th Vidhan Sabha (2019–24): Pratap Keshari Deb Party: BJD

Aul Tehsil comes under Kendrapara parliament constituency and the current sitting MP is Baijayant Panda.