Odisha By Road – I
We are road-tripping across the state of Odisha, looking for those unexplored gems of beauty and culture
Road-tripping across Odisha in search of hidden gems of India
Harket Suchde
Nitin Suryavanshi & Tally Talwar
Story: Photography:
Road trips often start with little to no ceremony. Just pack your bags and head off into the unknown. this one is a little different though. we started off with a bang, and a big one too. at a special event held by the Government of odisha, and under the auspices of odisha tourism we joined in with a celebratory rally featuring the resident superbikers of Bhubaneshwar on world tourism day – that’s the 27th of september for the uninitiated. this rally saw us go for a journey from the state’s capital to the spectacular dhauli shanti stupa some 30-odd kilometres away. there, we witnessed some major announcements from the government of odisha, and particularly its tourism department, which opened their proverbial doors to let road-trippers like us in with the all-new ‘odisha by road’ campaign. they also announced a move to promote the local cuisine with a slew of restaurants catering to odiya delicacies among other things.
after that special start, we headed further south to see what secrets this under-explored state had to offer to those of us who are always out on a search for new adventures. our first stop was at the storied Jiranga Monastery. also known as the padmasambhava Mahavihara Monastery and thupten Mindrolling Monastery, this is the largest monastic temple in the eastern part of our country. it cost rs 8 crore to build, was completed in 2008, and was inaugurated by his holiness dalai lama at the beginning of 2010. this monastery is frequented by the tibetans living in a settlement at Jiranga, one of six such settlements spread across the country.
from the monastery, we headed to Gopalpur where we visited the scenic Gopalpur Beach. Just a short walk along
a private access path from our otdC panthanivas resort and we were suddenly surrounded by glistening sand and crashing waves. the ocean was a clear blue, the beach was absolutely pristine and mostly deserted too. only the odd fisherfolk walked up and down with the morning’s catch. in fact, i spotted more crabs scuttling across and diving in and out of their hidey-holes than i did people. if you are of the sun-meets-sand disposition, Gopalpur has to be on your bucket list.
from the beach, we headed towards nearby Behrampur to see what tussar weaving was all about. there’s a whole community of these skilled weavers who use their handlooms and their nous to craft gorgeous silk saris, shawls, scarves, dhotis, and more. the process of making tussar silk is only known by this community and it is passed down from one generation to the next.
a 300-odd-kilometre trip from Behrampur led us to Koraput and some more cultural exploration. our first stop was at the home of an artisan who makes figurines from paddy husk and silk thread. weaving magic with his fingers, he creates motifs of gods, animals, and historical figures. he has made figurines of up to five feet tall and is the only practitioner of this craft in the area. we also witnessed the process of dyeing cloth and threads that are so prolifically used in these native art forms. a completely eco-friendly process with no chemicals involved and the resultant clothing is rich and vibrant in every hue you can think of. we also witnessed a couple of leather workers putting together percussion instruments with care and deliberation.
after taking in the artwork, we headed back out again, this time for the daringbadi region for some eco-tourism. living at the nature Camp in daringbadi, we were in the
heart of the verdant valley and enjoyed a boisterous bonfire night and stellar sunrises the next morning. our exploration of the region took us first to the nearby pinewood forests. the strapping trees with thick trunks were spread out as far as the eye could see and wherever one stepped, one heard the telltale crunch of a pine-cone being crushed underfoot. the air was awash with the quintessential pine-tree aroma and the quiet calm of the woods was enhanced by the gurgle of a nearby brook.
after enjoying a moment of tranquil contemplation in the woods, we headed out towards the midubanda Waterfall. a quick off-road path just 15-odd kilometres away from daringbadi town gets you to this particular hidden treasure. take 151 steps down from the parking area and you will be greeted by a cacophony of crashing water. the waterfall is quite impressive and you get right up close to it — both at the base where it collects and the point where it first starts its descent.
on the way back from the waterfall, i spotted a sign that said “coffee garden” and as a certified java nut myself, i was all but compelled to pull over. the coffee estate here in daringbadi also hosts a rabbit enclosure where you can see the little critters frolic about. apart from the heavenly beverage that is coffee, the plantation also grows pepper, some fruit, and a particularly delightful little chilli pepper that is as small as your toenail but packs an almighty wallop.
our last stop in daringbadi — and on this leg of our journey overall — was the sunset point. Watching the drama and the all-natural light show as the sun dipped behind the clouds and splattered the sky with hues of yellow, orange, pink, and purple was jawdropping and a perfect way to draw the first part of our odisha adventure to a close. they say that odisha has a secret at every corner and, from what i have seen so far on this trip, i have absolutely no reason to doubt that.
October 2020