“To a Living Lagoon”- Odisha Sea beach trekking expedition 2013

I had this reoccurring vision, in that, I see myself with my shades on a wind sail boat, cruising over blue calm water changing the direction according to my will and wish, waiving hands to those on the beaches, feel the breeze over the vast sea and later docking on the shores of uninhabited islands, snorkeling over a clear water to get glimpse of corals and colour fishes till it’s time to see picture perfect sunset over the horizon. 

If everything had happened according to the words of Goa YHAI, then this vision that i saw repeatedly over many months till November 2013 could have happened for true and not just remained as day dream. For the year 2013, unfortunately, Goa YHAI cancelled “sailing expedition” for which i was eagerly waiting for. After having tantalizing experience in Goa National Trekking Expedition 2012, i decided that no matter what happens, i would be out on a vacation to Goa or elsewhere and never to be in my room for every last week of December. 

Sailing option ruled out, Goa cycling and Rajasthan desert trekking expedition with no vacant seats, my eyes locked on to state level Odisha sea beach trekking expedition 2013. Other main reasons for choosing this expedition were that, it would be my first tour to east coast, Odisha state and world famous largest backwater lake in Asia- Chilika Lake. Abundant vacant seats made me remind that people haven’t forgotten cyclone Phailin’s destructive effect, which made participants reluctant to book this trek. 

My ride started from Pune on 20^th Dec, in Konark Express till Kurudha Road Junction. It was about 36 hrs journey crossing 4 states, 4 different languages. Participants starting from Maharashtra (pune) don’t have many options to reach Puri. Konark express is the only regular train one can rely upon.

Day 1: To East Coast

             Kurudha road junction to Puri by train is about 45 min ride.  On 22^nd morning 8 AM my feet was on Puri, the abode of Lord Jagannath. From station to reporting place Youth Hostel-Puri is about 1 Km, a walk able distance and just beside Puri Beach. Praising self for being there just before breakfast time, completed all the reporting formalities and occupied dormitory allocated for my Batch-2.

Puri youth hostel is well maintained facility just beside beach and free clear 180 degree view of the beach from the hostel. Food provided in base camp-puri was far better than other trekking expeditions which i had been to. It won’t be spicy and there was variety every day. So, Odisha Trekking expedition is definitely not the place for Aloo lovers!!

By noon participants started to report one after another in groups. Majority participants were from Karnataka and Maharashtra, rest from Odisha and Punjab. Even in my earlier trek programs i had observed, most of the participants in any batch will from Karnataka, Maharashtra and Gujarat. YHAI can easily bet on participants from these states.

During Orientation program a final count of participants made it to 31. Program director presided over orientation educating us about over all routine, do’s and don’ts while trekking, what to carry and what not to carry. Some young students in the group didn’t had any previous experience in these YHAI trekking and i could see excitement in their faces. Youngest one was 6^th std kid.

In the evening everyone had enough time to roam around beaches nearby and it used to get dark as early as 5.30 in the evening. As darkness fall across the sky the biggest surprise problem arised- mosquitoes! Nobody could stand still even for a second. Never expected that there could so many of them nearby sea and this would continue as our nemesis in all higher camps as well. Nights were cooler and mid day was mildly hot in puri. So, there wasn’t any need to carry thick woolen clothes. But mid day sunburn is one thing which we were supposed to take care of.

Day 2: Flag off to Turtle graveyard

            Previous night, our entire extra luggage’s were deposited and made sure that the bag that we carry for the trek won’t exceed 5 kg weight. In lengthy treks even an empty water bottle gives slow pain to already tired body.

Morning at 6 AM everyone eagerly waited for the sun rise above the horizon over east coast. All these days standing on beach, i had witnessed sunset over horizon over sea, but this was the first time i saw sunrise over east coast beaming golden rays over water and sailors. 

All 31 trekkers were ready to march after breakfast, packed lunch and group photo. One could see energy gleaming out of all trekkers at launch pad.  At around 8 AM, a fluttering green flag set off the batch to move ahead in line towards the beach, passing through city roads buzzing with pilgrims. Our immediate deadline for the day was to reach a point where a river meets the sea, before high tide. This part of the coast line was heavily crowded from pilgrims and tourists. As we got closer and close to river, population density reduced and roads got layered below sand. 

By the time we reach the channel, high tide had just begun and we could see sea water moving towards river. Step by step, holding on to one another in small groups, anxiously watching where they step, trekkers slowly crossed the channel successfully without getting wet above their waists. 

After a few minutes of rest and re energizing, trekkers started a day long beach trek to Bali Harachandi about 12 km from base camp. Immediately after we started moving, the very first thing that grasped our eyes was dead Olive Ridely sea turtles. Huge dead turtles washed away by the sea towards the shore were lined up every few meters. These turtles were enormous in size and rotting. Perhaps they were dead even before they washed up on to the shores. On that day alone we might have seen about 80 to 100 dead turtles lying rotten on the shores. All had only one question in our mind, how did they die? For which we didn’t get any accurate answer. But the most repeated answer was they might have hit by boat propeller blades while on sea. This wasn’t convincing because there were only huge turtles but not smaller or average sized ones. Other reasons could be entangling in nets, or due to old age. 

Walking on this beach was more difficult than what i had assumed. Shore sand was softer and it was steep unlike in Goa where beach is as good as 4 lane highway and mildly soft. Sun was already harsh and sipping water from our body at every step. I preferred to stay at last and enjoy the isolation on a very very scarcely populated beach. There weren’t even a single village or coconut trees beside the beach and not even a single tree for shade. Seems like repeated cyclone effect made people to stay away from shores to permanent settlement and coconut trees can’t stand a match for triple digit wind speed.  For rest of the day we saw none of local people passing by or roaming around. All i could listen was sea water hitting on to sand and all i could see was dead turtles, sea, sand, blue sky and all i could feel was raw nature, isolation from crowd, noise, pollution and unhindered view of long shore line, blue sea. 

 

                Pondering over where to have lunch under shade, we finally managed to get shade under bushes near by shores. By now everyone’s bottle were running dry or about to. The guilt of not carrying enough water loomed over many, including me.  Around 4 PM we met Bali harachandi camp leader on the way, leading us to camp arrangements made inside the village cyclone shelter. The peaceful village had big temple famous around nearby villages. Good food and card games made our stay comfortable in the cyclone shelter. 

Just ahead of the cyclone shelter an old dilapidated temple stood as a mystery until i entered inside. Trees were generous in shading the temple all over from the top. An eerie silence was broken by ‘flying foxes’ finding a refuge in darkest parts of the temple. More than temple, it seemed as if it’s a haunted dark dormitory or store house. Tree roots around the construct were spread so wide and artistically that even Spiderman’s web wouldn’t match it. Later camp said that structure was built some time ago when a king from Andhra Pradesh had visited that place.

Day 3: Sea left, Lake Right

Morning again we hit back at the beach, facing same things what we had witnessed the previous day but with some change. The change was faded excitement. Few minutes in to the trek, i could observe a school of fish in the tall waves. Looked like no fisherman had been that place for long. Shore line was very steep than what i had observed the previous day and waves were stronger and loud. Intense sunlight made even slightest shade beside an unused boat a luxury. 

This 14 kms trek to next camp mainly consisted of trekking along barren coast until we came for a place where we could on first hand witness chilika lake on the right and bay of Bengal on left divided just by 100-200 mtrs sand bank. By noon exhaustion due to intense heat had started to show some effect on number of rests in between. 

Luckily next camp leader had made his visibility earlier than what we had expected. He guided us to lunch point under shade and arranged drinking water from locals. This time our lunch point view was calm chilika lake with jelly fish. These soft jelly fishes were small but many in numbers, spread along lake shore.

From lunch point onwards it was trek beside lake over grassland and bunch of trees lined along the grassland till Lunapani camp. On the way we could see fisherman living in shabby huts without electricity and access to basic necessities. Just before sunset, the whole batch was enjoying welcome drinks and snacks in camp setup beside lake after completing exhaustive trek of the expedition.  

Everyone in camp was merry mood until camp leader started briefing about the dogs in the locality. Dogs around the camp place had the habit of eating rotten dead turtles lining on the shores. These dogs would get infected by some viral fever or some kind of parasite infection after eating such turtles and within few months or years they go mad and start biting people. While informing about this, even camp leader expressed fear to roam around alone in the area without a big stick. Within few minutes I realized it was not the mad dogs to fear about, but to dreaded mosquitoes in a camp without electricity. 

A walk around the camp at night gave a different feeling than what we had at day time about the beach. Star gazing through clear sky surround by cool breeze and calm sea is not an everyday affair i would get.

Surround by salt water on both the sides, added with isolation from the industrialized world, chances of getting salt less water was very less but not nil. Fisherman living on that part of the land had dug up a small well, always filled up with fresh water and the only source of drinking water in the camp. Too tired for anything other than sleeping; i silently slipped inside the small tent at the after dinner.

Day 4: Runaway cattle

Following day was bit cloudy but cool. Curious to see the sunrise, got ready and stationed near east beach. Blanket of cloud made it difficult to get glimpse of orange sun. But the feel on that beach at the time under that shade and facing that breeze was soothing to body and mind. 

Day 4 agenda was to get on to boat till Rambhartia and trek for about 7 Kms and again boating till Brahmapura camp. So, it meant that we were supposed to enjoy boat ride twice a day in Chilika Lake. Curious trekkers eagerly waited for the motor boat in the camp. Meanwhile me and other trekkers were conversing with local fisherman who was offering fish and really very big king prawn. He said that kind of prawns in market would cost 1000 Rs/Kg. Before this I had never seen such big prawns before. Group leader told us these fishermen earn at least 50,000 Rs per trip to sea. Sometimes they catch so much fish that they had to throw some of them back to water to reduce weight in the boat and balance it. One of us asked why they would stay in these shabby houses if they are earning so much. Group leader said if they are showing off what they are earning then govt wouldn’t allow them to stay where they are staying right now and they would lose rights of fishing in that lake and sea. Much to sacrifice for money, but doesn’t deserve to enjoy it.

After much wait, 2 motor boats docked at the lake side beside the camp. This region of chilika was famous for fish, prawns and crabs because of export quality. Once the boating started our first pit stop was near an island where local were selling sea food for tourists. On the way to the island we got to see some flock of birds on small sand banks in the lake. From far way distance were shown a mouth or natural opening from which sea water enters the lake during high tide and exits during low tide. There are only 3 such mouths to chilika, one of them is artificial. This artificial mouth was opened to maintain salinity and biodiversity when all the mouths were closed naturally sometime ago.

 Boats docked near hotels on the island where we could get cheap sea food. Spending some time there munching, we sailed again, towards Rambhartia. As it was Christmas time, there were many motor boats roaming around with tourists. As soon we landed at Rambhartia, trekking started in the forest with the pre approved special permission for the Youth Hostel Group. Group leader’s one particular instruction caught our attention about the trek. As this island had lots of grassland, villagers nearby were leaving their cattle for grazing and these cattle would return back to their home on their own. As the time passed by, these cattle tasted the freedom of owner not being around, green grass everywhere, shade inside forest and might have thought to themselves why heck i need to go home !!!. So from them onwards these cattle started staying in that forest independently, without care from their owners and had become wild and aggressive towards humans. 

 

Few minutes in to the trek, the feeling was like it’s a walk on golf course beside the lake but over untrimmed grass. It again no man land for about at least 7 kms beside lake. Cattles grazing there stared at us quite a lot and it was continuous. They were surprised to see so many humans close their home. Fortunately they stayed calm and quite far from us. After lunch beside the lake and a trek of about 2 hrs, we reached boat boarding point in front of Satpada wildlife range- forest rest house entrance. This time it was one single boat accommodating all of us. Few minutes in to the boating over calm lake in the evening, boatman slowed down near one point where possibility of spotting Irrawady dolphin was high. And the boat man was right. These slow swimming grey colored irrawady dolphins are closely related to killer whales and more or less look like beluga. When we spotted a group, one could barely see their back and head. They weren’t jumping out of water like bottle nose dolphins. Capturing a snap had become very difficult because of unpredictability of their surface time and location. Got chance to click sunset snaps while on boat just before my camera battery gone dead. 

Before it got dark, we reached Brahmapura camp set up in forest guest house. Surprisingly there was a female deer named ‘nanda’ as host. Nanda’s story is that she had guy friend (boyfriend??) who ran away, not because of nanda’s torture, but because main gate of the guest house was open which triggered nanda’s guy friend to look for some better opportunities. Unfortunately, rowdy street dogs weren’t OK with this deer coming in to their territory. So, nanda’s guy friend was killed in action.

Food in Brahmapura was good compared to all the other camps. As it was a closed environment, there wasn’t much space to roam around. Soon after dinner, i couldn’t find any other place better than the sleeping bag provided.

Day 5: Crooked Priests

It was mist covered morning and haze all over the lake until sun started ascending. Day 5 agenda was simple and easy which included travel back to base camp puri. Group started boarding back to boat again to our next stop at satpada museum. Boatman found it very difficult move boat from boarding point to the lake. No matter whatever the throttle he gave, boat wouldn’t move a bit. Couple of guys got down and started pushing the boat added with throttle from boatman, but it wouldn’t work. Realizing that the boat had got stuck to soft mud underneath it, more than half the strength from the group got in to the muddy lake and gave the strongest push they could give to get boat back to deep water. A bit by bit boat was moved back to deeper part of lake from then boatman took control over it. Complementing ourselves over our achievement, we started journey to satpada. While travelling in boat, we got another better of chance of spotting dolphins again. This time they were close enough to our boat. 

Satpada museum is just beside the Chilika Lake. As renovation work was in progress we couldn’t see much of the museum. A documentary shown on Chilika Lake gave much need information on the geography and bio diversity. From satpada back to base camp was about 50 Kms ride in bus. We were aware that we would reach base camp even before lunch. For many the very purpose of going to puri is to visit the ‘lord of the world’. Even after so many days around puri i wasn’t able to do so. So our afternoon plan to visit famous Puri Jagannath temple was fixed. Some people from the group had already planned their return journey back to home on same day.

Puri Jagannath temple is one of the temples in ‘char dham yatra’. It’s one of the most sacred temple for hindus. The temple was built during period of Ganga Dynasty. The temple is very famous for ‘Rath Yatra’ or chariot festival in which 3 deities namely subhadra, balabhadra and Jagannath are hauled on temple cars. Amazingly the image of lord is made out of scared neem trees once in every 12 yrs. Lord Jagannath is also known as ‘bhojana priya’, so, temple has one of the largest kitchens in the world, providing mahaprasad to devotees. The sudharshana chakra on top of the main temple is denotes lord is inside the temple and the flag hoisted over it on top of the temple is changed every day without fail.

Early in the evening, some people from the group and I passed through the narrow busy lanes, bearing painful continuous honking by 2 wheelers, to reach the majestic temple. Some seniors from the group thought it’s wise to hire a guide to know more about the place and later i found it to be useful. Guide explained about the rituals, other prominent but smaller numerous temples surrounding the complex, important days etc. Almost all parts of temple were crowded by devotees. Priests in the smaller temples around were signalling devotees to visit their temple and donate for the service of the deity. This kind of behaviour of the priests there reminded me of taking a stroll in busy market where shopkeepers would be yelling customers to visit their shop. For these priests its nothing but a business of collecting contribution made by devotees. Even if contribution is to be made, then it has to be more than 50 Rs or so. Anything less than that won’t be considered as contribution at all. 

Having guide with us helped us in another way. He procured tickets for special queue for those who would like to see Lord Jagannath from close up and front. After a long wait, line started moving through narrow passages guarded by brutal and violent guards. Here comes the insult to every devotee entering sacred sanctum. There were 2 priests at the entrance holding a plate containing vermilion and sacred water. One of the priests placed his vermilion filled thumb few inches away from my forehead and stopped. At first I didn’t realize why he stopped. But when he put his plate filled with 100, 500 Rs notes in front of me, then i realized the smooth extortion happening to every devotees passing through their web. As i didn’t place any money on there, i was left to move forward, making them to proceed with their trick to next devotee. By seeing all these i realized these crooked priests are foxes in the guise of sheep and as corrupt as any other man in power. At the end before we finished, with scores of other devotees we waited outside the temple to see how selected few priests climb up the main temple structure to change the temple flag for new one, a process happening every day. As cameras were not allowed, couldn't capture the grandeur of Puri's lord's abode. 

Day 6: No time for rest

                Final day of the trip was mostly in to sightseeing around puri and bhubaneshwar. Odisha YHAI had organised Orissa Tourism Volvo buses for visiting prominent places around. We boarded the bus as early as 6.30 AM in the morning, so that we could cover most of the places as planned by Odisha tourism transport. The guide in the bus thoroughly explained history, construction, prominence of the places which we were visiting one by one. He was very much particular about time we were to spend at the tourist places. First place was Ramachandi temple beside beach, about an hour drive from puri. A view at the beach was fascinating when the sun was just above horizon. Followed by world renowned architecture resembling gigantic chariot, with elaborately carved stone wheels, pillars and walls - Konark Sun temple, a temple dedicated to Sun God- Surya. 

Guide at the Konark temple distributed knowledge on the sculptures, advanced construction  technology used in those days, stories behind those sculptors and civilization in that particular era. This well maintained temple was over crowded as early as 8 in the morning.

An hour or so drive from Konark temple was Shanti stupa in hill dhauligiri. A stupa symbolizing peace for the future generation based on deals of emperor Ashoka. It was here Ashoka laid down his weapons of violence and accepted the life of ahimsa in the form of Buddhism. 

Moving towards Bhubaneshwar, another well renowned architecture on the way was lingaraja temple. It is one of the most famous temples in Odisha. The complex has around 100 temples varying in size and design. By now mid day heat was catching up before we stopped in front of Nandankan Zoo. The zoological park was very much crowded and as we entered inside the zoo after few minutes, everybody got split up and started roaming around on their own from cage to cage. Blue eyed boys in the zoo were the big cats. They were a hug attraction even when they are sleeping. Afternoons are really not the time to visit zoo. Most of the animals were either inside the cage or snoozing under the shade. With short deadline, i was unable to get glimpse of the all the animals, but was able cover most of them. 

Heat had drained all the energy out of the participants even before we stopped at last place, Udayagiri and Khandagiri caves. These twin hills side by side contains excavated rock cut caves, a dwelling place for Jain ascetics. Altogether there were 18 caves in Udayagiri and 15 caves in Khandagiri hills. Caves or cells are essentially dormitories; some of them were converted in to shrines with minor altercations. Except I, nobody visited both the caves i believe. Seems like, their exhaustion superseded the curiosity to see the place. 

Officially this ended the trip for those who were supposed to leave from Bhubaneshwar. We bid goodbye to all those who started their journey to back to their places. The rest remaining about 4 people, including me, returned back to puri in same bus and left for our homes the following day to get ready for another day, another place.

During the starting of the trek, all the faces were new and every talk was with strangers. As the days progressed from one camp to another, every face had become familiar and friendly. While returning back to puri, all those familiar faces had departed, leaving behind many vacant seats, making me to think was this it when this started?

Before i started with this trip, with me, i didn’t carry any expectations. Whatever the kind of experiences i had there w.r.t people, food, serene beaches, biodiversity, climate were one of its kind. This expedition was too short to unfold all those places that are yet to be visited and admired. So, let the divine of Puri bless me to retain this energy and health to return and explore unforgettable splendour of my motherland.