Odisha beyond the golden triangle- An enchanting road trip

Odisha has a lot more to offer you than the 'Golden Triangle' of Bhubaneswar-Puri-Konark. If you are willing to explore a bit beyond the beaten track. If you are looking for an offbeat yet very different kind of experience, I have a few interesting things on the list for you- an exciting road trip.

Here we go! You can take a flight to Jharsuguda (a small airport with limited flights) and drive down to Sambalpur for your first stop, or check out if you have a direct train to Sambalpur from wherever you are; or, you can start the other way round, take a flight to Vishakhpatnam (in Andhra Pradesh), and start your drive to Koraput to start this road trip. In this article, we will start from Sambalpur.

1. Sambalpur: Day- 1 & 2

Sambalpur is the western heartland of Odisha with a vibrant culture, scenic natural beauty- pristine forests, and beautiful rivers. Major attractions: 

- Hirakud dam (15 kms from the city):

Independent India's first mega engineering project, the first multi-purpose river dam project, it is world's longest dam spanning 25.8 kms. Enjoy the view of the large artificial lake created by its back waters.

- Silk handloom weaving tradition: One of India's finest handloom traditions, Sambalpuri ikkat is a household industry in the region; do take some time out to visit some weaver-households.  

- Folk music and dance: If you have ever heard Sona Mohapatra's famous Coke Studio song- "Rangabati", it's actually a re-production of an evergreen Sambalpuri folk song. Sambalpuri folk dance and music can easily mesmerize you. Here is a link you can try: Rangabati - YouTube 

Other notables: numerous waterfalls, Samaleswari temple, and Huma leaning temple.

Sambalpur can be done in two days. Your next stop will be Cuttack, approximately 300 kms away, a 7 hr drive; or, you can take a night train or bus.

2. Cuttack: Day-3

Established in 989 CE, Cuttack is one of India’s most ancient cities (contemporary of Varanasi), and even today it looks ancient! Situated between two rivers- Mahanadi and Kathajodi, it’s actually on an island. As a city, it will not impress outsiders much, but it has great history, in fact it used to be the capital of Odisha till 1948. One may opt to visit the ruins of an ancient fort- Barabati (not much really remains here though!) just in case one wants to feel the vibes of ancient history. Cuttack is Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose’s birth place; there is a museum in his name, you may choose to have a look.

However, the two things not to miss:

- Cuttack is famous for its silver filigree work; absolutely incredible intricate work on silver. You can pick up a few decorative pieces for your living room, or some ornaments. 

- Try the famous Dahi-Bara-Aloodum near the Barabati fort/ stadium

3.Bhitarkanika | Gahirmatha | Buddhist circuit: Day-4-6

Bhitarkanika National Park: With one third of Odisha under forest cover, and 18 sanctuaries, it is rich in biodiversity; the jewel of them all is Bhitarkanika national park. It’s the second largest mangrove ecosystem in India and is home to the endangered salt water crocodiles. Apart from the crocodiles, it boasts of 215 varieties of bird species, cobras, pythons, the endangered water monitor lizards, monkeys, sambar, spotted deer, wild boars, etc. On the way to Bhitarkanika, stop over at Salipur to taste the best Rasgullas that Odisha has to offer. Reach the national park before evening, and check in at either of the three places- Ekakula, Dangamala or Gupti. Early next morning, take an enchanting boat ride through the estuaries crisscrossing the dense mangrove forests; you will come across hundreds of sun-bathing crocodiles by the riverside- an exciting sight for any wildlife or nature lover.

Gahirmatha turtle sanctuary: Within the Bhitarkanika sanctuary, located is the Gahirmatha beach that hosts every year an amazing natural phenomenon called “Arribada” (Spanish word for arrival) that sees more than a hundred thousand endangered Olive Ridley turtles arriving at Gahirmatha for mass nesting. They come to the shore between January and March every year and lay eggs in millions so that enough of these hatch and survive. However, tourism is banned on the beach during this time.

None-the-less, Gahirmatha is a pristine beach, even more enjoyable because it still has not seen mass tourism; have a great time at the beach enjoying the sunset.

Next morning, it’s time to drive towards an important Buddhist trail. On the way back, take a diversion at Kendrapada and visit more than a thousand-year-old Buddhist sites of Lalitgiri, Udayagiri and Ratnagiri (called the diamond triangle). Leave for Bhubaneswar late in the afternoon; stop over at Pahala to taste more Rasgullas of a different variety. Stay the night in Bhubaneswar, and enjoy a sumptuous traditional Odiya dinner at the Odisha hotel.

As we will not cover Bhubaneswar in this trip, very early next morning drive to Mangalajodi, 68 kms, a 1.5 hr drive.

4. Mangalajodi | Chilika |  Satapada: Day- 7 & 8

Mangalajodi wetland and bird sanctuary:

On the northern boundary of Chilika lake, lies the Mangalajodi fresh water wetland. Mangalajodi village is claimed to be the oldest village of Odisha by some. Thousands of water birds throng the place throughout the year, but winters are the best time. For the fact that it now hosts more than 150,000 birds, both migratory and local, and especially important for waterfowl dwelling, it has been declared as an “International Bird Area (IBA)”. Take a small country boat and ride through the small channels crisscrossing the wetland watching the birds in their natural environment.

Once done with the boat ride (3-4 hrs), drive up to Barkul, and find out Chilika Dhaba, famous for non-vegetarian delicacies, especially crabs from Chilika lake. After a delicious lunch drive up to the Barkul Panthaniwas, a guesthouse of the government of Odisha and check in. Late in the afternoon take a boat ride to the Kalijai temple and enjoy the sunset over Chilika lake.

Chilika lake:  

Spread over 1100 sq. km, Chilika is world’s second largest brackish water (fresh water mingled with sea water) lake. The lake is rich in biodiversity- hosts more than 160 species of birds including those coming from more than 12,000 kms from as far as Siberia! The brackish water is a rich source of planktons and other food for the birds. Because of its rich bio-diversity, Chilika lagoon has been declared as India’s first “Wetland of international importance” under the “Ramsar Convention”.

The lake is picturesque with tens of islands, hills and villages within its ambit. On one such island is the popular Kalijai temple; ask the boatman to describe the story of how the temple came about in the island- a newly-wed girl drowns in the lake when her boat capsizes near the island. Later the local king gets a message from the heaven to construct a temple in the island in the memory of the girl.

Next morning, hire a boat to visit Nalabana bird sanctuary, and Satapada dolphin sanctuary. On one island within the Chilika lake lies an important bird sanctuary named Nalabana. On another side of the lake where the lake meets the Bay of Bengal lies an island called Satapada, important for the endangered Irrawaddy dolphins. Enjoy a wonderful day with the migratory birds and dolphins.

Spend the night at the same Panthaniwas. Next morning drive towards Berhampur (70 kms). 

5. Gopalpur- Berhampur: Day-9 & 10

Berhampur is the principal city of south Odisha. Early afternoon, check in at your hotel, and have your lunch. Explore the local markets, especially the Bada bazar for interesting pickles, papads and other home-made delicacies. The street-food lovers will have a good time here. The city is also known for its silk handloom sarees. Early in the evening, drive up to the Gopalpur beach (15 kms). Take a stroll on the beach enjoying a serene sunset over the Bay of Bengal. Come back to Berhampur and stay the night there.

Next day, drive back to Bhubaneswar to take your flight back home.

If you have more time, drive down to Koraput, a tribal tourism hotspot; from there visit the popular Araku valley in Andhra Pradesh on the way to Vishakhpatnam to take your flight. 

Or, if you have less time, skip Sambalpur; first fly to Bhubaneswar, and start day-1 at Cuttack, and finish at Berhampur (fly back from Bhubaneswar).

* In this article, I have not covered the unique food, dance, music, festivals, art and craft and cultural traditions of Odisha (except those which are integral part of the circuit in discussion); topic for another day.