Diary 13: Rambha : Orissa’s Miniature Andamans

During some weekends when life feels a bit distant and you want to get closer to it, you need a quiet place that can listen to your rants patiently and offer comfort that will soothe your nerves. Rambha, perched in the northern tip of the largest brackish water lagoon in India, is exactly that kind of a place.

It sits right beside the Eastern Ghats highway on the Orissa – Vizag route and offers stunning glimpses towards the end of the drive. Located at a distance of approximately 600kms from Kolkata, Rambha qualifies for a pole position in the ‘top weekend destinations near Kolkata’ list. The roads leading to Rambha are butter smooth and it only takes around 8 hours to complete the drive.

Staying options are pretty much limited in Rambha. The best place to stay and experience its beauty is the resort run by the Orissa Govt Tourism Department, named ‘Panthaniwas’. Bookings can be made well in advance through their online portal. For travellers going to Vizag from Kolkata, Rambha is the ideal stop over destination.

Once, you’re in through the resort gates, you will be greeted with beautiful gardens and a paved road done neatly in bright red and yellow bricks, that takes you all the way down to the reception area. The air feels a bit moist on your lips and you can’t help but be intrigued by the nearness of the sea.

The beauty of Rambha becomes imminent as soon as you cross the last cottage of the property and walk along the wide, paved pier that stretches right out into the blissful blue lagoon. Lonely boats are tied to bamboo poles, swaying gently with the rhythm of the water. They seem to tell the story of the fishermen who went into the sea insearch of a living and never came back.

Your vision is guarded by a hill that supports varied shades of green thanks to the rich vegetation. You need to get on a boat in order to explore the blue stretch. The boatmen will normally give you a good deal if you bargain really well. A “package” that covers 4 islands at Rs.1200 is usually considered a great deal !

As the boat makes its way through the calm waters, the cool breeze lifts up your soul like magic. In the distance you can see a flock of ducks readying up for a quick take off. 

The boat crosses them and slowly ‘Breakfast Island’ draws near. As per the boatmen, a British Lord used to go upto that island every morning and have a round of classic English breakfast!

Next up is the Dinosaur island which gets its name from…yes! You guessed it correctly! The installation of a huge plastic dinosaur on the island has been a major setback for ornithologists and bird photographers because it scares away flocks of geese and other birds. However we were extremely lucky to spot a Brahminy Kite, gracefully perched on top of a dead tree branch.

Right next to the dinosaur island, you will find a collection of rocks that are partially covered by moss. They present an interesting contrast to the blue waters of the lagoon. If you stare at them for sometime, even they seem to bob up and down with the small waves. Peaceful hallucinations are ever so beautiful !

The tortoise island has an uncanny resemblance to a tortoise shell. From a distance, it appears like an actual tortoise with its face down inside the water. The boat usually stops at all these islands for you to get out and climb up the rocks and explore the island.

As the boat turns back towards the pier, you long for it to take a turn and go off into the narrow streak where the sea meets. It feels as if you are ready to answer the summons of the countless sailors calling out to you. They want you to live right there at the moment, getting drenched in the calm, blue waters. 

And you answer in the affirmative, once you're back in touch with life, which by now is a little moist with the Chilka waters and memories that flooded in with the sea and decided to stay  back.

That is Rambha, Mon Amour !

Diary 9 : Bhetnai (Vetnai) : Black Buck's Kindergarten

Imagine a hot dreary summer day with dry, cracked Earth and the last droplets of water in the atmosphere vanishing right infront of your eyes. Your throat is parched and you crave for a drop of the “liquid life”. You are almost at the edge of life and death and it so appears that the judgement is solely dependent upon the Rain God’s mercy. Exactly in this state you get to catch a glimpse of a majestic four legged creature with a shiny black coat and magnificent horns. And as soon as you spot it, a drizzle starts and it soon transforms into a beautiful rainfall. Completely dazed and surprised you immediately tag the creature as “ God’s messenger” and build a bond with him. He had saved your life and in return you must swear to protect him forever. 

Bhetnai (Vetnai or Vetnoi), a quaint hamlet in Orissa’s Ganjam district has played host to one of the most elegant Nature’s gifts to mankind : The Indian Antelope or the Black Buck since eternity. No one knows how exactly they started blossoming in those grasslands all of a sudden. And like most unknown “objects”, local people have developed a legend through word of mouth. This being passed onto generations has managed to build a small army of 15 men from the village who have dedicated their lives for the protection of these wonderful antelopes. Welcome to another treasure trove of Orissa ! The Kindergarten of the Black Bucks ! 

Bhetnai or Vetnai is located at the cradle of the Eastern Ghats. It's a 1.5 hour journey from Balugaon, the nearest railhead. One must plan a day trip to this place because there aren't any places to stay at Bhetnai. Accomodation options are plenty at Balugaon. The road is in good condition and directions  are given in English (unlike most places in Orissa) . There are plenty of picturesque locations to cool off the car's engine and sink in the melancholic Eastern Ghats hills. 

As soon as you get near to the Aska Sugar Factory, the whole landscape undergoes a dramatic change. Bluish mounds start to rise close to the horizon and the sky takes on a cheerful tone. 

The beauty of Bhetnai lies in its sheer camouflaging ability to disguise itself as a small village and the Black Buck's playground simultaneously. People in this village share their lives with these creatures weaving a fairy tale like existence. At first when you park your car at Nature's Parking Lot and try to scan the horizon for the antelopes, you are terribly disappointed because you can't spot any of them.

Nature's Parking Lot !

And then, as soon as your guide starts to point out the Black Bucks, your eyes light up. You see a bright black speck sprinting across the horizon. It takes a little time to adjust your vision in the broad daylight but you're delighted to see scores of them playing in those dry grasslands.

And all this while, you have kept really quiet so as to protect the tranquility of this place. But it's not enough. These beautiful creatures are extremely shy and as soon as you inch closer to them, they start to recede. There's a bright white patch at their rear portion and it looks amazing to see a team of Black Bucks ambling back towards their nest at the foothills of the Eastern Ghats.  

 These majestic animals undergo a lot of changes in their circle of life. When they are born they resemble tiny deer cubs. As they grow older, males develop a stunning black coat that gets darker with age. Females are brownish in colour. If you're lucky enough, you might get to spot the oldest of the herd ! He looks like this gentleman in the background !

It feels magical to see their entire life being played out infront of your eyes as you observe them from close quarters. The highly energetic kids, the senile grandpas and the grandmas, the midlife-crisis-fighting mamas and the papas engaged in banter and an occasional loner all play their part diligently. They all live together under the same blue sky sharing the same grassland, calling it their very own. Just like a poet's dream. Lennon's words come true once again. 
   

                                                     "  Imagine there's no heaven

                                                             It's easy if you try

                                                              No hell below us

                                                             Above us only sky

                                                          Imagine all the people

                                                               Living for today   "

And in a quiet little hamlet, the circle of life goes on with the passing wind, oblivious of all the perils that threaten the very existence of mankind. They are happy. And it's infectious. There's this smile that refuses to leave your lips long after you have seen the last of them recede back into the horizon.
Inner Peace at last !

Diary 8 : Mangalajodi: Tales from the Moorland

Moorlands have always been an evocative landscape, inspiring countless artists to render them in a mystical perspective. Mangalajodi is no exception. It is one of the largest marshes in Eastern India, sitting at the northern top of the Chilka (Chilika) Lake in Orissa. Often tagged as the "Birder's Paradise", it plays a dutiful, sincere and a loving host to a staggering figure of 9 million avifauna (as per 2010 census) during the peak season ( November-January ). What makes it even more beautiful is it's backstory.

                      Moors or swamps are supposed to be haunted. Innumerable mentions of swamp monsters and evil spirits have frequented Children's Literature through ages. In case of Mangalajodi, these monsters and evil spirits came in the form of men, mostly searching for a livelihood in the marshes. These fishermen used to spread nets and capture the poor birds and sell their meat to the local restaurants and hotels. The sheer number of birds visiting the marshes each year made this livelihood even more enticing. And then one fine day an angel, again in the form of a human decided to change the fate of this marsh forever. His name was Nanda Kishore Bhujabal. He started a lifelong fight for the birds and after years of persuasion and pitfalls and struggles, his vision started slowly coming back to life. Together with the Royal Bank of Scotland and Indian Grameen Services, he proposed an alternative livelihood for the erstwhile poachers to turn into watchful protectors who would take pride in conserving Mother Nature's rich basket of feathers,beaks and shrill calls. These fishermen have now become full time watchmen keeping a silent vigil on anyone and everyone who might try to harm the avifauna. They serve as oarsmen and guides, taking tourists on boat rides through the marshes, pointing out the myriad varieties of birds and sharing valuable information about their life cycle.

                        Mangalajodi, with its fair share of migratory and resident birds lies near the NH16. It is located 80 kms away from Bhubaneshwar. Nearest airport is the Bhubhaneshwar airport. Adjacent railheads are Mukteshwar(Puri) and Balugaon. There are ample road signs all along the way so that it's very easy to spot. Staying options are limited to Mangalajodi Ecotourism Cottage and Godwit Eco Cottage. Both of them can be booked online. It's best to book atleast a month in advance during the peak season.

From the Mangalajodi Eco Tourism Cottage, a reddish gravel road runs for 2.5 km to the Jetty. The shrill voices of almost a million birds can be heard even before you have reached the jetty. Their sharp yet pleasant calls against a tranquil village background track offer a stark but a welcoming contrast. The only way to explore the vast stretches of the swamp is the locally made wooden boats that are propelled by the muscle power of the boatmen. The depth of water varies from 1-1.5 feet in most places and as the boat ambles peacefully along the channels, the birds come into focus. For the first timers, it appears as if there is atleast one bird for every square inch ! And each and every bird is deeply engrossed in one of the two main activities of life : searching for food and delving deep into philosophical thoughts with a full tummy.

And while you're busy straining your eyes to differentiate between a Godwit and a Ruff, you suddenly hear a flap of wings and turn around. A Purple Heron has just started its flight and you can't help but stare in awe at the sheer beauty of such a majestic creature with a wingspan that almost makes the Airbus A380 look tiny!

As your boat trudges along the marsh in its own rhythm, the guide points out several other species that catch his attention. The guides are well equipped with a pair of powerful binoculars and a Guide Book on the birds found in the subcontinent.






On a typical December afternoon, one can expect Northern Pintails in flocks, Black Winged Stilts, Garhwals, Northern Shoveller, Purple Herons, Goliath Herons, an extremely senile looking Grey Heron and countless other species. The best part is when you get to hear about their original habitat.

Some have traveled all the way from faraway lands like Siberia, Manash Sarobar in Tibet, Tundra regions etc. It is a testimonial of Nature's magic that every year they come all the way from their homeland to a tiny marsh in India, oblivious of the innumerable uncertainties and danger lurking behind every innocent flap of their wings.









We met these two Brahmini Ducks or Rudy Shell Ducks near twilight. They apparently had a fight and now were maintaining a strict LoC between their operations ! Our guide took us very close to the ducks and told us that they were always found in pairs.The male Brahmini Duck (to the left) has a characteristic band all along his neck. Drenched in the twilight, their orange plumage looked divine. And just as we were getting extremely close to them, they took notice and immediately flew off. They left behind some small ripples on the marshy waters and a piece of colorful memory.

It would be an understatement if we claimed that Mangalajodi is just a "birder's paradise". It appeals to everyone who is not afraid to be surprised by one of Nature's most innocent forms of life. It doesn't really matter whether you know all their names or even recognize one species from a very similar but a different one. All it asks of you is a little bit of your time and love. It requires you to be a silent audience to all their activities and eventually you start to feel a connection with them. You have seen them real close. You have heard their sounds. You know their story. And in a way you have found your freedom in between those wings that you keep hidden in your daily life. Yes, they have inspired you to taste the unknown. They have inspired you to come out of your comfort zone and explore the world. They have shown you what freedom tastes like in this chained world.

And yes. They have taught you how to be young, wild and free.