Scarce power availability – just a trickle from the Solar variety; un-tarred roads, no permanent dwellings, sparsely populated – hardly many souls a ear shot away, a boat to cross the river. No mobile access. Looks as if, a shot from Ritwik Ghatak reality check movies of the 1960s?
Superimpose all that then with the coos of the birds, the lazing crocodiles around, the stunning Satkosia sauntering amidst the royal eastern ranges; the chirpy springs & streams all around. Not to forget the dense foliage, the agile deers, the indifferent elephants around, pug marks of a variety of other fauna and of course the early January chill. That takes us deep inside amidst the breathtaking Satkosia the river [21 Km of Mahanadi] and forest in Tikarpara.
Far from the madding crowd and cocooned by the homely care of Tikarpara Paribesa Parjyatan Samiti members [TPPS – Tikarpara Eco Tourism Samiti as a transalation]; Satkosia is heaven on earth. A realization of the potential connectedness of human soul with the cosmic vibrations and the corollary, i.e. the acceptance of the distance from the same in the urban setting – with the layers and layers of mechanization and human confusion in the garb of civilization.
TPPS with help and co-operation from Forest Dept, Government of Orissa has done an awesome job. There are 11 tents on the receded river bed in the 4 months of November 1 to March 31 for the past 6-8 years. Reasonably equipped to feel nice and secure and not over equipped to not lose the connect with nature. 20-25 local families take care of all living needs of the visitors. Google Satkosia [they have a website] to know more.
Lara and I had the opportunity for some invigorating long treks along the rocky upstream path of quiet streams and along the river banks. The cosy campfire under the moonlit night is another hit. The icing were the childlike excitement of spotting and clicking alligators on a boat ride and the brush with nimble unclickable deers in a motor ride deep inside the forest were icing. The bonus was the inaccessible BSNL networks.
The eco-tourism riverbed, gets hot April onwards as in dismantled, come rains and it gets under water. Every year the TPPs team re-instates all the tents after the water recedes and gets it ready from use from November 1. This place is well frequented by people from Orissa and neighbouring states especially the well travelled bongs.
Like whichever new place I go, I ended-up having a long chat with the local people and organizers. Unfortunately we were told that because of government decisions this retreat maynot re-open in 2011 November. I hope this retreat is always for an annual mingling with the cosmos. However if GoI/GoO really close it, hopefully it is for all the correct reasons. The positive side, if this goes – it seems TPPS will get a different place to set-up its shop – though it may not be a riverbed. I can go on and on, as to lives and living of these people. But I leave that to you to find out yourself if you make it there.
How to Go: Call 06764.236218 the DFO’s office in Angul. They process the booking requests. Once the bookings are in place, you can drive down all the way or take a train to Angul [about 120 KM from Bhubaneswar] and drive down from there to Satkosia a 60KM drive. The DFO’s office makes the bookings and passes on the proceeds to TPPS. Truly a very novel and very effective arrangement. Helps everyone in the process. Local villagers, ignorant/bored city folk and the government machinery.
Bhubaneswar
January 22, 2011
Superimpose all that then with the coos of the birds, the lazing crocodiles around, the stunning Satkosia sauntering amidst the royal eastern ranges; the chirpy springs & streams all around. Not to forget the dense foliage, the agile deers, the indifferent elephants around, pug marks of a variety of other fauna and of course the early January chill. That takes us deep inside amidst the breathtaking Satkosia the river [21 Km of Mahanadi] and forest in Tikarpara.
Far from the madding crowd and cocooned by the homely care of Tikarpara Paribesa Parjyatan Samiti members [TPPS – Tikarpara Eco Tourism Samiti as a transalation]; Satkosia is heaven on earth. A realization of the potential connectedness of human soul with the cosmic vibrations and the corollary, i.e. the acceptance of the distance from the same in the urban setting – with the layers and layers of mechanization and human confusion in the garb of civilization.
TPPS with help and co-operation from Forest Dept, Government of Orissa has done an awesome job. There are 11 tents on the receded river bed in the 4 months of November 1 to March 31 for the past 6-8 years. Reasonably equipped to feel nice and secure and not over equipped to not lose the connect with nature. 20-25 local families take care of all living needs of the visitors. Google Satkosia [they have a website] to know more.
Lara and I had the opportunity for some invigorating long treks along the rocky upstream path of quiet streams and along the river banks. The cosy campfire under the moonlit night is another hit. The icing were the childlike excitement of spotting and clicking alligators on a boat ride and the brush with nimble unclickable deers in a motor ride deep inside the forest were icing. The bonus was the inaccessible BSNL networks.
The eco-tourism riverbed, gets hot April onwards as in dismantled, come rains and it gets under water. Every year the TPPs team re-instates all the tents after the water recedes and gets it ready from use from November 1. This place is well frequented by people from Orissa and neighbouring states especially the well travelled bongs.
Like whichever new place I go, I ended-up having a long chat with the local people and organizers. Unfortunately we were told that because of government decisions this retreat maynot re-open in 2011 November. I hope this retreat is always for an annual mingling with the cosmos. However if GoI/GoO really close it, hopefully it is for all the correct reasons. The positive side, if this goes – it seems TPPS will get a different place to set-up its shop – though it may not be a riverbed. I can go on and on, as to lives and living of these people. But I leave that to you to find out yourself if you make it there.
How to Go: Call 06764.236218 the DFO’s office in Angul. They process the booking requests. Once the bookings are in place, you can drive down all the way or take a train to Angul [about 120 KM from Bhubaneswar] and drive down from there to Satkosia a 60KM drive. The DFO’s office makes the bookings and passes on the proceeds to TPPS. Truly a very novel and very effective arrangement. Helps everyone in the process. Local villagers, ignorant/bored city folk and the government machinery.
Bhubaneswar
January 22, 2011
sounds ideal:-)
ReplyDeletei remember a beautiful holiday at Simlipal some 7-8 years back. no electricity! and so so many stars.
but what bothered me during a visit to Gahirmatha crocodile sanctuary 2-3 years back was the lack of road signs.
tikarpara reminded me too of a family getaway we had at tikarpara almost a dozen yrs earlier. Deep in the forest....we were a grp of 7-8 people in a sumo...with rations (yah we were sposed to cook our own food)......we spent a couple of nights there...quite adorable!!...thnx sanghs for mkng me stop to articulate that experience.
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