Category: BEACHES

Beaches of India – Chandipur, Puri, Gopalpur, digha, Mandarmoni, Goa, Vizag…..

GOPALPUR – ON – SEA – ANOTHER GEM ON THE TRAVEL MAP OF ODISHA

May 26, 2024 Tapas Mondal No Comments

My father-in-law had expired in November, 2007 and the entire family was in a total mess. Almost each and every family member was facing difficulty dealing with the trauma, especially my son and mother-in-law. It was really difficult to accept that a person who was hale and hearty till the month of June could pass away at the beginning of November of the same year after only a few months of illness. When the gloomy scenario at home did not change even after one year of his passing away, I planned a trip just for the four of us. It would not be very far off, but would definitely be a getaway from the morose environment. We decided to visit Gopalpur, more well-known as Gopalpur-on-sea. It is one of the less frequented amongst the beaches of Odisha. Nevertheless, it had its own character and beauty. And it was in the month of December, 2008 that we ventured on our journey since this was when my son had his winter vacation.

HOW TO REACH GOPALPUR?

Gopalpur is easily accessible by air, rail and road.

The nearest airport from Gopalpur is Bhubaneswar airport which is 180 km away. From Bhubaneswar, one can easily reach Brahmapur [Berhampore (GM),] the nearest city to Gopalpur by train or car or bus.

The nearest railway station of Gopalpur is Brahmapur, also known as Berhampore which is 16 km away. This station is very well-connected to most of the big cities of India.

Again, though buses don’t commonly head to Gopalpur, they come from most cities of Odisha and also from few cities of nearby states to Berhampore and Gopalpur is only 16 km away from Berhampore.

We made our train and hotel bookings. Our train was scheduled from Howrah station at late night for our onward journey and we were to put up at Hotel Kalinga. On the day of journey, we arrived at Howrah station well in time as usual. The crowd – vendors, porters, passengers, people who had come to see-off their friends/relatives and more – that made the chaos added a rhythm and harmony to the entire orchestra. At least, I feel so whenever I am at a railway station and this enchantment will never cease. We waited eagerly and boarded our train as soon as it arrived. Soon we finished our dinner and retired for the night. The motion of the train always gives me the feeling of sleeping in a swinging crib and that puts me to sleep immediately. I have never complained of sleepless nights while aboard a train. Next morning, we woke up early as it is always a delight to watch the fields and changing landscape in the early morning sunlight as the trains chug along. Also, sitting at the train window and sipping on a cup (kulhar – earthen cups) of hot steaming tea is a pleasure only to be felt! It was around 9 am when we reached Brahmapur station. We alighted there and hired an auto for the next leg of our journey.

GOPALPUR – A BRIEF

A coastal town in Ganjam district of Odisha, Gopalpur is bang-on the Bay of Bengal. It had an operational sea port near the mouth of the Rusikulya river, which has become non-functional now. It had acted as a military port during the World War I and had been extensively used for exchanges with Burma.

This town gained prominence during the Soraine family era and had been a Dutch establishment too. It had also come under the British rule.

The

Categories: BEACHES NATURE

UDAIPUR SEA BEACH – so close to DIGHA sea beach yet so far

July 22, 2021 Tapas Mondal No Comments

How would you like your sea beach to be? If your idea of the ideal sea beach is one with lots of peace, serenity and tranquility, you have hit the right page! Well, I came across one such beach in the winter of 2013.

We had desperately been looking to visit somewhere which would be in the laps of nature, be quiet and serene, yet would not be too far as we, then, could barely manage to get holidays. It would be just a weekend affair. As we were searching all over the net and magazines, help came through one of our well-wishers. She gave us the whereabouts of Udaipur sea beach and the boarding facility at Oceana Tourist Complex of the West Bengal State Fisheries Development Corporation Limited. It is located about one kilometre away from New Digha and quite close to the Odisha border. We thoroughly enjoyed our vacation, so much so, that we promised to come back once more. And we did! We went back this year…………….

Path to Udaipur Beach from Oceana - 2021

Lots of changes have come in for sure. But the peace and calm atmosphere has remained almost the same. And this, I feel, is the best part about Udaipur and Oceana.

Oceana Tourist Complex Udaipur - 2013

Both the times that we visited we had gone by bus to Digha as it was too late to get confirmed railway tickets. Once you reach Digha by bus or train, it is just a short ride by toto or auto.

How Oceana Looks Today............ Night view also!

The first time we arrived at Oceana, we fell in love with the place. The row houses with lots of greenery all around, the cleanliness and the quiet, all made us feel at home and at peace. The garden with blooming plants and lots of trees is home to a variety of birds.You wake up to their chirping and as the evening sets in you spot them flying back home singing their sweetest melodies.

The staff working here are always at your help and the food served is surely superb! There are no hotels or lodges in the proximity, saving the place from all sorts of chaos. As you enter through the gates of Oceana, there is a small temple to your right.

Though you can’t view the sea from Oceana, it’s not very distant and the way to the beach is also a treat! The first time we visited, we had to walk uphill through the mounds of sand and casuarina trees and on reaching the top you could see the waves rolling in and feel the sea breeze caressing your tresses! And you went downhill to meet the waves! The scenario has changed a wee bit now – stairs have been built through the casuarina trees. So now you just climb the stairs and on reaching the top, it’s the same story of the sea and the breeze! You climb down and the sea welcomes you! As you move through the trees, you can hear the birds

chirping and whistling and the sound of the rolling waves! The rest is quiet – and this is what beckons me!

Oceana has changed a bit too, but definitely for the better! More rooms have come up but it has not encroached nature in any way! The accommodation is better equipped now with all your cares taken off! The food was, and is awesome – fresh and well-cooked, tasty and delicious! Especially the fish items!

The sea here is the same as that of Digha – only that, it is less crowded. With less people, you can enjoy the rolling waves more. Lately, a lot of crowd come from Odisha to spend their leisure and weekends!

As you wake up in the morning to the sound of the birds, you may visit the beach. The trawlers come in with the catch and you can choose and buy the kind of fish you like. Bring it back to the hotel and they will cook it for you! Also, there are makeshift stalls on the beach who are eager to cook the fish for you! And you can enjoy your fish fry sitting under the umbrellas with the sea waves lapping your feet!

The first time we visited Udaipur we had gone sightseeing.We had hired an auto which took us to the Talsari beach, Chandaneswar temple and Jagannath temple. You can visit other places like Amarabati park, marine aquarium, Shankarpur beach, Chandpur beach, Kajal Dighi if you so wish!

Categories: BEACHES

Chandipur Tour Guide

April 3, 2021 Tapas Mondal No Comments

This was our first trip and obviously its memories bring along some kind of inexplicable joy.

My son was barely five years of age and we were planning our first sojourn. As is expected, we wanted it to be a short trip, not very far [less journey time] so that it came easy to the child. One of my colleagues suggested “Chandipur.” According to her the low waves of this Odisha (then Orissa) beach would be just perfect for my kid to explore and also gave us the name of the hotel where we could put up since she had already been there.

FACTS ABOUT CHANDIPUR

Closest Railway station – Balasore (Baleswar)

Chandipur is just 16 km away from this station and can be reached in autos, taxis and buses therefrom.

You can travel to Balasore by bus from nearby cities.

Closest Airport is Bhubaneswar (Biju Patnaik Airport) which is approximately 180km from Balasore

Now for the preparations – At that point of time Internet rather “Google” was not a very common phrase amongst the ordinary folk in this part of India. So, we all depended on the book “Bhraman Sangi” and accounts of people who had already visited those shores.

Soon the train tickets were booked and arrangement for putting up at “Shantinivas” made. Though we did not get the booking of the rooms we had yearned for as those were the closest to the shore, yet the room we booked had a common balcony wherefrom the sea would be visible. That was good enough for us.

The best parts I love about travel – planning, making the bookings and definitely packing. As you put those small things in place there is a sense of déjà vu – it gives you the indications of the thrills and ecstasy that is to come your way soon.

THE D-DAY

After coming back from office, we had an early dinner and started for the station biding our parents goodbye. It was the month of March and back then, it wouldn’t be too hot in March. Soon we were aboard and the train was chugging out of Howrah station, much to the delight of my son.

Balasore

It was initially a commercial town where factories had been built by the British, Danish and French. A port had also been built by the British

Well, lots have difficulty sleeping in trains with umpteen apprehensions, but not me. To me sleeping in trains gives me the same feel as if in a rocking cradle. Soon we dozed off, but it was cut short as we had to get down at Balasore station early.

It was still dark as the train entered the sparkling clean platform and so we decided to wait till dawn. Then we hired an auto and it took us nearly 45 minutes to reach “Santinibas.” The moment we entered through its huge gates we fell in love with it. Huge coconut trees lined the path from the entrance and it looked awesome.

It is actually not a hotel to speak of; rather it’s a property with scattered buildings amidst trees – some single storeyed, one double storeyed and a few thatched cottages. The single-storeyed building with two rooms was the closest to the sea. The ambience was superb. It had its own gateway to the sea beach.

The property had lots of trees of all kinds. There was a pond with a few geese. It was just perfect for my son as he enjoyed the sight of the geese swimming in the pond or lazing in the sun.

Our booking was in one of the corner rooms on the first floor of the double storeyed building. Just after unpacking and placing our breakfast order at the kitchen, we ventured into the sea.

The Chandipur sea is unique – one of its kind. It is serene, no huge waves but just perfect for people who love the peace and tranquility. The sea retreats almost 5 km at low tide and you can follow it in just feet-deep water, collecting shells of different kinds. If biodiversity is what you are looking for, this beach is a must-visit.

When we reached the shore, it was low tide and the sea was far away and we gradually started walking towards it. There were lots of shells and most of these were quite intact. This is because as the sea is very gentle here the shells hardly get broken. The sea shore is lined by casuarina trees. But we had to return soon as the hotel staff warned us not to venture too far as the sea would soon come closer with the high tide at noon.

We came back for our breakfast. The kitchen of Shantinivas needs special mention. The aloo paranthas were just awesome. Also the other dishes of typical Bengali cuisine need special mention. One thing is for sure – no guest shall have any complaints as far as food is concerned.

After breakfast, we found the sea approaching the shore at a very slow pace. We had moved towards the sea and then started retreating as the sea came closer. It was almost 1 pm when it was full tide. Then also you could hardly spot any huge waves and it was fantastic as my kid could explore the sea in its entirety without any fear and we were less anxious too.

After enjoying at the sea we returned to our room and freshened up and went on to have lunch. This definitely needs mention. The dal, aloo posto and fish curry were just too good. The only thing is that you have to place your orders early for the hotel staff to procure and prepare as they serve fresh food only.

After our afternoon siesta, we met the Manager to chalk out our plan for the next day when we were to go for sightseeing. He advised us to do the same in their auto. We were to start our day trip the next day at 7 am.

In the evening we strolled out of Shantinibas and moved around the streets of Chandipur. We went along the road towards the Odisha Panthanivas [OTDC]. The sea is visible from there too. You can get the exact timings of daily ebb-tide in the boards of Panthanivas. The roads of Chandipur are very clean and we came to know that there is a missile launching centre in the Cantonment area – the Indian Strategic Forces Command’s Integrated Test Range (ITR) at Abdul Kalam Island. This island was previously known as the Wheeler Island. Many Indian missiles have been tested from here like Prithvi, Shaurya, Agni, Barak 8 and Akash.

Once we returned to our hotel, we found that the pujari was offering evening prayer at the small temple within the hotel compound. We joined him and were offered prasad. Then we had our dinner and wound off early so that we could wake up well in time for our day-long trip the next day.

We heard a few test firings at night but woke up to the chirping of the birds. The hotel compound has innumerable trees and it is only natural that you will be able to enjoy your morning tea amidst nature in its full glory, watching the sun rising from the sea amidst the sound of the birds. Then it was time for us to get ready to start the trip. We packed our breakfast to have on our way and planned to have a late lunch and told our hotel staff the same.

PANCHALINGESHWAR AND OTHER NEARBY PLACES

Our first destination was Panchalingeshwar, situated 45 km from Chandipur and it took us one and a half hours to reach there. The forest there is really dense in the Nilgiri hills. We got to know that lots of animals, even bears and elephants can be seen in these forests. The blue of the forest faded into the blue of the sky at the horizon making the place ethereal. We explored the forest a little and though we did not spot any wild animals, the ambience and the thrill of moving through the forest with the birds singing was really exciting. Many people trek in this forest and if you wish to spend a couple of nights, you can do so as there are a few hotels including the OTDC, Panthashala.

panchalingeshwar-temple-chandipur-balasore

Then we started climbing up the hill. There were innumerable steps (almost 200) and at times it was becoming a little strenuous for my son. So we had to stop a couple of times before we reached the top – the abode of Panchalingeshwar – Lord Shiva. There was no conventional temple. Spring water was cascading down creating enchanting ripple sound and forming a stream and in one small cavern one had to immerse their hand in this water to feel the five lingas and offer puja. There were lots of stalls selling amenities for puja. My wife offered puja and once done we climbed down and boarded the auto for moving towards Sajanagarh, Nilgiri.

Sajanagarh is a small village in Nilgiri and is situated 45 km from Chandipur. It is rich archaeologically with the ruins. It is also a seat of Shakti cult. The shrine of Bhudara Chandi is located about 5 km from Nilagiri. But we were running short of time and had to be content with the ruins and could not visit Bhudara Chandi. Also the locals said that the temple would be closed in the afternoon hours [12 noon – 2 pm].

Then we moved towards Remuna to visit the famed Khirchora Gopinath temple. It is a centre of Vaishnavite culture throughout centuries. The most delicious offering of this temple is Khira – a kind of milk preparation. The Kadamba and Champak trees fill the air with sweet fragrance.

According to locals, Gopinath, an incarnate of Lord Krishna, used to reside here 800 years ago. But the temple is just 150 years old. The walls of the temple feature the various tales from the life of Lord Krishna and we went about viewing these beautiful pictures. The setting is tranquil and you feel at peace and ease here. Your faith and belief is restored and it should be a must-visit.

Our last destination was the mouth of the Buribalam river where it meets the sea. It is here that freedom fighter, Jatindranath or more famously, Baghajatin, was waiting with four others to collect weapons from the Germans. But Charles Tegart attacked them with his army and the revolutionaries had to fight against the British army. The revolutionaries – Nirendra, Monoranjan, Jyotish, Chittopriyo and Jatindranath lost this uneven battle but after giving a good fight. Injured Jatindranath had been moved to Balasore Hospital

Finally we started back for our hotel. On reaching, we had a late lunch and retired to our room to wake up in the afternoon for our stroll on the beach. The sea was quite far and the shore was home for small, red crabs – running hither and thither. They entered their holes as soon as we approached them and it was a delight and play for my son. We viewed the moon rising and it sure was a spectacular sight.

With evening, we started chatting with the Manager and the other staff, some of them being residential. They talked about their daily lives, the conditions of Odisha – economic, political and more. It was an evening worth spent as no tour is complete without knowing the lives of the common folk residing there.

Next day was the last day. We were to board our train from Balasore. So an early morning sunrise and walk along the sea shore and we started packing for our return. We had an early lunch and bid adieu to Chandipur.

Categories: BEACHES