On 24th December 2021, we took the delivery of our car – the first in the family, in fact – in Bhubaneswar, and after offering our prayers, took off on our first ever road-trip in our own car, to the Chilika Lake, which is the largest brackish lagoon in the world. Chilika lake, in a distant past, was an important centre for trade and commerce and served as a shelter for ships sailing to South-East Asia.
The new car posing at Puri beach
Today, the islands on the lake with their temples and natural beauty attract visitors, as also does its status as a ‘wetland of international status’ under the Ramsar convention. The lake serves as the largest wintering ground for migratory birds on the Indian sub-continent, with it hosting over 160 species of birds in the peak migratory season. At least two areas have been declared as bird sanctuaries – the Nalaban islands and the wetlands near Magalajodi village.
To celebrate the arrival of the new car in the family, we went to two different places in the Chilika lake area on consecutive days – Mangalajodi Bird Sanctuary and Satapada.
25th December 2021: Managalajodi
Tired from the car delivery process from the previous day, we started rather late, around 11 AM, and following lunch near Jatani, proceeded by the NH 16 till Tangi where we took a left turn, and pushed towards the coast. Crossing Mangalajodi village, as we entered the wetlands, we had to drive carefully on a meandering paved road built on an embankment that protruded into the wetlands on the periphery of the lake. Reaching the end of the road, we took a boat ride on the wetlands along with a guide who showed us numerous bird species, including, various types of egrets, ducks, cormorants, jacanas, swamphens and kingfishers.
Glimpses of Managalajodi Bird Sanctuary
26th December 2021: Satapada
The next day, we started again from Bhubaneswar towards Satapada via Puri. Since we again started late, we were able to reach Satapada only around 4 PM. Satapada, name derived from a group of seven (sata) villages (pada), lies at the south-east cape of the Chilika Lake, very close to the place where the lake meets the Bay of Bengal, 50 km away from Puri. At Satapada, we took a boat ride of the lake proper, and managed to spot the Irrawady dolphins which abound in Chilika lake. The sunset was something to behold as well. Satapada also is heaven for pescetarians, especially for those interested in eating crabs.
Glimpses from boat ride on the Chilika Lake near Satapada
Just in time for Christmas, the family set off on another ‘hidden gem’ heritage trail inside Odisha. This time we explored the Diamond triangle comprising three hill-based Buddhist hot-spots which flourished between 7th and 13th Century AD, namely Lalitgiri, Ratnagiri and Udayagiri.
The three locations set in low but sparsely populated hillsides or hilltops prove without doubt to be the most idyllic backdrop for a life of material detachment and quiet contemplation for the Buddhist monks. Consistent with Kalinga’s nature of acceptance and tolerance of all religious and spiritual dispositions, these spots display the syncretism of both the Mahayana and Hinayana schools of Buddhism.
Lalitgiri
Starting off at around 9AM from Bhubaneswar, we first reached Lalitgiri around 11 AM via the Chandikhol-Paradeep road. After a walk up the hill on the wide metalled road, we first came upon the Archaeological museum which we deferred for seeing on our return from the trail. Walking further, we came upon multiple structures: Viharas (monasteries) in ruins – the monasteries dating from 9th to 11th century contained rooms, a chamber for holding a Buddha status – and a 6th-7th century Chaityagriha (prayer hall) with a stupa in the middle and several votive stupas strewn around.
Glimpses of the many monuments and surroundings at Lalitgiri
At the furthest end of the trail, atop another small hill, lay a lone relatively larger stupa, where two rare stone caskets containing relics of Buddha were found. The casket, made of khondalite, itself housed three smaller concentric caskets made of steatite, silver and gold respectively, with the innermost gold casket contain a piece of Buddha’s bone. These relics as well as well multiple sculptures, including those of the Buddha and Tara, are now displayed at the museum. All told, Buddhism is said to have prevailed at this site right from the post Mauryan period, i.e. 3nd century BC to 13th century AD.
Approach to main stupaView of countryside from beside stupa
The main stupa where Buddha’s relics were found
Ratnagiri
Leaving Lalitgiri around 12.30 PM, we crossed the Brahmani river and reached Ratnagiri around 1.30 PM. Ratnagiri looked unique due to fact that the road to the monasteries and stupa lay in a pass between two crests of the hill, flanked on both sides with neatly manicured lawns. Here, we decided to first see the museum, where many relics and artifacts found at the site are displayed. However, what interested me more was the additional information displayed in various sections about the history of the evolution and dissemination of Buddhism and of other Buddhist sites in India.
Approaching the Ratnagiri hill
The exquisite entrance of a monastery at Ratnagiri
Inside the monasteryInside the monsateryGlimpses of monuments and surroundings at Ratnagiri
Walking up the hill, we were wowed by the iconic elaborately carved stone doorway at the entrance of the largest of the 3 monasteries, which could be dated to the 8th century. This monastery has a large courtyard with rooms surrounding the same, and a shrine for the statue of Buddha, at the wall farthest opposite from the main entrance. Besides this monastery, there are 2 smaller monasteries, and a 9th century stupa, surrounded by smaller votive stupas. Beyond all these structures, is the Mahakal Temple, built over an earlier stupa, and recently relocated to its current location by the ASI.
Udaygiri
After a light meal in lieu of lunch, we crossed the Brahmani river yet again and reached Udaygiri around 4PM. Udaygiri seems, out of the three sites, to be the site with the least attention paid to maintenance. The two monasteries are far-flung not only from each other but also from the entry gate, and can be accessed after walking quite a bit through jungle. Here too the monasteries with statues of Buddha, lay in ruins.
Glimpses of the many monuments and surroundings at Udaygiri
Adjunct to one of the monasteries, lies a chaityagriha with the main stupa, with several smaller stupas surrounding it – the stupas are dated between 1st and 12th centuries. Several stupas, including votive ones stand beside the other monastery too. Of note is a stepped well near the second monastery, the depth of which we could not gauge because it was already dark.
Votive stupasA well
Walking back through the forest as darkness falls
By now, it was already 5 PM, and given that it was peak winter, we were faced with the prospect of walking back through the jungle in pitch dark. Nevertheless, what is a family that does not bravely maneuver difficult paths! So, using our mobile phones are torches, we navigated our way through the narrow path cutting through the forest, making the least of sounds lest we attract undue attention from the wildlife. By 5.3o PM, we were back at the entrance, and were soon headed back to Bhubaneswar, after successfully completing the day-long Diamond Triangle trip.
Despite spending the first half of my life in Odisha, it was only last weekend that I finally got the chance to trace the pearls of heritage hidden along an innocuous but highly-fabled river, reduced now to a rivulet, called Prachi.
Centuries ago, the Prachi river along with its valley, was host to a flourishing civilization that not only prospered on trade with Southeast Asia (Bali, Indonesia etc.) thanks to its ‘sadhaba’ (sailor) sons but also reveled in art & architecture of the highest order, being home to some of the most skilled artisans & sculptors. At the same time, the region was also a melting pot for the seamless chronological prevalence of Jainism, Buddhism, Shaivism, Shaktism & Vaishnavism leading to a syncretic religious fervour.
Some accounts date the region’s earliest artifacts to even before the Indus Valley Civilization. Yet the currently standing vestiges of the civilization dotted along the valley afford us a peek only into the period from 7th century AD to the 15th century AD. Nevertheless, these bear fine witness to the cultural richness of the erstwhile Kalinga, being some of the finest representatives of the distinctive Kalingan temple architectural style.
Trail on this trip covered the following places: Chausathi Yogini Temple (Hirapur, Bhubaneswar), Buddhanath Temple (Garedipanchan, Balipatna), Sobhaneswara Temple (Niali), Madhabananda Temple (Niali), Angeswara Temple (Pitapada), Varahi Devi Temple (Chaurashi), Mangala Temple (Kakatpur) and Jahania Beach (Astaranga).
We first stopped at the 9th century AD Chausathi (64) Jogini Temple, the tantric temple built in circular fashion, at Hirapur just at the outskirts of Bhubaneswar. The legend behind the temple, according to priests, goes: Goddess Durga took the form of 64 demi-goddesses in order to defeat a demon. After the fight, the 64 goddesses (Joginis) asked Durga to commemorate them in the form of a temple structure. Accordingly, 56 idols line the inner walls of the structure with the remaining 8 carved on the 8 sides of a central square platform (altar).
(left) Chausathi (64) Jogini Temple. 9th Cent. AD. (right) Idols lining the inner side of the wall
Next stop was Buddhanath Temple, an 12th Cent. AD. Shiva Temple, located in Garedi Panchana, 11km from Hirapur . The temple is said to be built on tantric principles, and was apparently also a Buddhist monastery at some point of time.
(left) The Buddhanath Temple (right) Example of Kalingan stone art on the walls of Buddhanath temple.
15km further away, lies the Sobhaneswara Temple, another 12th Cent. AD, temple at Niali, of which only the lower half survives from the original structure, with the upper half being restored by later kings. Consequently, the lower half provides another demonstration of the intricate stone art of Kalingan artisans.
Glimpses of the intricate stone art of Kalingan artisans on the Shobhaneswara temple walls.
Next stop was the Madhabanada Temple, built in the 13th Cent. AD, located at Madhaba. Said to commemorate Madhaba (Krishna) located near the site where Jayadeva, the author of the famed Geeta Gobinda, is purported to have worshipped Madhaba.
Madhabanada Temple. 13th Cent. AD. Said to commemorate Madhaba (Krishna) located near the site where Jayadeva, the author of the famed Geeta Gobinda, is said to have worshipped Madhaba.
Just a couple of km away, lies the Angeswara Temple, a 10th Cent. AD. Shiva temple, which is probably one of the few surviving brick structures from the era.
(left) Angeswara temple (right) A snapshot of the Prachi Valley countryside landscape outside the temple, not very far from the sea either.
As we proceeded from Angeswara, we finally made rendezvous with the river whose valley we were exploring – the Prachi river today is a pale shadow of the splendour attributed to in historical records.
A glimpse of the sacred Prachi river, now almost reduced to a trickle.
4 km further from the Angeswara temple, is the Barahi temple, a 10th Cent. AD temple dedicated to Maa Barahi, the shakti form of Baraha, the boar-form of Lord Vishnu’s incarnations. This temple incorporates Khakra style, a variation of of Kalingan temple architecture, reminiscent of Mahabalipuram temples.
(left) Barahi Devi Temple (right) Front view of the Varahi Devi templeA motif on the Varahi Devi Temple wall representing ‘Adisesa’ – hooded serpent shielding upper body of human with folded hands and lower body of a serpent on the columns and pillars
Moving on from Barahi, we reached a crossroads at Charichhak, and were faced with two choices – take a right turn and see a few more monuments from the Prachi Valley or take a left, to the sea. With the evening about to descend, we chose the road leading to Astaranga, which has an adjunct beach at Jahania. Astaranga, literally, of the seven colours, seemed to be a fitting finale for this trip, as it sat upon the mighty Kalinga Sea, which the Kalingan sons traversed to spread the Kalingan glory far and wide.
(left) Road leading to Jahania beach from Astaranga town. (right) Jahania beach
How to reach You have to invariably take private transport and follow Google maps, since many of these sites are not on a major road. Alternatively, you could join some of the day-long heritage walks organized from Bhubaneswar by a few heritage enthusiasts.
The Timber Trawler 