Rambha, the name paints the picture of the celestial beauty, the dancer of the paradise. On earth, it has long been the abode of the devdasis in Odissa. Situated on the banks of the Chilika, Rambha is like a virgin beauty.
Rambha cannot be reached from Calcutta directly. It can be approached from Puri/Bhubhaneswar. In the winter of 2008 we made our way to Rambha via Puri. A day out to Chilika Lake is very common.
The 1,100 sqr km lagoon in the Bay of Bengal plays host to thousands of migratory birds in winter. Day tours are a hit among tourists. This tour leads to Barkul and not Rambha. Barkul, is said to be privileged with greater share of fish and therefore can sustain more bird population. 100s of tourists every day visit Nalban, the Kalijai temple etc. But, if the winged visitors decide to give Barkul a fly, then there is little on offer.
Rambha, is a remote hamlet along the Chilika. Cozily nestled in the lap of hills with the Chilika kissing its feet, this isolated destination is an abode of peace and beauty. This side of the Chilika too has its share of the migratory guests. The vast span of its waters surrounded by hills & forests is dotted by scattered islands that can be reached by a boat.
After warming up in Puri for a couple of days we started for Rambha. 111 km distance can be covered by car/train. Early morning we took a train from Puri. With no reservation we made it to the General Compartment. The daily inter-city express to Vizag had an interesting mix of local Odisha & Andhra passengers. It was a weekday and they were people on regular business. The lagoon starts from Balugoan and as the train advances to Chilka,Kalijai,Khallikot and approaches Rambha, the rails are delicately balanced on the edge of the blue lagoon. While one side of the wagon is closely walled up by the hills, on the other, the blue waters nearly touch the foot board of the whistling train. It’s a unique experience. After 3 hrs, it’s a minute’s halt at Rambha.
Trains from Puri:
Puri Gunupur Passenger
Puri-Tirupati Express
Puri-Shirdi Express Slip
From Khurda Rd Jnct too trains can be availed. There are ample trains between Puri & Khurda Rd
In mid Dec, it was scorching hot. We left the sleepy little platform under curious eyes that are not used to seeing many tourists. We took an auto to OTDC’s Panthanivas. In 2008, it was the only roof for tourists. So we booked in advance, online.
In Dec we preferred a non AC room. We got it for 2 days but for the 3rd day we had to settle for an AC one. On phone, we repeatedly insisted on a 1st flr room to get a view of the lake.
Our stay at OTDC seems to be jinxed. Whichever OTDC we go to, we are always welcomed by bamboos, cans of paint, chisels and hammers. We always crush in at the time of renovation. Rambha was no exception. Upstairs, the room wasn’t big. We went to the balcony. And all disappointment vanished. It was a spacious balcony with 2 big comfortable chairs and a tea table. In front of us was the Chilika Lake with islands floating on it, enveloped by hills and forests. Exotic view!
At lunch we met a few more guests. Food at OTDC is good but very costly. Prawns and Crabs are delicious. We spend the afternoon exploring the premises. The lush green lawns, colourful flowerbeds and huge trees. At the back yard a narrow path through the garden leads to the jetty on Chilika. From here one could get a boat for a cruise. Chilika Lake was in the back yard of Panthanivas ! It was indeed a 5 Star location.
Once comfortable with our surroundings, we ventured out into the town. First we noticed that the Panthanivas did not have a proper gate! We smelt wilderness as we walked along a narrow road that cut across the hamlet. Small church, shops, food stalls and the market place. There was no concept of ‘meal’ in any food stall. Its tea and snacks, the most popular being cauliflower and chili pakoras. We realized that there was no escape from the hotel kitchen. We bought bread, local buns, jam, biscuits and fruits for fill ins. As the sun went down oil lamps and tired bulbs lit the shops. Villagers thronged in groups chatting and smoking. We chatted with the locals who soon shied away from our queries about the devdasi quarters. Strangely, whether it’s the villagers or the OTDC guys, all were non co-orperative about the devdasi trail.
Darkness was waiting to swallow us outside the market place. There are no street lights. Soon we were puzzled by the speeding 18 wheelers that rushed up & down the narrow road almost knocking us into the shops on the fringes or into the wild bushes. We learnt it was NH5.
It was an unforgettable evening. From the infinite darkness there twinkled chunks and chunks of little stars at out arm length and above us. Time, space and distance between the stars on the earth (glow worms) and stars in the sky seem to have merged into one another. Breath taking!
Next morning we planned a cruise. We hired an entire boat(motor) from OTDC as we did not find any co sharer. The boat was equipped with life belts and walkie talkie. That winter the birds had given Chilika a miss due to the warming. In our part of the lagoon we had other interesting things to do. Hopping into the boat from our own back yard we made it to the Breakfast Island first. This island was visible from our balcony. An island of the size of a cabin. A white cabin was built for the King & Queen of Khallikot to have breakfast .How romantic! I wish we had packed our breakfast.
Then one by one we visited Becon Island, Somolo Island and Honeymoon Island as our boat gently passed through the blue waves .Our guide was an interesting fellow. He will never go hungry. On every island he found varieties of berries to feast on. We landed on an island the name of which I don’t recall, it had a tattering jetty and a living sample of eco tourism disaster. The Island was strewn with broken commodes of earst-while eco tents. It was habited by a single family of fishermen. Another Island showed contrasting faces of Chilika. I sat on a rock. On one side, the water was still as a mirror on the other the side big blue waves broke on the same rock. On our way back, as our boat neared Rambha, it seemed as if Panthanivas was carved in the hill. A perfectly framed photograph.
Post lunch we decided to look around Rambha. We hired an auto. First we went to Khallikote Govt Art college. Once patronized by the king, the Art College is situated in a serene hamlet. Although classes were over, we got an opportunity have some chat with the students who showed us around. There are some really talented artists. We had a nice time visiting various departments and got the taste of various styles.
Next was Nirmaljhara. We were taken to a temple. A nice, well laid out peaceful place. What struck me was the clean pure water that ran throughout the temple along various channels. A search for its source led me to the hill at the back of the temple. It’s a spring that flows from the hill to the temple and is channelized. The village women come to the temple to collect fresh drinking water. We then noticed an excavation by the administration for the purpose of canalizing the water out of the temple to the village. A discovery of the excavation left us awe struck. In a dug up hole, a few feet deep, there lay a black stone resembling a Shiva Ling with a stack of hay stuck on its head. We were curious about the hay. The laborers removed the stack. And water gushed out of black stone, like Ganga gushing out of Shiva’s hair.
Narayani temple is guarded by tall straight trees in the forest on the hill. One has to climb many steps along the stream to reach. It’s a picturesque place. We did not stay for long. It was dusk and chilly in the forest. We were not carrying anything warm. On our way back, the traffic jam at NH5 held us up for 3 hrs. We reached the hotel at night cold and hungry.
On our last day we went on a day trip to Taptapani. It was a rewarding trip. Next morning we left Rambha for Puri. In the morning we bought the tickets of inter city express. Seeing its delay we boarded a passenger train to Khurda Rd. From Khurda Rd we just took whatever train was available for Puri. It was a smooth journey.
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