[Safedriver76]

It had been four months since our last road trip to Puri and Konark. The last four months were hectic at the office front with no leaves taken at all and to top it all were my daughters annual examination. We were hankering for a break. So, as soon as her exams were over we got down to planning a short road trip. I had shortlisted Mayapur, but wifey suggested Panchalingeswar and Kuldiha forest. My wifes cousin brother had some connections in one resort in Panchalingeswar and he had many times in the past asked us to pay a visit. So called him up and asked him to book two AC cottages for us. We were set to start our trip on 17th March sunday and return on 20th March wednesday. So a total of 3 nights and 4 days. I asked my mom-in-law to join us since she too had not been out of her home for a while. Innitially i had planned to take my elder brother and his family along with us but sadly he had office commitments since financial year was drawing to a close.
So, we were a team a four in the end, me, my wife and daughter and my MIL. All packing was done on saturday and in the evening went out and tanked up the car, checked all fluid levels, air pressure, and filled the windscreen wash fluid.

17th March 2019

Woke up at 6 am. Surprisingly had a good nights sleep before the road trip. After a quick shower and a cup of hot tea and biscuits took the car out from the garrage and started loading the luggage. With only 4 of us travelling, the third row of the Ertiga was folded down to make way for baggage.



My mother in law arrived at 7.20 A.M and by 7.30 AM, we started the journey.



We had to cover 274 kms as per google map from from our home at Lake Gardens in Kolkata to Hill View Resort Panchalingeswar, Odisha.



I crossed the dreaded Santragachi bridge without much pain. I remember having wasted a solid one hour last October on our way to Puri in the wee hours of the morning. Soon joined the butter smooth NH16 and progress became effortless.





By 9 AM we are at the Azad Hind Dhaba BPCL COCO, Uluberia which has become a standard breakfast stoppage on this route. Aloo parantha with pickle, puri sabji and tea were served which is also a standard breakfast option.



My daughter with her grand ma


By 9.20Am we were back on the road. Holi was just a few days away and the temperatures were already soaring. The car AC was doing an active duty all through the journey.

The tarmac getting baked in the hot sun



There were no further stoppages apart from a small 15 mins tea and bio break midway. I called up the owner of the resort and ordered our lunch in advance. Being a remote place, my brother in law had adviced me the same. Crossed Jaleshwar soon after and we left West Bangal and enterered the state of Odisha. Once this used to be a major bottleneck on this route with endless queue of trucks and a hefty entry tax being charged. Well, all that is history now . At 12.45 pm we reached Shergarh from where one has to take a gentle left turn to leave NH16 and then take a right turn underneath the highway to enter SH19. The road condition once again is excellent despite being a single lane carriageway.



Soon the Panchalingeswar Hill became visible in the distance making all the passengers sit up and feel excited.



We were at the Resort gates by 1.15 pm in exactly 5 hrs 15 mins, covering a distance of 272 Kms. We were blown away by the superb location of the resort just at the base of the Panchalingeswar Hill. The views were quite refreshing and the cool wind the along with the greenary inside the property took away whatever fatigue of the drive. We were ushered to our pre booked AC cottages which were basic yet clean.



Well maintained garden at Hill View.




We freshened up and went to the dinning area for our lunch. Lunch was a simple affair with no fancy dishes available but was tasty and neatly served. We were famished by then, and gorged on whatever lay before us. We retired to our rooms for some rest at 3pm. At 4:30 pm we left for some local sightseeing. We were headed for Khumkut dam and Bisweswar temple.
Khumkut Dam was a short 7-8 km drive from the resort.



We were back on SH19 and then took a right turn and entered a narrow village road. I was relying on my gmap for directions since morning but here after getting misdirected by it ended up getting lost. Stopped and ask for directions from a local. The road was so narrow that i had to take 2-3 forward and backward moves to make a u-turn. After a point the road completely disappeared and i was driving on dusty gravel. Suddenly the road ended near what seemed like an embankment. Parked the car and got out. Seemed like we were in the middle of no where. We were hit by a sweet fragrance as soon as we came out of the car. Noticed sal trees in full bloom with white flowers. It looked lovely. We climbed a small flight of stairs to get to the top of the embankment. This is what lay in front of us.

Notice the submerged temple and the old watch tower in the water. The place was earlier entirely under forest cover. We were told later that after 7pm in the evening wild elephants come to drink water in herds on the far side of the water body.





A groupie on the embankment of the dam



My blue steed viewed from the top of the embankment on a rustic backdrop. Notice the Sal trees in full bloom in the background.






The sun was about to set and the fading light and cool breeze made the place look surreal. A cuckoo kept calling its mate. We spent some time leisurely enjoying the serenity before getting back to the car. Next on the list was Bisweswar temple but with fading light and having lost faith on gmap in these village roads, i decided not to take chance with 3 ladies on board and headed back to the resort. It proved to be a very wise decision for as soon as we reached the resort and parked my car the winds picked up and the sky turned dark with large cumulonimbus clouds. What followed for the next 2 hours was torrential rain with thunder and lightning and high winds. The picture of Panchalingeswar hills on the back drop of dark clouds is still etched in my memory.



Panchalingeshwar hills on the backdrop of very dark clouds



Dinner was served at 9pm and with nothing further to do, we all went to bed in our respective cottages. We had an exciting next day (Monday) lined up with visit to the Panchalingeswar temple with its climb of 300 plus stairs followed by a safari in our own vehicle inside the Kuldiha forest.

18th March 2019

We woke up and were ready for the temple visit after a shower. Panchalingeswar temple is located on the top of the hill at the base of which our resort was located. There is a very large car park at the base of the hill. We parked the car and bought the puja thalis from one of the shops on the way. There are close to 300 stairs one has to climb to reach the shiva lingams. There are five lingams which are emersed in a perennial stream of water flowing down the hill. At 8.30Am we were at the main entrace of the temple from where the climb starts to the main shrine.



Stairs leading up to the main shrine.



Photography is prohibited in the main shrine so sadly i could not capture the views from the top. However one thing i must mention is that, one is allowed to touch the lingams lying prostrate on the ground and by precariously balancing oneself amidst rugged rocks and reaching out with one hand to feel the Lingams which are under the flowing streams. At first i hesitated and stood at a distance but later on i gathered the courage to touch the Lingams after being coaxed and cajoled by wifey I must mention that we had a great darshan because it was not crowded at all and to top it all, the weather gods were smiling on us as it was windy and very cool due to last nights showers.

On the way down from the shrine.



We were at the resort after darshan at 9:30am and had our breakfast. Next on the agenda today was a trip to the Kuldiha wildlife santuary and we were excited. We had pre booked the services of a guide for our safari inside the forest and he was waiting for us at the resort reception. He was a local and knew the area well. We had our lunch packed from the resort along with thermocol plates. The guide took us to the nearby town of Nilagiri where the forest department office is located. We had to get the permits for 4 of us and the vehicle. After filling up the forms and paying the requisite fees we were issued permit papers for our entry inside the forest. From Nilagiri we drove 11 odd kms to reach the entry check post of the santuary.





The guard at the gate allowed us entry after checking the papers. This was my first self drive inside a forest and boy i was so excited. The experience was wonderful. Drove carefully over uneven forest floor to avoid hitting the underbelly as there were some rocks jutting out here and there on the road.






Sal and Mahua trees formed a thick foliage on the undulating road. Kuldiha forest is a birders paradise. Our guide told us that we were the only tourists inside that day looking at the tyre marks on the road. Indeed during our entire tour we did not come across any other vehicle coming from either direction. With windows rolled down, we kept a sharp look out into the jungle to spot some wildlife. The guide told us that a group of elephants were in the area last night. We stopped at a water hole and the guide showed us fresh foot prints of a herd of elephants.

Water Hole



He also pointed us to the broken branches of trees nearby. We silently stood there trying to observe any sound or movement in the distance, but all was quiet. Next he took us to a grassland amidst dense forest and there two he pointed towards bison and even some deer hoof marks. It was midday and there was pin drop silence every where. Only occational chirping of unknown birds and the rustling of leaves punctuated the serenity. We visited the Kuldiha forest rest house next.
There is a saltpit near the rest house which is frequented by animals. But being mid day we had no sightings. Most animal sightings i was told happen at dawn and dusk. As lunch time approached we headed to Jodachua forest rest house. It is not every day that one gets to have lunch sitting on the pyol of a forest rest house. Lunch comprised of veg fried rice and egg curry.

[Safedriver76]

FRH Kuldiha





FRH Jodachua



Pre packed Lunch comprising of fried rice and egg curry








Termite Mound



After lunch we headed for Risia dam which is located inside the santuary. Driving through the meandering forest roads we finally reached the extremely scenic Risia Dam. The beauty of the place cant be expressed by the photographs i post here.



The place was so picturesque that no matter how many pictures i took of the place, the pictures simply could not capture the real beauty.

Our Guide for the day


Just stood and admired the beauty of this place. It had such a calming effect on our strained urban minds.



Tried my hand at some car photography



It was close to 4 Pm and we gently rolled out from the exit gate. On the way back, we visited the royal palace of the kings of Nilagiri. The guide told us that the local rulers were great hunters and warriors too.



One is allowed to enter the courtyard of this palace and take pictures, however entry inside is prohibited as it is still a private property and the royal family still resides in it.



A dilapidated section of this almost 200 years old palace.



There was a Jagannath Temple just outside the palace premises which resembled the Puri Jagannath temple in its architectural style. Next the guide took us to the Emami Jagannath temple which has been built in 2015.



The temple was very well maintained had separate shoe stands and prasad counters and a demarcated parking facilty. It was almost dark by the time we came out after our darshan and we were feeling a bit tired after our days activity. It was still a good 30 odd kms from the Emami Jagannath temple to our resort at Panchalingeswar. When i parked our car at the resort it was close to 7 pm. Ordered some tea and snacks and spent the evening chatting about our days outing. The next day we had the option of driving down to either Chandipur sea beach or drive down to a place called Devakund to see a water fall. We were not keen on Chandipur as we had been to umpteen sea sides in the last few years. On enquiry, i found Devakund to be about 75 kms drive each way. On discussing with the rest of the members they seemed reluctant to travel so much after two days of activities and suggested to take a day off.

19th March 2019

We woke up late and after breakfast just strolled about and explored the property. The garden of the resort was well maintained and the hills at the background provided quite a treat for the eyes. I simply sat on the varandah outside the cottage and soaked in the freshness of the morning, sipping on cups of tea while daughter became busy drawing the landscape in front of her. In the evening we set out to see the Biseswar temple we had missed on day 1. We followed a resort car which was also headed for the same destination.
When we reached the spot it was close to 5 pm and we found a small temple at the base of a hill. The were a large number of tourist in the other 2 cars which we had followed. So unlike other days the serenity of the place was destroyed by their useless chatter. We climbed up a gradient to a view point above the temple. This is what it looked from there.



It was quite warm that day in the late afternoon and the steep climb up soaked up a bit of energy. My mother in law decided to halt mid way and so me and my daughter kept climbing to check the view point. Wifey joined a bit later at the summit and we sat there a while and soaked in the birds eye view of the fields and roads below.



We reached the resort at 7 pm after having tea at roadside stall. That evening my mother in law had sudden toothache and i got busy calling up and whatsapping the dentist. Due to poor data and voice connectivity had a tough time reaching out to the doctor. This was our last night at Panchaligeswar.

20th March 2019

After breakfast, we checked out at 10.30 am. Next day was Holi so lots of local shops were selling colourful gulal, pichkaris etc. We halted at the junction of SH19 and NH16 as mother in law and wifey wanted to buy some local sweets of Odisha. We are a family of sweettooths and are quite fond of chenna made sweets of Odisha specially the Madanamohan.. It was close to 40 degrees outside and the car AC took its time to cool the cabin. At 2.30 PM we reached Kolaghat and had a sumptuous lunch of butter rotis and Mutton butter masala at Sher-e-Punjab. The food was fingerlicking good, though the service was slow. When we got back to our car after lunch it was 4 PM. The rest of the journey was uneventful and we reached Vidyasagar setu toll plaza at 5.30 pm as we entered Kolkata. We decided to reach my mother in laws place first and then head home. Vidyasagar setu to Batanagar a distance of 20kms took 1.5 hours due to a pathetic traffic jam. We reached home finally at 8.30 pm thus bringing to a close a wonderfully refreshing holiday.

Some inputs for fellow Bhpians:

• 1.Hill view resort: Highly recommended. At Rs 1500/- per night AC cottages looked value for money. The place is remote so do not expect luxury. The owner Monorajan Das was cordial and extented his hospitality. He and his support staff made it sure that we felt at home. More over he is an expert in Ornithology and active bird watchers can arrange special birding trips into the forest with him. Food has limited choice but is served fresh and has to be pre ordered with sufficient time in hand.
  2. Not advisable to venture into Kuldiha forest without a guide. Gps most often does not work due to feeble internet connectivity. Guide charges are modest at Rs 500/- for a day. Its very easy to get lost inside as there are no markers given.
  3. Take pracaution by taking mosquito repellent cream/rollons specially for older poeple and children. This area is known for deadly mosquitoes.
  

Signing off for now.

[SmartCat]

Moving thread from Assembly line to Travelogues forum. Thanks for sharing!

[Red Panda]

Excellent write-up dada. Loved the way you have narrated the entire journey.

[sayakc]

Great to see your travelogue Dada!

Your writing style is very lucid and detailed. And the photos are looking great. I think a DSLR purchase is the next step now . I would personally love to see you travel and write more often. So, wheres next for the summer vacations?

Cheers!
Sayak

[Samba]

Wow, a travelogue on the less visited places of Odisha. Great narration and lively pics made it a wonderful read.

I just love these less crowded and close to nature places of Odisha.

You can try out places like- Daringbadi, Bhitarkanika, Kapilash, Satkoshia, Simlipal for your next ventures in Odisha. Am sure you wont be disappointed! Odisha is a beautiful state.

A pic of our Etios inside Kuldhia forest from January 2012!

[Safedriver76]

Originally Posted by Red Panda

Excellent write-up dada. Loved the way you have narrated the entire journey.

Thank you Abhishek. I was quite enthralled by your latest travelogue on Shillong and Cherapunji trip too.

Originally Posted by sayakc

Great to see your travelogue Dada!

Your writing style is very lucid and detailed. And the photos are looking great. I think a DSLR purchase is the next step now . I would personally love to see you travel and write more often. So, wheres next for the summer vacations?

Cheers!
Sayak

Thanks Sayak. Yes you are right, the phone cameras have their limitations. It would be wise to buy a DSLR now. No plans for summer vacations as of now. It would be in the himalayas for sure to beat the heat of the plains.

Originally Posted by Samba

Wow, a travelogue on the less visited places of Odisha. Great narration and lively pics made it a wonderful read.

I just love these less crowded and close to nature places of Odisha.

You can try out places like- Daringbadi, Bhitarkanika, Kapilash, Satkoshia, Simlipal for your next ventures in Odisha. Am sure you wont be disappointed! Odisha is a beautiful state.

A pic of our Etios inside Kuldhia forest from January 2012!

Attachment 1864750

Thanks Samba. Yes so many underrated places in Odisha. Daringbari is on my wishlist too. Do you have a travelogue on that? The picture of Etios in Kuldiha looks stunning. The car has certainly taken you places. Your travlogues provide many like me the inspiration to travel.

[YoungSaint]

Originally Posted by Samba

A pic of our Etios inside Kuldhia forest from January 2012!

Attachment 1864750

ha ha ha, Samba da, whenever we have a travelogue of some place near Kolkata, you invade the thread with a photo of your etios saying - "been there, done that".

[Safedriver76]

Originally Posted by YoungSaint

ha ha ha, Samba da, whenever we have a travelogue of some place near Kolkata, you invade the thread with a photo of your etios saying - "been there, done that".

Samba is an inspiration for all in the Kolkata Chapter of team bhp. I have been reading his travelogues when i was still waiting to get approval for admission in TBHP. So he does have a right to invade.