Drive into the land, into the forests’ blessed abode
To see the wondrous beauty nature has bestowed,
Where sounds of whispering trees and burbling streams...
Will send your minds wandering into a poet’s lovely dreams!!

 

Vacations are not just about exotic locations and exquisite stays. They are also about being at peace with yourself and recentering. So off went Team WHEELS on a warm summer morning in search of self – to Bangriposi. Only 215 km from Kolkata, Bangriposi, in the Mayurbhanj district of Odisha, is a beautiful place abounding in thick forests, burbling streams and gorgeous hills. It is an ideal destination for a weekend getaway for adventurous Kolkatans.

Route
Bangriposi in Odisha is 215 km away from Kolkata and conveniently connected by NH-16 (NH-6) followed by NH-49 (NH-6).

To reach Bangriposi, start from Vidyasagar Setu and enter Kona Expressway. At the end of the Kona Expressway take the slip road on left to follow the left bend and meet NH-16 (NH-6). Continue straight on NH-16 (NH-6) towards Kolaghat followed by Kharagpur. Just before Kharagpur (at trip 111 km), go on to the flyover on left to reach Kharagpur Chowranghee Morh.

From the huge traffic roundabout called Chowranghee Morh in Kharagpur, take the second exit to get straight into NH-49 (NH-6). Continue forward by the NH-49 (NH-6) and drive through the Lodhasuli Forest continuing towards Baharagora Morh.

Just before the Baharagora Morh, take the service lane on left, leaving the highway (do not continue straight on to the flyover, which connects Jharkhand). From the Baharagora Morh, turn left towards Jamshola and Odhisha. Continue by the NH-49 (NH-6) and pass by Jamshola (West Bengal-Odisha border) to reach Bombay Chowki at Jharpokharia. Take the second exit from the roundabout to continue straight on the NH-49 (NH-6) to pass by Asna and reach Bangriposi.

Bangriposi
A name immortalised by the iconic novelist Buddhadeb Guha in his Bengali novel, ‘Bangriposhir Doo Rattir,’ ‘Bangriposi’ is nestled at the foothills of the Thakurani range in Mayurbhanj district of Odisha. It is one of the entrances to Similipal Forest – 30 km away.

We left Kolkata early in the morning, excited about exploring new terrain. After a good 5 hr 30 min drive (including breakfast and tea breaks) we arrived at Bangriposi. The magnificent sight of innumerable tall trees in orange-yellow-green hues, the virgin grasslands against a backdrop of grey-green hills was succour to our city-jaded souls.

We reached the Similipal Khairi Resort at Bangriposi, which stood right on the highway. As we entered through the log-gate (the kind you see in tiger reserve forests) of the resort, we marvelled at the narrow laterite pathway, the shady trees and the manicured garden. Driving past a couple of bungalows, we reached the main porch, where we were greeted and shown to our rooms.

Lunch comprising rice, dal, sabzi and chicken curry, prepared by a local cook, was a culinary delight.

Bangriposi is spellbinding in its natural beauty. A two-night stay at the destination is a good idea as the tourist attractions are all within a distance of 30-40 km. As the thought of driving another 100 km on the same day was quite daunting, we decided to relax in the evening by strolling along the banks of the nearby Buribalam River.

Buribalam River
We took the left towards Kolkata from our resort and after driving for about 10 min, took the right arm from the Y-fork that goes towards Baripada market, arriving shortly at the banks of Buribalam.

And there it was... our little piece of magic. The picturesque river danced over a rocky terrain, nudging the green grasslands along its banks. With delayed monsoons, the river was perhaps quieter, not so swollen. But the gentle hills overlooking the burbling rivulet calmed us with the sense of inherent peace.

A few local men were busy fishing, while the ladies washed clothes. Little boys jumped into the river, laughing as they breasted the clear waters. We realised that it was somewhere down the river that the great freedom fighter Baghajatin along with Chittapriya Ray had fought the British and became martyrs.

Once back, we indulged in an adda over tea with Janki Agarwalla, who owns the resort. We learnt that the resort was originally the OTDC Panthanibas, which has been leased out for 30 years. Agarwalla also told us that the resort was now named after the famous tigress of the 70’s, ‘Khairi.’ We heard the amazing story of Khairi, who was fostered by Saroj Raj Choudhury – a Forest Ranger of Similipal Project Tiger.

After an early dinner – again wholesome, tasty fare with rice and country chicken curry, we called it a day. A word of caution! Fish Lovers Inc. stay away!

Places to visit
Early next morning, we set off for an interesting nature spot called the Brahman (or Brahma) Kund. The road leading to Brahman Kund followed the beautiful Buribalam river making it a glorious drive.

Brahman Kund
Densely grown trees boasting their ‘50 shades of green,’ lush meadows, diamond-studded streams and the Eastern Ghats at the far end will remain etched in our memories for a long time.

En route, we also came across a number of tribal villages. Each outdid the last in aesthetics, artistry and cleanliness. Women bustled about their chores while the men grazed animals, relaxed on charpoys in the courtyards or played cards with friends.

 It seemed a rather long drive meanwhile as our destination was yet undefined. Finally at sign boards proclaiming ‘Brahman Kund’ the tarmac road came to an abrupt end, giving way to a narrow laterite pathway. We drove down a steep elevation and parked our car.

Brahman Kund is stunning with its tank-like small water reservoir surrounded by rocky hillocks on all sides offset by lush green trees. A waterfall cascades down the rocky edges of the hillock to unite with the reservoir (or kund) and flows downhill to form a stream.

There is a viewing gallery from where you can get a wonderful view of the waterfall. Here the water is a little deep. We were surprised at the sight of many fishes swimming close to us, jumping to snap at the chips we threw to them. Dipping our feet in the cool water of the stream at the other end of the kund was also rejuvenating.

A mandatory warning: carry ample refreshment since the distances to be travelled are quite large and there are no eateries or shops along the way, not even tea. This place is strictly off the beaten track. A few tribal women frying delicious aloo chops found eager customers in us.

We were back on time for lunch post which, we headed for our next destination, the Sulaipat Dam. To reach the dam we had to cross the Thakurani hills. On our way we halted at the Dwarsini (also known as Bon Durga) temple, perched on the hill road, a mere 3 km drive from our resort. After a quick darshan of the deity, we headed towards our destination.

 

Sulaipat Dam
Crossing the beautiful Ghat-section (a stretch of 9 km), cruising through the bends and turns, passing through a few  elephant corridors and admiring the dense forests on either side was very enjoyable. We stopped and offered fruits and nuts to the playful monkeys we saw en route.

 

We drove for a little more than an hour on the NH-49, crossed Bishoi Morh, proceeded till Baneikala Morh and took a right turn from there and drove for 15 min to reach our destination. Mind you, the Google Maps will show you many right turns leading to the dam, but we suggest you take the right only from Baneikal Morh.

The suggested route ensures excellent road condition all through the journey barring a small stretch on the highway, which was at least then undergoing some repair. The Google Map on the other hand, will take you through unmetalled roads across remote interior villages unsuitable for drives. In fact, we ourselves had braved one of these roads and found it extremely challenging to drive, in spite of our vehicle’s reasonable ground clearance.

The Sulaipat Dam over the Khadkhai River is a sight to behold. The expansive river, the brooding hills and the whispering winds – make for an ambience absolutely surreal. We spent some time soaking in the atmosphere and took a stroll along the dam. We also stepped into the cool water of the reservoir and later proceeded towards the Bankabal Dam.

Bankabal Dam
On our way back to Bangriposi, we visited the Bankabal Dam. Setting Google aside, we took the help of the locals to reach the magnificent dam. The sight of the large reservoir brimming with water surrounded by the grey-green mounds at the far end, enriched with emerald flora is worth every effort taken in driving all the way to the dam. The huge dam with its gushing waters is used by large tracts of Mayurbhanj and is an intimidating spectacle.

We watched with awe the beauty of the sun which seemed to dip to drown in the water and the birds chirping and tweeting as they retraced their way to their nests. As the cool winds blew over us and seduced us with a light drizzle, we realised it was time to return to our own nest.

Tribal Life
On our way back to the resort, we stopped at a tribal haat where we couldn’t help stocking up on some of the farm-fresh vegetables, rare finds in our markets. Refuelling ourselves with boiled eggs served in the local style with mustard oil drops and chopped onions, we watched the common yet fascinating sight in Bangriposi of the tribal women selling the local alcohol called hariya in their huge aluminium hundis.

What impressed us most was the progressive lifestyle of the tribals, where women worked in the fields at par with the men, beyond their daily chores. If spoken to, they answer queries with confidence, and never once shy away. On many occasions, these good women helped us with road directions which turned out to be more reliable than Google Maps.

We soon found ourselves back at the resort and in time for dinner. Early the next morning we had to leave to return home. A visit to Bangriposi would be incomplete without an expedition to the Similipal Forest, approximately 30 km away. But that was a pleasure we would have to do without this time as the reserve remains closed between July and September.

Accommodation
Bangriposi is for the nature lovers and adventure seekers. All the accommodation facilities available at the three properties here are quite basic. Nevertheless, your boarding and lodging will be worthwhile if you can align yourself with the simplicity of  the natural surroundings.

Similipal Khairi Resort
The resort stands on two acres of land with a beautiful garden. There are four to five blocks, single and double storeyed – the reception area, dining hall, guest rooms and dorms. They also have staff quarters at the rear end of the resort. Our rooms on the main block though modest, were fairly large. They have recently developed a restaurant, which is due to start from October.

The resort has 7 air conditioned rooms and 5 standard rooms. The rooms have modest interiors, but are fairly large and quite airy and well lit. We recommend the standard AC rooms at the resort which is where Team WHEELS stayed.

Hotel Bangriposi is another basic hotel with four rooms opening into a common dining hall, ideal for a large family or a small group of friends. There is a small cottage furnished with mat curtains and cane furniture which will give you the thrill of experiencing stay at a traditional tribal home.

Similipal Resort, a double storeyed building, a stand-alone private property is again very plane. The resort has 10 rooms of which only one room is air conditioned, the rest being non-ac rooms. They are also coming up with a multi cuisine restaurant for boarders and travellers at their property.

So next time you feel that urge to escape, to be able to breathe in a little deeper, match your heartbeat to that of nature – surrender to the serenity of the road less travelled and craft yourself a holiday to remember. Find your hideout in Bangriposi and listen to the call of the wild.