Postcards from Odisha - Snippets of Life

For most part - highways in Odisha are like this

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“Beauty lies in the eyes of the beholder” it is said and guess it is really true. Last week I was wandering through lanes or different corners of Odisha and despite the unmanaged dirt tracks everywhere, the horribly hot and humid weather that left me maybe 10 shades darker, and those hundred restrictions in most of the temples of the temple state, my trip to Odisha this time has been one of the most memorable trips in recent times. Many a times we fail to see what is right in our backyard and drool over what others have (forgotten places of India and exotic places abroad).

Literally from my home's backyard

Odisha, previously called as Orissa, is one such gem of a place in our own backyard while we hardly value it, because to be frank if you ask any Indian to plan a trip to somewhere in India it would be either Rajasthan, Goa, Leh and Kashmir, Delhi and Himanchal or Kerala – but what about the untouched unexplored wonders of India like Gujrat, Madhya Pradesh, North East, Bihar (yes it is an amazing place!!!) and Odisha?

Was visiting a relative and saw this Pitta bird in there garden along with a couple of shy orioles and a blue pitta!

Okay, not ranting because some of my future posts will surely make you guys add Odisha to your list. But today this post is me exploring and looking at Orissa beyond the obvious temples and Bay of Bengal. I literally stood still in the middle of nowhere at times to see the variety of life that flourished in this state where people are almost languid all the time. It is where a person used to the fast pace of metro life would wonder – what to do next! But the moment you halt and look around you see tiny artistic nests of cotton bird, India Pitta bird or a pair of Orioles frolicking or fighting over tiny yellow fruits – no need of sanctuaries or zoos, this is what you can see in your backyards literally.

You find them everywhere - literally EVERYWHERE!

And if that fragment of life doesn’t amaze you look out for dozens or squirrels scurrying around near the numerous ancient temples or the herds of monkeys enjoying an evening near caves in harmony with humans around. The coasts are equally pleasing where one might randomly see a deer family crossing the densely forested coastal roads or sitting on a beach you would be fascinated by the ever so busy red and yellow ghost crabs. 

One of the friends you would find at Chilika. The others are fast, this one is still.

And if you do venture out to the great lake called Chilika – waterfowls and scaups would lazily greet you, spoonbills would randomly fly over you and falcons and pelicans would make sure you notice them, not forgetting the shy Irrawady Dolphins!

A mummy monkey and a baby monkey taking a nap, while the rest of their heard was enjoying a beautiful sunset with us.

Amazed are we? Imagine the state and what it has to offer from what one can see just by glancing around! Like I had mentioned earlier, this was just an introduction to this ancient land of Kalinga, hope these postcards have made you curious about this lesser known state of India!

Can you name this ghost crab specie? 

And oh, before I forget, guess where this post made its mark! On Indiblogger.in's homepage :D