Koraput: The Rolling Hills of Eastern Ghats

I always wanted to explore the Koraput region, which is nestled between the Eastern Ghats in the Southern part of Odisha state in Eastern India. It’s a place that fascinated for years and was waiting when I would have the chance to visit this fabled destination.

OVERVIEW: 

Koraput is not visited by tourist hordes and this makes for a perfect destination to scan. The Koraput region is known for its picturesque and breathtaking landscape, rolling hills, verdant valleys, cascading waterfalls and the culturally rich tribals which makes it a type of unique place to visit. Rivers such as Machhakunda, Vamsadhara and Kolab meanders through the region. The region gets its name from 'Kora-Putti' which was a tree once very prominent in the region. The weather in Koraput is pleasant almost all round the year which makes it pleasurable to visit anytime. During the Monsoons, it rains heavily and the whole region looks more magnetic with greenery. 

FULFILLING A DREAM:

My dream to visit Koraput awakened when I was travelling to Jagdalpur from Arakku just a year before. It was the monsoon season too and I was literally glued to my train window the whole journey, getting soaked in the rain and the beauty of the green valleys as the train moved on. 

The following year, I planned for my trip to Koraput during the heart of Monsoon. I didn't have much clue, whether I will be able to tour the region well, as the place receives torrential rain during this season and many area's get cut off due to heavy flooding. If you have a passion for travel then you are always saddled up to explore. The less you worry, the better you will travel. 

Arrival in Koraput:

There's only one train from Howrah station that connects with Koraput. I boarded 18005/Koraput (Samaleshwari) Express which departs from Howrah station at 21:55 hrs which reaches Koraput station at 19:25 hrs the next day. It's a long journey which takes nearly 22 hrs for 1060 km with many halts. I was reading some news which said that many places in Koraput have been flooded due to heavy downpour and roads, villages cut off from civilization. So, would I be able to explore? The train reached Koraput a bit late, at around 20:00hrs and it was raining so heavily as if all the weather gods were fighting an endless battle above. Totally drenched up, I quickly hurried to the car waiting outside, which took me to the hotel. I booked Hotel Raj Residency in Koraput town which was 10 km from the main town. It was a budgeted hotel with very cooperative and well-mannered management, comfy rooms and a very good restaurant. 

(Hotel Raj Residency details in 'Where to stay' section)

All through the night the clouds roared and rained.  I was dead tired and had to recharge my bodily batteries. 

Koraput Railway station

Hotel Raj Residency

DAY 1

Next day the weather god's calmed down, though the sky was still draped dark and the townsfolk said that they haven't seen sunshine for the last one month. After breakfast, I started my journey to explore Koraput. Today I planned in visiting Gupteshwar caves, Dhurwa tribal village. Gupteshwar caves were 76 km away from Koraput town, located amidst dense Ramgiri forest area on the state border of Odisha and Chhatisgarh. 

A bridge on the way

GUPTESHWAR:

There are many caves in this area, out of which the cave with the 2m high Shiva Lingam and another cave having a stalactite is of notable importance to the people living in this region. The stalactite is worshipped as the divine bovine goddess Kamdhenu (cow goddess). The caves have a long history and it’s even mentioned by the great poet Kalidas in his lyric poem Meghadutam. The hill where this shrine is located is known as Ramgiri because it is said that it was Lord Rama who first discovered it while roaming in the forest when he was in exile. 

Gupteshwar temple gateway towards river

As time passed the caves were long forgotten and worship abandoned. The caves were swallowed by deep forest cover. In the late 17th century the caves were rediscovered by a hunter in the forest who informed the then Maharaja of Jeypore about it. Since then the caves became important once more and worship started again.

The time I reached Gupteshwar, I found the area with hordes of pilgrims and devotees, a country fair setup and shops selling everything from flowers, food and sindoor (a traditional vermilion red or orange cosmetic powder from India, usually worn by married women along the parting of their hair). The area was chock a block with so many people that I presumed that it was a wrong time to visit the caves. But, why so many people at this time of the year? I inquired with some people and they said that pilgrims have gathered here from far and wide to celebrate Shravana.

Shop selling sindoor

The month of Shravana is very important for the entire sub-continent of India as it is connected to the arrival of the South-West monsoons. Various types of rituals are performed everywhere in India at this time. Here in Odisha they gathered in Gupteshwar for the Gamha Purnima ritual which will continue for 3 days. Devotees have come far and wide from the neighbouring states of Odisha, Chhattisgarh and Andhra Pradesh.

temple premises full of pilgrims

There were about 100000 devotees visiting the shrines in Gupteshwar at that moment. I tried hard to get in but it was a futile effort as the serpentine queue of pilgrims was about 2 km long and they were all carrying water and milk to bath the Shiva lingam. I thought it will be a waste of time to remain in this area and better continue with my plans to visit the Dhurwa tribal village. Unfortunately, my driver said that the tribals cannot be found in the village today as almost all of them have come to Gupteshwar to sell their wares and supplies.

Frankincense being sold

A Dhurwa tribal woman selling her wares

DHURWA TRIBE: 

The southwestern part of Odisha possesses the largest concentration of tribal people in the Indian subcontinent. Dhurwa women collect forest products for self-consumption or sale, and men are mainly engaged in weaving bamboo baskets. The entire population of the Dhurwa tribe, about 3000, are mainly concentrated in the dense hilly tracts of the Ramgiri forest range. The Dhurwa's who are also known as Parji's are also found in Odisha's neighbouring state of Chhattisgarh. (Don't confuse with Dharuwa tribe. Dharuwa's are found in Mayurbhanj district in Odisha). A large part of their territory consists of densely wooded forests and hills, with rivers and streams crossing the valleys. The Dhurwa have been so absorbed by the surrounding higher castes, such as the Bhatra, that many have adopted Bhatri as their mother tongue, forgetting their native language (Parji) altogether.  Most of the Dhurwa's are farmers and they stay in small windowless huts made of mud walls and thatched roofs. Some of them are hunter-gatherers too. They believe that animals, birds, and trees possess souls. They call upon a spirit of rain/river water to bless them with good catches of fish and abundant crops. They live in fear of the spirit Rau, who marks its victims by shooting small, painful stone or clay pieces at their backs. Only a medicine man can extract the small pieces of stone, which remain invisible to the human eye. If not removed, these can lead to death.

Wandering around the shrine premises I found many of the Dhurwa tribal women selling what they gathered from the forests. Tamarind seeds, bamboo shoots, mushrooms, Dhuno in both solid and powdery form (a form of frankincense, gathered from the resin of Sal trees), broomsticks, etc. A few of them were selling fermented liquor. The Koraput district is bestowed with thriving forest biodiversity and crop genetic resources. The primitive tribal groups residing in the vicinity largely depend on the forest products for their sustenance for food, fodder, medicines (in the form of herbs and plants) and construction material for the house. They will cease to exist without the help gathered from Mother Nature. I spent quite some time with them asking about various things and my driver who knew their dialect well worked as a translator. 

In all the first day didn't turn up that well as I thought to be, still these are a part of travel experiences.

KOLAB RESERVOIR:

While returning to Koraput town, I visited Kolab reservoir. Located 20 km away from Koraput town, the huge reservoir is at 3000 ft above sea level on the Kolab river which is a tributary of river Godavari. The dam holds an unparalleled charm for tourists because of its serene surrounding and scenic beauty. 

Way to Kolab reservoir

Kolab reservoir

DAY 2

It was time to leave Koraput town and head to the interior of the district. Today I will be visiting Deomali hills, Rani Duduma waterfalls and lastly heading towards the hotel in Paduwa lake, where I planned to stay. 

DEOMALI HILL:

I started my journey after having breakfast in the hotel. The weather was a bit pleasant today with occasional showers. The route to Deomali is through verdant countryside setup. From Koraput town it's 60km and takes about 1hr 45min. The roads are excellent to drive and snake through lush green paddy fields, vegetation, vales and streams. The scenic route doesn't have much traffic. The only traffic is the distant view of the landscape you travel with. It will keep on persuading you to stop, click and go. You will be awestruck with the beauty of the valleys which are draped green during this monsoon season. As you reach closer, you will get to see Deomali hill from quite a distance and the view appears extremely raw and picturesque. Deomali is the highest peak in Odisha at 1762 m. nestled in the lap of the Eastern Ghats. 

Way to Deomali

Stopping on the way to Deomali

As I neared Deomali, I met with a thick blanket of clouds and fog. The car with its fog lights turned on was slowing moving up towards the peak and visibility was only about 4ft. The whole atmosphere made me feel that as if I was somewhere in a hill station nestled in the Himalayas. Carefully licking the dirt road the car finally made to the top of Deomali hill. Unfortunately, I couldn’t see anything from the top towards the green vales down below, but I was loving the affair with the drizzle, fog and high cold winds gushing by. There was a small watchtower at the top. If the weather was clear, then the view from the top is just captivating beyond your wildest imagination. On a softer note, every season has its own beauty.

The video shows the weather while travelling towards Deomali hilltop

The road to Deomali hilltop

RANI DUDUMA WATERFALL:

Next stop was Rani Duduma waterfalls. It was 65 km away from Deomali hill and takes about 2hrs. There are quite a few waterfalls in Koraput and monsoons are the best time to visit them. Some can be reached in a vehicle, while others can be visited by hiking through the forests. My driver drove as far as he could and finally I got down on a dirt trail that leads to the waterfall. The rocky dirt trail is 1km through the forest. It is advisable to walk very cautiously in the trail if you are planning to visit during the rainy season. 

The trail to Rani Duduma waterfall

trail

Very few tourists visit this place outside the state, so you will find the area to be very natural. As I approached the waterfall, I found that it was a three-tier waterfall. Two tiers can only be reached if you have the guts to hike down, and in the monsoons, it's a very dangerous and risky path to follow. During the winter, this place is thronged by picnickers from the local areas.

Rani Duduma waterfall

NANDAPUR:

On my way back from the waterfall I stopped at Nandapur to visit Batrish Singhasan, which was just 7km away from the waterfall road head. The King of Jeypore Sri Vikaramaditya used this place for administration purposes after hunting in the nearby forest area. The king used to come to this place and sit in the throne which was placed at a small hilltop connected with 32 steps. This throne thus came to be known as Vikaramaditya's Batrish Singahsan (Kings 32 Step Throne). It was mid-afternoon and the gates to the Singhasan were closed.  There was also an old 13th century Shiva Temple and an 11th-century Buddhist site nearby which I didn't have the time to visit.

Batrish Singhashan

PADUWA LAKE:

I was now heading towards Paduwa Lake. The huge lake is a reservoir at 3500ft created by the Jalaput dam and is located in a small scenic town known as Paduwa on the Eastern edge of the lake right on the state border between Odisha and Andhra Pradesh. I came to know about this place when I was travelling the previous year from Arakku to Jagdalpur. The lake was looking so beautiful when the train was passing by, and I thought that such a destination should have a place where I can at least spend a night. I frantically started to look for one and found a place known as Diamond Lake View Resort, though getting the correct phone number was another challenge (don't always rely on search engine results).

Paduwa lake as I saw from the train previous year

The train passing Paduwa lake

I had to make a 15 km detour while travelling towards Paduwa as the main road was destroyed by floods. Google maps couldn't fetch a roadmap, and after many wrong paths and unnamed roads, was able to reach the resort with the help from the directions given by the locals. 

A natural gateway

Muddy roads towards Paduwa

The resort was located in a fine setting, just at the edge of the lake, a bit away from the main road. The entire area was pretty as a picture; quiet, tranquil, greenery and devoid of people. 

Diamond Lake View Resort

Paduwa lake from the resort

The resort on the other hand wore a rundown look. It's named a resort but it's more like a lodge. Maybe at one point in time it was popular but now it has lost its glory. The property had only two staffs, the rooms had a shabby look, paths were moss-covered and slippery, gardens ill-maintained, the dining room looked as if not used for ages, washrooms full of cobwebs, no provisions of having any type of meals, for a cup of tea, food or a bottle of water you will need to take your car to Paduwa town. There are TV's in all rooms which don't work. Due to rising costs, the property is not maintained. Moreover, the owner has kept a very high tariff for the room's which in no way value for money. The only thing that was working was the geyser. Yes, you will prefer to have a hot bath in here as the weather becomes cold n chilly and at night and you will also need a quilt to sleep cosily. The two staffs were very cooperative and helpful. If you keep small things at bay and give a blind eye that you are lacking basic necessities then you will enjoy your stay here. 

A room in the resort

(Diamond Lake View Resort details at 'Where to stay' section)

Paduwa is a perfect place to enjoy the natural surroundings. The lake is just a few mins walks from the resort, you can go for long walks around the lake or if you don't feel like walking you can just sit back in your room balcony and enjoy the sights. Boating is not possible during the monsoon season. During the winters you can indulge in a lot of activities around here. A lot of picnickers throng at this location, you can do boating on the vast lake, camp out in the open etc... It's an ideal place to enjoy a memorable sunset. Unfortunately, during my trip, I only witnessed dark clouds and rain and that was also attractive in another way. 

Paduwa lake

It was nearly time for dinner and we had to drive nearly 5 km to get food. I also got dinner for the two staffs in the resort as they were very accommodating and supportive. After having a sumptuous meal together I retired for the night. 

DAY 3

Woke up early morning to the barking of dogs and walked towards the lake. Had a shawl on as a light cold breeze was blowing and the whole atmosphere was simply alluring. Spent some time around the lake and then returned to the resort to pack up and leave for Lamtaput.

DESIA ECO CAMP:

Today I will be travelling to Lamtaput which was 34 km from Paduwa and will take about an hour to reach. On the way, I had breakfast in Nandapur. There is a very attractive place to stay in Lamtaput, called Desia Eco Camp where I will be staying for 2nights. 

On reaching Desia Eco Camp, I was warmly greeted by the women in their traditional way. The camp is managed mainly by tribal men & women from the local tribal villages. A great initiative to support the tribes of that area. The camp has a charm of its own; located at a very quiet area where you can stay to relax or as a base for touring around. The cottages are unique in style and decor, all handmade wall designs and tribal paintings and all the rooms and cottages have an aesthetic appeal. They have organic farming all around the property and the food they serve is very fresh and homemade. The dining area is converted to a day school for the local kids in the morning. 

Desia Eco camp

A room in Desia

Bathroom in Desia

The Desia owners believe in Responsible Travel and at the same time to inspire the locals (youths) to preserve their culture and environment. If you are interested then the management can organize a walk around the tribal villages nearby or arrange the well-known tribal dance called Dhemsa for you. Although, such arrangements during the monsoon season are sometimes not possible due to the unpredictable weather and the tribal folk spending much time farming. Without internet and phone connectivity, we had a great time with families. I would like to thank everyone there who made my stay so comfortable and memorable just like a family with their warmth and hospitality. I would highly recommend this place to everyone. You can make it as a base also if you want to tour Koraput. I divided my stay in different zones as I wanted to explore the place more widely. 

(Desia Eco Camp details at 'Where to stay' section)

DAY 4

My real intention to stay in Desia Eco Camp was to visit Onukudelli weekly tribal market from here. It's a one of a kind tribal market in our Indian subcontinent where you get to see a very rare and elusive tribe of Odisha known as the Bonda, who come down far from the hills to barter with the other tribes. This tribal market happens once a week on Thursday's. 

BONDA TRIBE:

The Bonda tribe of Odisha are believed to be part of the first wave of migration out of Africa about 60,000 years ago. They were the first forest settlers in India. Anthropologists say that they are members of a group of Austroasiatic tribes, who at some time in the ancient past migrated and settled in the wild hills around Koraput. They continue to speak in their language, Remo, which comes under the Austroasiatic language belonging to the Mundari group. They have a unique dressing style – women are semi-clad and wear various types of rings, earrings, several thick silver neckbands to cover their neck and many bangles on the arms around, while the men carry lethal bows and arrows. The women prefer to marry men younger by at least 10 years, so that the men can earn for them when they grow old.

Bonda tribal women

The Bonda tribe is divided into three groups:

➖ The Upper Bondas or Bara Jangar group live on the slopes at over 1000 metres above sea level in Malkangiri hills.

➖ The Lower Bondas live at the foothills around Malkangiri and Khairput areas.

➖ The Gadaba Bondas live at the same altitude as the Upper Bondas.

Primarily, the Bondas are forest dwellers and they used to hunt for food in the forests. The depleting forest cover has affected their self-sufficient life. They now practice farming in the hills not only for consumption but also to sell the produce in the markets. Earlier, each Bonda household used to have a kitchen garden, now they buy vegetables from the market. Their eating habits have also changed. Before, they used to domesticate cows and pigs as they used to eat beef and pork. Due to local community pressures, they had to change their lifestyle.

ONUKUDELLI:

After having a hearty breakfast I set off for Onukudelli which is only 27 km from Desia and takes about an hour. The route is very beautiful with the varied landscape; you will pass through forests, coffee plantations, hills and then finally you will reach your destination. The market is held on the hilly main street of Onukudelli, but today it was set up on the high ground near a temple which was very muddy. The weather was not in my favour today as it was drizzling since morning. It was a very lively market though and you will find various people from other tribes gathered here to barter, sell their wares and local alcohol.

the market at Onkudelli

As I kept exploring the market I came in contact with the women from the Bonda tribe. They looked so colourfully dressed in their traditional attire known as Ringa which is like a length of cloth that covers the waist. Their torsos are covered in strings of colourful beads and as they have their head sheared, they cover it with colourful cloth and beads which looks like a turban. For some time you will feel as if you are in Africa and not in India.

If you want to take photographs of Bonda women, you have to first take permission from them and they also charge Rs.10 – 20 for the shots. You can always click them from a distance but if they somehow feel, that they are been clicked, they hastily come over and ask for money or ‘dabuu’ in their language. Always keep small currency with you in these tribal markets. If you hand over a Rs.50 note to the Bondas then don’t expect to get the change back.

Leaving the Bondas behind I kept on going through the market and found a man selling alcohol made from Sago Palm tree. Wanted to have it a go and drank three glasses which was very sweet in taste (Rs.10 per glass). I was cautioned by my driver that I will surely get a good kick after an hour.

Sago Palm liquor being sold

It started to rain and I had no option but to leave the market. As I was going towards my car I met another woman and she was from Gadaba tribe. Let me tell you something about this tribe.

GADABA TRIBE:

Like all other tribes of Odisha, Gadabas have their own history regarding the origin of the tribe. The oral tradition goes that the tribe owes its name to the fact that its ancestors emigrated from the banks of river Godavari in the south and settled in Nandapur, the former capital of the King of Jeypore. Gababas believe that Bondas are one of the subgroup of Gadaba community. The name 'Gadaba' seems to have derived from the word 'Gada', name of a brook in the region. They are the primitive tribe of agriculturists, coolies and hunters.  They were also employed as palanquin bearers in the hills of the former rulers of Jeypore and thus known as "Bhoie Gadaba"

A Gadaba tribal woman

Gadaba woman. Note the thick rings on the neck

The main source of livelihood for the Gadaba is the cultivation of crops in the hills and low lying valleys but they also forage from forests which they sell in the markets. The Gadaba women are fond of wearing a number of ornaments generally made out of brass and aluminium. They are identified by the big aluminium neck rings 'Khagla' which they wear and each ring weigh somewhere between 4 to 6 kilograms, big round brass earrings 'Unsurul' and a semi-circular hair clip 'Khosa Dang'. They love to live with nature and the surroundings.

DUDUMA WATERFALL:

I clicked some pictures of the Gadaba woman and set off towards Duduma waterfalls, as the weather was a bit clear after the heavy downpour. It was only 3 km away from Onukudelli. Duduma falls is a horsetail type of waterfall 574 ft in height, which is formed by the Machkund river. It is said that the engineers of the Machkund Hydroelectric The project which is located just near the main waterfall has changed its course while the electric power station was coming up. 

The road to Duduma was heavenly and full of natural beauty. As I kept approaching towards the watchtower the weather was again getting cloudy. When I reached, all I could see were clouds and fog accompanied by rain. The two sub waterfalls of Duduma were somewhere behind this thick cloud cover. These two sub waterfalls can be seen only from this watchtower. 

way to Duduma waterfalls

The driver said that there was another viewpoint nearby and if luck prevails we could view the main Duduma waterfall. When I reached the spot the weather was a bit clear and I got to view the waterfall from a distance. The landscape from this point was captivating. There was also a stairway to the foot of the waterfall, but I was not advised to go during the rainy season, as the stairs were very slippery and covered with foliage. Another good thing is that now I felt a bit drowsy and flying in the air - the Sago Palm liquor effects were creeping in. It was time to head back towards Desia. 

The second viewpoint

Had my lunch after reaching Desia and till the night I was stuck in my room due to intermittent rain. My last night in Koraput ended just like I wished for - nothing is better than the sound of heavy rain when you are falling asleep. 

"The earth has music for those who listen" - Shakespeare

DAY 5

Though my trip to Koraput has ended, there was still a thing left while heading off for home sweet home. 

HOMEWARD JOURNEY:

The train journey from Koraput to Rayagada is one of the best scenic train routes in India which becomes more exciting during the Monsoon season. 

On the way from Koraput to Rayagada

I woke up in the wee hours of the morning and bid adieu to Desia Eco Camp. It was really a fine experience staying here and I will surely cherish the memories. Koraput train station was about 55 km from Desia and takes 1hr 30min to drive. Today the weather was still gloomy but the rain has ceased for the time being. I boarded my train 18006/Koraput (Samleshwari express) from Koraput station at 6:45am. 

Soon as the train starts, you can feel that sudden change in the ambience around. The cool monsoon breeze will definitely alert you that the time has come to visualize the beauty of Koraput valley. I heard a lot about the scenic beauty of this route and experienced a slice of that the previous year, but I was getting spellbound more and more as the train chugged on. The route crisscrosses through the ghats, valleys, abundant green hills, paddy fields, many tunnels, picturesque villages and quite a number of bridges. All you will be doing is gazing out of the window in a dreamscape mode or clicking pictures. 

I always loved train journeys anywhere, as it teaches a lot about the region from both inside and outside. It was a fine way to end my exciting monsoon trip. Will surely plan for Koraput again. 

➖➖⛈️➖➖

Where to stay: 🏨

➖ Koraput (links open in a new window)

Hotel Raj Residency

Hotel Alishan

➖ Jeypore (links open in a new window)

Hotel Mount Valley

Hotel Hello Jeypore

➖ Paduwa Lake (links open in a new window)

Diamond Lake View Resort

➖ Lamtaput for Onukudelli (links open in a new window)

Desia Koraput

Other Information: ❓

➖ I stayed in Koraput town, Padua & Lamtaput. If you don't intend to stay in Paduwa, then you can make Desia, Jeypore / Koraput town as a base to tour around the region. 

➖ The weather during the monsoon season in this region is very unpredictable. Enquire before setting off. 

➖ You can come down to Koraput / Lamtaput from Vizag city in a car or by train. 

➖ There are some other places around Koraput which I didn't visit such as Tribal museum, Jeypore palace, some ancient temples near Nandapur and Rathbali waterfalls. 

➖ To visit the Hydroelectric Power plant near Duduma waterfall you need to get a pass from Machkund Police station. 

➖ You need to have a good driver who is not in a hurry to complete the journey. Someone who is patient enough to complement a travellers instinct; is the need of the hour.  

➖ The list of tribal markets in this region which takes place on a particular day in a week.

Puttasingh Weekly Market on Monday

Kotagarh Weekly Tribal Market on Tuesday

Chatikona weekly Tribal Market on Wednesday

Onukudelli weekly Tribal market on Thursday

Kunduli Weekly Tribal Market on Friday

Baligaon Weekly Market on Saturday

Dear reader's, hope you have liked reading this interesting write-up. Kindly comment on your views regarding the blog.