Seven-day journey into Odisha’s wild heart begins

The Times Passion Odisha Wildlife and Bird Photography Trail — which will see 25 participants from across the country set out on a week-long journey through the state’s rich forests and biodiversity — was flagged off by additional chief secretary (forest and environment) Suresh Chandra Mohapatra in Bhubaneswar on Monday.
The trail — which promises to be an exciting one for the participants — began with a stop at Mangalajodi, a wetland in Chilika, on Monday morning.

“There are very few sites in the country that can rival those in Odisha’s forests. Be it the Debrigarh wildlife sanctuary or the Satkosia gorge, nature tourism in these places is regulated so as not to disturb biodiversity and wildlife. Nature presents her very best self to the visitors in Odisha,” said Mohapatra, congratulating the participants for getting the chance of embarking on the journey of a lifetime.

The week-long trail, organized by the Times Group in association with Odisha Tourism and the state forest and environment department, will be guided by photographer Rathika Ramaswamy. “The Times Passion Odisha Wildlife and Bird Photography Trail will help all of us understand wildlife photography better. I am saying this because on the very first day of bird photography at Mangalajodi, I was able to get close to the birds from a boat and they didn’t even fly away. The place was abuzz with migratory birds,” she said.

Rathika added that Mangalajodi was a paradise for bird lovers. “I dream of capturing, through my lens, the Indian skimmer in the Satkosia gorge. It is part of our itinerary,” she further said.

Besides Satkosia, the trail will cover Nalabana bird sanctuary, from where the participants will travel in a boat to Satapada to try and catch a glimpse of the famed Irrawaddy dolphin.

Kendrapada district’s Bhitarkanika National Park — the second-largest mangrove ecosystem in the country after the Sundarbans — is another destination on the trail. Besides, Debrigarh wildlife sanctuary, located in western Odisha’s Bargarh district, will also feature on it. It is among the top tourism draws of the state; with a prey density of 14 wild boars, six sambars and 10 bisons per square kilometre, it offers a great chance of animal sighting.

Tourism secretary Vishal Dev addressed the participants and said, “We are a treasure trove of tourist destinations and we want each of you to be the brand ambassador of Odisha.” The official gave the participants a detailed insight into Odisha’s journey towards progress over the past two decades.

Ajay Juneja, a participant from Delhi, said the state’s wildlife was amazing and experiencing it with a photographer like Rathika was too good a chance to miss.

“Earlier, too, I have been part of the Times Passion Trail,” he said.