RajatGhosh Editorial Photographer: Simlipal, Orissa day1

Sunday, March 26, 2023

Simlipal, Orissa day1

This morning saw me and 3 others head out on a rod trip to Simlipal National park located approx 170 km from Jamshedpur in Orissa. There was another couple that joined us later. They had a flat tyre to start there day with thus delaying there start by 30 minutes.

This is a birding trip and as summer approaches migratory birds are possibly headed back, and Summer birds are returning to the warm areas around here,

I have never been to Simlipal so I was excited and I had Three Birding stalwarts for company, Dr (mrs)Vijaya Bharat, Dr Bharat and Mr TK Sridhar. there is so much about birds to know, a life long journey I am told.

Mr. Shridhar actually lives in the same complex as me, so we started out together and Dr Bharat was kind enough to drive all through, (I guess he enjoys driving)

We are on our way by 0700 hours and is a smooth ride till Bahraghora approx 100km from JSR, where we turn right towards Baripada and 10 km onto the road once again there is a agitation by the tribal's( don't ask me there demands, doubt if those agitating knows either) vehicles had lined up for a couple of km already. Finding a low point on the divider, we jumped the divider and drove up to where the agitation blockade was, mercy be, we managed to talk our way past the agitators.

We sped on to Hotel Anita where we hoped to catch breakfast; this place has good restrooms for ladies and the only place I know around here with good restroom facility. Unfortunetly we learnt on this day that Hotel Anita does not serve Breakfast, they open at 1200 noon and open till 2359 midnight, we were quiet hungry by now the clock showed 0930

Time to open our emergency ration that Dr Vijaya Bharat was carrying and we ate some scacks before we drove on in direction of Simlipal, trusting there would be a dhaba near the Toll Plaza, after all these Toll guys have to eat it would also give the 2^nd car time to catch up with us.

Ten km later we came across a dhaba at the Toll Plaza and we all scanned our phone one last time as we waited for breakfast. word was we would lose connectivity soon as we entered Simlipal National Forest.

Food was Paratha and dal( when hunger pangs are storng all tastes great ) and here the cooking was superb, we stuffed ourselves well,( I felt like I might need to skip lunch)

We had to stop and enter our details at the forest gate register before we drove on approx. 7 km to the border of Core area where our Forest Guest house was

We checked into Lulung Aranya Nivas, one of 2 Luxury guest house inside the Simlipal national forest, rates are approx. Rs 7000/room and food is 1000/ head for buffet lunch and dinner, and oh ya Ala cart is available too.

The riverside rooms seen above are closer to the dining area.

The Meadow rooms shown below are further away, but larger and avalaible here are golf cart or a 5 minute walk to the room, I preferred these rooms as they had less hustle bustle around and more chances of seeing birds (I was proved correct) on this count,’’

Lunch done we walked around the property

As I sat outside my room, I was lucky to get some amazing birds come pose for me.

Black headed Oriole

Pigmy woodpecker

Leaf Bird

Red vented Bulbul

( see before this trip I would have named this picture Bulbul, now with my birding friends guiding me , I have gotten more detailed with species )

Relaxing for a while we decided to drive around the forest some, in the buffer zone we were allowed to take our own car and we headed out, Sitakund was a point of interest as it had a waterfall and we presumed there might be some birding activity there.