Seven miles of gorgeous Mahanadi

It is a pleasant winter morning as we drive down to Odisha’s Satkosia Gorge, located in the small hamlet of Tikarpara on the left bank of the Mahanadi river in Angul district. Away from the bustle of city life, we are at once mesmerised by the charmingly rustic environs. We journey on good roads for about an hour before trundling a few kilometres on mud roads to reach the gorge and the Gharial Research and Conservation Unit in the vicinity.

The tedium of bouncing from side to side on the mud road is happily overlooked as we are bowled over by the sylvan beauty of Satkosia, so named for the seven-mile, or sat-kosh , stretch of the Mahanadi here. The serpentine pathway is picturesquely flanked by huts of bamboo and thatch. We behold the magnificently rising bluish-green mountains ahead of us as we arrive on the brink of the gorge.

The Satkosia Ganda, as the locals call it, is 14 miles long. The river holds us spellbound as it tumbles, crashes and roars through the thickly forested Eastern Ghats. Here, in these soulful surroundings, you find nature at her gorgeous best.

We soon arrive at the Gharial Research and Conservation Unit and spot a few caged gharials enjoying a mid-morning siesta. Unperturbed by the visitors, they appear unwilling to open their eyes even as we click away on our cameras through the closely netted mesh.

Close to the gharial unit is a small hillock with an ancient Shiva temple atop it. We climb the steps leading to the temple. Inside there is the smell of incense, a lit lamp and offerings of fresh flowers.

Next on our agenda is the Satkosia Gorge Sanctuary, which stretches across the four districts of Angul, Boudh, Cuttack and Nayagarh. The sanctuary is divided into the Angul Forest Division and the Mahanadi Wildlife Division. We do not spot any wildlife on the Angul side, although the sanctuary boasts leopard, tiger, sambar, gaur, sloth bear, nilgai, chousingha, a variety of deer, crocodiles and snakes, besides migratory birds. All we get to see are a few sprinting chitals, crocodiles and gharials.

Ours is a short, half-day visit; for those staying longer, there are a host of leisure activities on offer, including boating, white water rafting, angling, trekking and game sighting.

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