TRAVELS IN ORISSA
Orissa is a remarkable land.
Though one of the poorest states in India, it is embarrassingly rich with history and natural resources.
The land where there are more temples than you would care to count on your fingertips.
But it was Chilika lake that attracted me to the land of the rising sun.
I was astounded by the vibrancy of aquatic and avian life in this lagoon
And was equally impressed by the initiatives taken by the local community
To sustain the rich biodiversity of the region.
Lurching along the dirt road, I gazed out the window at rural Orissa in northeastern India
As the car bounced over potholes, sending plumes of red dust billowing behind it.
The shacks that lined the river, their plastic or tar paper roofs held down with rocks, the tiny sidewalk vendors, the mangy dogs and cows nosing at piles of trash, the rickshaw drivers pedaling through traffic alongside schoolgirls with their braided hair and backpacks….
It was a mélange of images...
Here are some visual vignettes from that land...
Though one of the poorest states in India, it is embarrassingly rich with history and natural resources.
The land where there are more temples than you would care to count on your fingertips.
But it was Chilika lake that attracted me to the land of the rising sun.
I was astounded by the vibrancy of aquatic and avian life in this lagoon
And was equally impressed by the initiatives taken by the local community
To sustain the rich biodiversity of the region.
Lurching along the dirt road, I gazed out the window at rural Orissa in northeastern India
As the car bounced over potholes, sending plumes of red dust billowing behind it.
The shacks that lined the river, their plastic or tar paper roofs held down with rocks, the tiny sidewalk vendors, the mangy dogs and cows nosing at piles of trash, the rickshaw drivers pedaling through traffic alongside schoolgirls with their braided hair and backpacks….
It was a mélange of images...
Here are some visual vignettes from that land...