Bhubaneswar, Oct. 30: A nice collage of beautiful golden sands and sun-kissed waters during dawn and dusk paints a picture of lifetime for any traveller visiting Ramachandi. Though the place is mainly frequented by day-time visitors, Ramachandi’s scenic beauty and its tryst with the rising and setting sun creates an altogether new feeling for any first-time traveller.

The facilities such as boat rides and water sports activity have enhanced the crow-pulling capabilities of the serene beach-based tourist spot, but a historic Ramachandi on the right side of the Puri-Konark Marine Drive makes it an important pilgrim point. Though from historic and architectural point of view the temple is not well-known, but from the religious angle Goddess Ramachandi is considered to be one of the famous Sakta peethas (tantric altar) of Puri district.

Local traditions say that in the 16th Century AD Goddess Ramachandi was being worshipped in a small shrine on the premises of the Sun Temple in Konark. However, it was destroyed by the invaders led by the Hindu-turned-Muslim from eastern India, Kalapahada. After the original structure was destroyed, the Goddess was shifted to the present site near the sea beach. However, the technical features of the temple show that it would be 300-year-old, but the collected damaged structures also prove that it might had been recovered from a massive temple which was constructed much earlier. The temple is one of the most sought after structures of Arkakshetra.

But for a traveller who does not relate to the temple architecture or the historic importance of the findings by experts, the overall scenic beauty of the place is overwhelming. Being on the side of the Puri-Konark Marine Drive and bordering the Balukhand –Konark Sanctuary under the Puri Wildlife Division, the site has a tremendous potential to grow.

Already the authorities of the Puri Wildlife Division have prepared an action plan for eco-tourism development for the places like Baliharachandi, Jahaniapira, Ramachandi and Nuanai as all of them are falling under the Balukhand –Konark Sanctuary and a visitor can visit them in a single day while on a visit either to Puri or Konark.

Plan for Ramachandi

Located within Konark Wildlife Range along river Kushabhadra where it enters the Bay of Bengal, the place is a potential riverine and marine eco-tourism site. Being along the marine drive, not only pilgrims but also day-time visitors come to the site in large numbers to explore the coastline, serene beach and scenic beauty.

Being present on the periphery of the wildlife sanctuary, the site could be developed as an ideal site for day-visitors as it is located only 7km away from Konark and 32km from Puri so that the tourists can come, have a sight seeing, boat ride, water sports and go back. There is a scarcity of drinking water, parking area and garbage disposal and steps will be taken into consideration very soon. There will also be a provision to provide infrastructure for short accommodation and logistic support for the travellers by the local eco-development committees (EDC). While the EDCs will be given assistance for capacity building the money generated from the visitors will also be utilised by the EDCs for the development of the sites.

A visitor to Ramachandi, Jasaswini Mohapatra, feels that when one is visiting either Puri and Konark, there is chance to visit Ramachandi as it is very near and both the early morning and evening hours are beautiful occasions to be there as the beaches are less crowded.

Another visitor Mitu Panda says: 'Even for a resident of Puri town a visit to Ramachandi via the Puri-Konark Marine Drive is a memorable thing. As the weather conditions change on day-to-day basis, every drive along the marine drive provides a special experience.

Earlier there was no such footfall at the site but now many people are coming to Ramachandi on their cars to enjoy the evening time. The boat rides and other water sports activities also encourage the travellers to come again and again.’’

At present the flagship creatures of the nearby Balukhanda-Konark Sanctuary include olive ridleys and black bucks though one visitor can encounter other animals like various birds, butterflies and spiders.

Olive Ridley

Sea turtle are migratory species and some even migrate thousands of kilometres from feeding ground to mating ground and nesting sites. Out of eight species of living marine turtles found in the world, five species visit Indian coastal waters.

However, four species are seen are seen in Orissa coastal waters. They are leather back, green, hawksbill and olive ridley. Among these the olive ridley is mostly known for their mass nesting behaviour.

Devi mouth area is one of the three mass nesting sites recorded in Orissa. It has global significance as the these beaches along the state’s coast are the largest rookeries for the olive ridleys.

Mangroves

The Devi mouth area has the second largest population of mangroves in Orissa, extending over an area of about 165 hectare, next to the Bhitarkanika mangroves. The maximum height of trees is 5.5 metres where ‘Bani’ (Avicenea officinalis) is the dominant species followed by ‘Guan’ (Excoecaria agallocha) and ‘Keruan’ (Sonneratia apetala). The mangrove vegetation is a fragile ecosystem which is highly productive that supports many aquatic fauna and avian species in that area. Besides Ramachandi there are many popular sites along the marine drive. Here is a list of the following:

Bali Harachandi

Famous for local deity of Harachandi, visitors flock the area round the year. During Raja sankranti festival more than 25,000 throng the area in a single day while the peak period is November 15 to February 15. In the tourist season about 100 buses and 150 light motor vehicles come to the site.

It is situated at a distance of 20km from Puri and 80km from Bhubaneswar. It is also a popular picnic spot in the region and the river Chhamu flows in the vicinity.

Jahaniapira

Situated in Astaranga Wildlife Range, the site is popular both for the Hindus and Muslims as a religious site. It has an average visitors of about 5,000 from November to February. The sea beach which observes the annual sporadic nesting of Olive Ridley sea turtle and where Forest Department has on-shore hatchery for the hatching of the sea turtle, is a potential eco-tourism site.

Nuanai

Nuanai, in Balukhand Wildlife Range is the erstwhile sea turtle research center. Nuanai is a potential eco-tourism area where riverine tourism can be promoted. The local VSS can be utilised for sensible tourism as it is within the sanctuary limits.