Trekking is a fairly popular means of getting away from the daily mayhem of our modern lifestyle. Treks along the mountainous routes are common, but not many people can boast of a trek on the coastal route. But we, a group of 20 students from The BSS School can reasonably claim that we did it. A coastal trek from Chandipur to Talsari, close to 50 kms of walking along the coast of the Bay of Bengal, was no easy task. But with a little bit of hard work and a pinch of motivation from Soma Ma’am and our instructors, we did it.
We embarked on the journey on the 27th of December, 2018. With our hearts racing and a spring in our steps, we reached Balasore by train and put up at OTDC Panthanivas at Chandipur, Odisha. On the 28th morning, we started off for our coastal trek. With the sun smiling down on us and the sea keeping us company, we walked along the beach along with the playful wind. Away from the hustle and bustle of the city life, it was a whole new experience altogether. Never had we experienced such unadulterated peace. But we were harshly brought back into reality. As the sea was our constant companion, well, so was garbage. Plastic bags and food packets were strewn all across the beach. And as we proceeded away from civilisation, there was a perceptible lessening in the amount of waste. It pained us to see that the heedless behaviour of mankind has rendered the earth to this deplorable state. We read about pollution and its effects on marine life in our textbooks, but to see it in person was indeed stirring. So, we as a team took the unanimous decision to make a deliberate attempt and leave nothing other than our footprints behind.
All throughout our route, we saw an insurmountable number of sea shells, and countless small crabs, skittering away in our wake. We even spotted the occasional big red crabs. We noticed the patterns and intricate designs made by these crabs on the sand for digging holes in the ground which serve as their home. We even saw tessellations made by the water on the sand, which can never be seen in ordinary tourist spots. While crossing the Buribalam River by boat, it was as if we could see history unfurling with the intrepid freedom fighter Baghajatin fighting against the British along the banks of this river itself. After walking a few more kilometres, we crossed yet another river by the name of Buriamari. Stopping inside one of the woods, we witnessed a rare sight. Countless birds of every shape, size and colour imaginable were sitting on a promontory. As one flock of birds was flying away, another flock was taking their place. And it was again added to the list of the things which are not usually seen in the common tourist spots, as these birds refrain from going to crowded areas. We walked along the banks of the Kasafal River, and stayed at the Kasafal cyclone shelter for the night. We covered a total of 18 km that day, and quietly satisfied, we geared up for our feat next day.
On the 29th, we once again start walking, this time taking a village path. It was a different experience to witness village life so closely. We saw the villagers leading their lives in painfully simple way, with their lands right in front of their houses, growing different crops. Besides agriculture, fishing is another major livelihood. The most astonishing bit was how helpful and unbelievably welcoming they were. We did not pass one house where we weren’t asked by the inhabitants to come in and share a humble meal with them. We were truly touched. “Athithidevo bhava”, the true spirit of Indian culture where guests are considered equal to God, can be seen in its purest form in these rural areas, where every stranger is not a threat. We saw ponds and different birds of a vast variety, and the air we breathed was, for a change, not the most polluted one in the country. We reached the sea side. There we crossed the Haskara Khari on foot, which was probably the highlight of the entire journey. It is hard to put to words how it feels to have the cool water caress your bare feet and the sand slowly slipping away from under you. Those untouched rivers have their water as clear as crystal, and one can actually see the river bed. It was truly an incredible experience. At the end, after a whopping 20 km, we finally reached Dogara. That night, we had the much anticipated campfire. Forgetting all our exhaustion, we enjoyed the campfire to the fullest amidst songs and dance routines under a sky with innumerable stars twinkling down upon us.
On the 30th morning, we completed the last few kilometres of our trek. On the way, we saw fishermen making their own fishing nets and also separating the different fishes in their catch. We finally reached the banks of River Subarnarekha. There we noticed that it were not the men but the women who rowed the boats, singing songs while rowing to keep up the spirits. They go to catch fish, which is their food for the day. It is the women there who are the main breadwinners of the families. The women there are the truly empowered ones. We crossed the river by a boat, and arrived at Bhusandeswar. We were officially at the end of our trek.
To say that it had been a wonderful experience would be a gross understatement. What we experienced cannot be expressed in words. One will have to go himself to feel the soft breeze and hear the lulling sea and see the cathedral-arching trees. The feeling is indescribable, and the memories unforgettable. And in addition, this trek was a learning process for each of us. We were taught perseverance, responsibility, assiduity, and the value of teamwork. It was a one of a kind journey. And we, the students of The BSS School have the privilege of proudly saying that we were the first girls’ school in West Bengal to have successfully completed a coastal trek, all with the help of Soma Ma’am and our beloved instructors form ‘Soma’s Camps’.
oh! what a description. almost i fell in that group of yours reading those delightful experiences. may i join in that trek when arranged again?