Fancy going to Rajhans on a vacation? I wouldn't blame you. The inviting sea, the gentle breeze, the privacy of an island, the much-needed solitude... what's not to like, you'd say. Right?
Only this- that if you are planning a trip there and you are strapped for cash, you will realize pretty soon that the expenditures are getting WAY too pear-shaped way too fast for your taste.
Hard-pressed travellers going to Rajhans, beware- Money will flow out of your wallet like rain-water from a gargoyle. There's no supply of electricity there- understandably so- it being an island. They do have a solar-cell set-up which takes care of the electricity and yet, you'll have to rely on natural breeze for the major part of the day.
Having said that, one thing that I would like to mention is that the quality of the all-round sightseeing is phenomenal. Also, with the exception of Kali Jaai Temple, I can hardly recall any other island in Odisha that can be touted as a tourist spot.
Hence, we had decided to cut loose this time and to just soak in the experience. My friends, these are a few snapshots I had taken during my recent and very memorable visit to one of the finest island tourist spots in Odisha.
This was when the Sun was beating down on us mercilessly. Thank God for the thatched roof of the boat that saved us from any direct exposure to the sun rays. However, on the flip side, there was a gentle breeze blowing all over and that made life somewhat bearable.
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On the way to the islands
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We were all eyeing for the famed dolphins, but it was only on our way back that we managed to catch a glimpse of those friendly mammals. I tried to take a snap, but they had disappeared back to the depths of the lake before one could say 'click'!
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| This was the sun beating down on us. |
There's dense vegetation all around this island. I had also heard rumors of wolves and jackals being there but since I hadn't seen any, I wouldn't validate those claims. In any case, all the fishermen said that these animals stay well clear of the guesthouse, so that takes care of it.
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The guest-house in Rajhans. It's comfy and spacious.
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This is the front-side view. Looks to be quite a welcoming sight, doesn't it? Well, if you were carrying a backpack weighing close to a quintal, you would see the thing differently. This guesthouse is atleast a mile's walk from the shore and as if that's not enough already, you have to walk against a steep upward slope with your feet sinking into hot sand every few steps. If you have got something heavy to carry, you will have your lungs on fire by the time you reach here. Check out the solar cells, anyhow.
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| This a more frontal view |
That doesn't take anything away from the beauty of this guesthouse, though. It doesn't have electricity and I don't think it has any air-conditioning as well. But you know what, you don't complain chewing down a cardamom when the entire plate is costing you a thousand bucks, do you? So,there.
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| Dense vegetation all around. |
And this is the rear-view, which incidentally, happens to be my favorite view. It has a long, winding path to the sea, and you have to see the size of the waves yourself to believe me. And if you are one of those who pray for a beach with no one in sight for miles, then you have hit the motherlode here.
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| This is where the lake meets the sea. |
This was on our way back. A lovely snapshot of sun shining down on the ripply waters. This one was an experience of a lifetime: one, which you might not necessarily be interested to relive again but one, which you wouldn't want to let go off just that soon.
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| On our way back from the islands. |