Imagine hot coals under the road and the shimmering mirages all around....trees bent under the scorching glare of the hot summer sun and the desert like winds kissing your face and threatning to set fire to it ......bit of an overstatement , but this is what summers in Burla is like.
No kidding folks .....the afternoon climate takes a leaf out of the Patagonian desert's book. Thats why i have been recently watching the Man vs. Wild videos of Bear Grylls , so that i have first hand knowledge of where to find water when others are dying of thirst.....
But the best place to be on a summer afternoons would be the banks of the Mahanadi , which i have been visiting frequently.Very few people are privy to the location of this amazing bathing spot ....of course , only the few adventurous guys , who think on the lines of Amundsen , Hillary , Thor Heyerdhal like yours truly ever take the opportunity to explore the untamed wilderness beyond the sheltered life of the hostels ......Too melodramatic you would think ...but the ineffable appeal of the outdoors always gets to me ....for a guy who grew up reading Famous five adventures , Robert Ludlums novels based in god -forsaken terrains and watching Nat Geo shows ,going on a trekking trip to the banks of the river endears to me
And most of my friends mistake my frequent visits as madness......my batchmates portray me as some sort of heartbroken lover who found solace near the river.....madness it is , but of a different sort .
To feel the power of the strong river current, being scratched by the mighty rocks gracing the river bed , flirting with danger and playing peek-a-boo with the fishes is a transcedental experience.
Far from the madding crowd , the river bank is a place where you really let your hair down, there are no pretensions , no veneer of false impressions , and no ego....i have gone there with friends and once in the water there is no ill will, forgotten are the past quarrels and fights ....what remains is the human spirit so vulnerable and stripped off all its pomp and grandeur. The cool pristine waters of the Mahanadi are a delight on hot midafternoon , and the nearby berry trees are the prfect carry along snack for the long walk back.
On the walk towards the river , it's a great soul enriching experience if you stop for a while and take in the scenery . Rolling hills in the backdrop , tall swaying grasses , the faint whiff of the berries in the air, and the shrill call of the distant magpie is what would appear on first glance , but stand for a few more minutes and the sounds and sights disapper, all that remains is the roar of the river and the oneness you feel with it. Peace amidst the chaos and tumult near the waters edge.In the summer , the waters edge produces a distinct bend near the rocks as it meanders along ...after summer the monsoons add to the rivers fury and gone is that bend.You only get to see it during summer and that , take my word for it is the best bathing place as it has the most water in that area.
Philosophical shit , you may think , but what made me realise the fact that in times of crisis it is that deep reserve of conviction and courage that pulls you through tough times. In the harsh climate of Burla , the great Mahanadi doesnt dry up and present a sorry sight, affirment of the fact that we can not only endure , but prevail.
So folks , do visit the place and go skinny dipping there ....the virgin tracts of unexplored grasslands and the pristine waters of Mahanadi awaits you .....and yes next time i go for a dip and don't come back from the river, call search and rescue and take whatever is in my wallet and pay back my mess dues.........:)
