Bhitarkanika Wildlife Sanctuary is located in the state of Orissa, the second largest mangrove forest in India, which has crocodiles and turtles as its prized attractions. Bhitarkanika is enchanting because of its splendid, emerald mangroves. Located at 130 kilometers from Bhubaneswar, Bhitarkanika is a heritage sanctuary one must visit and pay homage to for the nature has no alternative for our survival. It is different from the largest mangrove forest at Sunderbans, as Bhitarkanika does not have a single tiger. Rather it is the harmless herds of deer that provide sheer joy.

Miles of lush green paddy fields dotting the small hamlets along the palm-fringed road led us to Bhitarkanika. From Bhubaneswar a good metalled road leads to Rajnagar, the entry point by the forest department. From here, the road to Gupti on the bank of the river is slightly rough and windy and takes about 45 minutes to cover. These vast stretches of paddy fields were raised on the area where once thick forests of mangroves existed. (In the name of development these forests were felled and Orissa has exposed itself to bouts of tides and cyclones and can’t protect itself anymore. A tall two-storied rest house at a distance reminded us of the horrors of the super cyclone that battered lakhs of lives here.)

Gupti, 25 kms from Dangamala is a fishing village, with modest accommodation by the forest department. Boats were lined up to ferry the visitors to the core areas like Dangamala, Ekakulanasi and Kalibhanjadia. We had our meal at Gupti and then boarded a smaller boat to go to Dangamala where we were to halt overnight. The boat ride in the vast river was very rewarding as the mangroves looked like paintings. There were birds on the shores too. Several bends and turns made us pry the herds of spotted deer, which had come to the shore to quench their thirst and graze at the tender grass. There were large birds like pelicans and storks standing quietly like monks eyeing for the fish in the water. By afternoon the orange-hued sun turned milder and the golden tinge added a lovely aura to the otherwise deep green cover of the mangroves. The boatman would often motion us to be quiet and would head for the shore for a closer glimpse of the deer. They were standing behind the bushes and were staring at us like villagers prying on the strangers! It took us two hours to reach Dangamala. Since it was already the time for high tide the seawater level had reached a height of six feet with the inflow of the sea and we could easily climb up to the shore on the wooden jetty. This is really interesting- the high and low tide! The criss cross of the rivers and sea is the unique feature as the water level that rises brings in saline water and the area remains submerged for at least six hours at a stretch before dispersing. That is why only the mangrove species can survive in such climate.

As soon as we reached the shore we were warned by a huge billboard to be wary of the dreaded animal of the Park- the huge alligators called Baula crocodiles. They are carnivorous and frequently crawl up the shore and lurk in dark corners. They are the world’s largest of their species and can grow more than seven meters in length. They also live up to 75 years. But it was getting dark. We walked on listening to the uninterrupted calls of the Dahuka bird- the white-breasted water hen- and also of the nightjars.

Though it was densely dark in the evening it was full of nightlife. There were cheetals or the spotted deer in large numbers almost walking beside us behind the mangrove forests flanking the half a mile path till the Forest Rest House at the Dangamala. We could see them foraging very close unafraid of human existence. We watched them also with great ecstasy. The watchman would circle searchlights on the herds occasionally and their doe eyes glowed from the dark revealing their healthy hides. They behaved almost like pet ones and there was a stag that was the staff’s favorite and they had named him too and would call it loudly after we had finished eating our dinner and the stag came to eat the leftovers!

After a simple breakfast we set out for the Bhitarkanika Island across a river named Bhitarkanika. It was the time of low tide. Bhitarkanika is enchanting in the early morning, when the mist hangs like a pall over the river. The forests seem to lean onto the placid blue waters. On the muddy beach, there were several tiny crabs and mudskippers, and the most interesting were the roots of the saline water washed mangroves. A trek through the island leads to a ruin of a watchtower and a lotus pond. There is also a Shiva temple. It was worth the tiresome three and a half kilometer trek. The forest was once the private hunting place of the king of Kanika. Since it was an island he had introduced wild boars and deer to hunt them at leisure!

There were many old trees and many were in flower too. Some villagers had come to collect honey and gather firewood and also fish in the waters. There were several waterholes with thin layers of green moss on them hiding crocodiles beneath. But the gift of the forest was the golden boughs of fragrant Ketaki flowers whose heady sweet smell wafted till a long distance. We also noticed orchids on the massive old tree branches.

We came back to the shore when the water level was rising again and looked for the crocodiles, which ruled the Bhitarkanika Park. There were many of them swimming in the water and also basking full length on the muddy shore. They appeared so fearsome when they yawned with their large toothy mouths! These animals attack the villagers too and often eat the deer. The rare and world famous Olive Ridley sea turtles are the most difficult to see on these parts however. To catch a glimpse of them one has to sail in the water to Ekakulanasi or Gahirmatha from Dangamala, which takes almost three to four hours to reach.

Bhitarkanika means core of Kanika (The Kingdom). It was declared a wildlife sanctuary in 1975 with an area of 650 sq kilometers. The forest is dominated by 62 varieties of trees out of the total of 67 mangrove species found in the entire would. Hental, Sundari, Guan, Siris, Rai, Giria are the ones which dominate here. These yield good timber and tannins.