In the third week of November ‘08, I visited Gopalpur Sea Beach in Orissa.  It was a wonderful trip down the memory lane.

Jawed at Gopalpur Sea Beach

 It was an unplanned visit. I had gone to Berhampur to visit my School(St. Vincents). But unfortunately the work for which I had gone could not be completed as it was a holiday there. So we were free by 11 in the morning.  We did not feel like returning back to Cuttack (it was a 5 hour journey) immediately. So Mixy suggested we go to Gopalpur.  I thanked her later on for this suggestion..

The Gopalpur that we went to in the early eighties was much different from the one to which we went now. The approach roads, the shops and the hotels sourrounding the beach have all changed drastically. Earlier there were a few hotels and lodges in that region. The road leading to teh beach had houses on both sides and we used to see children playing and ladies washing their utensils there. Now it was lined with shops selling everything from handicrafts of Puri and Sambalpur to rechargeable cells. But the beach by itself is still the same. Isolated and peaceful.  No doubt there has been some development, there are more street lights and a few fountains here at there…but overall it still retains the old world charm which made it such a big favourite of teh British in the days of teh Raj. Even in the evenings, there were so few people.  One can go for a long walk on the beach…walk for maybe 1.5 kms or more and see less than 10 persons all together. 

This is in sharp contrast to the zoo which Puri sea beach has become.  If you are one of those fortunate persons who has visited both the places you will understand and appreciate what Gopalpur Sea Beach is.

If you are planning to visit India anytime in the future, please make sure you include this place in your itinerary. You will not regret it.