Remembering Bhagat Singh, Rajguru and Sukhdev on their martyrdom day

State Govt shows utter callousness for PMEC, Berhampur

Source: The Sambad

Berhampur Thakurani Yatra to be held in April

Source: The Sambad

Go Gopalpur: Tranquility-on-sea by Jaideep Deo Bhanj (The Hindu

Looking for the perfect weekend getaway? Jaideep Deo Bhanj visits Gopalpur-on-Sea to find that it’s not just a sleepy fishing town

Gopalpur-on-Sea is the kind of a place you would rather not tell people about. Once the word spreads, after all, the sound of the ocean may be drowned by noisy tourists. The endless expanse of soft, golden sand, calm waters and a beach without litter is paradise for those used to the din, garbage and stench of the beaches in Vizag.

While taking a walk on the beach at sunrise you find that the only company you have are the fishermen bringing home the catch of the day. Strike a conversation and he will sell you the freshest ingredients for your lunch or may even offer to take you for a ride in his boat. Bob around in the blue waters all day, chase crabs, build a sandcastle or just enjoy the calm. Gopalpur-on-Sea is the perfect weekend getaway from the city.

Gopalpur was a bustling port when the East India Company was trading with Burma. It has since become a sleepy fishing village.

The promenade has a line of tiny hotels catering to the budget traveller. The biggest attraction apart from the beach is the quaint lighthouse on one end of the beach. It was set up in 1871 and has an Enid Blyton feel to it. At night the light shines every five seconds, which gives the place a unique glow.

Heritage

The town became famous as a tourist destination when a young Italian, Signor Maglioni from Sicily, established the Palm Beach in 1914. In Gopalpur’s glory days between the two World Wars, rich Bengali families, British traders and soldiers frequented Maglioni’s hotel. In 1947, Rai bahadur M.S Oberoi, on a chance visit to what had again become a fishing village, bought the hotel. He renamed it ‘Oberoi Palm Beach’ and opened its doors to the who’s who of the country. By 2002 the Oberoi group shut down the hotel as it had become quite dilapidated.

Today the Mayfair group owns this historic property. It was renovated and reopened in December as The Mayfair Palm Beach Resort. The hotel has managed to preserve the heritage of Gopalpur-on-Sea and may revive the town’s reputation as a luxury destination.

Beach festival

Every year between December 24 and 28 a beach festival is organized. The weather is perfect at the time and as the festival coincides with the holiday season it attracts a number of tourists from West Bengal. Every Sunday there is also a cultural programme organized on the beach.

Gopalpur is an hour’s drive from Chilka Lake, which is visited by thousands of migratory birds every year. An early boat ride in the lake in the winter is a nature lover’s dream come true. You can spot Irrawady dolphins swimming along with your boat if you are lucky. Taptapani, a hot water spring famous for its medicinal qualities is another attraction that is a hot favourite with the locals. The Rushikulya Rookery located 45 minutes away is known for the endangered Oliver Ridley turtles that come here to lay eggs every year. Visitors can even take a boat ride and see the turtles mating in the water. Trips to see the migratory birds and turtles need to be planned well as you can see them only in season. But the birds and the turtles all do come back every year. They can’t be wrong, can they?

Places to stay

The 99-year-old resort now known as the Mayfair Palm Beach Resort, with its suites and plunge pools, is what put Gopalpur on the map. The Swosti Palm resort is a mid-range hotel popular for its sea food. There is also the OTDC Panhanivas to suit every budget.

Getting there

It is advisable for people from Vizag to drive down in a taxi or their private cars as the NH 5 is an excellent road. Also, trips to Chilka and other surrounding areas are easier with your own vehicle. Take the NH 5 towards Berhampur. Look out for a turn to your right after crossing Ichhapuram. It is 10.5 km from the highway. If you are attentive, you won’t miss the turning. Berhampur is the nearest railway station 16 km away.

Season

October-April is the best time to visit as the summers are hot and sultry. December-January is the best time for spotting migratory birds.

Source: The Hindu

Gopalpur beach festival comes to a colourful end

Source: The Telegraph

The Gopalpur Beach Festival — 2012 concluded yesterday amid much funfair. The five-day festival, which showcased the rich cultural heritage of Ganjam district, had the crashing waves of the scenic Gopalpur beach as its backdrop.

Folk dance performances from different parts of the district as well as from outside were special attractions of the festival. While renditions by Shaan, Alka Yagnik and Babul Supriyo were the highlights of the show, Odissi dance by Dona Ganguly, wife of former Indian cricket captain Sourav Ganguly, was another showstopper.

While the Bollywood singers dished out some of their biggest hits, Dona also presented an elaborate Odissi dance drama. There was also a collage of folk dances, including jodi sankha, ranapa dance, animal mask dance and ghanta mrudunga by artistes of Berhampur, Gopalpur and Chhatrapur. A troupe from Mayurbhanj also performed chhau in the festival. A musical show by Odia singer Kumar Bapi and his troupe, a classical and folk dance show from Manipur, recitals of singer Pammi and her group, modern dance by Prince dance group, Kuchipudi by artistes of Andhra Pradesh, albuja and kachi dance of Rajasthan, performances of Abhijeet Majumdar and Geet Sangeet orchestra, Bihu by artistes of Assam, ghumar and calbalia by Rajashthani artistes, comedy show by Pappu Pam Pam and ballet dance by Russian dancers were part of the various cultural shows of the festival.

“The magical voice of Alka Yagnik mesmerised the audience while Shaan and Babul Supriyo were also at their best. I also loved the mask dances and the performance of the conch-blowing (jodi sankha) troupe,” said Ritesh Narania, a tourist from Hyderabad. This year, the beach festival was organised jointly by the Ganjam district culture department, the tourism department and the Gopalpur Notified Area Council. The beach festival was started in 1996 by the Ganjam District Hotel Association to promote tourism and culture in Gopalpur.

Source: The Telegraph

Source: The Sambad

Gopalpur Beach Festival enthralls lakhs of visitors on the penultimate day

Source: The Sambad

Sreeleathers now in City Mall, Berhampur

Gopalpur Beach Festival draws lakhs of visitors and tourists on the second day

Source: The Sambad

Gopalpur Beach festival gets under way

Gopalpur beach festival and Pallishree mela attached to it were inaugurated by Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Monday. Addressing the gathering, Mr. Patnaik declared that Rs. 4 crore was sanctioned for the economic uplift of fishermen of Gopalpur under the Integrated Coastal Management Project. He also said that the government was ready to provide all possible support for development of eco-tourism at Gopalpur and its adjoining areas. He lauded the rich cultural heritage of Ganjam district which produced great poets like Kavi Samrat Upendra Bhanj and Kavisurya Baladev Rath. He also spoke on the threat of sea erosion at Gopalpur beach resort. A detailed scientific study of the nature sea erosion in the area was being prepared and the report would be ready by April next. Steps to check sea erosion would be taken as per the recommendations of the report. The Chief Minister said the loss of livelihood of fishermen living near Rushikulya rookery during the mating, nesting, and hatching period of Olive ridley turtles would be compensated through alternative livelihood measures. The inauguration ceremony of the beach festival was chaired by organising committee chairman and Gopalpur MLA Pradeep Panigrahy. State Minister Surya Narayan Patra Bikram Arukh, Aska MP Nityananda Pradhan, and MLAs of Berhampur, Chatrapur, Sorada, and Polasara were also present.

The beach festival would continue for five days.

Highlight of the inaugural evening was Odissi dance recital by Dona Ganguly, a disciple of great Odissi guru Kelucharan Mohapatra. She also happens to be the wife of former captain of Indian cricket team Sourav Ganguly. ‘Pallishree Mela’, attached to the beach festival, will showcase handicrafts from different parts of Odisha, especially Ganjam district. This mela is being organised by the Orissa Rural Development and Marketing Society (ORMAS). 

Source: The Hindu

Source: The Sambad

Gopalpur Beach Festival set to start with a glittering ceremony today

Source: The Sambad