Gopalpur beach to Jiranga picnic spot and Jiranga monastery Odisha
This travel blog will be a detailed trip of Gopalpur beach to Jiranga monastery or jiranga picnic spot. Also I will tell you about the trip to Jiranga, Odisha waterfall which is also known as khasada waterfall.
Situated in the Eastern coast of India, Gopalpur beach has been in news since 1999 due to every year frequent cyclones over Bay of Bengal. Just 3 hours from Gopalpur we can reach Jiranga buddhist temple . This Jiranga monastery or Jiranga picnic spot is the only buddhist settlement in odisha. Despite the frequent devastations ,this sea side village has survived . The success lies on the contribution of the government of Odisha working together with the locals. Gopalpur beach provides an ideal getaway to some magnificent offbeat destinations in this state.
The second largest coastal lagoon in the world,Lake Chilika is situated at an hour and half drive from this village. The famous Tara Tarini temple on the top of a mountain in Easter Ghats is also situated within an hour drive. The only Buddhist settlement, Jiranga monastery and Jiranga picnic spot in odisha is 5 hour drive from Bhubaneshwar. The hot sulphur water spring Taptapani is also situated within 100 kms drive from this sea beach .
Where to stay in Gopalpur beach
Tourists travelling to Odisha mostly travel to Puri . Few come to this wonderful less chaotic beach. It provides an ideal coastal experience coupled with numerous choices of local sea food. There are very few hotels in Gopalpur beach. For me the best economic hotel along with the best location is the OTDC Panthanivas. this is the best accommodation in the trip to Gopalpur beach and Jiranga monastery or Jiranga picnic spot..
The rooms can be booked through the online site of Odisha tourism Panthanivas. Well we stayed in a hotel named Sea Pearl. It is situated on the sea beach ,providing incomparable views of the sea. The morning sunrise is a delight to watch from the balcony of the hotel .
The reflection of colourful hues of the morning sun on the sea offers a visual treat to the eyes and I was fortunate enough to be able to capture it in my camera and that made my trip to Gopalpur beach even more worth. This is why this hotel is a real gem in terms of location ,but rooms are not clean.
As options for accommodation are less so perhaps that is why the tourists visiting this sea beach are much less than other parts of Odisha. Still I think every traveller must make this village their base to visit the numerous places nearby to it. Plan your routes to visit the nearby getaways while having a relax beach vacation in this lighthouse beach in the Eastern coast of India.
As I mentioned earlier the east coast of India suffers from devastating cyclones every year which heavily affects the states of Odisha and Seemandhra . May be because of the wild nature of the Bay of Bengal the east coast of India is still much unexplored than the West coast. But now due to the growing awareness among the tourists of India people are starting to explore the varied geography of the Eastern coast.
Aryapalli beach- an offbeat location in Gopalpur beach.
Trip to Gopalpur beach is never complete without a visit to Aryapalli beach. Odisha has a vast coastline which offers some minblowing sunrise for every photogenic travellers. In this Diwali we decided to explore one such beach in Odisha . Aryapalli beach near Gopalpur beach in Odisha is one of a beach which is devoid of crowd. It offers a perfect sunrise to start a travelspirit day. Apart from Jiranga monastery and Jiranga picnic spot , gopalpur beach must be included into the itinerary of travelling this part of Odisha. This is the best beach in the trip to Gopalpur.
After Puri which is famous as a pilgrimage centre for Lord Jagannath, Gopalpur is emerging as a major tourist hub in Odisha. The sea beach of Gopalpur is mainly like a beach for relaxation for the travellers ,where people also get the opportunity to visit many nearby destinations ,Chilka lake being one of them.
Aryapalli beach is situated at a 20 min drive from the Gopalpur beach towards further north. Due to sand mining the terrain of the beach is more downhill . The sea beach looks like a huge mountain of yellow sand forming a wall along the length of the beach. The beach is rocky with a small temples . This adds to the scenic beauty of this place. Apart from few fishermen, the beach is lonely which offers a perfect panoramic view for a sparkling sunrise. This was the perfect introduction of our tour to Jiranga monastery.
Gopalpur to Jiranga Monastery or Jiranga picnic spot road trip
The road trip from Brahmapur to the only Buddhist village of Odisha i.e Jiranga monastery tour ,consists of many other attractive tourist spots that are worth to explore. This part of Odisha is well connected by road from Brahmapur. Brahmapur is a major district headquarter in Odisha. Thousands of tourist take this route as weekend trips from Bhubaneshwar not only for its religious and cultural significance but also due to the exquisite scenery and landscape that surrounds this area.
As the road proceeded from Gopalpur to Jiranga picnic spot it lead us to some important tourist spots worth to mention. We encountered a deer Park at first and then we visited Taptapani,a natural hot spring, now worshipped as a religious Hindu people. In the last arrives the scenic Buddhist village of Jiranga picnic spot that provides sparkling images of the monasteries with the mountains in the background. One can also take a off road drive to a waterfall nearby the village. The road trip has some mesmerising tourist spots to count for . So I strongly believe this part of Odisha as one of the richest geography to explore………
While travelling to Jiranga monastery tour we first encountered a hot natural sulphur water known as Taptapani which is believed to have great medicinal properties.Local people here worship this place as a religious significance of God’s wonder due to the natural hot water spring which adds a divine quality to this tourist place.
People travelling to Taptapani take bath in a nearby pond which is being fed by the natural hot sulphur water owing to it’s great medicinal property. Odisha government has built it’s own guest house known as Panthanivas Taptapani . This guest house offers a unique experience to stay amidst the dense flora and fauna of the Eastern Ghats.
Khasada waterfall near Jiranga Monastery
Travelling further towards Jiranga there is a diversion of 3kms which takes us to a waterfall known as Khasada waterfall. The place is famous among the locals as picnic spot where several people gather in winters. The waterfall is more like a rapid stream. It enables the tourists to take a bath in the natural refreshing water of the river.
Trip to Taptapani:-
Taptapani was an essential part of my trip to Gopalpur beach because I knew that I had to visit this holy hot water spring. While road trips has preplanned with a predefined route in mind. But trust me any road trip in exploring Odisha can lead us to some natural wonders. In this case we knew about Taptapani but we never knew about a splendid waterfall nearby Jiranga picnic spot. Perhaps that is why if we give sufficient time in a road trip ,the route will surely fetch us wonders.
Odisha is a land of wonders and only the person who has explored the state knows that better. The landscape along the road to Jiranga Buddhist temple or jiranga monastery fetched me some beautiful Instagram photos. The multiple colours of natural Odisha provided some magnificent moments in the road trip. The Eastern Ghats and smooth highways always accompanied us.
The fertile lands was rich in sweet corn cultivation that added another specific geography in the list of varied landscapes of Odisha. This time the forests were not so dense . But the greenery is always worth to mention that makes this route soothing to the eyes of a traveller.
Jiranga monastery
The white pagodas and the colourful prayer flags have delicately set up in an elevated land on the mountains in Jiranga picnic spot. For which the tall pagodas and the fluttering flags can be seen from a distance. As one approaches the town surrounded by hills. Just as we enter near Jiranga buddhist temple or jiranga monastery ,the vast open valley welcomes us with these beautiful white structures that fits in for a perfect photogenic spot.
Jiranga and Chandragiri together constitute a major and the only Buddhist settlement in Odisha. While Chandragiri consists the main monastery where several monks reside peacefully in their Buddhist culture. Jiranga buddhist temple has a huge park where one can see several pagodas and prayer flags decorating the landscape amidst the Eastern Ghats.
It is only a 100 km from the main town of Brahmapur in southern Odisha . It has well connected by smooth roads with the rest of the state of Odisha. The place is more like a rural village with a beautiful picturesque setting . But due to it’s close proximity with the main district headquarter of Brahmapur ,several buses ply to and from the Buddhist village of Odisha.
In the main Jiranga Buddhist temple on the Chandragiri hill,the officials looking after the place do not allow any capture of photos or video clips inside the monastery. But this vast organised park before Jiranga monastery or jiranga picnic spot provide us a plenty of opportunity to capture photos of the beautiful structures belonging to ancient Buddhist architectural style. People living here are usually Buddhist people who have settled down here from many years. Their chief source of income is farming. Odisha has again proved to be a treasure of culture and versatile geography. That is why it ihas called the soul of Incredible India.
Tampara lake- conclusion of Trip to Gopalpur beach and Jiranga monastery Tour.
Next day while returning back to Bhubaneshwar we visted a freshwater lake lying near Chatrapur, known as Tampara Lake. There are motor jets and paddle boats available for the tourists as water sports activities. The place has well maintained by the government that offers a serene and peaceful experience away from the outskirts of the city.
The garden built just at the entrance of the lake provide cozy benches. One can take a stroll along the avenues of the numerous trees planted in the area. A visit to this lake on our return journey was a perfect conclusion to our trip. This ends another chapter of my subtle experiences in road trips across Odisha. I hope that you liked this blog on trip to Gopalpur and jiranga buddhist temple .
Frequently asked Questions(FAQ):-
Which is the only buddhist monastery in odisha?
In Jiranga we will find the only buddhist village and monastery in Chandragiri mountain in odisha
What is the name of the waterfall in Jiranga?
Khasada is the name of the waterfall near Jiranga which is 3 kms only from Jiranga.
Distance between Gopalpur and jiranga?
Jiranga is situated only 65 km from Gopalpur.
Distance of Gopalpur beach from Berhampur?
Gopalpur is only 15 kms from berhampur town.
Distance between Gopalpur to Puri?
Puri is situated 176 km from Gopalpur.
Which is the best place to stay in Gopalpur?
Mayfair hotel is the best place to stay in Gopalpur.
