Travel keeps me alive! I find a mystic connection with the mountains, the rivers, the clouds, the sky, and the zephyr. The connection is addictive enough to attain a trance within these monuments of nature.

My last visit to Deomali Hills was monsoon 2018. I couldn't see anything, but I loved the affair with the drizzle and the fog. I googled then, to see what Deomali has to offer, the images, the places to settle and so on, but I couldn't find anything impressive. Deomali then, with that thick fog around looked way beautiful than the pictures online.

And now, exactly after a year, I am back at this mighty place with some intermittent rain, a dash of sunlight and with some dreamy patches of clouds scattered all around. I am awestruck, for the simple reason that, there exists a place like this in Odisha, which is something beyond anyone’s imagination. I couldn’t believe my eyes!

Well now, a little rewind!

Koraput happened this time with a gang of like-minded travelers. Our gang included some very good photographers, bloggers, a marketing consultant, a songwriter, and a filmmaker.

We booked an Air BNB at Similiguda, 20 km away from Koraput but closer to Deomali Hills and Duduma waterfall. We decided to start a little late since we wanted to spend the entire day at Deomali. We went late for breakfast so that we could pack food and water for lunch.

Idli Vada

Rasagala

11.30 am, after a good, local breakfast we left for Deomali.

The route to Deomali is a countryside set up. The roads are excellent for a drive. It snakes through lush green paddy fields, vegetations, valleys and canals. The route doesn't have much traffic. The only traffic is the distant view of the landscape you travel with. It will keep on persuading you to stop, click and go. As you reach closer, you will get to see Deomali from quite a distance, the view appears extremely raw and picturesque.

landscape in route to Deomali

At school, I am sure you must have sketched scenery in your drawing book. Isn't it? Well, it looks exactly the same. Right in front of you, you have some mountains piling over each other, with a small stream of river snaking down & cruising through green meadows. I repeat, many a times, the beauty will tempt you to stop. And when it does, just stop your car, get down, watch the canvas around, gulp in some fresh tonic air, live the moment and start off!

Advice: You need to have a good driver who is not in a hurry to complete the journey. Someone who is patient enough to complement a traveler's instinct; is the need of the hour.

In case you need one, let me know! My driver "Daitari", is a cool customer! He is a traveller's choice. He never says a 'no' to anything.

Trip to Deomali offers you good roads. The road takes you to the top of the valley, is a luxury for those who don't want to trek. And for those who love to trek, can walk your way to the top from the road crossover signage gate. And I bet both the ways, you will be awestruck with the landscape around. The choice is simply yours!

Roads at the top of Deomali

However above 1600mts, Deomali doesn't offers you much choices as far as travel conveniences concerned; which is something to worry about. Minimum things that I feel and insist, Deomali needs to have for tourists and travellers are:

Lavatories somewhere in a radius of 1 km.

A shop to offer Tea- Maggi- water

Garage to solve an automobile breakdown

Other than these, there are bigger needs, which needs time and proper planning to execute, like small hotels near to Deomali (can be an ecotourism initiative) can solve maximum travel needs.

So at around 3 pm, we were at the top of Deomali, kind of spellbound by the beauty around. I was completely mesmerized to the magic of the Sky, the mountains around; the long spread green pastures and the dramatic patches of clouds. I got stoned up there without intoxication for the first time! The kick was a rush of varied emotions subtly patting me and saying 'calm down and take it easy', 'life has so much to offer, choose the right ones.'I felt that spiritual connect at Deomali similar to the Himalayas.

Up there, it's utterly quiet and relaxing. Few priceless things which anyone can choose to do at Deomali is:

Introspect

Meditate

Do some Creative writing (song writing, blogging)

Listen to music

Photography

Play Frisbee

But the first thing that I looked for was a place to sit and unwind. There are many benches perfectly placed (right in front of some breathtaking canvases). Thanks to Odisha Tourism for this! You need to choose one. I sat over one, for as long as 30 min, quiet and lost.

Meanwhile the lunch was spread in one of the canopy's (constructed by Odisha Tourism). It started to rain while we were eating. Lunch up there at Deomali, with the gusty rains; with some friends for life, was special. It continued to rain for quite sometime, and all of us loved it.

We enjoyed being there, listening to some favorite playlist, clicking pictures, getting drenched willingly and strolling all across the meadows. It was 5.30pm. The sun was going down, the filters were changing around. The atmosphere was magnificent and we were the only ones at the valley reluctant to leave.

I wish I could stay overnight…

I wish I could enjoy a bonfire at Deomali…

I wish I could tent up there…

I wish I could stargaze…

I wish I could click the star trails…

A tourist may not like to stay up there for obvious reasons, but a traveler would love to trek and tent a night in the valley, just like we do it at Triund- Dharamshala. The same format applies here.

Triund Valley- tenting/camping

Few pointers to justify Deomali as an ideal place to trek and tent are here:

1. The valley at Deomali is more spread; and not steep and curvy like Triund. This way it’s safer and easy up there.

2. The trek is easier. Deomali trek can be tagged & promoted as a ‘trek for beginners’.

3. Winters don’t experience snowfall at Deomali but are cold enough to thrill.

4. There is no danger from wild animals.

5. People who come from the villages around Deomali; are warm, nice, welcoming and needy.

6. The road takes you right to the top of the valley.

Minimum amenities required in the Deomali valley are as follows:

a. Lavatories (eco-souchalaya)

b. Snack shops/shacks — selling water, Maggi, bread, butter, and tea-coffee. (Ideal to keep it minimum)

c. Trash bins for waste dispersal.

Odisha Tourism can create a business model: Here’s how?

Odisha tourism can bank on Deomali, promote it as place to trek and tent for beginners.

Odisha tourism can create a business model where it offers people living in nearby villages, a partnership to lend their hospitality and earn.

The locals can be engaged to rent out tents and sleeping bags and flare up some bonfire, for a pre-set price.

The locals can be engaged sell their authentic food.

The locals can be engaged to put limited snack shacks.

The locals can be engaged install eco- lavatories, which are temporary.

Odisha tourism can invite and engage brands, bloggers, travel photographers related to travel, trek and tourism at Deomali.

Hope this makes sense!

I travel to lot of places. And when I do, I try to connect to the ethos of the place. Once you connect; you become a more responsible traveler. I find tourism very community driven. You can do a lot for the place, but the real stakeholders are the community living in and around a tourist place/traveler's paradise. They are the real mascots. We need to handhold them to monetize the place and also educate them to conserve the sanctity of that place.

Deomali has a lot to offer! On behalf of Odisha travel bloggers community, I request Odisha Tourism to give it a thought with a holistic approach. And let's together build on! Let's make it a collective effort. Deomali is no lesser than a Triund at Dharamshala, which is attracts trekkers and travelers from all across the world.