Gupteshwar

    While I was a student of DAV College, Koraput and staying with my late uncle(father's younger brother)in his Reserve Police Quarter, Koraput Sadar during 1975-76, my cousin aunty, {piusi ( late Basanti Das)} and uncle{piusa(late Natabar Das}had visited us with their son and daughter Babu and Devika. My late Piusa was an officer of the Publicity Department, Odisha who was allotted with duty for snapping photographs of Tribal Rehabilitation Works initiated by the Government.

   That was the time of Spring season which was the perfect season to travel in the mountainous regions of Odisha. We left our Police Quarters in the morning for Ramagiri by the white four-wheeler Publicity Dept. van.

After photographing the particular tribal area Piusa and all of our family passengers lodged in the Ramagiri IB and had a night halt there. Next morning we after being refreshed we set out for Gupteshwar Mahadev (a gradually increasing Linga), the ancient cave temple of Lord Shiv. At about 9 am we reached the spot and taking bath in Sita Kunda we moved upstairs onto the top of the hill cave and offered worship to Lord with proper rituals. Then all of us entered into the van and proceeded towards IB. It was 1pm we reached near a brook which was to be crossed over. But owing to slow oozing of fuel and engine disorder the vehicle lay on the stream water crosswise and could not be driven on.

   It was near about 4 pm. Sun's rays were partially blocked by the dense forest. Ramagiri market blace was about 10 kms away from Gupteswar.It was impossible to bring a mechanic before evening. So we were upset and thinking how to get rid of that awkward situation.

   During those days that area was not so advanced as it is now.Ramagiri reserve forest was packed with Royal Tigers, bears, deer, antelopes and other flora and fauna. So when evening approaching we began to feel risky more and more. Being sensitive my uncle sent the driver for a tribal man who was a Headman of a local village for guiding us inside the jungle. Then the headman named Banthua arrived with a burning faggot in his hand as darkness prevailed around. The guy escorted us up to a village that consisted of five thatched houses with faggot and straw made walls scattered here and there at a farther distance from one another. Their earthen floors were smeared with cow dung paste.

            

   Just after our arrival headman and another guy set fire on two long logs of eucalyptus trees laying them cross wise at one end and the headman, the hut owner instructed his wife in his mother tongue to prepare supper for us.

    I was a teen ager then and became curious to know about their customs and manners.Though my curiosity was in vain as for ignorance of tribal language still I beckoned them showing my forefinger towards a dog sitting by them. Then the reply came "leta" perhaps means dog. I beckoned towards the loin cloth covering only private parts, the interpreter replied me, "It is their custom to wear and keeping rest parts of the body stark naked.But women are now always well cladded. Before centuries ago all these tribals were remaining bare bodied."

    Then I stared at the wife of Banthua who was cooking inside, wore a coloured )Saree and blouse and brass bangles on her wrists and neck. I asked the interpreter, "What food she cooks tonight?"- Ragy (mandia jau). Then I asked, "What they are smoking?-Picca made of Sal leaf and raw tobacco".My next question was whether the tiger plies beside their house. The answer was yes once a year. Then my queries ended. We were called into the cottage lightened by kerosene lamp (dibi) to take our supper which was cooked in a kerosene tin. We ate together and slept flat on the bedless earthen floor. A long Saree was hanged across by Banthua just like a protective cover at the entrance end of the hut. We were immensely pleased by their hospitability and cordiality.

    Next morning after we bidding good bye to housewife we came back to our vehicle with interpreter and Banthua. It was 8am. Atmosphere was somewhat coldish warm. Soft sun rays was very smooth touching. Banthua prepared green tea by burning dry leaves.My cousin uncle and aunty were served with raggi paste and tea as break fast by me. After refreshment they told about the tiger which drank stream water last night with dazzling red eyes which made me amazed.I took tea happily with the apprehension of tiger-attack.

   As the fuel pipe was leaking the tank of the van was full empty. So my real police uncle went to Ramagiri Hat to fetch a truck to carry the defective Van to market for repairing. In the mean time I spread one carpet on the road on the other side of the stream and slept on.Our aunty was inside the van and suddenly shouted at me to come back to the van because she had marked a tiger lurking near a bush just about 500 metres away from me. truck I came back with fear. It was right 3 pm when uncle reached with a truck and the helper tied the van chesis with a strong rope and tied its other end with the truck which dragged our van up to the market. And our van was repared. We started for IB. My last question was why the tribal guys always caught a crescent small axe behind their neck. The reply was "to protect themselves from the tiger's attack as the tiger never attacks from the front side."

     Then after taking a short nap we set off to Koraput Sadar with extreme hapiness that we have especially myself had a marvelous jungle experience which has been still evergreen in my romantic archive even during my sexagenerian-hood. Ramagiri is such a natural place where Kalidas got the inspiration to write "Meghadoot" kabya (poetry). [Abadhoot Panda, Cuttack]

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