If you take a trip to the Kandhamal district, where the roads are winding, quite soon you may notice that the air is extremely fresh and cool. This is the place called Daringbadi. Just before you get to the main town, you will spot the Lovers’ Point. It is a serene place where a small stream is flowing over huge rocks, and in the monsoon, it almost looks like a secret forest lake. It is around 13 kilometers away from the town center. Why this place? According to secret belief, the water here has the coolness of the hills and that it is carried to the plains below. People living there say that the stream never really sleeps. During the winter the mist on top of the water is so heavy that it looks like you are going through a dream. It is a modest place that constantly reminds you that nature is not only very strong but it can also be very quiet.
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ToggleDaringbadi hill station Odisha is a place of deep green valleys and pine forests. People often call it the “Kashmir of Odisha” because it is the only place in the state where you might see a thin layer of frost on the grass in December. The geography here is rugged. The hills rise to about 3,000 feet above the sea. I remember waking up at a Daringbadi nature camp on a Tuesday in January. The thermometer showed 3C. It is an intimidating feeling to see the white frost on your window, but the sun soon warms the earth. You realize that the land here follows its own clock. The pine trees stand like tall guardians over the coffee gardens and black pepper vines.
Many spots in Daringbadi will quite literally make you feel that you have hit the roots. You could take a stroll through shimmering coffee gardens or maybe check out the Emu Farm located alongside the main road. The local culture here gets conveyed mostly through subtle means. Tribals keep quiet, moving steadily and gracefully. Their familiarity with forests is such that they even can identify every leaf and bird just by look. Staying at a resort in Daringbadi will allow you to hear the tribes’ drumming from afar at night. Although new people don’t get many words from them, their hospitality is as warm as the wooden fire. Most of the people who come to Daringbadi from Phulbani take a long route just to admire the sunset from the Hill View Point.
In order to get the best experience in Daringbadi, you should plan your visit a little ahead and take your trip sometime in November to February. The summer heat will be somewhat bearable if you come from the plains, but the winter is the real charm of the place. If you are planning to spend Christmas in Daringbadi, you should book your hotel room at Daringbadi in advance, as the town becomes very crowded. My suggestion? Get yourself some heavy woolens and strong shoes. Even the trails leading to the waterfalls like Midubanda can be slippery. Spend some time in a coffee garden, just sit down for an hour and inhale the pine-scented air. It is a place that beckons you to slow down and listen to the murmuring of the wind.
