Keonjhar: Mineral rich Keonjhar district is gifted with a number of scenic waterfalls and spots, but many of them have failed to draw attention of tourists for lack of development. All of them have potential to attract footfalls if they are equipped with necessary infrastructure. One of them is breathtaking Kainjhari waterfall in Bilarigotha hill near Talabali under Bansapal block.
Locals call the place Ghagara. Tucked away in hills and forests, the waterfall cascades down and flows through a creek, which is known as Kanjhari.
Kanjhari stream perennially emerges from Jamudalak hill and negotiates its meandering way through forests and rocky grounds before merging with Kanjhari dam. So the waterfall is known as Kanjhari waterfall.
From there, its water mingles with Baitarani river that passes through Bhadrak.
To access the waterfall, one has to take the Nararanpur road from the district headquarters. This road is connected to Nudurapada Chhak and from there, one has to travel Buxigaon Chhak leadin to Gonasika road and then to Barahagad Chhak. From there, go to Talabali village.
This place offers a breathtaking view of sylvan setting – water cascading down from a hill cliff measuring 40 ft height. Its water flows into a stream. Down the sream, there are five more beautiful waterfalls.
The area is filled with dense forests. The area marked with towering hills and sprawling rocky floors looks ethereal as sunlight can’t penetrate through the thick foliage.
The water from all the five waterfalls flows down into a gorge. The place is most enjoyable by sitting on rocky floors all around.
Scores of locals and people from other areas throng the area for picnicking.
Locals say, the place is more beautiful and attractive than Sanghagara waterfall. They observed that if the government grants tourism tag to the place, it would emerged at one of the tourist draws in the district.
Basically, the development of the place would boost tribal tourism as the area is habited by primitive tribes like Juanga.
Experts say, if one travels through Hatishila, Baragad and other Juanga villages in the peripheral area, it would give him a feel of Darjeeling and Shimla, given its cool sylvan atmosphere.
Local environmentalist Harekrushna Mohant said that the area is rich with valuable medicinal herbs. The place deserved tourism tag with development of basic infrastructure. “We have taken up the issue with the SFO,” he added.
District tourism officer Ramesh Chandra Nayak said that the place is quite beautiful and steps will be taken to seek tourism tag to the place.
PNN