"Cuttack" Cuttack by cblanc9

Cuttack Travel Guide: 7 reviews and 5 photos

I returned from India to a beautiful open clean sky. New cars driving on paved streets, stopping at traffic lights. Pedestrians crossing without weaving in & out of bicycles, entire families on mopeds, cars, buses, rickshaws, tuk tuks, cows, oxen pulling wooden carts, elephants, 7 open cars filled with pre nuptial musicians, blue people, pink people and a dead body being carried by incense burning monks in saffron cloth diapers. All to the sounds of horns honking NON STOP. My God Miami seems peaceful since I have returned.

Peace and patience are two of the gifts I have brought back with me.

Also a much greater appreciation for what I have. My beautiful car, my lovely doorman, my large balcony that once seemed too small & needed brand new furniture, my paycheck that is more than most Indians make in a year. This trip has done me a world of good. It was much needed.

India was the best and worst place I have visited.
Beautifully decorated women in violet sarees, silver chains on ankles, wrists, necks..rings on fingers & toes. Walking
in brown air on dirt roads. They and gorgeous sky blue gold temples are the only colors you see in the dirt filled air. Friendly, generous, hospitable, pushy people. Cow's all walk home at dinner time on streets like commuters. Countryside people bath and wash clothes in rivers behind their mud huts with thatch roofs.

The loudest "peaceful" country you can find!

Tip: Believe it or not cold showers are great at the end of the day. You don't dread them.

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Children at Orphanage

Lunch time

What I miss most about my trip is the orphange children. I wish I could see them everyday or talk to them. Play with them. Pray with them. Each night we shared in their evening meditation. It was so surreal to listen to over 100 children singing and chanting in Arianen & English, "Krishna here Krishna there...Allah here Allah there..Jesu here Jesu there...God is One God is One" a shell blown by a young boy, bell rung and incense burned all with my eyes closed, crossed legged, palms opened in a matt on the floor. I kept thinking OH My God I am in India with all these orphans meditating at a Hindu service. Is this for real? They pray to all gods. Krishna, Allah, Jesus..they respect everyone's religion. Believe God is incarnate in everyone. God brought us to India. Caroline to India. God brought the orphans to me. They are beautiful, happy, dirty, matted hair, shoeless, slap each other on the head during yak yak cow , smiling, no school book having angels. I love them all so much

Pros and Cons

Pros:No tourists, freindly people
Cons:The usual India problems
In a nutshell:A country of contradictions

Last visit to Cuttack: Mar 2004
Intro Updated Apr 19, 2004
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Reviews (6)

Servants of India Society orphanage Off The Beaten Path (1)

In Choudwar there is a loving Servants of InNida orphanage. Over 100 children live here along with a leporsy colony and... more travel advice

Buying Sarees Shopping (2)

A nice clean department store type shop. Two stories. Have many modern clothes along with sarees and indian outfits. We... more travel advice

Shop Till You Drop..Literally Shopping (2)

My sister, Indian friend Julle & I went shopping one afternoon for a year. Markets are great. The best idea is to have... more travel advice

Great Food Restaurants (1)

One of the best meals I had was at The Blue Lagoon Hotel restaurant. Also drink Chai anywhere. more travel advice

Transportation (1)
Disco Taxi AKA Hired Car

Hotels (1)
It's No Hotel Akbari

Comments (8)

xanthoprotein Apr 7, 2011 at 2:01 AM Report Abuse

This Orphange was built by Late Shri Shyamsundar Misra, 12th President of the Servant's Of India Society (position was once held by Gopal Krishna Gohkle, Guru of Mahatma Gandhi). Damodar Sahoo is and employee, of late has been misappropriating the funds
AcornMan May 18, 2006 at 2:21 PM Report Abuse

I'm thinking about leading a Habitat for Humanity trip to Cuttack and enjoyed your tips.
tak_pap Oct 27, 2004 at 8:32 AM Report Abuse

well written, interesting page !
dsantosh Oct 18, 2004 at 6:06 AM Report Abuse

Nice page..how was your trip to India?
Peter_P Sep 18, 2004 at 6:41 AM Report Abuse

'Peace and patience brought back'... excellent !! I guess you enjoyed India as much as I did...:-)
aadil Sep 17, 2004 at 11:03 AM Report Abuse

Great start!!! Hope to see more soon!!! Nice to see you helped the children at their home!!! Good work!!! So you are coming back to India?!!! That will be good for those lucky children!!!
Freemannis Jul 29, 2004 at 10:54 AM Report Abuse

You are a very good writer! If you visit Iceland one day please contact me...
NurseTrixie Apr 20, 2004 at 8:43 AM Report Abuse

Amazing! Great Narrative! I truely felt as if I was traveling with you. Pictures are amazing and add the finishing touch to the travel tale. After reviewing this page I truely feel liek a Virtual Tourist. GREAT PAGE!