Sterling Resort, Puri: A Series of Staycations IV

The sound of the sea is muted, but I could see the clear blue sky merging into the deeps of the ocean from the huge balcony that overlooked the ocean at Sterling Resort, Puri. I breathe in the salty air as I take in the rather plush swimming pool before me – I really cannot wait to jump in. A string of beads adorn my neck – a simple thing gifted to me as I had entered, and strangely, it puts me in a holiday vibe that eases my tension away – the tiredness I had felt all through the journey melts away.

Sterling Resort, Puri: My Room

Right after we check in, we are shown to our rooms. Our room has a lovely balcony overlooking the bay. Twin beds ensure my roommate, AS, and I have separate beds, something I sort of like, and I look down from my balcony to discover a small playground, complete with slides and swings. I promise myself to sit there for a bit.

The bathroom is pretty clean, with a set of amenities provided to us. The shower is small but comfortable, and we have enough towels (I checked!). I sink into the soft bed slowly, tired, and wait for AS to finish her morning ablutions.

Raghurajpur Trip from Sterling Resort, Puri

We are at Sterling Resort, Puri, to unwind. But that doesn’t stop us from experiencing local attractions. A few miles away lie the small village of Raghurajpur, a heritage craft village that also features one of the places that the famous Odishi dancer Kelucharan Mahapatra stayed in. A small plaque displays it proudly.

Once inside, people are seen painting patachitra, and we walk down the road to the small dance studio where young boys learn Gotipua, an acrobatic form of dance that is older than Odishi.

A simple, vegetarian lunch awaits us, with a conglomeration of dishes that tasted quite good to our starved selves. The dahi baingan was the highlight for me – simply cooked aubergines in a yogurt based gravy that went rather nicely with the sweet rice pulao.

I wasn’t too enamoured of the traditional Chura Kadamba – semolina cooked with ghee, sugar, and dry fruits, and served with a dollop of fresh chhena (cottage cheese) on top, but when you’re hungry, you tend to be less judgemental about food, anyway.

Odishi and Gatipua Performance

We returned to the resort, only to get ready for the evening shenanigans. The good people at Sterling Resort, Puri, had arranged an evening of music and dance, and I can honestly say that I was mesmerized by the beauty of Odishi performance, and constantly had panic attacks after seeing the acrobatic boys lithely climbing on top of each other to make formations that resembled different avatars of Vishnu and other gods.

The Rawa Fish Fry and Malai Chicken tikka helped to reduce the stress though, not to mention the rather zesty finale featuring Sambalpuri dancers dancing to Rangabati. SM might have been a bit too enthusiastic and wanted to join in, but we helped to restrain him from such an action.

Dinner was a slightly predictable menu, with the daab chingri coming in as a special (Prawns cooked inside a tender coconut). I might have jumped into the pool for a bit meanwhile, just to refresh myself after a rather long day.

Chilka Lake

We drove to Satpada, one of the three entry points for tourists to Chilka lake, slightly over an hours’ drive from the resort, after a quick breakfast. We went Dolphin watching, and then followed it up by getting down at a nearly barren beach near the sea mouth.

Most of us got down from the boat and walked all the way to the completely empty beach. Some were smart enough to stay back and eat freshly caught crabs, fish, and mussels.

The Spa

A barbecue party is scheduled for the evening, but I am interested to check out the spa, so I book a quick session before hitting the swimming pool. The Spa is located on one side, with a small but well-equipped gym My masseuse is swamped with booking, and I might have taken APM’s slot because I knew I would be too lazy afterwards.

A head, neck and back massage is in order, and my masseuse asks for my preference in pressure before briskly beginning with some medicated oil. Half an hour later, I literally float out of the spa, the back rub relaxing me for the evening party that would come next.

Despite not being near the centre of Puri (Swargadwar), Sterling Resorts have its own set of merits – one of them being the ability for people to book a staycation – where they can relax and let the resort plan out their activities.

All the trips we took from Sterling Resorts, Puri, as well as others, like Puri Jagannath temple visit, or a trip to Konark, can be availed from the hotel on prior notification, and given the fact that the resort comes with its own spa, gym, and swimming pool, Sterling Puri does have a major plus point when it comes to letting yourself feel at peace for a bit. I did enjoy my brief stay and would love to go back soon.

I leave you with an image of this beautiful sunset I saw the first day.

Disclaimer: Poorna Banerjee was invited to Sterling Resort, Puri, by the management.