A LITTLE OF MY STORY
Penthakata, Jagannath Dham, Puri
Every visit to Jagannath Dham carries its own lesson.
It is often said that one cannot visit Śrī Jagannath without His wish, and from my past experiences, I deeply believe that. When the call comes, I go with excitement. Crowds never deter me from seeking His darśan. Yet, like many devotees, I often leave with a quiet longing in my heart: why can’t I stand before Him just a little longer, to see Him fully and to my heart’s content?
Perhaps He heard that silent prayer and chose to reveal Himself from a different angle.
This time, my darśan extended beyond the temple.
When Darśan Moves Beyond the Sanctum
I am deeply involved with BhaMa Foundation, where I strongly believe that strengthening local economies is essential to strengthening a nation. During our stay in Puri, our CEO urged us to visit one of the communities where BhaMa has intervened.
So, after the temple visit, I along with my husband and the CEO of BhaMa Foundation went to Penthakata, a fishermen’s settlement along the coast of Puri.
Penthakata is, in many ways, an informal settlement. Nearly 7,000 families, primarily from the Andhra region, have lived here for over 70 years. The community speaks Telugu, but since this is not a border district, nearby government schools teach in Odia. Private schools do exist, but not all families can afford them. Language barriers often discourage enrollment or lead to early dropouts.
Adding to this vulnerability, Odisha’s coastline faces frequent cyclones, repeatedly damaging homes that are already fragile.
Life Sustained by the Sea
Fishing is the primary source of income here. There are about 1,200 boat owners, each employing four to five helpers. The day’s catch is shared roughly 60% retained by the boat owner, while the remaining portion is divided among the helpers.
After selling the day’s catch, leftover fish is dried to be sold later. This process is long and exhausting. Fish laid out on the beach must be guarded constantly from stray dogs and cats, and drying often takes place close to the settlement in unhygienic conditions.This responsibility falls largely on women, in addition to household chores, childcare, and managing daily survival.
There are visible challenges in this slum:
- Children are unintentionally neglected
- School dropout rates rise
- Child marriage remains prevalent
- Alcohol consumption among men adds another layer of vulnerability
- On top the salty weather exposure brings cataract early.
There are also deeper, less visible factors. The easy availability of alcohol (nearly nine liquor outlets in close proximity) likely exacerbates dependency. Some residents reportedly maintain voter identification in more than one state, reflecting a continued emotional and social attachment to their native place rather than a desire to fully uproot themselves.
At the same time, this community often becomes a vote-influencing cluster for that same reason, a reality frequently discussed but rarely addressed meaningfully. We also learned from our CEO that substance abuse and other illegal activities exist in the area.
For me, this convergence of social, economic, and systemic challenges was an overload of reality – overwhelming, painful, and difficult to absorb.
Small Interventions, Meaningful Change
BhaMa Foundation believes not in grand promises, but in practical dignity.
Through a partnership with Gopabandhu Seva Parishad, BhaMa has installed solar fish dryers, enabling fish to dry faster, more hygienically, and with improved quality, reducing both labor and loss. While this intervention will not address behavioral or cultural resistance overnight, it introduces a safer and more sustainable livelihood practice gradually.
For girls in this community, stepping outside to seek employment is extremely challenging. The persistent smell of fish, limited education, and language barriers close many doors even before they can try to open them.
BhaMa has also intervened by providing a sanitary napkin–making machine, with plans to train young women to produce napkins for their own use addressing menstrual hygiene while building confidence, skills, and self-worth.
These interventions are modest. They make no grand claims. Yet, we hope they create breathing space, saving time, improving quality and quantity of produce, and most importantly, preserving dignity. Over time, we sincerely hope they also nurture an inner drive for positive change.
What Stayed With Me
This visit reminded me that darśan does not always end at the temple gate.
Sometimes, the truest glimpse of the Divine appears in places that unsettle us,
in communities that compel us to look at life without filters.
Thank you for reading! Feel free to like, share, and explore more of my posts. Stay tuned!
Pradip Kumar Moharana, GSP, ODISHA
01/23/2026Thanks a lot mam for your lovely comments and visit to Penthakota.
Manorama Choudhury
01/25/2026Thank you for doing so much and creating awareness for them.
J Choudhury
01/23/2026A wonderful journey. Small step for a man, but certainly a leap of kindness .
Manorama Choudhury
01/25/2026Much appreciated your generous words.
mruganka mauli patnaik
01/23/2026Effort is definitely Nobel.
Good soul.
But……
May lord Jagannath bless you all.
Manorama Choudhury
01/25/2026I know you have a different opinion about this place. I, too, agree that earning is not the main concern in this area, but a series of issues I felt.
Revathy Ramakrishna
01/23/2026Was so moved to read this blog and your dedication to making the worlds better place bottom up – kudos BhaMa Foundation and dear Manorama and Bhaskar! Truly, This visit reminded me that darśan does not always end at the temple gate.
Sometimes, the truest glimpse of the Divine appears in places that unsettle us,
in communities that compel us to look at life without filters.
Manorama Choudhury
01/25/2026There are always hidden lessons in everything we see. Thank you for reading and reflecting.
Rabindra Kumar
01/24/2026Your experiences are first hand, the blog is moving. The Penthakota fishing community is only one of numerous marginalised societies that escape the government’s attention that propagates ‘ Sab ka sath, sab ka vikash ‘. The government and the civil society have a joint responsibility in mitigating the hardships of the less fotunate people. Your initiatives and the BhaMa Foundation ‘s intervention should be an eye opener for the planners and the policymakers.
Manorama Choudhury
01/26/2026Thank you for reading and reflecting. I have been visiting to remote areas during this trip and changing behavioral pattern is not easy on two things – keeping communities clean and quitting alcohol. Why there are so many alcohol stores? Who gives them license if promoting to quit? A question worth asking.
Rabindra Kumar
01/24/2026Nice blog. Moving words. Penthakata fishing community is only one among several such neglected settlements dotted along the eastern coast of India which have escaped the attenion of a government that loudly proclaims its objective of ‘ Sabka sath, sabka vikash ‘. The government and the civil society have a joint responsibility to bring such communities out of a vicious circle of poverty. The interventions of the BhaMa Foundation and your involvement in it are noteworthy. Jay Jagannath Mahaprabhu 🙏