The main focus of the two week leg of the trip from Chennai to Kolkata was Odisha, the eastern Indian state that has the highest proportion of Adivasi of any state. Adivasi is the Indian term for tribal peoples, those who cling to traditional religions, languages, and other aspects of culture separate from the larger population around them. For example, in Odisha state the main regional language is Oriya, but about a third of the state's population speaks local tribal languages.

Few foreigners travel to Odisha state for a number of reasons . One is that it has few of India's most famous sights; a second is that a Maoist insurgency has led to some terrorist attacks in parts of the state in recent years; and a third is that you need special permits to visit. For our permits Dragoman partnered with a local company based in Puri to organize our travels through the state. Our guide through Odisha was the owner of this company, a very enthusiastic and knowledgeable man named Pulak.

We met Pulak in Vishak in northern Andhra Pradesh state. Our drive into Odisha started with breakfast at a local roadside shack and then on into the low mountains of the interior with a few stops to purchase beers and snacks for the days ahead.

By midday we reached Gaudaguda, a village in a region in southern Odisha inhabited mostly by members of the Paraja tribe. It was market day, so our first major cultural experience was attending the local market for about an hour. Rather few foreign tourists visit the area so there was little in the way of tourist tack available and the people ranged from friendly to disinterested with little in the way of viewing foreigners as a cash cow as in so many places . As happens on market days everywhere, there was a fair amount of drunkenness around, so I had to ward off the curiosity of drunks. I was quite intrigued by a woman in the market, or I should say someone dressed as a woman who was clearly a man by way of veiny arms. I took some photos and later asked the young women working at our lodge about him/her. They said he was a man who dressed and identified as a woman and was completely accepted as such by people in the area.

Our lodging for two nights was at a place called Chandoori Sai, a lovely little lodge on landscaped grounds operated by an Australian ex oil man named Leon. Leon appears to run a tight ship, and the lodge and service and food were in top shape. With a beautiful view towards the hills, large rooms, fine Italian cuisine, and (at our time of year) warm sunny days and cool nights, it was one of the top lodging experiences I've had in the Dragoman world.

Our next day of cultural experiences was built around a long loop hike from Gaudaguda through smaller outlying farms and villages to see how the Paraja tribal people live. The human landscape was lovely, enhanced by Pulak's presence. As we'd find throughout Odisha, since Pulak knew the people through frequent guided visits, he opened up opportunities for interaction with local people we would otherwise never be able to have as outsiders. Here I'm inclined to let you look at pictures rather than try to describe the interactions with people we met along our walk.

Upon our return to our lodge Leon informed us that he had been invited to a wedding celebration in the village, and we were all welcome to join. But the wedding deserves an entry of its own and will follow.