04 Nov Life Between Land and Sea in Odisha’s Ramayapatna
Text by S J Hemant Kumar, Yashodara Udupa, Nihal Ranjit
Images by S J Hemant Kumar, Nihal Ranjit, Divyanshi Vyas
Edited by Sofia Juliet Rajan
In Ramayapatna, a coastal fishing village in Odisha, the sea has swallowed three lanes of houses. Boats now take the place of these homes. For the villagers here, the ocean is both their lifeline and their greatest threat. This photo essay captures the lived realities of coastal erosion, frequent cyclones and gradual loss of land in Ramayapatna. It explores how climate risks, inadequate solutions and a deep connection to the coast define life in this fragile settlement.
India has lost nearly 33 per cent of its 6,900-km mainland shoreline to coastal erosion between 1990 and 2018. In Odisha alone, approximately 140 km of coastline have been eroded, leading to the submersion of nearly 16 villages. The Odisha State Action Plan on Climate Change (2021-30) warns that large parts of the state, particularly the coastal districts of Ganjam, Puri, Kendrapada and Balasore, face an increasing risk of deluge and inundation. Beyond erosion, Odisha also endures about 35 per cent of all cyclonic storms. Nearly 20 of the state’s 30 districts experience wind speeds exceeding 150 km/hr, placing dense populations, vital infrastructure, and key economic sectors under severe threat.
Over the past 25 years, Odisha has been struck by nearly a dozen cyclones, including the 1999 Super Cyclone, which claimed over 10,000 lives and destroyed more than 2 million homes. The cumulative impact of these events has resulted in enormous economic losses, widespread livelihood disruptions, and recurrent displacement, pushing already vulnerable communities deeper into precarity.
Ramayapatna, located in the Ganjam district on the southern coast of Odisha, is home to about 4,000 people. The community primarily consists of Telugu-speaking Noliya fishing community of the Vodabaliji caste. The village is so close to the coastline—its last line of houses is just 150–200 metres from the sea. The houses in the village are a mix of rekatu illalu (asbestos roofing) and pinkita illalu (curved tiles on the roof), which are gradually making way for slab illalu (concrete roofs).
Climate Risk
Tropical cyclones have repeatedly devastated Ramayapatna, the most severe being cyclone Phailin in 2013, which flattened most homes and damaging boats and fishing nets. Improved disaster preparedness measures, investments made in early warning systems and lessons learnt from the 1999 Super Cyclone helped prevent large-scale loss of life.
Adding to this vulnerability is the village’s proximity to the mouth of Bahuda River, which has been shifting over time. This movement has brought the river closer to the village, causing frequent flooding and accelerating erosion. Over the years, the mouth of the river has been constantly shifting, moving closer to the village, and often resulting in the flooding of the village.
The ODRP Relocation Effort
In response to the destruction caused by Cyclone Phailin, the Government of Odisha, with financial and technical support from the World Bank and Gram Vikas, initiated the Odisha Disaster Recovery Project (ODRP). The project aimed to build disaster-resilient pucca houses for affected families. In 2014, as part of the ODRP, the government identified a relocation site, about one km inland from Ramayapatna. Each affected household was granted INR 3 lakh to construct a new home.
However, the solution did not work as planned. Almost a decade later, the relocation site remains mostly deserted. Only a handful of villagers have moved in. The reason? The distance from the sea. For the Noliya community, remaining close to the shoreline is essential to their way of life. Observing sea and wind patterns, accessing boats quickly and securing them, and determining the best times to fish are all tied to proximity to the shoreline.
The sea is equivalent to our gods, and it is impossible to survive away from the coast.
Erosion and the Seawall
The situation escalated again between 2020 and 2022, when Ramayapatna lost three lanes of houses to erosion. Unlike cyclones, this was not a sudden event, but a slow, gradual loss. People who lost their houses decided to move to the vacant ODRP houses. The damage caused by the erosion also renewed their decade-long demand to construct a protective seawall. Considerable pressure on local politicians, and significant media finally led the government to sanction a seawall in 2023. Now nearing completion, the wall offers some hope but also questions about its effectiveness and impact on fishing practices.
In Ramayapatna, the tension between land and sea shapes every aspect of life. As waves reclaim homes and cyclones upend livelihoods, villagers persist with deep resilience and an unbreakable connection to the coast. Attempts at relocation have failed due to the community’s cultural ties and the necessity of proximity to the sea. The new seawall brings both hope and uncertainty, highlighting the complexities of protecting both community life and the fragile shoreline. Ramayapatna embodies the struggle of vulnerable coastal communities—balancing survival, heritage, and adaptation as climate change redraws the boundaries between land and sea.
