SATABHAYA

Satabhaya was a cluster of villages on the coast of the eastern state of Odisha in India facing the Bay of Bengal. Relatively unknown to the outside world, they spent centuries in harmony with the sea. But their lives changed irrevocably in 1971, when a super-cyclone devastated the region, claiming hundreds of lives and displacing the rest. Over the next years, increasing storm frequency battered their fertile lands, while the rising sea induced by climate change steadily consumed the coastline where their homeland lay. Yet, in the face of such relentless adversity, the villagers stood firm. Clinging to their deep-rooted connection to the land, they refused to abandon their ancestral homes, adapting instead. Each time the ocean inched closer, they rebuilt, moving their homes further inland with unwavering determination.

The turning point came in 1999, when another ferocious super-cyclone left their villages in ruins. Though no lives were lost, the sheer scale of destruction forced them to confront an agonizing decision. In 2011, they began the painful process of relocation, moving 11 kilometres inland to Bagpatiya. With each family given a modest plot of land and financial aid, they started anew—rebuilding homes and attempting to reshape their lives. Once there, stripped of the traditional means of livelihood, the pangs of deracination began to be felt.

This photo essay captures their journey of struggle and adaptation.

This image captures the mangrove forests of Bhitarkanika National Park, along the coast of Bay of Bengal in Odisha, where Satabhaya once stood. These ecosystems, which shield coastlines from cyclones and tides, are struggling to recover as storms are

This image captures the mangrove forests of Bhitarkanika National Park, along the coast of Bay of Bengal in Odisha, where Satabhaya once stood. These ecosystems, which shield coastlines from cyclones and tides, are struggling to recover as storms are becoming more frequent and intense, leaving the coastline increasingly exposed.

The remains of a tubewell, now a relic exposed at low tide, marks the former village of Satabhaya. It stands as a stark reminder of the land lost to the sea. In Odisha, the coastline has receded significantly in the past twenty years.

The remains of a tubewell, now a relic exposed at low tide, marks the former village of Satabhaya. It stands as a stark reminder of the land lost to the sea. In Odisha, the coastline has receded significantly in the past twenty years.

Coconut tree trunks outline an abandoned residence plot of the village. They are a testament to decades of relentless sea erosion, which ultimately forced the villagers to desert their ancestral lands and relocate 11 kilometres inland in 2018.

Coconut tree trunks outline an abandoned residence plot of the village. They are a testament to decades of relentless sea erosion, which ultimately forced the villagers to desert their ancestral lands and relocate 11 kilometres inland in 2018.

Bagpatiya Relocation Colony, 11 kilometres inland, is a government-provided land plot for the safe relocation of coastal villagers of Satabhaya.

Bagpatiya Relocation Colony, 11 kilometres inland, is a government-provided land plot for the safe relocation of coastal villagers of Satabhaya.

A Bagpatiya tea shop serves as a meeting point for village elders. Traditionally, the villagers were farmers and fishermen, sustaining themselves with ample farmland at Satabhaya. In Bagpatiya, the lack of agricultural resources has forced most able-

A Bagpatiya tea shop serves as a meeting point for village elders. Traditionally, the villagers were farmers and fishermen, sustaining themselves with ample farmland at Satabhaya. In Bagpatiya, the lack of agricultural resources has forced most able-bodied men to migrate, leaving the elderly, women, and children to manage their homes.

Ananta Kanha, pictured with his sister-in-law, niece, and nephew. He works at a plywood factory in Perumbur, Kerala, and returned home to be with his family for the hindu festival of Holi.

Ananta Kanha, pictured with his sister-in-law, niece, and nephew. He works at a plywood factory in Perumbur, Kerala, and returned home to be with his family for the hindu festival of Holi.

The plywood industry in Perumbur, Kerala, employs many from Bagpatiya. To facilitate their travel, a weekly bus service covers the 1400-kilometer- a three-day journey. Due to increased migration and limited railway access, long-distance bus services

The plywood industry in Perumbur, Kerala, employs many from Bagpatiya. To facilitate their travel, a weekly bus service covers the 1400-kilometer- a three-day journey. Due to increased migration and limited railway access, long-distance bus services like this have emerged to cater to the migrant community.

This temple remnant is all that remains of the village. In 2018, the villagers completed their relocation by moving their guardian deity, Panchuborahi, to a new temple in Bagpatiya.

This temple remnant is all that remains of the village. In 2018, the villagers completed their relocation by moving their guardian deity, Panchuborahi, to a new temple in Bagpatiya.

A villager fishing in the temple’s pond in Bagpatiya. Fish is an integral part of the offering to the village diety.

A villager fishing in the temple’s pond in Bagpatiya. Fish is an integral part of the offering to the village diety.

Ashoke Pradhan with his wife inside their hamlet at Satabhaya. Pradhan's two sons do not support them, so they still have to come to the coast to fish for a living.

Ashoke Pradhan with his wife inside their hamlet at Satabhaya. Pradhan's two sons do not support them, so they still have to come to the coast to fish for a living.