Mystery of Hirakud dam

Cattle Island

Cattle Island otherwise known as garu tapu is located in one of the extreme points of Hirakud Reservoir, a natural wonder. Completely inhabited by wild cattle, without any trace of humans. It is near Kumarbandh village of Belpahar-Banharpali range which is about 90 km from Sambalpur. It can be reached by launch from Hirakud Dam, it is closer by 10 km via the river. The island is a submerged hill, and before the construction of Hirakud Dam it was a developed village. During the resettlement period, villagers left some of their cattle behind; when the dam construction was over, the cattle settled on the hilltop. With the passage of time the nearby area filled up with the reservoir water, turning the hilltop into an island. Being away from mankind, the cattle are now wild, very swift and not easily caught. Living on a hilltop with dense forest, they are larger than tame cattle, almost all of which are white in colour. Nearby residents attempt to capture these animals from time to time, but these hunts are rarely successful. Though descended from tame cattle, these animals provide a contrasting picture of this breed of animal returning to life in the wild