Tag Archives: Offbeat things to do in India

Jammu & Kashmir, Nature & Wildlife

Purple Farms of the Saffron Flowers- Kashmir Story

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Long ago, I watched a visual documentary about the farmers of Kashmir who woke up early on freezing cold mornings to gather fresh flowers from their fields. They all rose with the sun to harvest saffron, the most expensive spice in the world. Ever since, these romanticized visuals had me imagining myself walking on those farms someday.

For close to a year, I had been trying to reach out to people to know when the exact time of the year was to witness these inflorescences. I got in touch with a local person from Srinagar who would take me around the farms. I learnt that the flowers would bloom around late October when autumn sets in. As the season approached, I was getting too anxious to not miss the season. Thus, booked a last-minute flight ticket from Bengaluru, for a long weekend at Srinagar. After a missed connecting flight and spending almost an entire day at the Delhi airport, I had finally arrived at Srinagar on a late Friday evening.

‘Be ready early in the morning, we will be heading towards Pampore’, my local guide said to me before dropping me off at a homestay in the city.

On the following morning, the Chinar leaves of autumn had started to paint my entire journey in gold. The sun rising over the overlooking mountains that surrounded us all around only enhanced my excitement to reach my destination. The saffron grown in the Jammu and Kashmir region has gained a GI tag in the year 2020 with Pulwama, Budgam and Kishtwar districts being key saffron producing areas.

‘Welcome to the Saffron town of India’, a board stood at the entrance of Pampore in Pulwama. The wide stretch of land on both sides of the highway looked bare and dry, without sight of a single flower or even plants of saffron that I had come to see from 2000 kilometers away. I looked at the person accompanying me, enough for him to understand the meaning of the perplexing look on my face. “Haven’t the farmers cultivated saffron this year?”, I asked him.

He walked me down to one of the farms on the roadside and explained to me that even yield ready plants aren’t prominently visible, with barely one or two grass-like looking leaves emerging from each root (bulb). Only the flowers come out from the root that are extremely sensitive to the environmental temperature. “This stretch of the farms has no shade and the heat due to the highway traffic delays the blossom. We will go to the interior villages of Pampore which have more shade because of orchards like apples, almonds, apricots, etc. The blossom season begins in the shaded-cooler areas and ends with the open-warmer areas”, he said giving me some relief.

We then met a farmer at Pulwama town who then drove us through the interior village of Pulwama, which is otherwise untouched by tourists. Finding our way through the misty morning while being greeted by endless orchards on either side, my guide on the steering stopped at a point. “Madam, here you go!”, he said.

Saffron flowers in Kashmir farms
The purple flowers of saffron in Kashmir

I ran out of the car and watched the sight in awe. It seemed like a faint purple carpet of flowers had been laid on a hazy morning, with the apple orchards writing testimony to my presence and the snowy mountains standing guard against this beautiful view. I had a tear rolling down my cheek, which I am still unsure if was because of sheer joy or in disbelief that I had made it there. I spent hours that morning walking between the purple blossoms, caressing the tender, dewy and moist flowers of saffron, taking pictures of the flowers while enjoying the crisp autumn air. The people accompanying me for sure must have thought that I was a psychopath wandering and meandering all alone, who had travelled from so far just to see these flowers. A few flowers made it to my books, pressed carefully between the pages and getting to go home with me.

Saffron flowers in Kashmir farms
Saffron flowers in Kashmir farms

He picked the tender flowers and rested a bunch on my hands while pulling out the saffron strands from one, for me to eat. My tongue had turned yellow upon consumption which he explained was an indication of the authenticity of the spice. I was then invited to his work area where his family had gathered around a table and were separating the different parts of the flowers that would be used for different purposes. He explained the entire process of separation of the saffron strands (the stigma or the female part of the flower), the drying and the packaging. Sipping on hot brew of Kahwa served with the same strands of the saffron that I was holding a few moments ago was overwhelming.

Saffron flowers in Kashmir
Saffron flowers Separation

Of course, my visit would have been incomplete without picking up stashes of saffron from their shop as souvenirs for friends and family. In this short visit to the land of saffron, I had witnessed the world’s richest spice travel from farm to market. Sigh, it was a dream come true, to experience these fully blown saffron fields!

Fact file:

  • It is recommended to get in touch with proper sources and book taxis in advance who could take you on such guided tours of the saffron fields.
  • Pampore and Budgam can be reached on day trips from Srinagar. J&K tourism runs guests houses in Kishtwar as well, which can be reached via taxis hired from Jammu city.
Festivals of India, Tamil Nadu

India’s largest Cattle fair- Anthiyur Gurunathaswamy temple

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When a friend mentioned taking a road trip to a fair at Anthiyur village, neither of us had many expectations. What can one expect at a village festival in India, after all? All that we had learnt before commencing our road trip was that it was a cattle fair, which was held as part of the annual festival of the Gurunathaswamy temple at Anthiyur village. Supplemented by a handful of YouTube videos in Tamil, we anyhow decided to take the long drive from Bangalore to spend a weekend.

We started from Bangalore before dawn to reach Anthiyur at the earliest and get sufficient time to see all the cattle stalls before returning. But only to our surprise, the scale of this temple village fair was anything beyond our imagination. Neither of us had seen or heard of a small village festival to be of such a large scale and spread.

The beautiful hills around Anthiyur village
The beautiful hills around Anthiyur village

Mythology of Anthiyur Gurunathar temple:

The story dates to around 600 years back, when there lived a clan near Pichavaram forest, that worshipped three stones known as ‘Kutty Aandavar’ (translates to ‘Small God’, in Tamil). The local ruler wanted to marry the priest’s daughter. However, the priest’s family was against the marriage proposal. Meanwhile, one of the members of the priest’s clan gets possessed by their deity’s spirit where the family is told to abandon the village along with the three prayer stones to avoid the outrage of the ruler’s anger. Following this, the family started to move towards north until they found a safe place to settle-down. At some point, the family felt that their survival was going to be difficult and that the stones being carried by them were an additional burden. Hence, they continued their journey by throwing the stones into a nearby pond. They halted at Anthiyur for the night.

On the following morning, Santhakumaran (one of the family members) was surprised to find the same three stones back in his bag. They realized the powers of their deity and resumed worship of the stones by giving them three different names. The first stone was called Kamatchi, second one was Perumal (Vishnu) and the last one was Gurunatha Swamy (a combination of Shiva and Kantha).

During the festival, three deities are taken on a procession from the main shrine at Anthiyur village to a temple in the nearby forest. As per mythology, a demon is believed to have had occupied the forest in which Goddess Kamatchiamman wanted to reside at. A fierce war was then fought between Veerabhadra (the warrior assistant of the Lord, protector of Kamatchi-amman) and the demon in which the demon eventually surrendered. It is said that instead of leaving the forest, the demon requested lord Gurunathar to allow him to stay there on a condition that Kamatchiamman came there once a year to visit him. However, Veerabhadra agreed to this on the condition that he too was allowed to stay in the same forest. This temple is today called Vanakovil (translates to ‘Temple in the forest’ in Tamil) where Kamatchiamman is brought in a palanquin from the main temple.

The history of the Anthiyur temple festival

The current temple structure is believed to have been built by the Pandya kings. The Gurunathar temple houses a 11*11*11 feet kulukai. A kulukai is a large earthen storage container mainly used for storing food grains, with a large opening at the top (to fill the container) and a small vent at the bottom (to take the grains out for consumption). It is believed that the kulukai in this temple is used to store the jewels and other items related to worship and are guarded by snakes. Only the head priest is allowed to enter the container and access the stored things and is unharmed by the guarding snakes. Therefore, this kulukai is worshipped by the local people and it is believed to keep them safe from reptiles, scorpions etc.

The month-long temple festival held during the Aadi month of the Tamil calendar hosts a range of unique rituals and celebrations during this time. Temple cars built for each deity are prepared and managed by respective caste of people. Two large towering nicely decorated temple cars (the largest is of Gurunathar swamy and the smaller is of Perumal swamy) are pulled by thousands of devotees who gather from across the nearby villages, from the main Gurunathaswamy temple to the Vanakovil and back. Today, animal sacrifice is practiced in Vanakovil.

The history of the Anthiyur cattle fair

A four-day long cattle fair is, however, the highlight of the festival for which people come from across districts of Tamil Nadu and states of India. There are only two cattle fairs held at this scale in India. First, at Anthiyur (more popular for the horse fair) and second, at Pushkar in Rajasthan (Primarily a Camel fair). The history of the ‘Kudurai Santhai’ (the Horse fair) dates to the times when Tipu Sultan was the ruler of Mysore. He visited this cattle market to buy the best horses for his cavalry and sold his horses that were no longer fit for battles.

It has over time gained popularity among horse enthusiasts across the country who consider buying horses from this market as a matter of pride and prestige. The cost of each horse can range anywhere between 50 thousand to 50 lakhs rupees. Today, apart from buying and selling horses at the ‘Kudurai Santhai’, many horse owners come here to simply display their prized possessions. One gets to see stallions, mares, sires, and ponies of various native indigenous and pure breeds here. Some horses are made to perform to drumbeats and kept on exhibition. On the last day of the four day long ‘horse fair’, Geegees are judged based on their structure, build, and looks and finally awards are given away. On the day we visited in 2023, there were over 1000 horses at the fair brought in for various purposes.

All accessories, equipment and other things that are associated with horse-keeping and equestrian training can be found and are sold here. Apart from horses, this fair is also the largest marketplace in India for other breeds of cattle and livestock like cows, goats, sheep, camels, rabbits, dogs, and birds. With encouragement given to native breeds, it is a great experience to see cattle across the 34+ acres of land.

Largest Makeshift Amusement Park:

To supplement the cattle markets, there is a makeshift amusement park set-up which also is by far the largest makeshift amusement park I have ever seen. Over ten giant wheels, rollercoasters, circus tents and at least three globes of death are set-up among several other types of amusement rides. The energy and ecstasy of this fair is all together only to be witnessed rather than to be read about.

Anthiyur festival
The makeshift amusement park at Anthiyur festival

Souvenirs bought:

  • Bamboo staff- You will find people buying them, as it is considered auspicious to keep this weapon of Gurunthar Swamy, at home.
  • Colorful horse whips
  • Horseshoes- this is believed to absorb negative energy if hung at the entrance of houses.

Disclaimer: This article is posted with an intention to document folklore and lesser known festivals of India. If any mistakes found, it could be based on what was heard as stories. Kindly comment below or message directly for any corrections required.

Festivals of India, Karnataka

The Boad Namme of Chembebellur

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‘Boad’ in Kodava language means to beg/ request. ‘Namme’ translates to ‘festival.’ Thus, the ‘Boad Namme’ can be loosely called as the festival in which the people of Kodagu request ‘Goddess Bhagavati’ to grant their wishes.

The Boad namme is observed across Bhagavathi temples located in several villages in the southern part of Kodagu district, in series. The first Boad of the year starts at the temple of Kunda and the last one is observed at Parana village. Kudure (Horse) worship is an integral part of the Boad namme. In this, a young boy belonging to a designated clan from the respective village dresses up in the costumes of a horse and participates in the various ceremonies during the festival. Hence, it is said that ‘Kundath-ra Bott-le nenda Kudure, Parana mani-le ilinja Kudure.’ Translating to ‘the horse which rises at Kunda will only settle at Parana.’

I will talk about these two Boad festivals in separate posts. Among a series of all other Boad namme that are observed across villages in South Kodagu, I am starting from the middle, at Chembebellur village. The Boad Namme of Chembebellur is among the most popular of them all. It is observed over a period of four days and usually happens around the last week of April of each year.

Day one is Pattani. People belonging to all the native clans of Chembebellur observe ‘Fast’ on this day.

Day two is Kudure. Three young boys representing three clans of the three main Keris (areas) of Chembebellur i.e., Ajjinakanda clan of Podakeri, Coluvanda clan of Podakote and Chembanda clan of Nadikeri wear the costumes resembling horses (Kudure) and start from their respective Ain mane (clan’s ancestral home). They are accompanied by men impersonating other local deities of the village like Choundi, Aiyappa and the others during their march towards the Bhadrakali temple where they all assemble and hold the following rituals. Post this, there is a fire set up in front of the temple in which effigies are burnt.

Kudure at Chembebellur Bhadrakali temple
Day 2: Kudure at Chembebellur Bhadrakali temple

The gathering then moves towards the village’s ‘Eshwara temple’ where the rest of the men and boys of all age groups dress up in various costumes. This dressing-up is a form of a vow they make to invoke Goddess Bhadrakali’s blessings. The costumes could range from traditional Bund-kali (Mud-smearing), Pill-Bhoota (Hay man), Puli-vesha (Tiger costume) etc. to more modern forms of cricketers, Llamas, swamijis, seducers etc. These dressed up men folk visit every house of Chembebellur asking/begging’ for alms all night and it is a fun time for all the households who host these men in the houses.

Day Three is Boad. This part of the festival is the most awaited and the highlight of the four-day celebration. All the dressed men congregate at the Bhadrakali temple in the afternoon. They are accompanied by the men impersonating the local deities as well. They all together circumambulate the temple thrice and go around begging form alms from the thousands of people who gather there to participate in the festivities. The end of the circumambulation marks the end of the Boad where all the men collectively offer all the money collected through begging to the Goddess and seek her blessings.

Day 3- Boad festival at Chembebellur Bhadrakali temple

Day four is Choole. Young boys who are yet to reach adolescence, cross-dress in attire of Kodava women and offer their prayers at the Bhadrakali temple. This day marks the end of a fun and yet traditionally rooted festival of Chembebellur, paving way for a Boad namme to start at yet another village of South Kodagu.

Disclaimer: The purpose of this article is for documentation of lesser known festivals of India. The above information is only based on what I could gather by discussing with people who had gathered at the temple. My apologies for any wrong representation. Readers are welcome to contribute any information that is deemed important and useful to be shared here.

Bangalore day trips, Tamil Nadu

Weekend Hike- Bala Kodandaraya Swamy Temple

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Although this destination is a recommendation for weekend and day hikers of Bengaluru, it is in Krishnagiri, a district bordering the two states of Karnataka and Tamil Nadu.

The views from an ancient temple had caught the attention of my friend and me, who are always in the look out for less crowded and less explored landscapes and places with cultural and historical importance. One such place was the ‘BalaKodandaraya Swamy temple’ whose history dates to the Vijayanagara era. Based on our online research, we found out that getting to the temple involved a short hike.

We started early on a Saturday morning by car. We had our breakfast along the way, in one of the several restaurants on the Hosur highway. From there, we followed the route on Google maps to reach our destination. A steep deviation to the left of the highway led us through villages. There were asphalted roads and good views of the surrounding hillocks for as long as the road passed through villages. The last couple of kilometers were through unpaved muddy roads passing through a slight forest stretch. We finally arrived at a small open space where we parked our car, at the base of the temple hill.

The forest trail
The trail through the forest cover, starting from the base to the temple arch

There was a small structure of brick and mortar (gudi) at the base, from where a flight of stairs led to the hilltop. People lit lamps, agarbattis and camphor here before starting their ascent. It took us about half an hour’s climb along properly laid stone steps leading to the top. These stone slabs bear the names of the devotees who have donated them and the count of their donations on each step. The ascent curved around at multiple places and offered amazing views of the valley below at every turn. The first half of the climb had a forest cover and large boulders on both sides, until we arrived at the welcome arch of the temple.

The path towards the left of the trail, towards the temple
The path towards the left of the trail, towards the temple

The forest cover ended after a few steps further from there and opened to a panoramic view of the valley of the villages and farms below. As one stands on a large rocky outgrowth, you will find the trail split into two paths. One, straight down through some Gulmohur trees. Second, up towards the temple. We decided to first walk the trail going straight. A few yards from there, the trees made way to a beautiful pond of pink lilies, dug right beneath a large rocky monolith. We later realized that devotees take a dip in this pond before proceeding towards the temple.

The path towards the right of the trail, leading to the temple pond
The path towards the right of the trail, leading to the temple pond

The view of the valley from there and the magical vibe of sitting by this pond of lilies could not let us go easily from there. My friend settled on the banks, with a book to read. Although the water was heavily littered with plastics, it was still a super calm spot to soak in some good energy. After spending a while, we then headed towards the temple, located on the peak of the hill, a short walk away. There was a panoramic 360 degrees view of Hosur and Krishnagiri from the temple, the green cover around, Krishnagiri dam and the Then Pennai river. The temple priest arrived much later at around 10.00.a.m. for the daily prayers.

Balakodandaraya swamy temple, Krishnagiri
Balakodandaraya swamy temple and the cleft for drawing water

Surprisingly, a small cleft in the rocky hill serves as a perennial source of potable water for temple use. The people who had gathered there by then, helped the priest in drawing water from this cleft and clean the temple premises before offering the day’s prayers. We sat there for a while and decided to head back to the base before the sun took over the skies and heated the rocks around. Overall, it was an incredibly beautiful place for a short trip from the city.

Other nearby places:

If you are looking at making it a full day trip, then you can explore the nearby places that include:

Karnataka

A summer weekend in the placid coast of Karnataka

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Heard of the potential of Aqua-tourism in Karnataka? We did just that. Read Further.

Water activities like kayaking, surfing, and diving are slowly catching up with enthusiasts, both for recreation and as a sport. Thanks to favorable winds, some of the most serene estuaries with mangrove ecosystems and untouched diving spots, Karnataka’s coastal region has been attracting enthusiasts and vacationers from all over. It was a family road trip driving down from the hills of Kodagu to the coast of Karnataka.

Just like the gad-bad ice-cream that originated in this region, our itinerary was packed with experiences. We wanted to see the bioluminescent waters. Bioluminescence is a naturally occurring phenomenon in which the microorganisms present in the water emit light when disturbed thus making the water glow. The darker the surroundings, the better the visibility of this phenomenon. Hence, we had signed up for a night kayaking session on a no-moon night in the backwaters of river Shambavi at Mulki. We chose to camp by the riverbank to have a closer connection to the waters.

Campsite at Shambavi river bank, Mulki
Our Campsite at Shambavi river bank, Mulki

After arriving at the campsite and while my parents enjoyed their time strolling around the place, my brother and I took our lessons on taming the waves with the surfboards. Although my brother was quick to get the knack of balancing himself on the surfboard, I fell into the water several times before finally getting it right. It was a fun session under the harsh sun until we returned to the campsite. We then tried some wakeboarding in the backwaters and then headed towards the beach again, to see the sunset.

Padubidri beach is among the only twelve beaches in India and two in Karnataka to have the blue flag certification. The drive to the beach itself was a beautiful experience with coconut trees towering over the narrow road running parallel to the sea. With all facilities including clean washrooms and good restaurants, the swim, and the sunset at Padubidri was one for the books. After grabbing some refreshments at the stalls there, we headed back to our campsite to relax a bit before the beautiful night that had to follow.

Since it was a no-moon night, the tides had caused the water levels to rise. It was pitch dark as we set our individual kayaks out into the water and began to paddle along the river. Geared with life jackets and our oars, we were ready to set the water ablaze, quite literally! We had no sense of where we were going but to follow a faint beam of torch light on the first kayak that guided us in the correct direction. The magic slowly started to unfold in the water after we had covered a certain distance. The glowing waters peaked while we all had gathered at the river mouth on our kayaks. Although, it is said that bioluminescent waters are a sign of unhealthy water, I convince myself of not being guilty of enjoying this experience. We all screamed with joy as we splashed the blue waters on each other with our hands and our paddles. With each dip of our hand in the river, our arms would glow in neon blue, which seemed nothing but a fairytale.

Kayaking in Shambavi backwaters
Kayaking in Shambavi backwaters

The following morning, we drove up to the temple town of Murudeshwara to score off yet another item on my bucket list. At about 20 kilometers off the coast of this temple town is Netrani island, a strategic patch of land controlled by the Indian Navy. Although entry to the island itself is restricted, the surrounding waters are open for public access during the spring months each year. This area is one of the best dive-sites in mainland India and that’s why I had been contemplating a visit here. We had pre-booked our slot for scuba diving with one of the several diving agencies around there.

Soon after filling out forms, a boat arrived at the beach to take us on a ride of approximately one hour to reach the dive spot. Our family was accompanied by a few other travelers, who like us were enthusiastic about their dive. Enroute, the instructions were given to everyone on the boat, both first timers and experienced. After reaching the site, without wasting time sitting inside the boat and waiting for our turn to scuba dive, we grabbed the snorkel gears and jumped into the water. The view inside had already set a good momentum for the expectations we had for the deep dive. Soon, each of us took turns to go underwater, touch the seabed and live our moments in a new world under the water. Especially for my sexagenarian parents, it was something that they hadn’t done before, and they felt a sense of accomplishment. It was evening by the time we returned to the shore with our boat tossing hard in the unusually rough sea.

Murudeshwar temple during Sunset
Murudeshwar temple during Sunset

We freshened up at a nearby lodge before visiting the Murudeshwara temple. We called it a day while watching the sun go down from atop the temple tower. It is highly recommended that this spring-summer trip to the coast of Karnataka should go onto everyone’s bucket list!

Chattisgarh, Nature & Wildlife, Sponsored posts

A Trip to Kanger Valley National Park

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My first thoughts about visiting a national park used to be safaris, birdwatching and game sighting. But my trip to Kanger valley national park in Chhattisgarh helped me change that perspective by letting me understand that a trip to a forest can be beyond wildlife. Even without having any major landmarks to visit, a trip can be complete by simply traveling slow, being present and immersive in the energies of the moment.

A walk tour around Jagadalpur set a good preamble by introducing me to the culture and history of the tribal communities and the royal family of Bastar. Jagadalpur is where most rituals of the Bastar Dussehra center around. Bastar Dussehra, the longest festival in the world is celebrated for seventy-five days thereby attracting tourists from across the globe to witness the congregation and unique rituals of Adivasis inhabiting the region.

The Royal Palace at Jagdalpur
The Royal Palace at Jagdalpur

We then drove towards Kanger valley National Park, the only national park in India where human settlements is allowed within the heart of the forest that is thriving around the Kanger River. A sumptuous lunch served on patravalis was followed by a walk to see the beautiful Thirathgarh waterfalls and the serene Sita Kund, important sites of pilgrimage in the local culture. After spending some time there, I went on a guided trek to Shivaganga, an untouched gem. ‘The seclusion of the waterfall, reachable by a flight of bamboo stairs laid out through the thickets would be best complimented by an overnight camping and the dance of the fireflies’ as described by the guide.

Sita Kund, Thirathgarh waterfalls, Kanger valley National Park
Sita Kund at Thirathgarh waterfalls

That night’s accommodation was at an Adivasi homestay. A traditional greeting was followed by warm conversation with the host family, accompanied by homebrewed Mahua liquor and red-ant chutney around a bon-fire, in the courtyard overlooked by a huge Mahua tree. The night’s sky there is certainly a delight for astrophotography enthusiasts. I woke up for sunrise and joined my host on his walk along the riverbank to collect ferns for a perfectly organic meal to start our day. With the mud and bamboo houses, wooden fences, dining on cow-dung smeared floors, slow-cooked food in claypot and on firewood with locally available ingredients, my stay was an incomprehensible experience of sustainable living.

Among three magnificent limestone caves located within the national park, we explored the stalactites and stalagmites of Dandak caves. A fifteen-minute session of meditation inside the dark and silent chamber of the cave was transcending. A Gypsy ride to Kanger Dhara waterfall was followed by bamboo rafting on the pristine and calm waters at Kailash Jheel. Since, our campsite was at a walkable distance from a tribal hamlet, I sneaked out and spent time at the local fair there. Tribal folk had congregated from all neighboring hamlets to watch the ‘Naat’, a theater form where excerpts from epics are adapted into local stories and performed all night.

The next morning started early with an inspiring birding session along the river trail as I was accompanied by a ‘Myna Mitra’, the friend of the Myna birds. This is an initiative by the forest department toward conservation of the Hill-myna, the state bird of Chhattisgarh by getting the local forest dwelling tribal youth involved to track the daily activities of these birds. We got lucky to spot a pair of these birds, the highlight for a typical wildlife trip.

Gumadpal temple, Bastar
Gumadpal temple, Bastar

After a quick meal, we headed towards Gumadpal to see a 14th century Shiva temple. Historians haven’t yet found the reason for its unique three-tiered Linga. That day happened to be the weekly market or haat, as locally called. A walk around the haat was another opportunity to get a closer understanding of the local way of life. Haats do not just provide for trade but also for worshipping local deities, entertainment, socialization and even matchmaking. A few women were singing and dancing to the local songs and asked us to join in as well. It was surprising to know that barter still exists here. I tasted local food like tubers, mahua, tendu, and a variety of local brews and wines. Jewelry and home-décor items in dhokra, a GI tagged craft made by a method believed to be practiced since over 4000 years were being sold among several other unique crafts of the region. I witnessed an energy packed session of cockfighting as well.

Dokra art at various stages of metal casting
Dokra art at various stages of metal casting

Having travelled to Chhattisgarh and not seeing the poster boy of its tourism advertisements, did not seem fair. River Indravati plummets down with all her might in a horseshoe shape, making Chitrakote waterfalls the widest in India. I checked into the government run luxury resort to spend my last evening, where every cottage offered a view of the setting sun over the waterfall. A ride in a country boat right into India’s Niagara waterfalls was just the prefect way to say good bye.

Chitrakote waterfalls during summer season
Chitrakote waterfalls during summer season

From waterfalls and caves to tribal hamlets and local markets, from history and folklore to art and craft, from food and wine to mud-houses and palaces, from dance and music to culture and architecture, my experience at Kanger valley national park was replete, wholesome and truly full of surprises!

Fact file:

  • Transport: Jagadalpur is connected by daily flights, rail route and by buses. Self-drive cars or taxis can be availed for travelling within Bastar.
  • Stay: Several tribal homestays are available within the national park. Nature camps and resorts run by Chhattisgarh tourism board and heritage stays in palaces are managed by the erstwhile royal family of Bastar. Good hotels of all budgets are available at Jagadalpur.
  • Food: Bastar cuisine mostly comprises of locally grown rice and vegetables.

This travel was part of the ‘Dekho Bastar- Season 1’ event organised by India Tourism Board and Bastar District administration in collaboration with Kanger Valley National Park. The article appeared in ‘Apr~May’23’ edition of ‘Bastar Bhoomi’ magazine.

Art & Craft

A compilation of art and science from the by-lanes of India

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I am an art enthusiast by passion and an engineer by qualification. I seek to be an art aficionado and a curious kid within me is always on the lookout to learn how things are made and work. In fact, I believe the best art is created by the culmination of science and creativity. As a traveler, I do not miss a chance to visit and interact with artisans and understand how they make things what they are good at.

When I travel to a new place, I try to accommodate time to explore the lesser touristy streets of any place because according to me, the real soul of any place lives in its by-lanes. I try to meet enthusiasts (across genres) and visit their creative abodes or workshops to see things take form.

Here is a compilation of such posts describing the souvenirs that combine two worlds of art and science which one can buy when visiting these destinations.

  1. Bangalore : HMT Watches
  2. Rajahmundry: Ratnam fountain pens
  3. Aranmula: Metallic mirrors
  4. Bastar: Metal crafts (wrought iron and bell-metal crafts)
  5. South India: Bronze icons

How many of these souvenirs have you collected, yet?

Sikkim, West Bengal

The four-wheeled connection between the south-western and north-eastern hills of India

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Britishers chose beautiful and yet strategic places across India to create their summer and recreational destinations, mostly hill-stations. Needless to mention that despite the colonial rule ending seventy-five years ago, their influence in our culture has been inseparable. One aspect of these cultural influences is the slow lifestyle of the people in these hill stations and bungalows nestled amid large plantations. When the British vacated the Indian hill stations, they also left behind all the automobiles, machinery and equipment used in their plantations and factories. With that, a legacy of four-wheel drive vehicles as well.

The Date:

When I planned a trip around North-east India in 2021, I had included an ascent to Sandakphu-Phalut, a small settlement in northern-most part of West-Bengal on the Indo-Nepal border. I wanted to see the ‘Sleeping Buddha’ at sunrise. The sleeping Buddha is a series of mountain peaks in the Himalayas including Kanchenjunga, Kumbakarna and others collectively appearing like the Lord Buddha resting in the horizon, over whom a golden shade is cast during sunrise. Trekking enthusiasts opt to walk through the Singalila National Park, a week-long trek to reach Sandakphu and Phalut.

But I (along with my brother and friends) planned to summit the trail by road. Not that I was less adventurous or lazy to walk, but I felt that my adrenaline rushed a little more at the thought of being driven on a four-wheel drive vehicle. ‘Why so?’, you may ask.

I am a kid who was born and raised in the south-western hills of Madikeri. ‘So, what?’, one might think. Madikeri, in Kodagu is where the Britishers have played an influential role in raising a culture of using and loving our four-wheeled drive vehicles. The jeeps from the Mahindra stables are like family for the people of the coffee hills. Be it the Willys, left-hand-drives, petrol engines and all that followed, you will find them all in shining spec and ruling the roads of Kodagu. This natural affinity for automobiles in my genes and the nature of my profession that lets me earn my daily bread (I’m an automobile engineer by profession), I don’t think my choice of transport needs further elaboration. So, for me the thought of a drive in the north-eastern hills exuded more thrill than trekking through the woods.

The vehicle here in discussion is a vintage ‘Land rover Defender’ that is at the least, as old as the Indian Independence! Maneybanjang is a small town that serves as a base for the Sandakphu trek. But it has gained the moniker ‘the Land of Land rovers’ for it is home to over 40 vintage Land-rover Defenders. These vehicles were used by the British to tame the unpaved terrain of the tea plantations at nearby Darjeeling and surrounding hills and were left behind when they left India for good. These vehicles are now the proud possessions of individuals living in this village who have now formed a ‘Land-rover owners’ association’ from whom rides can be hired by travelers who want to see the sleeping Buddha.

A vintage Land rover Defender petrol vehicle at Maneybanjang
A vintage Land rover Defender petrol vehicle at Maneybanjang

For someone from Madikeri who found an instant connection with Maneybanjang, it was like a love-story between coffee and tea. It was a meeting of the grasslands of Western Ghats with the snow-clad peaks of the Himalayas. As it was the last day of Deepawali on the day of our arrival at Maneybanjang, we also witnessed the local culture of how Deepawali was celebrated in that part of the world. With a mixed influence of Hinduism and Buddhism, the Indian and Nepali, the Gorkha and the Bengali cultures, it was indeed a unique experience. The localites form groups and go from house to house all night singing, dancing, and spreading joy, much like carol singing. That night, we too joined them during our stay and immersed ourselves in the local culture.

The Journey:

On the following morning, we started our journey from Maneybanjang around 08.00.a.m. in the morning and stopped at several villages, check posts, viewpoints until we reached the homestay at Sandakphu by evening. We tried local cuisine, yak cheese, fresh brews, and aged fruit wines along our way. We hiked around to get to the nearest sunset-point, even though the fog had engulfed the entire atmosphere. We cooked noodles with the locals in their kitchens and grooved to their native music before calling it a day.

The vintage Land rover Defender diesel vehicle, in which we traveled to Sandakphu and Phalut
The vintage Land rover Defender diesel vehicle, in which we traveled to Sandakphu and Phalut

On the following morning, we woke up as early as 04.00a.m. to climb up a small, elevated point from where we would get a wholesome 360degree view of the rising sun and the sleeping Buddha. We were chattering and shivering in the freezing cold as thin sheets of ice were crackling under our feet. But when the sun started to come out, the few minutes of spectacle was simple breathtaking.

Post breakfast, we drove up to Phalut, walked around the place and planned our descent. Not without taking a lot of photos with the machine we have travelled on thus far. It was early evening when we finally made it back to Maneybanjang, thus ending our date with the ‘Defenders’. It was a bittersweet moment as we had to leave each other’s company. Sweet for the drive, the vistas, and the thrill; Bitter for having to depart without knowing when we would be back again.

Land rover Defender and 'Sleeping Buddha' at Sandakphu
Our Land rover Defender with the ‘Sleeping Buddha’ in the Background at Sandakphu

We hired a local taxi to proceed towards our next destination- Gangtok, for the night.

Nature & Wildlife, Statewise Travel

List of the Widest Waterfalls of India

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We all know that the widest waterfall in the world is the Niagara, and it is in America! So, we take it for convenience to use Niagara as a synonym to refer to every other wide waterfall in our region. But how many of us have really seen the widest waterfall in India? Or for that matter, how many of us have seen the widest waterfall of our own states within India? Irony is we surely know Niagara, but we might have not even heard of the one in our own backyard.

So, here’s my attempt at listing some of the widest waterfalls in the Indian states that we love to call the Niagara of our country! (Note: These are by width of the waterfalls and not by their height)

1. Chitrakote waterfalls, Chhattisgarh:

The WIDEST waterfall in India is this, where river Indravati plummets down a horse-shoe shaped gorge. A beauty to behold in all true senses, a ride in a country boat to right under the waterfall is a spell-binding experience.

Chitrakote waterfalls during summer season
Chitrakote waterfalls during summer season

2. Athirappilly waterfalls, Kerala:

Chalakudy river cascades down a rocky gorge forming this spectacular waterfall is something that one would not want to miss on their next haunt to Kerala to explore its backwaters and canals.

Athirapilly waterfalls, Thrissur district Kerala
Athirapilly waterfalls, Thrissur district Kerala

3. Gokak waterfalls, Karnataka:

Formed by the Ghataprabha river, Gokak falls is Karnataka’s best kept secret. A walk on the hanging-bridge laid right across the waterfall when it is flowing full, is an experience worth considering.

Gokak waterfalls
Above: The front view of Gokak falls from the Volkart rock view point; Below: A view from the Hanging bridge.

4. Hogeynakal waterfalls, Tamil Nadu:

As river Kaveri enters Tamil-Nadu, she plummets down forming this beautiful waterfall where a coracle ride is highly recommended.

Hogeynakal waterfalls
The breathtaking view of the Hogeynakal waterfalls from the watch tower

5. Bogatha waterfalls, Telangana:

An unexplored beauty, the Cheekupally stream cascades down forming this waterfall that has still been off the radar of mass-tourism.

6. Panimur waterfalls, Assam:

Assam is mainly a low-land / plain area with Dima Hasao district being its only hill-station. The high altitude of the region holds some of the best waterfalls of the state as well, among which Panimur waterfalls formed by the Kopili river is its best-kept secret.

Panimur waterfalls at Dima Hasao district, Assam
Panimur waterfalls at Dima Hasao district, Assam

7. Bahuti waterfalls, Madhya Pradesh:

Some may revere it to be the highest in Madhya Pradesh state, but I couldn’t find an equivalent in width to match this place of natural beauty which is formed by Sellar river in Rewa district.

8. Seven sister waterfalls, Meghalaya:

Thanks to its year-round rainfall, Meghalaya is a land of waterfalls, each being spectacular on its own. Talking about wide waterfalls, this set of seven-segmented waterfalls drops down a limestone cliff at Cherrapunjee which looks spectacularly wide when it is full during the monsoon-season.

9. Gira waterfalls, Gujarat:

Formed by the river Ambika, a jeep ride through a nice green landscape to reach this waterfall is what the locals recommend to enjoy this visit better.

This is my humble attempt to enlist some of the widest waterfalls, picking one from each state in India. Let me know what is the widest waterfall at where you are?

Boat ride at Chitrakote waterfalls, Chhattisgarh
Nature & Wildlife, Statewise Travel

Five Amazing Places to Explore Caves in India

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As a high school student, I was intrigued by the terminologies called ‘Stalactites’ and ‘Stalagmites’ in my Geography curriculum. ‘These were formations of calcium deposits formed by continuous flowing of water over several years, below the Earth’s crust’, it read.

“These structures are beautiful to see. I had the opportunity to visit one of these underground caverns during my visit to France. We walked down a flight of stairs and then were taken on a boat, to see stalactites and stalagmites, underground”, my geography teacher said. Her voice echoes in my ears even today, because back then my jaws had dropped in awe wondering how beautiful the landscape and topography of the countries outside India were. I wished to see the stalactites and stalagmites someday.

Cut to today, I am so glad that time has been kind on me with so many opportunities to explore my own country, India. These opportunities have opened my senses to realize that “India is a world”. From snow to deserts, mountains to beaches, plains to rainforests, the landscape comprises of EVERY type from across the world! Based on my travels, I have seen some amazing cave systems in India. Without including the caves that have been part of India’s ‘art and architectural heritage’, here are five best places in India where you can explore caves in their natural form.

1. Meghalaya:

Top on the list, there are hundreds of caves that are open to explorers, hundreds being discovered every day and maybe thousands that are still unknown to people yet. ‘Krem Liat Prah’, India’s longest cave system is in Meghalaya.

2. Andhra Pradesh:

‘Borra caves’ in Andhra is the largest cave in India. A heritage railway line passes just above this limestone cave. Having such a big cave system is proof and motivation enough to know that several other caves are available in this region waiting to be explored by adventurers and tourists alike.

Inside the Belum caves

3. Chhattisgarh:

The state sitting within the mythologically important forests called ‘Dandakaranya,’ these forests are home to several limestone cave systems that are yet untouched by mass-tourism. Only about 57 caves are known to people as of now, and there is immense scope for exploring new caves. The remoteness of the places adds to the joy of the explorer while caving in Chhattisgarh. The video of exploring a cave at Bastar, Chhattisgarh is shared below.

Cave exploration at Madarkonta caves

4. Andaman & Nicobar Islands:

This archipelago and Union territory of India is one of the best kept secrets of nature enthusiasts who want to go caving. In fact, this is where I saw a stalactite and stalagmite for the first time in my life. The connectivity of these remote caves located on different islands through a channel of interconnected mangrove forests passing through pristine blue sea water makes it a memorable experience.

5. Karnataka:

While all the above cave systems I have enlisted above are limestone caves, Karnataka is home to some of the beautiful sandstone caves which are scattered across the middle and northern region of the state. Unlike underground, the caves in Karnataka are formed above the earth’s surface and give a completely distinct perspective of exploring this state, which is my home-state as well!

Rocky hills at Badami