Published in Exotica


Alluring Chhattisgarh

We gulp in huge mouthfuls of fresh air, redolent with the smell of rain as we cruise past picturesque terrain in a Tavera on an explorative journey of Chhattisgarh, our new home, after twenty five long years of residence on foreign shores. We (my husband and I) are stationed at Korba, an industrial belt of Chhattisgarh, home to the Hasdeo & Bango Dams and the Kendai Waterfalls.

A Raging Chitrakote Falls

The ash-grey first light of dawn forms a silvery dust on the windscreen and a thin veil of mist swirls out of the clouds across the several hillocks and mountains that envelope numerous regions of the State. On our idyllic sojourn in the lap of nature, we traverse through vast stretches of luxuriant paddy fields dotted with little huts of thatch and brick tiles. The fields are often punctuated by cows and buffaloes that lazily amble across, often allowing snow-white egrets to hop a ride on their back. Myriads of other birds swoop low over the verdure only to soar high into the hills and create their own symphony in rhythm with the soughing wind. We are amused and amazed at once by little traffic jams caused by herds of strolling cattle, bells around their necks clanging away to no particular beat.

The sheer sweep of forest ranges with an amazing mix of wood interspersed with some exotic flora and fauna, the bounteous and marvelous architectural masterpieces that dot its landscape, the snaking waters that form spectacular mazes of rivulets, streams and rivers, are all a colorful palette for every kind of visitor to Chhattisgarh. Endowed with rich cultural heritage and an even richer biodiversity, the State is a bewitching blend of natural beauty, historical wealth and mystique-ridden tribal culture. Top this with the rustic simplicity of its people and their kind hospitality, you have the perfect equation to make it a traveler’s delight.

CG, a landlocked state in Central India, we realize, is indeed one of India’s well kept secret and a surprise package to tourists and even the casual visitor. If the Indian epic Ramayana is interwoven into the region’s folklore, equally intriguing is the unique tribal culture of the place that is yet kept alive to a major extent. This is especially evident in the deep dedication to festivities that flows in the veins of its people. Every festival is celebrated with such gusto as if there is no tomorrow, apparently with a view to shut out realty, sometimes for a week together!

A frothy avalanche of "cold coffee" The Chitrakote Waterfalls

While on the State’s festive culture, I must say though the festival calendar is practically choco bloc, Bastar Dussera is most colorful and compelling. Even its very connotation is entirely different in that it has nothing to do with Lord Rama or his return to Ayodhya after 14 years in exile. Dussera at Bastar is celebrated in honour of the local deity, Danteshwari Maa and has its origins in the 15th century when it would be celebrated for a period of 75 days! The fortnight-long folk arts festival is a visual treat with participation from all of the State’s major tribes.

The rich blend of the ancient and the modern is indeed comical in the state. On the one hand we get to see youth on streets sway to Bollywood numbers from earplugs hooked on to Apple Ipods that fit elegantly into their trouser pockets, or having a hearty banter on the latest mobile handsets. Bicycles and bullock carts vie for road space with Japanese and other high end cars, buoyant electronic goods market, computer and IT centres rub shoulders with the native herbal “therapy centres” and the weekly haats trading the most assorted wares, including cattle. While one may see several sprawling modern mansions, high rise buildings are conspicuous by their absence throughout the State, including in Raipur, the State capital.

Though the idea of a separate CG state was first mooted in the early 1920s, the State actually materialized only in 2001, November. Historical records reveal that Chhattisgarh was once known as Dakshin Kosal, the name being so derived because Lord Ram is believed to have lived here for a while during his period of exile! During the Mughal era it was known as Ratanpur and in 1795, under the Marathas, it came to get its present name. According to British historian J.B.Beglar, the actual name is Chhattisghar, meaning thirtysix houses, indicative of the thirtysix families of dalits who once are believed to have migrated to this land during the time of Jarasandha, the legendary Mahabharat character. While some historians believe Chhattisgarh is a corruption of Chhedisgarh, or the political seat of the Chhedis. Yet others attribute the name Chhattisgarh to the presence of thirty six forts in the region, the presence of which continues to be shrouded in mystery.

Keshkal Valley in the early hours of the morning

As we travel from North to South, from Jashpur to Jagdalpur, we are really struck by the variety that is Chhattisgarh, a true melting pot of nature, wildlife, eco-tourism and human endeavour in the form of historical landmarks and craftsmanship. The lore of the woods and the tribal life is palpable in the creations of sisal and bamboo carving, the numerous motifs captured in terra cotta, and the kosa silk designs crafted most aesthetically with natural dyes. Much before the times of Ayurveda, the aboriginal tribes of Chhattisgarh, we learn, have been practicing ethno-medicine, being endowed with innumerable medicinal plants and herbs. Even today, herbal concoctions are very much in vogue here, but often dispensed in a more scientific manner, with centres set up for their study.

If the landscape of Chhattisgarh has us bowled over, its structures of brick and stone are no less enigmatic and bewitching. Every monument, most of them deemed “protected” by the Archeological Survey of India, in various states of preservation, speak volumes of the glory, creativity and craftsmanship of the eras gone by. Like a sublime piece of music, each note of which is deftly selected and rhythmically ordered, poems of epic proportions come alive through slabs of brick and stone, shaped most intricately, keeping aesthetics and engineering concepts in view.

Temple architecture throughout Chhattisgarh is a must-see for visitors to the State. Though most of them are similar in basic structure, they boast variety that would not miss the art connoisseur. The resplendent marble temple of Shri Parshwanath with its supreme architectural beauty in Nagpura, Durg, the twelve-pillared exquisitely sculpted Rajivlochan Temple on the banks of River Mahanadi, the erogenous idols on the exterior of the Bhoramdeo Temple – referred to as the Khajuraho of Chhattisgarh set in the midst of picturesque surroundings of the Maikal ranges, dense forests and a man-made lake with boating facilities, the temple ruins at Malhar dating back to the 600 B.C, the 11th and 12th century Ganesh temple at Barsur with its simple yet elegant sculpture of Ganesh in sandstone, the brick temple of Shiv at Pali, the 6th century Laxman temple at Sirpur, the only one of its kind anywhere in the world, the unique idol of Tantrik Shiv, named Rudra Shiv at Talagaon – embodying a variety of creatures, the scintillating carvings in the Sheorinarayan and Arang temples, are just a few masterpieces that will have you spellbound.

Stalagmite and Stalactite at Kotumsar Caves

As we continue our travels and proceed south, towards Jagdalpur on NH 4, a scenic drive through mountains and plush verdure, we make several halts to soak in nature’s unfathomable magnificence and feel no less awestruck by human creativity at one of its best. The Rudri & Gangrel Dams in Dhamtari, the valley view at Keshkal’s Panchvati, the several little huts where artistes crafting (a few of them having acquired international fame) bell metal, terra cotta, wood, bamboo and wrought iron artifacts, the Bastar Palace with a treasure of antiques, are just some spot stops we make.

The icing on the cake comes in the form of Kanger Valley National Park, one of the last few swathes of virgin woods remaining in Asia. Draped in a canopy of green in several shades and sprinkled with colorful blossoms, the jungles are home to a wide variety of avian and wildlife. The Kanger river thunders down to form the seven-tiered Tirathgarh Rapids, a cascadic waterfall that is an avalanche of magnificent fury and froth, especially during the monsoons. A few kilometers away from the Fall, we come upon India’s deepest caves, Kutumsar, 100 feet deep, housing the country’s oldest stalagmite and stalactite formations. Barely out of breath from visiting Tirathgarh, we transport ourselves into another breathtaking world of waterfalls in Chitrakote, India’s biggest and grandest, nicknamed the Niagara of Chhattisgarh. The gargantuan Indravati river curves into a horseshoe shape and tumbles down, a profound vertical 100 feet drop, raising in its wake profuse clouds of misty spray, even as tourists watch this sight awestruck, from the ferries that offer a scintillating boating experience.

While on water bodies, the Kendai and Devpehri waterfalls in Korba offer a totally diverse range of falls, creating huge aqua pools at several spots as they fall, offering picknickers a whale of a time swimming and playing various ball games in them. No less attractive are the Dalpat Sagar lake in Dantewada, Jagdalpur, the Tiger Point and Sarbhanja Waterfalls at Mainpat, nicknamed Shimla of Chhattisgarh. Incidentally, Mainpat is also home to a huge colony of Tibetans who have their own colorful monastery, schools, hospital and even old age home.

Bastar Haat in Progress

For art connoisseurs, Chhattisgarh offers a vast array of artifacts, indigenous to the region. Kondagaon, Bhelwapadarpara and Jagdalpur offer an alluring range of handicraft items: bell metal utilities and figurines including life size creations, wrought iron handicrafts, bamboo and wood art, and terra cotta wares. At Bastar, Champa and Chhuri, one can walk away with the internationally renowned, Kosa wears, prized for their simplicity and ethnic motifs, all created from natural vegetable dyes and hand-woven from silk obtained from the Kosa worm.

With 44% of the State being under forest cover, needless to say, Chhattisgarh is home to a host of bird and animal sanctuaries and National Parks, boasting exotic flora and fauna. Unfortunately, in the four years that we have been resident in Chhattisgarh, we are yet to spot the much-talked about Bastar hill myna, a bird found only in Bastar and on the verge of extinction due to poaching. The Kanger National Park, Achanakmar Wildlife Sanctuary, Tamor Pingla & Samarsot wildlife sanctuaries boast wild boars, leopards, tigers, foxes, jackals, cheetal, sloth bears, deer and several other wild beasts.

It is evident that Chhattisgarh is slowly but surely and steadily shaking itself out from the shadows of Madhya Pradesh of which it had been part. Infrastructural facilities to enjoy its tourist potential is still in developmental stage, making visitors a trifle diffident in exploring its hidden treasures. Having said that, if you have the heart and spirit to discover, to explore, to journey into hitherto unchartered territory, Chhattisgarh is sheer delight and pure ecstasy for the rich blend of experiences it has to offer. Hiring a Qualis, Bolero, Scorpio or Inova from one of the many car rentals is the best way to savour Chhattisgarh, which fortunately has good, motorable roads that are at places sprinkled with dhabas and few modern-style restaurants that dish up vegetarian and non vegetarian menu, mostly Indian in nature.

Destination Chhattisgarh

Reaching:
By Air: Raipur, the State capital an be reached from Mumbai, Delhi, Nagpur, Bhubaneshwar.
By Rail: Raipur lies on the Mumbai-Kolkata trunk railway line. It is also connected by trains to Delhi, Chennai, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Lucknow and other Indian cities.
By Road: Though there are luxury buses plying between Raipur and the other towns, hired taxis would be best for travel through Chhattisgarh.
Stay: Hotels to suit different pockets are there in the major towns. Smaller towns however have rest houses and forest rest houses that do not boast any luxury facilities.