CHITRAKOTE - Asia's largest waterfall

CHITRAKOTE - Asia's largest waterfall

Waterfalls are nature’s exciting creation and have always been admired for their beauty and might by mankind. Hilly terrain of Chhattisgarh makes way for many such waterfalls with their beauty growing manifold in the backdrop of extravagant forest cover that state has. When waterfalls are being discussed, the majestic Chitrakote waterfall near Jagdalpur tops all. 38 kms from the district headquarters of Jagdalpur, the travel is just half an hour on the silken road that take you through to the largest waterfall in Asia. At 1845 cubic meter per second of water discharged when at its peak, it is arguably the largest waterfall in Asia by the volume of water that flows through it. The falls are formed when river Indrāvati plunges 32 m deep down a gorge in a horseshoe shaped arc resembling famous Niagara Falls.

The beauty of the falls is that while during rains the volume of water can be intimidating, the narrow milky white stream in summer flowing at its own pace will leave you spellbound. Close your eyes and listen to the music of nature by the side of falls as river Indrāvati plays drumbeats on the rocks below. Stand close by and feel the gentle water drops that travel in air by the force of the descent of falls. Rediscover yourself as you watch the rainbow take shape at the bottom of the falls. Go down by the stairs to the bottom of the valley and take a bow, for you are fortunate enough to admire nature almost unspoiled. Talking to fishermen on the boat ride in the pool that is formed at the bottom of the falls, it is much easy to comprehend that everything fits in perfectly in the larger scheme of things designed by nature.

If you are not much into philosophy, the Indrāvati valley is a great place to go trekking. The guide accompanying will keep telling names of the trees, the birds and stories of the wild while you struggle to keep pace with him in one of the most scenic and undiscovered nature trails. Chhattisgarh Tourism Board organizes group treks on request and can be contacted at their resort stone’s throw away from the falls. Gods are omnipresent, Chitrakote is not an exception. A newly built Shiva temple welcomes you into Chitrakote while there is another one in the rock cavity at the bottom of the fall on the other side of the stream. Narayanpal temple, around five kms away from Chitrakote is an ancient temple dating back to 1111 A.D. and is still in amazingly good condition.

Barsur, the regions best known archeological site is around 45 kms away, is known for temple remains dating back to 11^th century. The Barsur Ganesha, Mama bhanja ka mandir and Battisha temple are of notable importance. And if you have not had enough of waterfalls, the Tamra Ghumar falls at 17 kms from Chitrakote on the way to Barsur await you. A frail stream in summers and a full fledged waterfall in rest of the seasons, it is a spot of unmatched beauty and pristine nature.

While the resort offers the perfect hangout for a night in the lap of nature, the falls illuminated at night surrounded by the murmurs of the jungle and the valley are sights of unmatched beauty. Meditate on the rocks, take a stroll or just stare at the vast expanse by the side of Chitrakote falls; it sure is the destination that will forever be etched on your mind and soul.

Traveling to Chitrakote is not one thing that comes last on the excitement parameters. National highway 43 connects the district headquarters, Jagdalpur to Raipur, the state capital and takes you through a variety of landscapes – the hill town of Kanker, the whispering valley of Keshkal, the jungles of Kondagaon and the plateau of Bastar – on a road that is fun to drive on. Jagdalpur is also connected to Visakhapattnam via rail and road networks. From jagdalpur to Chitrakote, the drive is as picturesque as it can get.

A Journey to Local World

Let's start our journey to all the places. Basically my travel has been limited to India only but that does not put any limits to the landscapes one can see,  the variety of cultures one has to experience, the food  and cuisine will be different everywhere, not to mention the language and lifestyles. Whether you be in city of joy where life runs at its own pace of commercial capital where you keep running for life - India offers enough opportunities for an amateur non-compulsive traveler like me to get astonished and mesmerized. Before I get into writing my insights that I gathered while traveling this country, it is imperative that I mention all the places I have been. Neither the list is big nor includes bigger destination on Indian tourism map. Most of these places I have lived and then traveled to the surrounding, but more than the sightseeing it is the topography and geography that I have been interested in, including people.

Bihar and Jharkhand - being my birth state I have traveled most of it, Benaras, Kolkata, New Delhi, Bangalore and surrounding places, Puri - Bhuwaneswar - Konark and last but not the least Chhattisgarh. I have deliberately missed a few places like Mumbai, Chennai, Hyderabad and other where i have been but not toured around. The list of places is much much smaller than most of your's, but then I have decided to put my travels in writing. But those who have not been to these places, I am sure you will visit a few places through these words for sure.

soon would follow first hand account of bastar - the latest where I have been to - get ready for the journey to tribal heartland of India.

Origin of Travels

Mankind has always been inquisitive in nature and this has led to may a discoveries. However I still find it as not the prime reason why human started traveling. In prehistoric era it must have been search for food, water and shelter - a fact that is truth in many parts of world even today. The other reasons like business, search for gold and mineral resources and invasion to conquer world would have followed. Modern times have seen much more travel than it would have been imagined a few decades back. Space travel is a realty now. We must be thankful to the adventures of Vasco-da-Gama and Amerigo Vespucci whose fabled journeys brought world closer. Industrial revolution was indeed a revolution - search for more raw material, mass mobilization for need of human resources, searching newer markets for the products and invention of faster and safer means of travel made travel a child's play. Ever since I joined IIM Raipur for PGDM, I have developed this knack for linking phenomena s to economics and commerce, which I find true because human history and politics have always been economics in disguise.

Religion provided yet another reasons for people to travel. Religion had been opium for the masses and  the option not being limited to rich and powerful, religious travel still makes significant numbers traverse seans and land alike. Middle and south-east Asia being cradle of many a religions attracted people from across the globe - Fa Hein, Hiuen Tsang and Ibn Battuta amongst the most famous of Buddhist travelers. Pilgrimage in Hinduism as well as Islam has been an integral part of the religious practice. And this included local travel to the nearest shrine or dargah to the interstate and inter-continental travels. Other religion also had their share of shrines and places to be visited as part of religious practice or out of devotion of followers as sacred places, but this sure familiarized people with travel.

Lesiure travel more commonly referred to as tourism these days had its own reasons to evolve. People who amassed wealth as results of industrial revolution and feudal practices indulged into holidaying at places of abundant natural beauty, seasonal comforts and serene surrounding, most of the times far from the crowded cities. The under-privileged and unprivileged had business and religion as their reasons. The locations may not have been as exotic but the desire to see more of this mortal world motivated many a souls to travel far and wide.

Post world wars, cold wars and rise of consumerism, the world has found out many other reasons  - Adventure, holidaying, sightseeing, health tourism and others. Other significant events in world history has given birth to even newer forms of tourism like - slum tourism (western world people to third world countries for reasons that should better not be discussed here), terror spot tourists (visting places of terror attacks - bali island, taj hotel Mumbai, ground zero NewYork), eco tourism, rural and tribal tourism.

Whatever be the reason, travel and tours have always provided an insight into world which is different from ours, a window to meet people whose customs, traditions and lives are different from ours, entry to the landscape that we are not familiar to and yet find the same vibes reverberating everywhere. This has been my philosophy of globetrotting, albeit locally. I am sure in days to come I will be ''local-trotting'' globally.
Have a safe and fulfilling journey.