TRAVEL SPECIAL................................. Off-Beat places

Off-Beat places

Chambal, Uttar Pradesh The once notorious land of dacoits, Chambal has finally emerged out of its infamous reputation to woo nature lovers, who are raring to 'shoot' (the non-violent way) rare birds and animals. A leisurely boat ride, on the unpolluted Chambal river, in search of Gangetic river dolphins, ghariyals, turtles, otters and over 330 species of birds, is truely wonderful. Take a camel or jeep safari to meet the elusive black buck at the Sarus Conservation Crane Reserve. Fort Ater, witness to wars between the Rajputs, Mughals and Marathas, is worth a visit. Cycle around to watch villagers collect water chestnuts, from marshy water, in their round-metallic boats or walk through yellow mustard fields. Bateshwar temple complex, by the River Yamuna, has over 100 temples dedicated to Shiva; here snake-worshipping Naga sadhus, live in caves carved in the ravines. Majuli, Assam Shrinking year by year because of the ever- flooding Brahmaputra, Majuli is possibly no longer the world’s largest river island, but it remains pleasurable. Take a ferry from Jorhat to the island. Once here, you’ll pass through a foliage, travel on elevated, narrow lanes–with paddy fields and marshes on either side–and meet grazing cattle and school kids. Hundreds of migratory birds such as pelicans, Siberian cranes and adjutant storks visit in winter; interestingly people from all over have migrated here too. The owner of Ma Po Okum (Happy House) belongs to Arunachal’s Mishing tribe; most of them weave silk and saris with handlooms. Also fascinating is the Neo-Vaishnavite culture thriving in sattras (temples); some hold remnants of the ancient Ahom (Assam) Kingdom. During Raas Leela locals perform plays, for which masks–small and life-size–are made. Cycle around, like the locals, join them for fishing, enjoy! Aldona, Goa Paddy fields, vast meadows, traditional Portuguese homes, quaint churches along Mapusa river... the unassuming, sleepy village of Aldona, in Bardez, breaks the tourist myth that south Goa is the place for serenity and natural beauty, while north Goa is only about booze, parties and for history buffs—monuments. Aldona retains the authentic Goan charm. The traditional poi (Goan bread) bakery here, uses an earthen oven, built in the wall. It rolls out fresh batches of bread every morning (4.30 am) and evening (4.30 pm). The pao walla delivers it across the entire village on a bicycle. Another delightful discovery–the village has backwaters! A local family gives kayaks and speed boats on rent. If you’re up for pure indulgence ask about their luxury yatch–Lady M. There are various lodging options in Aldona, but for a truely local experience try their traditional homestay, a 500-year-old villa–Cancio’s House. Ambling around the uneven terrain, visit St Thomas Church (Aldona’s main church and important local, cultural space) and the ruins of Corjuem Fort across Mapusa river. Look out and lose yourself to uninterrupted views of the landscape. Andretta, Himachal Pradesh Just an hour from Dharamsala, Andretta is flanked by the Shivalik hills and the Dhauladhar range. It’s little wonder that when late Norah Richards, a Punjabi theatre artist of Irish origins, decided to move here and turn it into an artist colony, the idea caught on. Freda Bedi, Prithvi Raj Kapoor, painters–B C Sanyal and Sobha Singh began visiting regularly. Renowned potter, Sardar Gurcharan Singh made it his home and realised her idea. It has seen its lows, but this hamlet in the dense pine forests of Kangra valley, continues to inspire art. Not many Indians know of it, but artists from around the world treat it as a creative retreat and set up mud-and-bamboo studios here. Works of locals and global artists (from Mexico, England and Holland) are displayed at the Sobha Singh Art Gallery. The new Norah Centre of Arts is a space for artists, musicians, dancers and writers to interact and hold workshops. Stay at one of the mud houses; they give pottery lessons. Or enjoy good treks, bird watching and paragliding. Koyna, Maharashtra While reserves and national parks in other parts of the country are well known, Maharashtra’s Koyna Wildlife Sanctuary in Satara is known to few. Take a jeep safari (you can easily find private ones; the government doesn’t organise it) through the forest and say hello to the barking deer, sloth bears, leopards, giant squirrels, cobras and if you’re lucky even tigers! Up in the sky, watch colourful kingfishers fly by. If you want a relaxing trip, staying at resorts near the sanctuary are the best option, but if you’re on a budget there’s the government rest house too. Rivers Koyna, Solashi and Kandhati, as well as the Koyna Dam add to the beauty of the Sahyadris. If you’re an adventure seeker, go on a jungle trek to Vasota Fort; you’ll have to take a boat ride on Shiv Sagar Lake from Bamnoli to the base of the fort. Once there, your climb to your destination over 3,000m above sea level. At some lakes, watersports like kayaking and speed-boating are also organised. Tuticorin, Tamil Nadu The shades of the ocean’s blue and the fine golden sandy beaches of Tuticorin have greeted travellers and maritime traders since antiquity. Historically, it has also been renowned for pearl fishing. The spirit of adventure around Tuticorin has taken a new form—surfing. Aqua Outback, an adventure initiative, takes you snorkelling, kayaking, fishing and kitesurfing, which is yet to pick-up in India. Unlike Pondicherry, Tuticorin doesn’t bear the indelible mark of its many colonial overlords (barring its name, anglicised from the Tamil–Thoothukudi). Another exception is Our Lady of Snows Basilica, a 500-year-old Portuguese structure. Stroll into Dhanalakshmi or Ganesh bakery and you’ll be surprised to find exotic macaroons–conical in shape and with cashews, rather than almonds, as the primary ingredient. The story of their arrival in Tuticorin is still a mystery. Another sight that stands out in Tuticorin is the almost extraterrestrial landscape of the salt pans; Tuticorin is one of the largest producers of salt in Tamil Nadu. Kadmat Islands, Lakshwadeep You’ll get small local boats or speed boats from Agatti to take you to Kadmat Island. The reward? Solitude, white sand beaches, clear blue waters, lagoons for kayaking, an abundance of coconut trees, great diving sites, where you’ll spot sharks and plenty of tropical fish including lobsters, rays and others. The only accomodation here is the government-run Kadmat Island Beach Resort, known for basic standard of food and amenities. On the positive side they organise local folk perfomances like parichakali and kolkali that locals traditionally participate in during weddings and other festive occasions. You can also request for a tour of the coconut powder factory. At Kadmat you can meet students from different parts of Lakshadweep because the Calicut University has a centre here. But the islands best offering is an opportunity to explore its rich marine life through scuba and snorkelling. Raghurajpur, ODIsha An hour away from the laid back beaches of Puri, lies the art village of Raghurajpur with brightly- frescoed houses. The villagers’ ancestors were the only ones given the privilege of decorating the famous Jagannath Temple. Interestingly, all villagers still engage in patta chitras (paintings on cloth and palm leaves), using natural dyes and a fine brush (sometimes made from the fine hair of a rat’s neck). Today, artisans also design masks, idols and beer bottles with traditional art. In the home of Odissi grand master Kelucharan Mohapatra and Gotipua Nrutya, a precursor to the present day form of Odissi, the village amphitheater still sees live Odissi performances. Also visit the nearby Pipli village, famous for its appliqué work. Traditionally, this craft, involving mirrors and the stitching of one cloth over the other, was used to decorate temples and deities. It is now used for making giant umbrellas for the Rath Yatra. Barren Island, Andaman and Nicobar Islands While most tourists visit the popular Havelock Island and Port Blair, the Andamans have some of India’s best kept secrets. The remote, easterly, Barren island is home to the only active volcano in South Asia. As you approach the island, you’re treated to stunning views of the volcano emitting smoke and ash. With crystal clear visibility, lush and fast growing coral gardens, majestic manta rays, abundant and diverse marine life, and unique underwater stone and lava formations, this is simply the best diving spot in the Andamans. It’s also excellent for snorkelling as the visibility stretches upto 40m and some of the coral gardens and the manta ray bay are fairly shallow. If you want to dive, get to the island on a diving live-aboard, so you can spend a few days anchored near the island (it is uninhabited, has no facilities to stay, and in fact, landing is not permitted). Kurukshetra, Haryana Also once called Dharmashetra–the battleground of the epic war between the Pandavas and Kauravas–Kurukshetra is like a live museum of Mahabharata with sculptures of Arjun, Krishna on his chariot and the epic-based names of places. Fort Amin, not too far, is apparently the site of Chakravyuh and is named after Abhimanyu. At Bhishma Kund, Arjun is believed to have shot an arrow into the ground to get water for Bhishma Pitamah; Krishna is said to have revealed the Bhagvad Gita under a banyan tree at Jyotisar. Visit the Sri Krishna Museum to view artefacts pertaining to the epic and watch its war scenes being scientifically demonstrated at the Kurukshetra Panorama and Science Centre. If you’re looking for moksha, bathing in the sacred Brahma Sarovar tank during an eclipse is supposed to lead you to it. And bathing in Sannhit Sarovar on amavasya is considered the equivalent of performing the ‘Ashwamedha Yagna’. Another must-do is the Bhadrakali temple, one of the 52 Shakti Peeths. Jagdalpur, Chhattisgarh Chhattisgarh brings to mind adivasis, naxals and red ant chutney. But in and around Bastar’s Jagdalpur city you’ll find amazing caves and waterfalls. Hidden deep in the forest, the 330-meter-long subterranean Kutumsar Cave is the world’s second largest natural cave. It is pitch dark, so you can’t explore it on your own. For a small group, one guide leads from ahead and one follows behind. They carry special lamps for light to prevent fire or explosion, due to the natural gases present inside. This limestone cave is perennially cold and has stagnant water in some parts. At the end is a huge Shivaling-shaped stalagmite; tourists are not allowed beyond a certain area. Kailash Gufa, close to the city, is smaller, but has spectacular stalactites and stalagmites that look like pillars. Another must-see here is India’s largest waterfall, the Chitrakot Falls that plunge a 100 feet and can spread a 1, 000 feet wide. DNA140814