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Incredible in India
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Pooja Bhula brings you an amazing mix
of India's odd, classic, contemporary and adventurous festivals to experience
in 2016
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Adventure & Thrill
Winter Games, Jammu
& Kashmir
About 200 skiers and snowboarders from all over India will be
setting the slopes of Gulmarg on fire during the Winter Games Senior
Championship in Kashmir. Watch them show- off their speed, endurance (with
the cross-country category) and technical prowess from the Gulmarg Bowl or G2
Station. Enjoy cultural performances at the government Club House or enjoy
other activities being hosted at Gulmarg such as snow cycling, snow rugby,
ice skating, snow sculpting and heli-skiing, which goes on till March. To catch
the maximum excitement, be there on the first day.
Aqua Terra Challenge,
Uttarakhand
A triathlon with a difference, the Aqua Terra Challenge involves
hiking (24km) and mountain biking (26km) on Uttarkhand's alpine slopes,
followed by rafting (25km) in Rishikesh. And it's also about making a
difference, it was started to remove mountain paranoia post 2013's deluge in
Uttarakhand that badly hit locals dependent on tourism. Though winners get
shoes, bikes and more from sports brands, ATC's motto is 'don't compete,
completing is good enough'. Enjoy the terrain by day and jungle or riverside
camps at night. Novices with basic fitness levels as well as pros participate
in teams of two and four. Special points for women! There are people to take
care of your safety. Participation cost: `18,000 - `20,000.
Surf Festivals, Odisha
& Tamil Nadu
Don't get fooled by the name, the week-long India Surf Festival
(ISF) in Puri, Odisha is a celebration of art (with eclectic installations),
adventure and music (international DJs play trance and EDM) on an estuary of
the Bay of Bengal. It hosts competitions in various categories, including
stand-up paddling, kitesurfing, longboarding and also has workshops for
newbies. For fiercer competition checkout Chennai's three-day Covelong Point
Classic Surf and Music Festival that's been tying up with the Asian Surfing
Championship for competitions in surfing, kayaking, SUP, catamaran riding,
windsurfing and more. They too hold workshops.
Rickshaw Run,
Rajasthan to Meghalaya
In most competitions the thrill is about reaching first, but the
Rickshaw Run is about reaching last. Strange? The Adventurists, who organise
it, want you to feel the adrenaline rush of riding an auto from one part of
the country to the other and truly enjoy the places en route. To participate
in the challenge, you'll need a team of maximum three persons, an auto (owned
or rented) with engine strenght of 7hp or less and a wild streak! Pursuing
the challenge usually costs teams `4 lakhs (you can crowd-source). Register at: www.theadventurist.com/rickshaw-run/
Aranmula Boat Race,
Kerala
Though the Nehru Trophy Boat Race is the most popular,
Aranmula's is traditional and charming. 51 beautifully decorated snake boats
(each belonging to a different village)—divided into categories: big and
small—race a 1-kilometer distance starting from the Parthasarthy temple,
where many first perform puja. But the tournament is not merely about speed;
boatsmen must sing vanchipattu (hymns in praise of Lord Krishna) and row in
rhythm. The excitement during the four-hour event (from 1pm to 5pm) is
electric with spectators watching and cheering from the pavilion (ticket cost: `500 to `1,000). Before the race, you can also partake in the vallasadya
(boat feast), consisting about 45 vegetarian offerings for `150, if you inform the temple authorities well
in advance.
Odd & Intriguing
Tarnetar Fair, Gujarat
Inspired by Draupadi's swayamwar in Mahabharat, Tarnatar mela
was started around Surendranagar's Triniteshwar Mahadev temple, centuries
ago, by various tribes of Gujarat. Taking a dip at the reservoir there is
considered auspicious and the fair is also a platform for girls to choose
grooms. Traditionally they would meet while performing hudo or raas (folk
dances). But now mingling isn't restricted to the raas. Prizes are given to
the best dancers, best dressed and men with the best ornated umberellas.
Purchase traditional arts and crafts, try Saurashtra's cuisine, enjoy rides
on the giant wheels and watch the rural olympics. You can do a day trip from
Ahmedabad or stay in tents provided by the tourism board.
Bull Racing, Karnataka
Imagine watching bulls cover 110-meter muddy tracks, in 11
seconds! Each Kambala, historically farmers' way of paying tribute to god for
protecting their crops, draws 5,000 to 30,000 spectators from neighbouring
states and beyond. About 45 Kambalas are organised across villages. Each
event sees participation from about 100 pairs of bulls (with their individual
racers) that go through multiple elimination rounds, till there's a clear
winner. The race tests the bulls' speed with negilu and hagga categories, in
which they are tied together with a plough and rope respectively. It also
tests the jockeys' might in adda halage (he stands on a surf board and is
pulled by the bulls) and the rare kene halage (he stands on a metallic box;
winning depends on how high the water gets splashed). There's unofficial
betting with huge amounts and little stalls selling toddy too! It's best to
stay in Mangalore, which has direct buses to Kambala villages. For the
Kambala calendar call the Kambala committee on: 9483154022.
Korzok Gustor, Jammu
& Kashmir
About 200km from Leh, surrounded by mountains, near the banks of
ink-blue Tso Moriri that's bordered by a wildlife reserve home to wild asses,
migratory birds and marmots (large squirrels), Korzok village celebrates one
of the region's many monastic festivals, Korzok Gustor. Unlike those at
bigger monastries, the beauty of this one is that, it's the time when local
nomadic tribes gather in traditional attire, alongwith their horses, goats
and yaks. Monks play the traditional music instruments, perform rituals and
dances adorning colourful, and sometimes animistic masks (that can also be
full-length). The dances signify triumph of good over evil, in memory of
their history of wars, before Buddhism ensured peaceful coexistance. For stay,
Korzok has camps with basic facilities.
Nagaur Fair, Rajasthan
Not much grows in the desert land of Rajasthan, and despite
modern technology and Nagaur's fairly fertile soil that allows some mixed
farming, its economy has been dependent on cattle trade. So unlike the
Pushkar Fair that's now more about entertainment for tourists, Nagaur Fair
retains its rustic appeal and is the place to experience real cattle trade.
Buyers throng from all over Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and
beyond. Watch traders race horses, demonstrate the sturdiness of buffaloes,
inspect the sheep's wool and discipline camels to make them appealing to
buyers. While men haggle for the best bargain, women tour Nagaur to take back
spices, jootis and colourful odhnis. Nagaur still has open cinemas and Bhopas
Bhopis performing ballads with puppets. Checkout Nagaur's fort and stay at
its palace-turned hotel, Ranvas or in tents like the traders.
Culture in Serenity
Khajuraho Dance Festival, Madhya Pradesh
Wintery evenings in Madhya Pradesh welcome performances of some
of the best classical dancers and those willing to be awed by them, to its
open-air auditorium outside the enigmatic Khajuraho temple. Few locations
would beat this one to compliment Indian classical dances, considered divine.
This year's line up will see Bharatnatyam, Kathak, Kuchipudi, Odissi,
Manipuri, Mohiniyattam and Jharkand's Saraikela Chau from eminent performers
such as Ranjana Gauhar, Anita Guha and more. The best part is, you don't
require a pass, it's open to all and free for all.
Joydev Kenduli, West
Bengal
As the story goes, listening to cries of poet Joydev,
heart-broken that he couldn't complete the Geet Govind, Lord Krishna took his
avatar (while Joydev was taking a dip in River Ajoy at Kenduli, in Birbhum
district) and completed the book. Due to this, Joydev's mother wished to take
a dip in the Ganges, but as Joydev was too poor to take her that far, the
Lord brought Ganga to River Ajoy on Makar Sankranti. Ever since then bauls
(wandering minstrels) consider it auspicious to take a dip in Ajoy on that
day. Over the years, their gathering turned into a soulful one involving
songs of deep human philosophy. They were so powerful that despite chaos and
lack of proper infrastructure, the songs have lured dignitaries and locals
alike. Contempory songs and music are making inroads and threaten to take
over, so visit the fair while it's still got its real flavour.
The Storm, Karnataka
Considered the most eco-friendly music festival, The Storm is
all about being one with nature (no plastic; ingenious decor of recycled
materials and recycling leftover garbage), one with music lovers and bringing
together known and lesser-known artists of different genres from all over
India as well as abroad. Think Indian Ocean, Lesle Lewis, Kid Creme and from
the North East, Tetseo Sisters. A family friendly festival, open to
six-year-olds as well 60-year-olds, they strictly prohibit drugs. It's a
unique camping-cum-music experience that takes place in scenic locales in the
South, be it Mercara Downs Golf Course or Coorg's coffee plantations. The
Storm (TS) usually has more performances, and Chasing Storm (CS) is a smaller
event, but with big names.
Ruhaniyat, Across India
Set across in amphitheatres, forts and various heritage sites in
to ten cities in India, Ruhaniyat brings an ensemble of artists from across
the world and bouquet of sufi music, bauls, qawals and rare folk artists. For
2016, they have let out dates for Chennai event, which will be held at the
Madras Race Course and Pune event, which will be held at Empress Botanical
Garden.
Hornbill Festival,
Nagaland
Set in the heritage village of Kisama, specially built for the
Hornbill Festival, it takes you through Nagaland of the yore with traditional
morongs (community houses) of each tribe, local games such as pig-hunting,
harvest dances, war cries and more.
Even the authentic fare like sesame beef, fish with bamboo
shoot, etc. offered at stalls adds to its charm; each tribe's cuisine is
distinct. Though developed for tourists, locals (now all westernised) also
abound the festival, possibly due to nostalgia. Most performances are
repeated everyday, so you can spend a day or two at the fest and then explore
some quaint, remote places around.
Elephanta
Festival,Maharashtra
The experience of the festival, which usually sees local as well
as foreign tourists, begins with a ride across the Arabian Sea from Gateway
of India to the mystical, rock-cut Elephanta Caves. The caves with trimurti
of Brahma, Vishnu, Mahesh and lovely stone apsaras, will come alive with
Ashok Hande's Marathi Bana and performances of grammy-winning Hindustani
classical instrumentalist, Pt. Vishwa Mohan Bhatt and pop-rock artist Kailash
Kher on Day 1. The next day, while Hi ndustani classical music vocalist Pt.
Sanjeev Abhyankar, Roop Kumar Rathod and Sunali Rathod will fill the air with
music, Yasmin Singh takes the stage for kathak. There's going to be a
painting competition too.
Ziro Festival, Arunachal
Pradesh
Imagine being on a hillock surrounded by lush paddy fields,
under the open sky as you listen to live folk music, rock and roll, indie
rock, alternative...being played by renowned and upcoming artists from across
the North East, the mainland and outside India. To name a few: Menwhopause,
Arunachal's Yesterdrive, 'Lee Ranaldo and the Dust' from the US. This is the
Ziro Festival in the land of the Apatanis, whose cultural landscape has been
recognised by UNESCO. They have fishing ponds in their rice farms! You can
pitch your own tent or opt for lovely homestays. There's no age cap, all you
need is love for music and culture.
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DNA24JAN16
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