Sunday, December 27, 2015

Day 10 Sirpur to Chitrakote



The journey from Sirpur to Chitrakote and thee first impression of the sound of the Chitrakote falls reminds me of the line from Forrest Gump - " Life is like a box of chocolates... you never know what you will get inside." The 400 km journey from Sirpur to Chitrakote was covered in around 11 hours. This time, it was not due to the quality of roads, but the number of distractions along the way. First, the road itself. Changing from narrow, single lane highways, where each vehicle had to give way to the oncoming one by taking two wheels off the road, to miles of canopied, two lane tarmac that were a dream to drive on.


The real India lives in its towns and villages and were experiencing it firsthand. A breakfast of steaming samosas, straight from the pan, sitting at the crossroads of a small town. The entire family bustling around, switching roles at the drop of a hat. The father would fry the samosas, his daughter would serve them, while husband and wife went back to preparing the ingredients for other delicacies



From then on, it was a broad, treelined highway, all the way to Kondagaon, where Eagle Eye Nalini spotted a handicrafts centre. This by someone who can't spot a sign to save her life and keeps asking where we are and how many kilometres to the next turn off.




The next hour or so was spent exploring all sorts of local handicrafts, terracotta, bell metal, et al. Each town or village has a specialisation. This one excels in 'Dhokra' or the lost wax method of casting metal, to create sculptures of animals, deities and utility items. We picked up a few souvenirs and headed towards Chitrakote, until she spotted another one - a woodwork shop this time. The artisans were busy crafting exquisite woodwork items, from figurines to lintels and even an entire bed! It was a treat, to see them at work as they fashioned a piece of teak wood into a work of art.

The 27 km drive from Jagdalpur to Chitrakote was a nerve wracking experience. Dusk had set in an it was pitch dark, by the time we hit the hilly road that snaked its way to our destination. Cyclists and pedestrians trudged up the hill, unmindful of oncoming traffic. Every one in a while, I would spot a group of cyclists, pedalling uphill, without any lights or reflectors.

The first thing that hit me as soon as I drove into the resort was the sheer size of the place. It was sprawling. The next, was the sound of the waterfall, thundering in the background. I had no clue that we were so close to the waterfall, once could almost reach out and touch it.
We had a sumptuous dinner of freshly caught, fried fish, dal and rice before retreating to our private haven - a balcony overlooking the falls. The milky froth shimmered by the light of a candle, as a cup of soothing green tea served as the perfect nightcap. If life is like a box of chocolates, I think I got an almond praline this time!




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