My definition of vacation has changed over the years. Something that was perceived as a time to be spent at ones’ grandmother’s place all through school days changed to a trip to the happening destinations through college days and now it seems that all one needs is a quiet vacation to a quaint little town. In a bid to avoid the done-to-death destinations, I thought of exploring Chhattisgarh, formed when the 16 Chhattisgarhi speaking districts of Madhya Pradesh gained statehood in 2000. Chhattisgarh takes its name from 36 (Chattis is thirty-six in Hindi and Garh is Fort) princely states in this region from very old times.

This was the first time I had headed to a place without a clear picture in my head owing to the state’s less visibility in the tourist circuit. Probably this was how people travelled before the internet age. The anticipation was just as enjoyable as the journey on wheels into the heart of the state through barren fields and rustic village vistas. Jagdalpur, the district headquarters of Bastar, was the first destination. The first thing that struck my mind as we traversed via Bastar district was the simplicity of life there.

Tucked away in the interiors of Central India, this state fully lived up to it’s tagline, ‘Chhattisgarh – Full of Surprises!’ As enigmatic as it would seem, little would one expect to find gorgeous cascades, enchanting crafts and awe-inspiring caves in this remote land, let alone India’s largest waterfalls (Chitrakoot falls). In hindsight, it doesn’t take a genius to figure that a state that has 40% forest cover is bound to have incredible works of nature. One evening, standing on the rock edge from where Indrāvati River plunges 100 feet below into the emerald pool, it was impossible not to contemplate on the astounding force with which the water would plummet in monsoon considering the fact that I was standing here on a hot burning summer day in May. 40 kms from Jagdalpur town lies this little known horse-shoe shaped 200ft wide falls (seasonal) also christened as the ‘Niagara of India’.

As the last ray of light faded, Chitrakoot falls were illuminated with huge lights borrowing the concept from its more famous counterpart – the Niagara Falls. The privilege of staying on the banks of River Indrāvati right opposite the falls to witness absolutely amazing vistas of sunset and sunrise came with its perils of visiting during off-season, since we were the only occupants of the resort for the night, barring the screeching crickets/insects, the caretaker and his assistants. It was a peaceful night, with the roaring falls singing a sweet lullaby as we drifted into sleep.

If nothing else, I could spend the whole day watching fishermen at work, but today the agenda was to visit Kanger Ghati National Park.Reluctantly, bidding goodbye to the first surprise the state had thrown upon us, we headed for the much awaited visit to the forests.

The forests of Kanger Ghati National Park were resplendent with wildlife and huge trees, Sal being the most prominent one. The rattling bamboos and the silhouette of trees, devoid of leaves, created an eerie atmosphere with the dawning realisation that we were treading in one of the last pockets of virgin forests in India. Five kilometers into the bioreserve, we passed by a small village nestled at the heart of the charming forests. I could not help but wonder how many stories of wild encounters this village would have to tell.

Nine kms into the forest lay the Kutumsar Caves boasting of amazing stalactite and stalagmite formations. Delving into the depths of one of the many caves situated in Kanger Ghati National Park with just a guide for company and a torch to light up our lives was going to be one exhilarating experience. But as luck would have it, it started to rain, putting an end to our exploration. A visit to the craft-making community of Bastar situated in Kondagaon the next day proved to be an interesting affair. The moment we saw the very familiar bell-metal Dokra statues with ridiculously long arms and legs but nevertheless beautiful, it dawned upon me that they’d come from. The wrought iron wall hangings were peculiarly interesting. The sleek frames made of wrought iron, depicting the everyday life of the tribes here, were used as window frames, doors and gates. The black frames looked very pretty with their earthy mud houses in shades of red and brown.

The craftsmen were more than willing to share stories of their crafts and culture. They showed us the intricacies of creating such master pieces. They told us stories of how they celebrated their festivals, that Dussera was their biggest festival, although it surprised us that Bastar Dussera is celebrated in devotion of the local deity Maa Danteshwari, and not Lord Ram. They voiced their concern, hoping their art would continue to survive the test of time.

Having lived the better years of my life in the bordering state of Andhra Pradesh, it came as a surprise that this state held so many unknown treasures. The hot summer didn’t dampen our spirit, the remoteness didn’t affect us. The cascades delighted us, the caves amazed us, the crafts enchanted us, but what made this trip truly memorable were the cheerful people who welcomed us with warm and friendly smiles.