The Green Sojourn: A Day Trip From Bangalore.

By Sangeetha KB.

I stepped in doubtfully, and the screeching noise form the gate made her look up towards me. She smiled and said she knew I was coming. She offered a share of her lunch, some ragi mudde and rasam. A dozen crows surrounded her to share her lunch. She smiled and sheepishly mentioned that this sharing was a daily affair. At that moment, I knew that my two hour ho-ho (hop on hop off) bus journey was worth it. I was with Salumarada Thimakka this morning, and I’m glad I spent some time with her.

Salumarada Thimakka

Thimakka's trees

Thimakka is an octogenarian; she lives in Hulikal Taluk (about 70 kilometers from Bangalore) and is a mother to over 800 banyan trees. Yes! Over 800 of them. A number she refuses to mention because she does not appreciate the logic of counting her actions. Frail and friendly, Thimakka and her late husband took up this epic task of planting Banyan trees to get over the fact that they didn’t have children. They’d walk many kilometers every day to tend to the saplings and water them. As expected, people laughed at their insanity. But Thimakka never gave up, she knew what others didn’t. She found her calling in being the ‘Green Champion’.

Thimakka’s awards

Our conversations continued and she spoke at length about her village, the people, the changes in climate, state politics and everything you could expect from your grandma :) Though she complained of physical illness and about her fractured leg, she always ended her statements with a deep sense of peace. Her house is adorned with plaques and awards in recognition of her commitment towards the trees. She modestly admits that it was a joint effort with her husband, and cannot take full credit for her actions.

Her next plan is very clear. She insists on having a primary health center in Hulikal and is fighting head on with the state to release the funds. She knows it will take time and isn’t sure if she’d be alive to see it happen. But there is no bitterness in her tone. She has faith and knows it will happen. Simple and practical.

Thimakka had a great aura around her. She spoke not with pride but with humility, as if she wasn’t responsible for all this but it was bestowed upon her by some magic. As I was leaving, she handed me a bag full of beans grown locally, because she believed that people who visit her, shouldn’t go empty handed.

The Green Tunnel

She wanted to walk with me and introduce me to her trees, like a curator would walk you through a piece of art. She was too frail to walk, and so I promised her I would see every one of her trees before I head back to the city. Her beaming smile kept me smiling for the next 4 kilometers that I walked in the canopy.

Salu Mara

In Kannada, salu means line and mara and trees, which gives you Salumarada Thimakka. As I walked the stretch, on both sides of the road were gigantic banyan trees aligned and spaced beautifully. 70 years and still growing strong, these trees formed a coveted green tunnel. A walk in the hot afternoon was a walk in the park, literally! At the end of the tunnel, I knew what Thimakka and her husband planned when they began tending to banyan saplings. They did it, not for themselves, but for generations to come. If you thought grandmas could only narrate stories, I happened to meet one grandma who created the story. I took a leaf from her life & several leaves from her trees.

Practical Information

Salumarada Thimakka can be visited as a day trip from Bangalore.

How to reach: Take one of the buses that go towards Kunigal, Bangalore. Get down at Marur Housing Post (I have no idea why it is called a Housing Post). Take an auto / bus to reach Kudur bus stop, which is 10 kms away. 6 kilometers from Kudur is Hulikal, and there are many buses that would drop you at Hulikal. One can drive down the same route. The roads are good.

Kudur Bus Stop

Thimakka’s House

What to expect: Typical village scene, every house will have goats and cows. Coconut and mango trees adorn both sides. The local people people are polite and more than happy to help. Don't miss the coffee and vada at Thimakka’s house, reserved for every guest.

Author Bio: The author is from Bangalore. She travels to get a life and works as a business analyst for a living. She believes that every journey has something new to offer, the idea is to remain disconnected from the noise and connect to the place, and you’ll pick up a lot more than just souvenirs. She can be reached at sangeethakb@gmail.com.

For more ideas on offbeat and responsible destinations in India, visit www.indiauntravelled.com or join India Untravelled on Facebook and Twitter. To contribute guest posts / photo essays to this blog, please send your story ideas to shivya@indiauntravelled.com. 

Camping and Rafting in Rishikesh: Solitude by the Ganges.

By Vivek B. 

Traveling solo was a dream since a long time. After taking several suggestions on twitter and also from @shivya & @rakheeghelani to visit a place in north India, I finally settled for camping and river rafting at the banks of the river Ganga, near Rishikesh in Uttarakhand. The trip was planned with a mix of train and air travel to experience even the transport systems in India.

The trip started from Mumbai, via the Rajdhani Express till Delhi, and then a flight to the Jolly Grant airport in Dehra Dun. Google maps had confirmed the distance of the camp as 30 kms from the airport, and estimated the travel time to be half an hour. However, little did Google know that the 30 kms distance was to be covered on a hilly road, and it finally took an hour to reach Shivpuri in Uttarakhand.

Arriving by the Ganga.

The Explore Himalayan Adventure camp was located on the opposite side of the river, at latitude 30.136937 North and Longitude 78.402774 East, and the only way to access it was through a boat. Though I had planned a solo trip, I was surprised that the camp with 32 tents was indeed all empty and I was the only person put up there along with the camping staff!

First glimpse of my camp.

Staying alone at a remote place inside Rajaji national park and forest area was both exciting and adventurous. The first thing I asked the staff was about wild animals and if they ever approach the camp. They assured me that though the forest did have animals like wild elephants, monkeys and deer, only the deer ever approached the bank of the river to drink water. The camp was full of different birds, the names of which even the staff didn’t know.

Look who came to visit?

Spotted!

The night was pleasant and cool. Two more people arrived from Delhi looking for white water rafting. The night passed by the camp fire, along with a sumptuous dinner.

Keeping the nights warm.

We started river rafting from the marine drive point - 10 kms away from the camp. We were excited about hitting some grade III & grade IV rapids in the Ganges. The Three blind mice rapid (grade III) managed to take our breath away (literally!), whereas the rapids Roller coaster (grade III) and Golf course (grade IV) tested the ability of our guide to manoeuvre the raft without letting it topple. We did jump into the Ganges with the support of our raft; however our guide was reluctant to let us float due to the dangerous water level and water currents in the river. White water rafting was indeed an adventure to be experienced at least once.

Setting out for river rafting.

The river rafting team!

During the latter half of the day, we visited Laxman Jhula and Ram Jhula – they are referred to as such because the bridges hang on pillars on the banks of the Ganga and have no support in between. My hypothesis is that the bridges were so named to prevent people from fearing walking on the bridge; it swings when you walk on it!

The Ram Jhula in Rishikesh.

The river Ganga in Rishikesh

I had also hired a Honda Activa in Rishikesh and dared to visit the Neelkanth mahadev temple which was 20 kms up on the hill from Laxman Jhula. Though I managed to climb 18 kms, the Activa broke down in the middle of road. The only option left was to ride back to Rishikesh and 10 kms was an easy climb down on the neutral gear. Luckily, I found a tempo which agreed to escort the bike till Rishikesh. The mechanic immediately confirmed that the bike didn’t have sufficient engine oil and was not maintained properly. A good lesson learnt was that one should thoroughly get the vehicle technically checked if one is planning to rent at tourist places. I then managed to reach the camp by night and sleep like a log.

The third day started with kayaking in the Ganges against the water currents. Thanks to the guide, we managed to control our kayak even in the toughest currents upstream and returned safe at the bank without having to get wet in the water! It was time to say goodbye to the camp staff and proceed with the onward journey to Delhi.

Author Bio: The author is a consultant and financial advisor, and is always craving to travel. He is a vegetarian foodie always on the hunt for local dishes. He can stay at any habitable place and travel by any mode of transport, but can’t live long without technology; a gizmo traveller, who likes to carry all possible gadgets along. Follow him on Twitter at @vlvek.

For more ideas about travelling in India, visit www.indiauntravelled.com or join India Untravelled on Facebook and Twitter. To contribute guest posts / photo essays to this blog, please send your story ideas to shivya@indiauntravelled.com. 

Chapora Fort, Goa – The Dil Chahta Hai Fort

By Jugmendra B.

“Cinema in India is like brushing your teeth in the morning. You can't escape it.” This rather famous statement made by actor Shahrukh Khan is a testimony to how deeply indeed Bollywood infilterates the life of an average Indian. In keeping with this maxim, here is my review on the fort made famous by the 2001 Farhan Akhtar film Dil Chahta Hai – the Chapora fort in Goa!

The Dil Chahta Hai Fort.

Located at a distance of roughly 10 km from Mapusa, the fort adds an old world charm to your beach experience. Though now in ruins, it was used as a border watch post by the Portugese in the seventeenth century. Not much remains of this massive structure except a few tombstones and bits of glorious red laterite stone. The secret passageways and tunnels within the fort only add to its mysterious aura.

Vantage point at the Chapora Fort

Chapora continues to remain a perfect vantage point for gazing at the sea as the waves gently nudge the shore in silent harmony. A short, uphill walk leads to the walls of the fort, where the three friends from Dil Chahta Hai stood in companionable silence, whilst facing the countenance of the sea that stretches out in front of their eyes in its splendid expanse; an excellent setting for taking time off from the rest of the world and letting yourself get lost in the arms of nature and history. The worn-out walls of Chapora are adorned with weeds and face the coast, offering a superb view of the Anjuna beach and Vagator beach. Once done with exploring the place, one can also hike down to the cliffs and walk along the beach below.

The Chapora Fort, overlooking the sea.

Easily accessible by hiring local transport from Mapusa or Panaji, Chapora fort, which is also known as Shahpura, this historical site lulls you into a state of calm and relaxation. It would not be wrong to say that there perhaps exists some inexplicable magic in the air here at Chapora!

Author bio: The author is a digital media enthusiast at @WeAreHolidays and an avid traveller who wishes to travel around the world. At WeAreHolidays, he is responsible for managing and dealing with holiday packages.

Stay in Goa at a traditional Goan-Portuguese home stay by the backwaters in the sleepy town of Aldona! Find out more here.

For more ideas about travelling in India, visit www.indiauntravelled.com or join India Untravelled on Facebook and Twitter. To contribute guest posts / photo essays to this blog, please send your story ideas to shivya@indiauntravelled.com.