The thrill of travelling is great but the thrill of travelling to lesser
known places is greater because there is an
added charm of re-discovering them.
The real, unadulterated India
of the smaller towns and villages are often in close harmony with nature and
therefore a haven for the adventurous tourists. For instances we know of Mumbai,
in Maharashtra state of India and its surrounding tourist spots like Khandala,
Lonavala, Matheran but a PR Executive Sachin Bhandary points out to Kamshet, a
para-gliders’ delight; Pawana lake is enchanting in the monsoons and Kondeshwar
has a 100 year old Shiva temple and a beautiful waterfall. Sixteen Buddhist
caves, including the Karla and Bhaja, are just 80 kilometres away from
Lonavala. With hardly any people around these places of worship give tranquil
solace. The Akshi beach near Alibaug is a bird lovers’ delight. A media person
Priya Kirshnamoorthy tells that the entire Malva and Konkan region are full of
such unexplored beaches and that the Tarkali beach also has a houseboat
now.
In Himachal Pradesh everyone knows about Shimla, Kulu, Manali and
Chamba. But how many are aware of Kasuali, Khajjar, Manimahesh, Jalori Pass,
Shoja,Tattapani, Jhantigri, Maharana Pratap Sagar, Bir , Billing, Nlagarh and
Chanshi. One can have unforgettable panoramic view of lustrous meadows
surrounded by thick inviting forests, deep blue water lakes, the bubbling
sulphur springs and, not to forget, clusters of ancient temples and a
magnificent old fort. The Sangla valley is ideal place for camping.
For trekkers Uttaranchal is the right place. The steep hills, unruly
rivers and thick forests are surely challenging. The Kedarnath-Badrinath route
is also waiting to be much explored by trekkers. In Garhwal Himalayas
Har-ki-Doon situated on the upper catchment of river Tons is one of the few
places where demon god is worshipped and people believe in black magic. Another
trip one can enjoy is the expedition on the Kali river where one will not find
human settlement for days together. North East Assam of India is also
most underrated in the country. Best of nature can be found in Assam,
Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalay and Manipur but are sadly omitted from the tourists
itineraries. The first and the second largest river islands in Asia viz. Majuli Island
and the Nongkhnum Island, are respectively in Assam and
Mehgalay. They are also homes to some of the rare tribes.
Yet another interesting, and also eerie, adventure is caving. This
scary experience can be had in and around Shillong, where there are over 780
caves. Some of the longest and the biggest caves in South
Asia exist in Khasi Hills, Jaintia Hills and Garo Hills. Nazia
Rawdjee continues to cherish her trip to Bandipur
National Park in Karnataka State.
It’s a meeting place of three States and Nazia spent two whole days in a
tree-house right in middle of the dense forest. Kabini, Doddamakali,
Kalimaheswari, Galibore and Kali
River are some more
places in the State where one can stay in a log or tree house, see wild life,
go
fishing or angling.
To rediscover not only India but any other country one
must have an open mind and be prepared to stop over unknown places. One must
not insist on or look for comforts
and conveniences and must be prepared to stay in open halls or bamboo huts.
Many times chatting with locals throw up a treasure of information on other
must visit places. On some occasions the locals may offer hospitality and that
itself could be an experience of a lifetime. Besides, one must consult tourism
websites as they often also mention the less explored locations.