The Natural wonders of India by Murli Menon

After having travelled down the Mekong from its source in Tibet through China, Laos, Cambodia and
Vietnam to the South China Sea in 2006, it had been one of my goals since 1995 to travel down the Holy
Ganges. I finally achieved my goal in 2010 through a combination of creative visualisation, ZeNLP
meditation and auto-suggestion combined with a strict vegan diet. Regular exercise, fasting and a spiritual
connection to nature helped me to create meaningful coincidences, which guided me every minute during
my long and arduous journey through north India in the most severe of winters!

Having my brick Nikon and netbook with a 7 hour battery life enabled me to document my journey as it
happened giving me the luxury of clicking more than 5000 high resolution pictures along the way!

travel plan was incredible. I planned to travel 5000 km. across India, spanning ten states and taking me
though New Delhi, Kolkata, Bhubaneshwar, Hyderabad and Pune. My exact route is elucidated below:
From To Distance Mode

Ahmedabad Haridwar 1208 km. Train

Haridwar Rishikesh 0025 km. Taxi

Rishikesh Kaudiyala 0042 km. Taxi

Kaudiyala Rishikesh 0042 km. Raft

Rishikesh Haridwar 0025 km. Taxi

Haridwar Allahabad 0725km. Train

Allahabad Varanasi 0130 km. Bus

Varanasi Allahabad 0130 km. Bus

Allahabad Jasidih 0586 km. Train

Jasidih Kolkata 0311 km. Train

Kolkata Canning 0050 km. Train

Canning Kolkata 0050 km. Train

Kolkata Bhubaneshwar 0439 km. Train

Bhubaneshwar Chilka 0094 km. Bus

Chilka Bhubaneshwar 0094 km. Bus

Bhubaneshwar Hyderabad 1150 km. Train

Hyderabad Srisailam 0220 km. Bus

 Srisailam Hyderabad 0220 km. Bus

Hyderabad Manmad 0690 km. Train

Manmad Nasik 0125 km. Taxi

Nasik Tryambakeshwar 0025 km. Taxi

Tryambakeshwar Nasik 0025 km. Taxi

Nasik Pune 0211 km. Taxi

Pune Bhimashankar 0160 km. Taxi

Bhimashankar Pune 0160 km. Taxi

Pune Ahmedabad 0660 km. Flight

Total distance 5664 km.

planned to raft down the Ganges from Kaudiyala to Rishikesh. Go to the Kumbh mela in Haridwar, and
travel to Kolkata through Allahabad, Varanasi and Jasidih. From Kolkata I planned to go to the Sunderban
Tiger Reserve where the Holy Ganges meets the Bay of Bengal. I would travel by boat on each destination
on the banks of the river. Being a vegan, who lives on fruits, nuts, seeds, grains and vegetables, I would
photograph all 100% vegan street food and put it on my blog for fellow vegans who want to follow in my
footsteps. Being vegan also meant surviving the harsh north Indian winter dressed in sambhalpuri kurtas,
a khadi shawl and a light synthetic jacket. I wished to explore the natural wonders at each of the
destinations I stayed at and document them in my blog. I have just returned after completing my journey
from Kaudiyala to Jharkhali.

Some of the most relaxing moments of my journey were experienced while river rafting down the Ganges,
or while boating at Allahabad, climbing the Chitrakut mountain in Jasidih (Jharkhand), during the sunset
cruise at Jharkhali in Sunderbans, while on a speedboat on the Chilka lake in Orissa, while trekking inside
the Srisailam Tiger Reserve in Andhra Pradesh. I could make time to have a leisurely dip in the Ganges,
Krishna and Godavari during this trip. The luxury of being able to take unlimited high resolution digital
photographs, meant every sunrise and sunset was captured. Every bird during my trip was clicked and
more than 4000 high resolution pictures are safely backed up in my pen drive, two laptops and netbook.
The journey from Ahmedabad to Haridwar was uneventful except for the beautiful sunset clicked over the
hills of Mount Abu. The train was crowded with devotees proceeding to Haridwar for the Kumbh Mela so
as to reach before 14th January, which was the most auspicious day to take a dip in the Holy Ganges since
1998. By a meaningful coincidence, at Haridwar station, I met three young ladies, each from England,
Netherlands and USA, who were seeking directions to go to Rishikesh! Soon, all four of us were in a taxi to
Rishikesh. The journey took us through the outer fringes of the Rajaji National Park, where we could sight
some stump-tailed macaques! After checking-in at the Garhwal Mandal guest house at Rishikesh, we
proceeded to Kaudiyala to complete the 42 km. thrill a minute river rafting experience to return to
Rishikesh. Body surfing while hanging on to the raft in the ice-cold waters of the river in mid-January was
a bone-chilling experience.
Kathy, Kristen and Naomi, who were teaching English in China, were travelling to Rishikesh for a break.
After returning to Rishikesh, I headed to Haridwar for the Kumbh Mela. Lakhs of pilgrims from all over
India had gathered for a once in a lifetime experience. Taking a dip in the freezing waters of the Holy
Ganges at 4:00 a.m. in mid-January, reminded me of my dip at Lake Mansarovar in Tibet! However, it was
a boon to my immune system as all my cells got rejuvenated after swimming in the placid waters of this
mighty river. It surely is one of the most powerful experience to discover the power of Mother Nature.
Exploring the impromptu food stalls at the Kumbh as a food detective, searching for 100% vegan
delicacies (food which does not contain any product of animal origin or even traces of any animal product)
was another objective of my travels for my forthcoming book "ZeNLP-the power of veganism." The food-
stalls at the Kumbh had idlis and dosas jostling for space with samosas, dhoklas and theplas

The effects of the severe winter were compounded by the chilly winds and slight drizzle that seemed to
pervade Rishikesh and Haridwar in January. Warming up near community bonfires and sipping hot ginger
juice ( As a strict vegan I do not drink tea, coffee or consume sugar due to chances of adulteration of these
commodities by products of animal origin). Also, I do not consume any factory manufactured food-stuffs,
sold across supermarket shelves. As a strict vegan, I avoid all foodstuffs containing caffeine, chlorine,
fluorine, nicotine and iodine. I prefer to eat fresh fruits,vegetables, seeds, nuts and grains! I never
consume solids after sunset but stick to water fasting! Community bonfires, are an ideal socialising venue
to find out about the latest events and to know the directions to reach the hawkers who sell the most
delicious street food in town.

Rafting down the rapidly flowing river from Kaudiyala to Rishikesh in the wee hours of the morning,
shrouded in mist and fog and caressed by a light drizzle was a memorable experience. The highlight of the
trip was jumping into the ice cold waters after reaching Rishikesh! The rush of adrenaline as one scurried
to the safety of the shore seeking the warmth of the embers, while the body overcame its numbness after
a thrill a minute rafting experience, is difficult to describe in words. A good night’s sleep under a thick
cotton quilt, was enough to rejuvenate one's aching muscles and numb fingers for the next adventure.

The trip from Rishikesh to Haridwar was like moving with a caravan. Thousands of pilgrims walking
barefoot to reach Haridwar on 14th January. I met peasants from Bhagalpur, Rabaris from Gujarat, Bauls
from West Bengal, villagers from Andhra Pradesh, sadhus from Uttar Pradesh and gypsies selling
everything from sandalwood-paste to vermillion, along the way. It was a "mela" in the real sense of the
word! Most of the pilgrims braved the effects of the cold by sleeping outdoors. Many ingenuous devotees
slept on the shores of the river to avoid the early morning rush!
After reaching Haridwar, one wakes up at midnight to prepare for the trek to the ghats for a dip before
the crowd starts to pour in. It is extremely cold and visibility is limited to the first three steps one takes.
However, one trudges along the narrow path to reach the holy river before dawn and take a rejuvenating
bath in the rapids as the first rays of the sun strike the earth. The most exciting part of the experience is
the feeling of numbness in the fingers which makes buttoning one's kurta an achievement in itself! At the
ghats, pink coloured ghagras of the rabari women vied for attention with saffron Rajasthani turbans which
were a striking contrast to the sadhus smeared in grey ash. It was a free for all with everyone for himself.
Hawkers selling towels had a field day. I planned to travel from Haridwar to Allahabad to complete the
next phase of my research on vegan Indian street food.

Being a food detective, it was interesting to know the ingredients that went into Indian street food which
is a Rs. 10,000 crore industry. I spoke to hawkers, cooks, waiters separately on different days, just to
reconfirm the ingredients that went into street food. Most of the hawkers were honest and were not
aware of my objective in asking the questions, so replied truthfully. Being a trained ZeNLP master I could
analyse their body language, eye movement and breathing patterns to reject the few outrageous liars.
The proof of the banana is in its eating and as I am allergic to even micrograms or even picograms or
nanograms of animal products in any food, I could make out the culprits from the aroma of the food. One
of the greatest advantages of being a pure vegan is to be gifted with an extremely sensitive olfactory
sense. I can smell a minute gas leak in any apartment of my multi-storey building with amazing accuracy.
Also, there is a activation of the latent DNA in every cell of the body which makes digestion efficient and
increases the blood flow to the palate and activating the taste buds, to make eating a divine experience.
Every morsel of food tastes heavenly, be it whole wheat puris (fried in oil) with alu-sabji (cooked in oil) I
had in Benaras, hot steaming idlis and coconut chatni I had at Srisailam, steamed vegetable momos, I had
at Rishikesh or the mint coriander chatni I had at Jasisdih. My taste-buds have taken a life of their own
since I turned a strict vegan in 1995.

The wide array of street food being sold at the Kumbh was mind-boggling. However, as I was looking for
100% pure vegan food, I could ignore the vast majority of foods which contained animal products. But,
there were some small pockets which made lip-smacking vegan food, cooked the traditional way. An
example of these hidden wonders is seen in the photograph alongside. Fruits and vegetables were found
in plenty. Be it the numerous stalls selling fresh sweet-lime juice, nimbu-pani (lime juice) vendors or shops
selling almonds, walnuts and raisins. I had the vegan street food only as a part of my research on vegan
food. Most of my travels, I opted for fresh fruits, walnuts and raisins! This diet is known as a raw vegan
diet in ZeNLP. Staying in a tent on the banks of the Holy Ganges was an experience in itself. Waking up at
midnight to the soothing, gurgling sounds of flowing water, watching the starlit skies bathed in moonlight
in biting cold will be etched on my psyche forever! Meditating on the tiny pebbles that carpeted the banks
of the river made one connect to the primordial elements!

Taking a dip in the Holy Ganges on the day of the eclipse was a soothing experience. One could feel the
cosmic energy pervading the air as one walked along the river banks to watch the crimson sunset. One
could see the play of the elements as fire, water and earth played their parts to perfection. The fog, mist
and frost in the morning representing the earth element, the flowing waters at noon, in the absence of
the sun, representing the water element and the crimson sunset was a fitting finale for the fire element.
The calmness, serenity, peace and quietness experienced while meditating on a bed of stones while
watching the river rapids connects one to the macrocosm. It reminded me of my trek to Kailash
Mansarovar along the banks of the Kali river, where I had meditated on giant slabs of stone which were
strewn along the river banks.

Impromptu showers were my constant companion during my trek through Rishikesh to Haridwar. After
spending a week, exploring the vegan food here, I boarded the Haridwar-Allahabad Express for a foggy
journey through the Gangetic plain. Along the way, the only choice for vegans was fresh or dried fruits. As
a thumb rule, I never eat food catered by Indian Railways, unless I can see it being cooked in front of me. I
prefer the fresh fruits sold by the vendors who frequent the train at the smaller stations on the way. This
does mean going without food for many hours or sometimes even days. But being used to water-fasting
for three days at a stretch, I do not feel unduly perturbed during long train journeys.

The journey from Haridwar to Allahabad was made pleasant by the warmth of my co-passengers, who
made me feel comfortable. I also learnt a great deal about potential places to visit in order to complete
my research for my book on authentic Indian vegan street food! I planned to visit Benares from Allahabad
for a week. After taking a dip in the Ganges on three of the most auspicious days including Makar
Sankranti, Surya Grahan and Mouni Amavasya days, I reached Allahabad at early morning on Saraswati
Puja Day. A dip at the "Triveni Sangam" (confluence point of the Ganga, Saraswati and Yamuna) when the
waters were shrouded with dense fog was a close encounter with Mother Nature. Also the boat trip
through the rivers, had hundreds of migrating Wild Geese surrounding our tiny paddle boat. The banks of
Triveni Sangam were not as crowded as the ghats at Haridwar and Rishikesh. However, the vegan street
food at Allahabad was no less delicious than the plethora of vegan food I had eaten at the Kumbh Mela.
After spending a few days at Allahabad I took the UPSRTC bus to Benaras. I kept my eyes open and my
camera ready for vegan street food throughout my journey!

The soothing sound of the oar moving through the waters broke the silence at dawn and the chirping of
the Wild Geese, as we gently paddled through the placid waters of this translucent ocean, still rings in my
ears. The power to deeply relax is within you and in a few minutes one can be in a deep state of relaxation
by mentally visualising this serene experience. The boat trip to the Triveni Sangam on a cold and foggy
January morning has become one such tranquil experience, hidden deeply within!

Boating on the Holy Ganges at Benares is different from river rafting from Rishikesh to Kaudiyala or
paddling at Triveni Sangam. There are numerous river islands on the opposite side of the river at Benaras.
Spending a day at one of these uninhabited islands, meditating to the tune of nature was one of the
highlights of my 5000 km. journey across India. The Benarasi Alu Dum was perfectly vegan, as the boiled
baby potatoes tempered with Indian spices were cooked in mustard oil. One could get a variety of sprouts
which were served with a dash of lime juice, mildly spiced and flavoured with either wild mint leaves or
freshly chopped coriander. Fresh fruits and vegetables were available in plenty at Rishikesh, Haridwar,
Allahabad and Benares. The walnuts, raisins, rajma and almonds bought at Rishikesh stood out for their
excellent quality and taste! Roasted sweet potatoes were another street-side snack which I relished
throughout my trip! Lime juice vendors made my day during the long bus journeys. I do not drink any
prepackaged water and filled up my water bottle with fresh water (taken from natural sources) at all
destinations, be it the mountain streams at Kaudiyala, river rapids at Rishikesh or the flowing waters at
Haridwar, Allahabad, Benares and Jasidih.

Benares retains a charm of its own and brings back memories of a long bygone era. One takes long walks
at dawn and dusk, while enjoying the cold weather. Ice cold baths in the early hours of the morning and at
sunset energise the body with much needed cosmic energy. However, one must be prepared to wait for
the fog and mist to clear before taking a leisurely cruise on the river, in the afternoon. A day trip to the
river islands with a hamper of fresh fruits and vegetables is an ideal way to relax while staying at Benares.
Roasting vegetables in a fire kindled by igniting dried neem leaves imparts a herbal flavour to the roasted
sweet potatoes.

There are large uninhabited islands on the other bank of the Ganges at Benares. These islands are
completely submerged during the monsoons and are unsuitable for permanent habitation. However it is a
ideal haven for large waterbirds who find a sanctuary in the wilderness. One can cross the river on a long-
tailed boat in about two hours. The wide expanse of the river almost resembles a large lake or ocean.
Meditating on these secluded islands was a divine experience. From Benares, I planned to travel to Jasidih
in Jharkhand, via Allahabad. Jasidih is famous for the Chitrakut mountains. I planned to trek up the
Chitrakut Hills to discover caves hidden along the way.

A lot of footwork was required to discover small eateries in the bylanes of old Benares, selling colourful
and nutritious vegan food. A surprising thing noted at Benares, were the idli sellers in the morning, which
made idlis as soft as cotton and served it with fresh coconut chutney flavoured with sauted mustard
seeds. This perfectly vegan breakfast charged me with enough energy for the rest of the day.

Being a food detective, it was interesting to know the ingredients that went into Indian street food which
is a Rs. 10,000 crore industry. I spoke to hawkers, cooks and waiters separately on different days, just to
reconfirm the ingredients that went into street food. Most of the hawkers were honest and were not
aware of my objective in asking the questions, so replied truthfully. Being a trained ZeNLP master I could
analyse their body language, eye movement and breathing patterns to reject the few outrageous liars.
The proof of the banana is in its eating and as I am allergic to even micrograms or even picograms or
nanograms of animal products in any food, I could make out the culprits from the aroma of the food. One
of the greatest advantages of being a pure vegan is to be gifted with an extremely sensitive olfactory
sense. I can smell a minute gas leak in any apartment of my multi-storey building with amazing accuracy.
Also, there is a activation of the latent DNA in every cell of the body which makes digestion efficient and
increases the blood flow to the palate and activating the taste buds to make eating a divine experience.
Every morsel of food tastes heavenly, be it whole wheat puris (fried in oil) with alu-sabji (cooked in oil) I
had in Benaras, hot steaming idlis and coconut chatni I had at Srisailam, steamed vegetable momos, I had
at Rishikesh or the mint coriander chatni I had at Jasisdih. My taste-buds have taken a life of their own
since I turned a strict vegan in 1995.

During the long bus journeys, fresh fruit was always at hand. Be it apples, bananas, chickoos, guavas or
grapes. Peanuts both roasted and boiled was also available. A variety of local food including liti (roasted
sattu balls), alu dum (spiced, boiled baby potatoes) could also be found at the bus stations. As I avoid
eating citrus fruits as they are acidic, I gave the pineapples and oranges a miss. tips4ceos.com vegan food
blog will be hosting all the colourful high resolution pictures of the innumerable vegan street food
photographed throughout my journey. Email us if interested to receive the link to our vegan food blog.

The most interesting part of travelling in a train from Benares to Jasidih, is the ability to get down from
the train at the numerous unofficial halts, where one can go to the village well and fill your bottle with
fresh water and return to the safety of the train. As the halt is unscheduled, the train waits for atleast 20
to 30 minutes. Though the weather was cold and foggy and the train was running late by 24 hours, I
enjoyed this part of the journey through Eastern U. P. and Bihar.

One reached Jasidih station in the wee hours of the morning. The station was shrouded in mist but one
managed to reach Deoghar which is the nearest town and serves as the base camp for the trek to
Chitrakut Hills. Deoghar is a quaint little town serving the most delicious puris (fried in locally made
groundnut oil) and sabji (potatoes flavoured with cumin and ginger). An ideal piping hot breakfast to keep
the effects of the chilly winds at bay.

The road jouney from Deoghar to Chitrakoot takes 180 minutes. It takes nearly four hours to trek to the
top of the hill. The tribals of Jharkhand consider the Chitrakut Hills as sacred and venerate it as a deity.
Lots of long-tailed macaques can be found hidden behind rocks and swinging from the tree-tops during
the slow and painful ascent to the top. However, one is in for a pleasant surprise after reaching the peak!
Lots of makeshift stalls selling roasted peanuts, lightly spiced sprouts and green gram. The view from the
peak of the hill is picturesque! One can get a birds eye view of Deogarh and the thick sal forests that
surround it, interspaced with the yellow carpet of mustard flowers swaying in the breeze, on the
numerous fields found at the foot of the hills.

Meditating in the small caves along the way to the peak and at the summit was a powerfully relaxing
experience. Enjoying the panaromic views from the summit, reminded me of my trek to Om Parvat in
Kumaon.

The descent from the hill is through various shades of green. The sound of birds chirping and the shrill
cries of the macaques break the stillness in the air. There are a few tribal huts along the way, where one
can catch one's breath and quench one's thirst by drinking the crystal clear mineral water of the several
tiny streams that crises-cross one's bridle path.

The giant cliff face of the hill can be clearly seen during the long and winding trek through the thick
groves. The return trip to Deogarh is a pleasant drive through lakes, mustard fields, forest and
countryside.

The vegan food at Deogarh and Jasidih was extremely economical. The vegetables were fresh and
extremely tasty. The accommodation was clean and offered value for money.

From Jasidih, I planned to travel to Kolkata for spending a week inside the Sunderban Tiger Reserve,
where the Holy Ganges meets the Bay of Bengal. The journey from Jasidih to Howrah took nearly six
hours. At Kolkata, I had the pleasure of boating on the Holy Ganges at Kalighat. I had followed the route of
the Holy Ganges from its source in Gaumukh to the Sunderbans, where it merged into the ocean!
At Kolkata, I planned to visit Old Kolkata to try to locate vegan recipes and street food for my vegan food
blog and forthcoming book. Later, I planned to reach Jharkhali village in the Sunderbans, via Canning.
From Jharkhali, I planned to visit the interiors of the Sunderbans while camping overnight on a boat. It is
indeed unbelievable that a pocket of tranquility exists just a few hours away from the hustle and bustle of
Kolkata. The long cruise through the backwaters of Sunderbans is an ideal tonic to destress one's body,
mind and soul. As a bonus, I could also click some picture postcard like photos of the sunset at Jharkhali
and Sonagali.

Trying to spot the elusive Royal Bengal tiger at Sunderbans requires a tremendous amount of faith and
patience. The wait could be a few hours, days or weeks. But stump tailed macaques and a variety of large
water-birds can be easily sighted. The mangrove forest cover is rapidly receding due to the pressures of
industrialisation and unless replantation drives are carried out on a priority, one of nature's most serene
spots may become a long lost memory.

Meditating on the roof of the rocking boat as it gently swayed in the rolling waves, on a full moon's night
when surrounded by dense forests, with the sounds of bats, crickets and owls was an endearing
experience. Just the stillness of the night, the slapping sound of the waves, the soothing moonlight and
the jungle sounds put me to a deep and dreamful sleep throughout our boat safari through the
Sunderbans.

From the Sunderbans, I intented to travel back to Kolkata and head for Bhubaneshwar enroute to the
Chilka Lake, to spend a week, bird-watching at Chilka Bird Sanctuary. From Chilka, I would be proceeding
to Hyderabad enroute to the Srisailam Tiger Reserve in Andhra Pradesh. But, my body, mind and soul
were rejuvenated with fresh energy after being bathed in the elements all through my journey from
Kaudiyala to Jharkhali. I could finally get some Kerala bananas (those small bananas with seeds) at the
villages near Jharkhali. At 1 Rupee a banana, it was a steal, as compared to the 10 Baht I paid in Thailand
and 1 Ringgit, I paid in Malaysia!

The journey from Kolkata to Bhubaneshwar gives one enough time to have a good night's sleep. I hit the
pillow as soon as I boarded the train and awoke to alight at Bhubaneshwar Station in the morning. From
Bhubaneshwar, I proceeded to Balugaon which is the base camp for all trips to Chilka Lake. I met the
forest officials at Chilka, who arranged my visit to the core areas of the Chilka Bird Sanctuary by a speed
boat. The incredible pictures clicked during this speed boat trip tells its own story.

A speed-boat ride on the blue mirror like surface of Chilka Lake is a hypnotising experience. One can see
water as far as one's eye can see. The four hour boat ride through the sanctuary gave me an opportunity
to sight the bald-headed Eagle, Brahminy Kite, Coppersmith Barbet and several other colourful birds.

Some of the other species of birds that can be sighted during the boat cruise along Chilka include Bronze
Winged Jacana, Purple Heron, Grand Coucal, Green Billed Malpuha, Great Egret, Oriental Magpie Robin,
Chinese Pond Heron, Roufus Woodpecker, Whiskered Tern and Great Egret amongst numerous others.

The boat trip across Chilka Lake takes you to an ancient Kali Temple at the centre of the Lake. This temple
is known as the Kalijai Temple and is a must stop for all boats crises-crossing this giant lake. The view from
the temple is spectacular.

From Chilka, I returned to Bhubaneshwar to catch the Konark Express to Hyderabad enroute to Srisailam
Tiger Reserve.

The vegan delights of Bhubaneshwar were scattered around the old city and I had to painstakingly explain
my objective to all the street-side vendors. Outside the station, a stall selling hot idlis with coconut
chutney and medu-vadas did brisk business. I could sample some excellent vegan dishes at Jharkhali,
Balugaon and Bhubaneshwar.
The journey from Bhubaneshwar to Hyderabad was relaxing, as I started documenting my travel
experience into my Netbook and also took some much needed rest in the train. We arrived at
Secunderabad Station in the morning and almost immediately I took the Karnataka State Road Transport
Corporation (KSRTC) bus to Srisailam. The six hour journey from Hyderabad to Srisailam is through a long
and winding road which makes its way up the Srisailam hills. The lat two hours of the bus ride is through
the Srisailam Tiger Reserve. Srisailam is a canopy of green overlooking the cobalt blue waters of the
Krishna river. Early in the morning one can see vendors steaming idlis on the road-side and serving it hot
with coconut chutney, both wrapped in freshly cut plantain leaves. At Srisailam Town, one can see large
rectangular tawa's used to make four dosas at a time, outside the famous eating joints. From the samosas
of Rishkesh to the alu dum of Benares through the litis of Jasidih to the Baingun bhaja of Jharkhali via the
dum alu of Balugaon, I had reached the humble idlis of Srisailam town.

Srisailam offers a plethora of activity for tourists. One can take the ropeway to the Srisailam dam and can
take a leisurely cruise on the Krishna river. The beauty of the rapidly flowing Krishna river through the
verdant Srisailam valley is a much needed sight for sore eyes.

Boating on the Krishna River is far different compared to the steady cruise at the Sunderbans. The rapidly
flowing waters and large rocks strewn across the river make navigating and boating an adventurous
experience.

The trip through the Srisailam Tiger Reserve offers a bird's eye view of the flowing rapids of the Krishna
river. The gleaming sunlight reflected in the crystal clear waters makes the river appear like a silvery
rivulet snaking its way through the green valley.

From Hyderabad, I planned to travel to Tryambakeshwar via Manmad and further to Bhimashankar Hills
near Pune, before flying back to Ahmedabad, directly from Pune, to complete a 5000 km. circular journey,
which took me to all four corners of India.

The more one sees of the Krishna river, the more one is tempted to see it. I returned to Hyderabad in the
late hours of the night and after a well deserved night's rest set out to board the Kakinada-Manmad
Express to Manmad. Taking a dip in the cold waters of the Krishna at dawn and dusk had rejuvenated me
with a new energy to reach the Godavari and Narmada. In six weeks, I would be completing a round trip
around India. As I have already taken a dip in the Kaliganga at Malpa, in the Indus at Leh and in the Kaveri
at Srirangapatanam, I consider myself lucky to have visited all the major rivers of India in my thirties! Of
course, I have had the good fortune of river rafting the Kinabatangang and Longongong rivers in Malaysia,
boating on the Mekong in Laos, Cambodia, Thailand and Burma. In addition I have visited Kailash
Mansarovar in Tibet twice.

On a speed boat at Chilkha lake

River rafting down the Holy Ganga at Rishikesh

On the ropeway at Srisailam

Flying with the Siberian geese at Benares

Chitrakut hills at Devghar in Jharkhand

Sunset over Sundarbans Tiger Reserve

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________
Murli Menon, is a travel writer, stress management consultant and author based at
Ahmedabad, India. He is the author of "ZeNLP-Learning through stories" published by
The Written Word Publications, "ZeNLP-the power to succeed" published by Sage
publications and “ZeNLP-the power to relax” by New Dawn Press. He can be reached at
ceo@tips4ceos.com
________________________________________________________________________
_____
Courier payments/published magazine author copies to:
Murli Menon
E/503, Borsali Apt;
Khanpur
Ahmedabad-380001
Phone:079-25600269
________________________________________________________________________
High resolution digital photographs attached with caption.

The following article and photographs are copyrighted and all rights are reserved. No
part of this article or the accompanying photographs may be reproduced or utilised in
any form or by any means electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording
or by any information storage or retrieval system without written permission from the
author by emailing us at ceo@tips4ceos.com

________________________________________________________________________
Courier payments/published magazine author copies to:
Murli Menon
E/503, Borsali Apt;
Khanpur
Ahmedabad-380001
Phone:079-25600269
________________________________________________________________________

High resolution digital photographs attached with caption.

________________________________________________________________________