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
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