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.
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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. |
