We were just to get vacation of two days.
We, Khargone Roadies, a group of all those are living away from family, were
planning to go on a new tour, after a long. Really this is not the planning of
a trip but it was just an emergent solution. There was one plan for a trip to
Pachmarhi, the Queen of Satpura. But it was felt a bit tiring to visit
Pachmarhi, which is almost four hundred kilometers away, just for two days.
Khargone Roadies believes in visits for refreshing the body and soul. So with
the help of Google Baba we have fixed our destination as Melghat Tiger Reserve which
is within a range of two hundred kilometers. However, we were lacking of
complete information about it, still we had decided the destination of our next
trip as Melghat Tiger Reserve.
As planned, we (four-member friends) started
our journey by own car to Melghat Tiger Reserve at around half past ten in the
morning on Fourteenth January from Khargone. However, the way was not too unknown
and further, there is no unknown world/ place to Google Baba which is the real
guide of modern age. We were moving towards the destination on the unknown
journey by measuring kilometers and achieving milestones, laughing-humming, stopping-starting,
kidding. We were moving ahead towards Amravati via Khandwa, Dharani etc. We
were welcome by sign board mentioning Melghat Tiger Reserve surpassing Dharani.
Closeness with destination and the increasing lush green surroundings had
casted spell on us greatly. Increasing curves on the road and enhancing greenery in the journey left no stone unturned in bringing
the ultimate thrill. Finally based on queries and answers on the way, our
destination had been nomenclatured as Semadoh.
Semadoh is just fifty kilometers from
Amravati. Semadoh is not only a base point for Jungle Safari but also have
accommodation facility as ten double bed cottages and sixty-four dormitories.
All these have made Semadoh as an important point of the Melghat Tiger Reserve.
Although some brief information about Semadoh was previously available to us, but
in the absence of full information, we could not make up mind for reservation
to stay at Semadoh. We had reached Semadoh after enjoying our journey at its
fullest. We filled with the feeling of regret for non-booking at Semadoh as the
closeness with nature at Semadoh is very luring and the custodian at Semadoh
intimated no vacancy in the available accommodation facility at Semadoh. But he
pointed out, here is issue with the power supply and the power goes off in the
night generally. He further advised us to go to Chikhaldara, a nearby hill
station. He also informed that there are plenty of accommodations options both government
and non-government. Like that now our destination was suddenly shifted as Chikhaldara.
It is half past five at Semadoh and according to the timetable of the jungle
safari either we have to take jungle safari at this moment otherwise we can
jungle safari only on the next day morning from six to eight.
in this situation, one experienced partner
of our team came forward as visionary and directed to take the jungle safari at
present. We gauged from gestures of various guides of Jungle Safari that there
was hardly any chance to see any tigers. So we decided to take jungle safari by
our own car. Our experienced partner had great experience of driving in
mountains. Hence, he decided to drive car himself and he as Shri Krishna have
came forward to take us Arjuns on ride for Melghat Tiger Reserve with our guide
Nandu.
Nandu narrated that Melghat Tiger Reserve has
been selected as tiger reserve area in 1974 in the first phase of tiger conservation
mission. Melghat Tiger Reserve is located on the hills of Satpura. Melghat
Tiger Reserve is spread over 2029.04 square kilometers, of which only 30 square
kilometers is selected for jungle safari. With this all information, we started
our jungle safari. Immense peace of the woods, seductive scent of Mahua,
yellowing grass was giving us a nice touch. Although expectation of meeting
with tiger was almost negligible, still there was a flickering hope that
perhaps tiger would come to meet us lions. As we were in last leap of jungle
safari keeping the flickering hope of meeting with tigers, our car stuck in
deep pit while providing side to the another passing car. In such a situation,
we felt heart’s flutter for not taking the jungle safari vehicle. Then the
driver of the other car came for rescue and suggested to pick up car with the help
of Jack and to fill stones beneath the car tyre to get the car out from the pit
and it was so. Truly, there is no alternative of experience. Finally we ended
our jungle safari shattering the nightmare of meeting the tigers and left for
our destination, “Chikhaldara”.
Chikhaldara is just 25 kilometers from Semadoh
and the way passes through the forests of Melghat Tiger Reserve. It was
difficult even to count the turns in the road. After driving carefully on the
treacherous path, we reached Chikhaldara. Night sight of Chikhaldara boasts the
magnetic attraction in itself. We choose a hotel and put our luggage in rooms
and moved for our first meal of the day. The pleasure of eating is like that we
ate for hours and tried the variety of foods. Finally after taking dinner, we
reached hotel and went to bed for rest. As per planning, next day morning, we
took leave from the hotel and marched to various tourist points of Chikhaldara.
Chikhaldara is a mountain of Amravati
(Maharashtra) situated at an elevation of 1188 meters. We first reached at BhimKund.
There is myth about BhimKund that here Pandava Bhima washed his hands after slaughter
of Keechaka. It is also a myth here that after beating Keechak until his death,
Bhima threw the body of Keechak into these valleys. Hence this place was known
as Keechakdara which was later on renamed as Chikhaldara. The myth of washing
of hands by Bhima after killing may or may not be accepted, but by looking at
the flowing (which was dry at the moment) waterfalls at BhimKund, it can not be
dismissed abruptly.
There are several points along the scenic
valley in Chikhaldara namely Hurricane Point, Sunset Point, Monkey Point, Mozari
Point, Devi Point, Panch Bol etc. The panoramic view of the valley from all
these points is very adorable and can amuse even the Shiva. The elegance of
nature even in this season raised the question to my mind to estimate the
elegance of nature here in the rainy season. The panoramic view of the valley
on three sides at Mozari Point was greatly intriguing. Standing on the corner
most point with the valley on three sides and taking selfie at this juncture, was
in resemblance of the taking photograph standing on the corner of “Titanium” ship
and it was very exciting. The lemon water at Mozari Point had also refreshed us
like anything. Hearing echo by speaking anything standing in the side of the
valley at Panch Bol was an exciting event in itself. There was a Devi temple in
valley at Devi Point and behind the temple there were a big plain ground
wherein horse and camel rides were arranged. The same has made even adults like
kids. The passion of people who are involved in horse and camel riding had
filled passion in us also.
In the event of remembrance of the Chikhaldara
Trip, the visit of Gavilgarh Fort can not be forget at all. We felt the feeling
of salution to the ancient engineering technology after seeing the splendor of this
ancient fort. This fort made in fourteenth-fifteenth century reflects a typical
example of our excellence and depths of our heritage. Today, this fort even standing
in rickety stage itself portrays its old glory and luxury. We could not vist
the Gavilgarh fort to the full extent because of the time constraints but the
mere sight of it had thrilled us in the deep by the pride of its heritage.
Sakkar Talab is another attractive tourist
site in Chikhaldara. There were boating facilities, but this time it was lacking
in the abundance of water. So we left the possibilities of sailing at Sakkar
Talab for the next trip to Chikhaldara.
We are just changed into the kids even at
the entrance of the Forest Park at Chikhaldara. There was a toy train in the
park which revolves in the circle for around 1.5 kilometers. This train journey
had filled us with a feel of our childhood and also provided the showcase of
the elegance of the garden. The garden, in the absence of protection and
perhaps lack of funds probably, lost its grandeur. However, gazing the greenery
of the garden from the loft in itself was a pleasant feeling.
We were now ready to leave from Chikhaldara
after trapping the memories of these multi-dimensional beauties of Chikhaldara in
the core of our heart and we said bye to Chikhaldara. After reaching Semadoh on
the way, we took the lunch, as the rotis on chulha at an eatery providedall the cues to mouth and stomach as well. After taking lunch, we again moved towards our base covering our travel memories and thanking god. However, we all are fresh and pep even after the two-day visit. Really no one provides you refreshment better than nature itself. The memories of Chikhaldara trip will remain forever imprinted on our memory. Chikhaldara excursion is again inevitable, but this time it will be just after the rainy season i.e. in the month of September or October.
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