Our album of pictures from Orissa (Odisha), 65 of them, can be seen through the following link:
Long drive today but no great rush to get up so we don’t rush. I do write-ups on restaurant terrace. Breakfast of Dhokla (gram – Gujarati sponge – two varieties).
Fond farewells to all and we are away.
Scenic
Just the odd scenic and peepee stop until Jeypore, where Jolly seems to be in the “Hello” an inordinate amount of time, but when we find him chatting to the owner/manager it’s “no problem”.
Also see a French “friends” from the Rainbow in the midst of negotiations.
Soon after that (past Koraput) we find a suitable picnic swap spot using a lari for shade. We eat the last of the Bastar “home cooking” – Jolly’s chicken samosas, which were excellent.
Don’t tary too long in the lari
Long drive on to Rayagada, where we have a little trouble finding the Hotel Tejaswini but it is a small town so problem quickly solved. Presidential suite is a bit OTT and windowless, but large.
Jolly let slip that he is a Maharajkumar (brother of a Maharaja) so we are offered the mosquito garden (no thanks) or private dining room (yes please) to have beer with our supper – a rather poor choice on our part of Chinese noodles (two types) but we were “rice & daaled out” by then.
Over dinner we learn that Gerard and Raj had a barney over the missing cardamoms from Raj’s desert last night!
In addition to the Orissa album, linked above, there is a collection of over 120 photos from that part of the adventure that didn’t make the album, which can be seen at the link below:
Our album of pictures from Bastar, more than 100 of them, can be seen through the following link:
Reasonably early start – didn’t get much writing up done. Off this morning to see the caves.
Jolly get several calls to say that we are in the state papers – he arranges copies for us. The Bastar Sun has a detailed article on the back page with all material details wrong…
…whereas The New India has a picture of both me and Daisy on the front page with less detail.
We were supposed to see Kailash caves, which are supposedly easy, but they are not open, so we go to Kotumsar cave instead, which, judging by the Bastar book, is a more interesting cave. It was a little tricky, but just a little.
Then to the Teerathgarh Falls or rapids (as Jolly calls them) where we meet lots of monkeys.
Picnic lunch in a rudimentary café (they don’t seem to mind) and then into town work out the meaning of cowrie (shells used as jewellery formerly used as currency and religious symbols) but the manager explained it to us at length. Yes, at length.
While this cowrie business was being explained to us (at length), the door attendant excitedly pointed out me and Daisy beaming out from the front page of The New India, so we discussed that at length as well.
We returned early. Ged ducked out of cricket in favour of reading up and some R&R before dinner.
Dinner comprises tomato soup, chicken steamed in bamboo, caullie, carrots, potatoes, rice, daal and roti. Raj keeps us company (whether we like it or not) and serves us his kheer (rice pudding), which Ged thinks would benefit from sweet spice but Raj and Daisy disagree. Jolly attended to his business and we furnish him with Nurofen later.
In addition to the Bastar album, linked above, there is a collection of over 200 photos from that part of the adventure that didn’t make the album, which can be seen at the link below:
Our album of pictures from Bastar, more than 100 of them, can be seen through the following link:
I got up and out a bit earlier than Daisy this morning – did write-ups and took breakfast ahead of her.
Got away 8:30 to visit Nayanar, (speaking Halbe, Gondi and Bhatri). Bison Horn Maria village.
No school today – Sunday – but plenty of kids who enjoyed the skipping rope.
Then the tribal dance – older folk do the dancing in this tribe (no ghotul system) and so it is a slower, more sober affair (they’ll be drinking soon enough in the market).
The chief came out to welcome us and after the main dance & invited both of us to join the respective female and male roles – good photo fodder and we both seemed to amuse the locals.
After a stroll through the village we were all dressed up with no place to go – 11 o’clock in a place where the market gets going at 2:30 to 3 o’clock. We decided to go back to Jagdalpur.
Daisy donated Jolly’s skipping rope to the children, which was very kind of her/him.
A girl from the village has been feverish and sick for some time and a fever has returned so we agreed to take her to the local village hospital which turns out to be a rudimentary doctors clinic but better than the shamen stuff as she probably has typhoid or at least some form of dissentry. Uncle comes with her and touches Jolly for some money, which looks dodgy to me and turns out later, via Chetan (Jolly’s fixer) to be just that.
On to Jagdalpur.
First stop, The Palace, site of the Jagdalpur massacre in 1966 and home of Jolly’s cousin Hari. Hari isn’t there but we look around.
Then Jolly phones Hari to say we’ve been, only to find out that Hari was arriving home, so we have the whole thing explained to us again by Hari who seems very sweet.
Next stop the Rainbow Hotel, Bunty’s place. Primarily for toilet and refreshment (coconut water) but it transpires that Bunty’s restaurant overlooks the local cricket pitch and there is an Interstate 25 over match in progress.
Bunty suggested that I might help out with some commentary, which I thought was a joke, but it turns out they like English commentary and a semi-pro commentator is announcing away over the PA in immaculate English.
Soon enough there is a kerfuffle and I am told to get on the back of a motorcycle as my commentary stint is due to start very soon.
I am welcomed into the chair while the commentator quickly summarises the game so far, then the scorer keeps whispering the score and key facts to me.
Daisy is also biked around to join me.
Soon I’m in my stride, but towards the end of my five over stint I can hardly see what’s happening on the field of play as I’m surrounded by reporters and photographers.
When a wicket falls, I am two balls shy of my stint and I decide to handover (heck, I can’t see) and am then taken aside for interviews at length for the local TV cable network City Cable Jagdalpur & quizzed by some other reporters. Daisy is also interviewed. Tremendous fun.
We say our goodbyes [to our new friends the cricket commentators and jourtrnalists] and walk back round to the hotel. Jolly is thrilled too.
We set off back towards the market, stopping at a Dhaba – Keslur Dhaba in Keslur – daal fry, chicken curry (half), tandoori roti.
Then on to the market, which is named Pamela market and is far more of a fun fair than a market. Cock fighting is the centrepiece. Stalls are mostly food and booze and the people are almost all very friendly, some drunkenly so!
Back through Jagdalpur, where we buy a couple more hard tennis balls and another skipping rope, +3 pairs of sandals for me. Then back to the resort late, but Jolly and the lads all seemed keen for a quick match.
Ged made a bad decision to field in a fading light game, but in any case Jolly and his team are much better today scoring 54 and Ged’s team manage a paultry 14. Jolly top scored with 30+.
Then some time to wash and change. Chicken supper (hot and sour soup to start) and Gulab Jamun desert.
Relatively early night. That had been some day.
In addition to the Bastar album, linked above, there is a collection of over 200 photos from that part of the adventure that didn’t make the album, which can be seen at the link below:
Strange things can happen when you travel in India but this event, from Jagdalpur, Chhattisgarh, in the central plains of India, must qualify as one of the strangest things that has happened to me in my entire life.
I reported this story at length on the King Cricket website, under my nom de plume, Ged Ladd. Janie and I have nicknamed each other Ged and Daisy for as long as anyone can remember. Click here or below for the story and further links.
Frankly, some of the comments are better than my report – it is worth reading for them. King Cricket can be like that.
Below are the two newspaper articles that appeared at the time. First up, the front page of New India:
Front page news in New India
Ameya from the King Cricket site has kindly translated the substance of the above article as follows:
The New India headline says ‘Bastar weather is great for cricket’. The article mentions you saying that Bastar has conducive weather for cricket. I’m assuming you were simply commenting on the weather that day.
Article goes on to say that you and Jenny (they get your names right for the most part, except you are Iaan) are foreign tourists, that you are cricket fans, that you encouraged players, and that you did commentary on the game ‘in English’.
Next up, the back page of the Bastar Sun, which got a great many of the material facts about the event wrong. I recall us having quite a laugh with Jolly about that article at the time. I shouted out to the King Cricket community, “perhaps someone now would care to translate it for us in full”…
Back page news in The Bastar Sun
…and Ameya kindly obliged with the following:
The Bastar Sun is where things get more interesting. The bold black font headline says ‘London’s John Harik does commentary’. The smaller red blurb says ‘Foreign player does commentary’.
You are John Harik and your ‘associate’ is Revis Harik. No mention of marriage or professional commentary anywhere. [apologies – that was my inaccurate recollection]
The article says you (cricket lover from London) and your associate were enjoying the match when the organisers spotted you and requested you to do commentary. You proceeded to ‘enjoy the responsibility’ for about an hour, and also chatted with and encouraged some senior players.
As for the match itself, Konta Chhattisgarh won the toss and chose to bat. After making 172/8 in their 25 overs, their seam bowlers were taken to the cleaners by Bhavanipatanam Orissa’s openers. While the spinners did apply some brakes, the match was over within 22.2 overs. Rinku top scored with 77(71). The writer was puzzled as to why Konta chose to bat first, to which one of their officials said that they didn’t want the pressure of a chase and wanted to set a high score.
At the Bastar Jungle Resort, in Chhattisgarh, central plains of India, we had great fun playing garden cricket after our touring on a couple of evenings; especially 5 February.
Our album of pictures from Bastar, more than 100 of them, can be seen through the following link:
Slept much better indeed felt good this morning. Got up in the sunshine, then took breakfast in garden.
Went to local village first, Kurandi village. Ged forgot to leave the key and Daisy forgot her proper walking shoes, but Shyamlal went back and forth to sort those things out.
We visited the junior school and then the middle school – lots of photos and pens.
The small children’s teacher organised a drawing competition and presented Daisy with the best pictures. Senior girls sang us “We Shall Overcome” in English.
Umesh helped Jolly to guide us .
Then through Jagdalpur (museum unexpectedly closed). And then on to the Chitrakote waterfall. Also saw flying foxes in a tree.
Struggled to find a picnic spot but eventually found one about 10 to 15 km shy of Jagdalpur.
Then into Jagdalpur where we bought some kutar and pyjama (shalwar and camise) plus some balls for the cricket and skipping rope and a multi point.
Then back to base for cricket in the garden, using tree stumps as stumps.
Three matches of five-a-side, five overs per innings. Lots of fun. Shyamlal screaming like a banshee. Daisy taking lots of pictures.
Ged Ladd batting and bowling well. Personal highlights included getting Jolly out caught and bowled and a classical drive through extra cover for four.
I tried to tighten or even lose the third match by promoting Abhishek in the batting and bowling but he turned out to be a star player as did Gowardhan.
Jungle Formula only helped a little bit at that hour.
A more comprehensive report on the cricket has appeared separately, not least as a link to the MTWD match report of the fixtures – click here or below:
Got ready for dinner and enjoy their meal in the open air restaurant – the centrepiece being duck, but perhaps the starturn was Raj (Sohit’s) Chinese style chicken soup.
A lovely day.
In addition to the Bastar album, linked above, there is a collection of over 200 photos from that part of the adventure that didn’t make the album, which can be seen at the link below:
Our album of pictures from Bastar, more than 100 of them, can be seen through the following link:
Sleep badly. Early rise and pack.
Breakfast with Tommy and Mona. Then latterly (after Daisy has retired) Michael and John.
Another interesting chat with Joe, settle bill, lengthy goodbyes (we are taking Jolly away from them all) and away.
First stop – arts and crafts factory/school/showroom at Kumhar Para, Kondagoan village (about half way to Jagdalpur)…
…the place Jolly and Joe originally had in mind for the Bastar property, but the cousin had his own ideas…
…we had a quick picnic lunch there. Daisy and Jolly tried rickshaw riding there.
Then on to a tribal village market, Nagarnar Market – Maria tribes this time – perhaps a little more primitive.
Took good pictures, although I wasn’t feeling great.
Then on to Bastar Jungle Resort – settled in. Tried to have a good nap. Drinks with Jolly and his business partner Bunty Jai.
Long wait in the increasing cold for a modest supper of chicken, rice, daal and cauliflower.
A party of 50+ were rather quietly dining in the main area which was a bit surreal. Their food was much hotter, we were told. Jolly ate a little, stating that he wasn’t too hungry this evening.
Early night, after chilling and trying to fall over in the mud!
In addition to the Bastar album, linked above, there is a collection of over 200 photos from that part of the adventure that didn’t make the album, which can be seen at the link below:
Our album of pictures from Kanker, more than 80 of them, can be seen through the following link:
Slept pretty well and Rose at circa 6 o’clock.
Light breakfast and away just after 830.
Hit a big traffic jam on the road through Keshkal Ghat.
Jolly was a bit worried we might miss the tribe, being market day. But we probably only lost less than one hour in the process.
Picked up Munna And headed off to a Bhigawn para village – A deer horn Muria tribe. We visited the ghotul…
…then the school (penless, not forewarned) but played games with the children…
…and supervised their lunch.
Then we went to see the ghotul folk doing their dance – which they do at lunchtime on market day. Amazing stuff – superb drumming and skilful dancing – especially the stilts dance.
Before the dancing, a short welcome ceremony.
After the dancing, we had a boozy farewell ceremony, drinking the local spirit Mahua Drink made from Mahua seed.
Two home visits before departure, one scheduled…
…and one to the home of the village and joker who was very insistent.
Went on to take a picnic by side of road and then on to market…
…pretty photogenic – 22 local villages congregate each Thursday at the Bhigawn market.
After the market we returned to the Kanker Palace for the evening.
Reviewed photos on terrace after being shown many of Roberts photos. By a surprisingly friendly Robert. Mosquitoville, that terrace at that hour. Then washed and dressed the evening.
First up was an early evening entertainment on the erstwhile badminton court. The gathering included Michael and John, Swiss one nighter-bikers Tommy and Mona. Robert the German photographer and our cast of hosts and staff.
Robert tells us the tale of Panit Patel and sounds off generally about fake tribal dancing, which to be fair, this certainly was.
Jolly explained that he was trying to give some work to a troop of down on their luck dancers and that Westerners who hadn’t seen real tribal dances enjoy these entertainments. Perhaps only the Swiss pair fell into that category and even they might have seen the real thing, but they were perhaps more polite than others.
Robert then stated that the thing is to stay seated looking interested. He really hates it if the dancers ask the audience to join in and next up, Daisy is dancing wildly with the dancers and I also join in. Robert refuses. The dancers asked Daisy to teach them her dance!
Next up an audience with HRH – Joe and I have a very interesting chat about his studies, Gresham College, Z/Yen stuff and all.
Then dinner – Robert, Jolly, me and Daisy. More interesting chat. Then bed.
In addition to the Kanker album, linked above, there is a collection of over 200 photos from that part of the adventure that didn’t make the album, which can be seen at the link below:
Our album of pictures from Kanker, more than 80 of them, can be seen through the following link:
We both slept well and rose quite early, but still only more or less made our appointed breakfast time and even then the dining room was locked!
We ended up setting off a little late but no matter.
First stop was a walk to the rock paintings at Udkuda, where we saw the painted stones. Then on to a friends bidi factory.
Then we drove to Girhola (HRH’s hunting lodge village) where we saw a nursery school/medical nutritional advice centre, houses, schools And acquired a large pack of kids.
Took lunch of rice bread, daal, beans/peas and aubergine.
Rested a while, then set off for boat trip with Ravind (who had been our village guide) in tow. One hour boat trip through the Mahanandi river rushes (felt like three hours to Ged).
Then Ged spotted a cricket match on the river bank…
…so we docked early and took over the youngsters game for a while…
Ged’s batting was a bit better than his bowling – although he did get Jolly out with a top edged moon ball.
First slip was holding a fish for some time, but sadly Daisy failed to capture that slippery aspect.
– then we walked back to the vehicle (no distance).
We return home for a craft shop (bamboo) opening at which we were the photo opportunity.
Then spent some time chatting with Jai and the new arrival John – followed by review of photos and then ready for dinner and then pre-dinner drinks around the fire with John, his partner Michael and the elusive German misanthropic “we’re all doomed” photographer Robert Huber, who chose to eat “later”.
In addition to the Kanker album, linked above, there is a collection of over 200 photos from that part of the adventure that didn’t make the album, which can be seen at the link below:
…and then we both take breakfast in the club lounge.
Mr Pasha takes us to the airport – Basquar is nowhere to be seen at first and pretty scarce even when he shows up. Still, our own “winning ways” get our enormous load on board for no surcharge.
Two scares – one when “Harris” from our flight is called because there is a problem with baggage – turns out that “Susan Harris” is a pasty-faced cultist or something on a weird looking American group.
Second scare – delay announced and then unannounced!
Met by Jolly and Abhishek at other end – circa 2 1/2 hour drive to Kanker.
We stopped briefly in Dhamtari where Jolly bought fruit and his friend the Brigadier gave us the benefit of his knowledge of London.
Introductions to the family and quick tour of the estate with Jai.
Drinks before supper around the campfire .
Simple supper of chicken, daal, “gherkin”, veg, cauliflower, rice. Washed down with some beer.
