More Bastar Visits; Nayannar (Bison Horn Maria People), Jagdalpur, Commentating On Interstate Cricket Match, Pamela Market & More, 6 February 2011

Our album of pictures from Bastar, more than 100 of them, can be seen through the following link:

001 4 Feb 2011 On The Road To Jagdalpur P2040015

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.

My 15 minutes of fame as a cricket commentator has been reported separately on Ogblog – click here and was reported back in 2011 on King Cricket with predictably hilarious results in the comments section, click here or link below:

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:

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A Day In The Bastar Region; Kurandi, Chitrakote, Jagdalpur & Some Garden Cricket, 5 February 2011

Our album of pictures from Bastar, more than 100 of them, can be seen through the following link:

001 4 Feb 2011 On The Road To Jagdalpur P2040015

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:

P1010244



Onwards To Bastar And Maria People, Chhattisgarh, 4 February 2011

Our album of pictures from Bastar, more than 100 of them, can be seen through the following link:

001 4 Feb 2011 On The Road To Jagdalpur P2040015

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:

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Visiting Deer Horn Muria People And Other Adventures Around Kanker, Chhattisgarh, 3 February 2011

Our album of pictures from Kanker, more than 80 of them, can be seen through the following link:

001 1 Feb 2011 Evening Drinks On Arrival At Kanker Palace P1010030

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:

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On Tour Around Kanker, 2 February 2011

Our album of pictures from Kanker, more than 80 of them, can be seen through the following link:

001 1 Feb 2011 Evening Drinks On Arrival At Kanker Palace P1010030

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:

P1010158