Call of Khetiyo

I am a corporate citizen, an observer, who is ready to explore and lives in a dichotomy of needs of soul and desires of mind. Travel is one juncture where the two meet. And thus comes in this mesmerizing trip. If I look back, Khetiyo happened because it was supposed to be. We live a modern day compartmentalized life where leisure, contemplation are left best for Saturdays and Sundays. Khetiyo was an unplanned excursion, more for solitude for I was bored with the mundane.

We were seven hitchhikers, all from different walks of life. As companions, we had a new age knowledge yogi, who wishes to look at world from a plateau of ideas and who has a cloak of non-conformist, the one that young blood of his age can afford. We had a coming of age rebel; who now blends into societal norms but still has the conviction in his ideas. The ways may have changed, the caution may have arrived, but the altruistic ideology remains. We also had a modern day, jean clad sadhu, who led us on this journey to the forests and who puts up a veil every time one wants to understand him, but this veil is his shade to a clear heart & at peace soul with a mind-ful purpose of living. We had a polished lodger who was a fine mix of astute business sense, adventure and empathy. He is a story and a good storyteller. We had a lady with the mountain soul, the one who has gained aesthetic faculties and prefers to remain quite, observing, and has seen different seasons of life and cherished its offerings. We had another young female soul in a well-used body, which have zeal for life and different experiences. She reminds of the beautiful, lively batch-mate we all adored and wondered, when our path cross when we are both old and worn, how will she be?

Khetiyo is the backyard of tigers and of all wild life for which Jim Corbett is famous for. But to give this place a tag of current day Jim Corbett National Park will be a blemish as Khetiyo still is not contaminated and made a touristy cauldron. Khetiyo is like an ephemeral Vanaprastha. Khetiyo is a small uninhibited village atop flat top of a small hill by Mandal River and with only two huts in a clear field surrounded by forests and its dwellers. The field and the jungle are symbol and reminder of the boundary that each one of us must respect, while coexisting. As the Sadhu said, you are as much a food as the Cheetal and Barking Deer roaming around and nature does not differentiate. So, don’t go to Khetiyo if you wish to see the tiger roaming by, the excitement overload is in find a fresh pugmarks. For the more adventurous, there are Macchan where you can rest for the evening and then stay alert whole night listening to animal calls and tracing the shy creature roaming by. For the convenience of us, Grihasthas, the lodging is made a comfortable one with beds & indoor toilets. The other hut is of your friends at Khetiyo, who will ensure that you are well fed and safe.

The charm of Khetiyo is best soaked by the one who goes with only a yearning for peaceful silence but no expectations. It is better experienced with self in semi meditative mode with an awareness of surroundings and soaking in the serenity. It is better enjoyed in the glowing flames of bonfire and sharing stories of yore, in Ghazal and vivid discussions on ideas.

Maybe, when the barking deer calls, and the breeze dances on the leaves of tall Sal trees under the moonlight, that moment of euphoria will touch your soul and that makes this journey of mind and soul all worthwhile.

To the stream of inner peace: Bidar

The word 'udas' in common parlance in Hindi is related to unhappiness. However, in Sanskrit, the meaning is detachment. Sri Guru Nanak Ji traveled in all directions on missionary journeys to spread the message of peace and brotherhood and these travels are called Udasi. Such is the play of words! For me , travel gives a sense of detachment, that helps is rebooting the inner self. When things look overwhelming, a short trip to makes great sense.

I love going for short trips to Bidar, a small town near border of Telangana & Karnataka. The place is famous for Nanak Jheera Sahib and Bidar Fort. The place has a distinct charm, and is easily accessible from Hyderabad. So a fast track teerth, some really great walks in remains of a vast fort and picturesque moments of calm at the cost of a simple meal for two in a city  is what Bidar has on offer. If self driving, for two this will be around 1500 overall.And there is more, so read on. 

0800 Hours, Saturday Morning : Start from Hyderabad. Better to take ORR Route towards Zaheerabad. Greenery and small hills around, the drive is good and you should be there in 3 to 4 hours. If going in mango season, don't forget to buy good farm fresh plucks on your way or way back.

Stay: Nanak Jheera Gurudwara has a choultry within it's premises, that is clean, peaceful and very nominally priced. You get a air conditioned room that has 4 beds at INR 500 for a night.

1200 Hours: Freshen up and then go for ardaas to Gurudwara. Do go for a sip of holy water from Jheera right next to main building. As souvenir, a lot of folks take some Jal in small canisters back home.  Langar is simple but a must have. For the once who wish to have something else, there are ample eateries just outside Gurudwara. And then laze around! An afternoon siesta is a place of such calm and positive vibes will refresh your nerves. For those who wish to explore more, there is a temple, Narsimha Jharini that is nearby. Here you take a darshan by walking in shoulder deep water towards the main deity. Pack in some change of clothes.

1700 Hours and ahead: Freshen up and go for a stroll in nearby park. I love sitting there and having a lovely conversation and watching sun set, with brilliant colors at display. Take a long stroll around, have dinner and then sit in the Gurudwara compound, near the Amrit Kund. I am sure, you will feel at peace and a connect with your inner self.

0600 Hours, Sunday: Wake up early for the first ardaas and kirtan in morning is blissful and not to be missed. If you have any thing to ask of from all mighty, there is a Likhari desk where you can make a donation. Granthi Ji will put your ardaas to Guruji at the end of kirtan.

0930 Hours: Time for some great picturesque locales! Bidar fort is a nearby. Amazing remnants of a great fort and time gone by. Be prepared for long strolls and high grasses. For the once who are interested in Bahamani architecture, with Persian touch, there is Mahamud Gawan Madarsa nearby. While you may not be allowed inside, you still will be able to see great architecture and building that once it would have been.

Drive back to Hyderabad, and don't forget to pick up some seasonal fruits that are being sold roadside. Will be a reminiscing memory of a weekend well spent.

A short trip to Wanderer's diocese: Medak

I saw Pikoo and loved an amazing counter-argument to travel given by protagonist, Bhaskor Banerjee. Here it is: “Why should I take all the hardships to travel to a different city, sleep in someone else’s bed, just to ‘relax’. Better to do that in my own bed.” Well, not all of us have that quirkiness. And well, a few of us would like to travel in a rickety bus to far flung places and open eyes to a new morning, in a different bed than ours.

My wife works in a bank and that effectively means that it’s only an elusive Sunday that we have together after 6 days; what you may call, fleeting memory of time gone by in office. This also means that to unwind, to keep it a relaxed one and to take road trips, we need to improvise, in 100 KM radius of Hyderabad for a 24 hours or less trip starting Saturday evening.

So this Friday, in a sudden bout of wanderlust, i decided to plan a 24 hours or less trip. As i mentioned in my earlier blog, my way of searching for location is simple: look for AP Tourism/ Telangana Tourism site for places to stay and what can be covered around them. Simple yet effective! So read on for a 24 hours or less self drive road trip to Medak with a night’s stay in INR 3500 or less, door to door, all inclusive for two. If you are a couple who likes to loiter with another couple friends, the cost goes down to half!

Medak is a town about 100 KMs from Hyderabad and is most renowned for Medak Cathedral. If you wish to mix heritage, scenic beauty, religion and a picturesque location for some photo shoot, Medak offers it all. Lesser known fact: If you are a beer lover and love reading their labels while dew oozes slowly on the beautiful dark bottle, you will realize every brand known has a brewery in Medak that supplies to Andhra & Telangana region.

Pre Work: Telangana Tourism has a Heritage Hotel in Medak Fort which as 4 large spacious rooms that can be booked online. As the place is right in front of Bus Stand, you may hike on the trail to this place as well. The place has a functional restaurant with simple yet delicious offerings. As always, staff is decent. It always helps to call them and let know that you are coming so that the rooms are ready with all things functional and are in place for you. We did not call and the poor fellow gave the room we booked, to a couple with a young child. Long story cut short: Call them once booked.

Cost: INR 1361 for an AC Suite (best what they offer, most spacious)

1930 Hours: We started little late at around 1930 hours from Hi Tech City area, though would recommend to start a bit early to see sun going down in the open fields that’s on the way. The sublime beauty of watching sun set in open green fields is an experience in itself. In monsoon, the road to Medak is all lush green and SH06 that leads to Medak is a good stretch.

Cost: INR 600 @INR 6 per KM while you are self driving.

2100 Hours: Reached Medak. Checked in. The place has all the sign boards of no alcohol allowed, however ... : ). If you wish to, you may take a stroll in moon light. If nothing, just pull out your chair and relax while the city beneath falls to sleep.

Cost: Food is moderately priced and will cost INR 300 or so for two.

0600 Hours: Wake up early to a beautiful sunrise. The balcony has an amazing view with lake on one side, fort right behind you and sun shying and coming out from the clouds. A good cup of tea and you are sorted. Unlike other properties like Tyada or Srisailam, they don’t offer complimentary breakfast.

Medak Fort: Well, it’s more of an outpost than a fort. Not much is left but still it’s good fun to roam around. A lot of monkeys, and in morning, it’s advisable not to go alone lest you can speak monkey language. We took a bamboo cane with us. The more admirable part of Medak Fort or Mubarak Mahal as it’s called sis that it give a good view of the whole landscape and has amazing morning wind that is both refreshing and contemplative. Since we went post rains, there were a lot of beautiful butterflies to see. The outpost continues, with Police transmission towers at the top with a few men guarding it. There is also a mosque there.

Cost: None.

1130 Hours: Brunch time! Highly recommended, especially if you are looking for a pure vegetarian place: Hotel Chandra Bhavan right outside Medak Cathedral. Special recommendation for Sambhar Wada, was most amazing with their garlic laced Sambhar.

Cost: Nothing more than INR 120 for two.

1230 Hours: We reach Medak Cathedral and meet a lot of folks from countryside enjoying their picnic in the open festival grounds next to church. A local bazaar to complete the picture is right next to all this. Medak Cathedral is grand and has marvellous gothic stone masonry architecture. It is similar to Churches what you see in all Shahrukh Khan’s DDLJ and similar movies. I wonder why they need to go to so far to shoot that is standing right here. The best and the one i most relish are the 3 stained glass windows and the magic that sunlight does with it. It is worth just to sit and watch it manifest God’s creation in light and shadow. Once outside Church, don’t forget to click a few pics for family album and then just laze in the shadows of trees in the garden next to the main building.

Cost: None except for change that you may give away at shoe counter.

1330 Hours: While on the road back to Hyderabad, take a small detour of 20 KMs to Edupayala Durga Bhawani Gudi. Dedicated to Vana Devi Durga Bhawani, this temple has Manjeera River flowing next to it. Here again, a lot of picnic in process. The road to temple has a unique rocky landscape. It is a marvel of nature to see large rocks placed delicately on top of one another untouched by time and all that is running around them. It looks like God Almighty was playing Pithu and was called in between by mother leaving the delicately balanced rocks in place.

Cost: INR 175 for Special Darshan for 5 people.  Loose change to shoe keeper and INR 240 @ INR 6/KM for to & fro in self drive.

1700 Hours: Back to mia-casa . As it’s mango growing belt, pick up some Chinna Raselus on your way back.

Cost: INR 600 @INR 6 per KM while you are self driving. Add to it another INR 120 for in city travel within Medak town in your car.

Last few words: Don’t over expect and Medak shall surprise you. If you and your beloved love a bike ride, it’s worth a try. If you have a few PPTs to close on and still have that itch of wanderlust, Medak can easily be covered in an 8 hours trip, all inclusive.

A weekend trip to Araku Valley, sleepy hamlet of Tyada & 150 Million years old wonder, Borra Caves

I have been in Hyderabad for a couple of years now and in my experience, Andhra Pradesh Tourism has picturesque properties, that are well placed to reach by means of public (i.e. affordable) conveyance and easy to book online. While stargazing on net, I chanced upon AP Tourism site and a bit of curiosity on where all do they have their properties lead to this weekend exploration of Tyada. I planned a two day trip to Araku Valley covering Tyada & Borra Caves starting Friday evening till Monday early morning: door to door in INR 8500 for two. So read ahead for details on place and how to get there, what to cover and what you will spend. I travelled to Tyada in March 2015.

Tyada is a sleepy hamlet in Araku Valley, near Vizag. East Coast Railways makes it a wonderful journey to reach this place thorough  58 tunnels and 84 bridges through Anantagiri Forests that cover Araku Valley.

If you wish to be out in a place that is out of bounds to mobile networks, warm and simple hospitality with good country flavoured food and still safe and secure for a cautious mind, Tyada makes an excellent place for recluse.  AP Tourism has an eco-tourism resort here which is walking distance from the railway station through a trail.

 Day 1: Tyada Jungle Bells Camp has wooden cottages with picturesque view and cozy privacy; cottages are air conditioned- And this is an avid example of what global warming is doing to India and elsewhere.  There are multiple styles of cottage and we stayed in two (long story cut short: AC failed and we got upgraded !) : Igloo- Large cottage in namesakes' shape and in New Wooden Cottage- pure English upcountry wooden cottage, that is brand new. They also have a restaurant with a good menu that is moderately priced. Dal Fry and Basmathi Rice are recommended, simple fare, good taste. Room Service is available at a premium. We had tea and snacks at out cottage and it came in sealed bags for warmth and freshness.


What to do at Tyada: Seriously Nothing ! It is a place to laze around, to stroll and just relax. With no mobile signals or idiot box to bother, every hour passes by in an hour if not more. We loved it after all the hush bush of city life. Reception offers a few early morning activities of bird watching, hiking etc. which we passed.




Day 2: We checked out around 10 AM and waited to a local bus to Borra Caves. Will detail out on the journey in later part of the blog. Borra Caves is a gift of nature that is 150 million years young and is a  marvelous collection of stalactites, stalagmites and  around it, man's imagination. It is a wonderful experience to visit these caves. Recommended that you to take a guide for they do not charge more than 100 bucks, will take you around with a torch and share a few local folklore for the caves.

There is a waterfall nearby to which we gave a miss. We returned to Vizag and had a late supper and enjoyed a walk on RK Beach before taking our train back.

Travel Details: If you wish to travel well and within means, plan ahead and travel by train to Tyada and return via Vizag. Book your abode well in advance by AP tourism website. This ensures you cover both hills and sea in same trip, and enjoy train journey through tunnels and valley courtesy East Coast Railways. Do take printout for your room bookings and carry a govt id.

Friday Evening: 12728 Godavari Express from HYD at 1750 to Vizag by which reaches Vizag at around 6 AM giving enough time gap to take next train to Tyada , 58501 that is at 06:50. There are no other trains, thus this is the only combo that you can use without a longer stopover. Cost: 2100 in AC 3 for 1st leg and 200 in SL for 2nd leg of journey.

Saturday : While you enjoy scenery, don't forget to keep a tab of your destination as Tyada is a very small station and hardly sees any footfall. Alight carefully as there is no leveled platform, cross the railway track and take the pagdandi  to reach road and then walk along for another 1 KM to reach Tyada Jungle Bells Resort. By the time you reach and freshen up, it will be time for an early lunch. Enjoy good food at their restaurant. Relax for the day. Cost: 2300 for Igloo Cottage. keep 300 for each meal.

Sunday : Wake up early and take a stroll through the resort. Once you check out, wait for a local APTDC bus to Borra Junction from right in front of the resort. There are no direct buses to Caves. Avoid autos for 2 reasons: you may not find one and if you may find one, they may ask for way too much. Once at Borra Jn, take an auto to Borra Caves. Cost: 14 for bus and 30 for each head if you travel by share and on your bargaining skills if you wish to take full auto. I paid 150 for 2 with 4 others in that big auto.

Take an auto back to Borra Junction and then an APTDC bus either directly to Vizag or change to Deluxe at S. Kota. It is a long journey for 3 hours or so, so ensure you have enough stories to share and water to drink. Once you reach RTC Complex, look out for a decent place to eat and relax a bit. Since your returning train is 22203 Doronto at 2015 hours, you got plenty of time in hand to explore Vizag. Since you are around RTC, suggest you take APTDC buses as auto will fleece. We went to RK Beach. Being Sunday evening, it will be full of crowd. Beach and water, both are not so clean even by Indian standards, so recommended only for a stroll. Anyways, you will have a backpack or a luggage to manage too. Doronto does not serve food so take pack for your dinner at Vizag station itself. Back in train, I am sure you will sleep like a log, just the way we did. Cost: 100 for back to Vizag and loose change for travel within city & 2400 for AC 3.

Last Few Words: As a wanderer, be eager to explore, believe in self help and don't over-expect for luxury and you will have a wonderful experience.

Bon Voyage!