Caper Travel India Blog

When I was a kid, I used to think that everything what swims is eatable! With time and maturity, I started believing that water bodies are meant for adventure.

What I experienced during my trip to Goa last month surely was the best adventure to me. Goa, undoubtedly, offers an extremely good climate and excellent facilities for water sports in India. It was May and Goa welcomed me with cloudless & blue skies and placid waters.

For the first time in my life, I enjoyed windsurfing at the picturesque Dona Paula beach under the guidance of an expert. He told me that Windsurfing is a unique blend of surfing and sailing. I was supposed to adjust my strength and balance to the changing patterns of wind and water as a surfer. After giving trials at least ten times, I was able to do it by shifting my feet forward & backward, leaning the weight to the right or left, and manipulating the boom in or out. I know it seems like a typical Physics theorem, but it was superb. People told me that Dona Paula beach organizes crowd pulling events like ‘Windsurfing Regatta’ and ‘Open Board Sailing Competition’ every year.

I then headed for Agonda beach, where I experienced the true pleasure of angling and relished the most authentic seafood delicacies. I came back to my hotel that evening and joined a beach party with some of my friends.

Next day was very exciting. I paid short visits to Majorda, Baga, Candolim, Calangute and Anjuna beaches. Except scuba diving, I guess, I enjoyed each and every activity there – from beach volleyball to dinghy sailing (beer and sandwich sailing), water skiing on speedboats, water scootering and parasailing etc. The convenient part about Goa is that if you are an adventure freak or sports enthusiast, you can easily hire all the equipments and attires on rent from beach side shops. This way, Goa proves to be the freak capital of India where life can be relished at its best.

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It is believed in my Buddhist practice that when you desire something deeply, pray for it earnestly, visualize it happening and without any doubt believe it is going to happen for you. And I could see the actual proof of it when I got a chance to visit Andaman and Nicobar Islands- my dream destination. My first sight of this wondrous destination left me speechless. All I was doing was absorbing every bit of its natural beauty in my heart and in my camera.

Here on the islands one feels that seas are punctuated by small pieces of lands. Romance and peace seem to be in the air here. This fascinating world of water transported me to a fairy land. The celestial natural beauty, turquoise waters, white-sand beaches, lush green forests, chirping birds and peaceful and blissful environment, what else can one ask for to adorn one’s holidays with golden memories. I enjoyed at the beaches and flocked from one island to another by ferries.

Marine life is a major attraction of this arresting destination. I saw a variety of corals here- brain coral, finger coral, plate coral and leather coral.  My guide Sarvanan told me that these islands boasts of more than 100 species of wild orchids. And I even saw some of them. I also visited the Chiriyatapoo, a bird sanctuary, on the islands. There I saw a variety of colorful birds chirping away to glory.

Next we head for Mahatama Gandhi Marine National Park on the Andaman Islands. It is a cluster of 15 islands. It is truly a heaven for marine life lovers. Here I saw several colorful fishes, shells, starfish, turtles, coral reefs, mollusks and salt-water crocodile. This Park is a home to around 271 varieties of birds, remarkable. With my binoculars, I saw white-bellied sea eagle, heron, terns, Andaman teal etc.

My experience of Andaman and Nicobar Islands was getting richer and richer with every attraction I saw. And still there was so much to explore, so much to enjoy!

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There are people who value their gardens more for being full of birds than of cherries. I am one among those. I love to give them fruits for their songs. Sometimes I consider them the inspiration of my poetry. I declared myself a bird lover when I saved one going to be killed by a cat. I was in 7th standard when this incident happened. Since then I am in love with these colourful and pretty creatures. Surprisingly, I got a chance to visit Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary in Rajasthan with my colleagues.

While driving to the National Park, Munna – my driver – told me that over 300 species of birds have made this sanctuary their home. August to November is the period for resident breeding birds while October to February is for migrant birds. Munna also told me that the sanctuary was created 250 years ago and is named after a Keoladeo temple (dedicated to Lord Shiva) within its boundaries.

As I arrived my hotel, I found a guide book on Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary at the reception. I asked the manager if I could take that along with me in my room, to which he agreed happily. The guide book said that the entire reserved park was once a hunting ground for the Maharajas of Bharatpur. Stretching up to 29 sq km, this ‘Ornithologist’s Paradise‘ is the only man made wildlife sanctuary in India. Also known as Keoladeo Ghana National Park, Bharatpur was declared a national park on 10 March 1982, and accepted as a World Heritage Site in December 1985. I spent the entire day in leisure savoring the authentic cuisine of Rajasthan .

Next morning, I headed towards the park with Munna. The very first attraction we came across were nesting indigenous water birds. Facilities for a bicycle or rickshaw are also available for the tourists inside the park, but Munna asked me to cover the forest trails on foot. It was a nice way to have a closer look at the attractions of the park. Unfortunately I could not spot any of the migratory birds like Cranes, Pelicans, Shanks, Stints, Wagtails, Warblers, Wheatears, Flycatchers, Buntings, Larks and Pipits etc. that were mentioned in Bharatpur Travel Guide. In the afternoon I spotted a few Geese, Ducks, Eagles and Hawks near the small waterway.

What made my day was a closer view of wildcats, Sambar, Chital, Chinkara, Blackbuck, Nilgai and wild boar in the dense greens. I captured them all in my camera. Munna insisted me to pay short visits to Bharatpur Govenment Museum, Bharatpur Palace and Lohagarh Fort but I, being very tired, scheduled other attractions for the next day. I returned back to the hotel with a question: If God loved birds and made trees for them, why the hell we designed cages for them?

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No matter which destination you explore in India, your excitement level will always remain at its peak. India tourism not only ensures a remarkable trip but also refreshes your mind, body and soul. After all, India is known for the best of theme based tours. When I planned for a religious tour in India, I found Puri as a key destination. This seat of Lord Jagannatha (Lord Vishnu) is unbeatable for resting, relaxing and recalling. As I arrived this coastal district of Orissa, a guide told me that every bit of this ancient land fascinates tourists from all over the globe – ranging from historic antiquities to religious shrines, architectural grandeur, seascape beauty, moderate climate and so on.

The city welcomed me with open arms, offering splendid beaches, and a rich historic heritage dating back to 3rd century. The first thing I came across on my way to the hotel was ‘Rath Yatra‘ – the biggest festival in Orissa in July. Roads were completely jammed. I could see a huge idol of Lord Jagannatha placed on a chariot and people performing Odissi dance in the procession. The driver told me that this 3 km long procession extends from Jagannatha Temple to Gundicha Mandir. I spend that entire day at leisure.

The very next morning, after breakfast, I headed towards the Jagannatha Temple, one of the most impressive monuments of Orissa. Constructed in the 12th century, this superb Vaishnava temple enshrines Lord Jagannatha, Devi Subhadra and Balabhadra. Today, Archaeological Survey of India takes care of its preservation and maintenance. After enjoying a cup of coffee at a restaurant, I visited Chilka Lake, the largest freshwater inland lake in Asia (1165 sq. km.). Located along side the Bay of Bengal, the lake is home to around 225 species of fish. Apart from that, more than 150 species of migratory as well as resident birds inhabit the Chilla Wildlife Sanctuary. Capturing a number of colorful and enchanting species in camera was actually a fun.

Post lunch, my next destination was the Konark Sun Temple (magnificent Sun Temple built in 1278). Its architectural beauty lies in spectacular carvings, 24 wheels around the temple, 7 horses pulling the temple, and two lions guarding the entrance. I also paid short visits to the Ganesha Temple, Lakshmi Temple, Mausi Ma Temple and the Loknath Temple. My driver asked me if I wanted to visit the Museum & Sudarshan Workshop, which is a favorite of all the art lovers. It displays a number of artistic works of contemporary artists, handicraft items, paintings and sculptures in stone, wood and fiberglass etc. But I

preferred going to the market to buy some souvenirs.

The shops were loaded with traditional crafts, bead and bamboo works, Pattachitras (miniature religious paintings on silk and cotton fabric), wooden combs, pitchers, glasses, lamps, masks and metal crafts. But I found them a bit costly. My last destination in Puri was the picturesque beach, where I enjoyed my dinner along with a few classical dance performances that turn out to be the perfect mirror of Orissa culture.

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