Exploring Chitrakote: India’s Widest Waterfall and Its Hidden Treasures

On June 18, 2026 By jaganmayanandLeave a comment

The next day, after visiting the Tirathgarh Waterfall, we had a flight to Hyderabad in the evening. So, we had some free time in the morning. We had an early breakfast and then started for the Chitrakote Waterfall. My father kept telling me that he had visited this waterfall when he was of my age with his parents, brothers, and grandmother. But he said he did not remember anything about the visit except for a family photograph that he had seen during his childhood. It was one of the very few family pictures they had from those days.

We reached the waterfall at around 11 a.m. It was not like the previous day’s waterfall where we could go near the water. This waterfall was huge. I think because it had rained the previous day and in the nearby areas, the water was muddy. The water flowing over the falls was mixed with mud, so although it created a beautiful white mist as it fell, the waterfall itself looked yellowish-brown.

It is located on the Indravati River in the Bastar region of Chhattisgarh. It is the widest waterfall in India, spanning about 300 metres (980 feet) during the monsoon. The waterfall has a height of about 29 metres (95 feet). During the rainy season, the falls become especially spectacular as the entire width is covered with rushing water. Chitrakote Falls is popularly known as the “Niagara Falls of India.” Its magnificent horseshoe-shaped cascade and roaring waters create one of India’s most breathtaking natural wonders.

While Mom and I were enjoying the view, my father went around trying to find the place where they had taken their childhood photograph. In the picture, there seemed to be a table arranged like it belonged to a nice hotel, with the waterfall just behind it. But Father could not find such a place. Now the area is much more crowded. Although he found a guest house nearby, there was no quiet spot where he could see the waterfall in the background like in the old photograph. He thought his father must have spent a good amount of money to stay at that hotel or guest house.

Then we walked around the local market. I saw many local people selling tree bark and small stone-like substances. My father smelled them and told me they were called “Jhuna.” After talking to the local people, we came to know that this region is surrounded by dense Sal forests. The local tribal communities collect the naturally hardened resin from Sal trees and sell it to tourists as Jhuna or Sal resin. When placed on hot charcoal, it gives off a deeply aromatic and fragrant smoke that is used for purification and religious rituals. My father told me that during his childhood, my grandmother used to burn Jhuna every evening, and he loved its fragrance. He even bought one kilogram of Jhuna. He also told me that it works as a natural mosquito and insect repellent.

While walking around the other shops, we saw many wooden weapons like the ones carried by Gods and Goddesses in pictures and temples. Again, we thought they must have been made from the Sal trees growing around the area. Then we started holding some of the wooden weapons, and my father and I pretended to fight with them. My father was making funny demon noises, and we had a lot of fun. He said, “Let’s buy them and practice fighting at home.” Although my mother was not willing to buy them, my father finally convinced her. They cost only ₹150 each. He said that we should support the local tribal community by buying such handmade items. They usually do not have the facilities and opportunities that people in big cities enjoy. So, whenever we visit places like this, spending a small amount on local products is like helping a family. My father also said that we would use these wooden weapons in some performances so that Mom would not feel we had wasted the money. I was super excited to see what kind of performance we would do with them.

By this time, it was already 1 p.m. So, we had to leave for the city, have lunch, and then head to the airport. Driver Uncle started driving us towards the city.

This trip taught me that old family memories are very precious. Even though my father could not find the exact place where his childhood photograph was taken, it was wonderful to hear his stories and imagine how the place looked many years ago. I also learned that India is full of beautiful places, and every place has its own history, culture, and natural beauty. I was happy to know how the local tribal communities earn their livelihood by carefully using the natural resources around them, like collecting Sal resin and making beautiful wooden handicrafts. It made me realize that when we visit such places, buying local products is a small way to support their families and appreciate their hard work. This visit taught me that travelling is not just about seeing new places, but also about learning from the people who live there and respecting their way of life.

I came back with beautiful memories, the sweet fragrance of Jhuna, and two wooden weapons that remind me of the fun my father and I had together. Those memories are much more valuable than any souvenir.

A Journey Through Rain to a Hidden Wonder – Tirathgarh Waterfall

On June 15, 2026 By jaganmayanandLeave a comment

When we went to Indravati last year, we had a return flight from Jagdalpur. My father searched for nearby places that we could visit before our flight. He found two waterfalls and planned a trip to see them.

I had never seen a real waterfall before except in YouTube videos. Since I always get excited whenever I see water bodies, my father told me, “You are definitely going to enjoy this.”

We went directly to Tirathgarh Waterfall after checking out of our hotel in Jeypore. The previous day, we had visited Deomali Hills and enjoyed a wonderful adventure there. The waterfall was about 120 km away, and it took us around 4-5 hours to reach by road. When we arrived near Tirathgarh Waterfall, there was no sign of any waterfall. My father even asked the driver if he really knew the place and whether the waterfall was actually there. Driver Uncle smiled and said that it was one of the most visited and beautiful places in the area.

We saw many vehicles parked on a muddy ground. The weather was cloudy, and the sky was covered with dark clouds. My father took his backpack, which contained snacks, water bottles, and a small umbrella, and we all got down from the car. We had to walk through a small market area. There were lots of monkeys there. Small shops were selling snacks, fruits, local handicrafts, and food. I noticed that people seemed scared of the monkeys, and the shopkeepers were carefully protecting their goods. Many shops were selling umbrellas. Since the weather looked uncertain, my father bought a large umbrella because the one in his backpack was quite small.

There was a small ticket counter at the entrance. As soon as we entered after buying the tickets, it started raining heavily. We moved forward and found a small shed where many people had already gathered. We rushed inside and somehow found a place to stand.

The rain became even heavier. The shed was not in very good condition, and water was leaking through the roof in many places. By then, I was very hungry, and there was not much food available nearby. Most people inside the shed were already wet, but everyone was patiently waiting for the rain to stop. Seeing my condition, my father decided that we should leave. Using our umbrella, we managed to reach the car.

My father asked the driver to find a dhaba because there were no proper restaurants nearby. Since it was the Dussehra season and the festival was only a couple of days away, many dhabas were closed. Finally, we found a small roadside hotel. It looked more like a mud house with just a few tables. The owner told us that some people had ordered country chicken in the morning, but they had not arrived yet. If we agreed, he could serve it to us. My father immediately agreed. Soon, we were served rice and country chicken. It was so delicious! My father said that such a taste is difficult to find even in big restaurants.

By the time we finished lunch, the sky had become clear. We were thinking of returning to the hotel, but Driver Uncle strongly suggested that we should not miss the waterfall. Even though we were not very interested anymore, he convinced us and drove us back to the parking area.

We walked towards the waterfall once again. When we reached near the shed, my father said, “Let me go ahead and quickly check whether it is worth visiting. If not, we will return because the journey back to the hotel is long.”

He went ahead quickly. After a few minutes, he came running back with a huge smile on his face.

“What a beauty! It looks like heaven on earth! Come fast, come fast!” he shouted excitedly.

The moment we saw the waterfall, our hearts almost stopped. Just a few seconds earlier, everything had looked ordinary. Then suddenly, we were looking at something extraordinary. It was a wonderful feeling.

From a distance, we could see the magnificent waterfall. We could hear the roaring sound of the water and the excited voices of people below. To reach the base of the waterfall, we had to walk down a long staircase. Because of the rain, the steps were slippery. We carefully made our way down. As we reached the bottom, I was amazed. There was so much water, so much noise, and so many people enjoying themselves. We could hardly hear one another.

My father told us to hold hands while going closer to the waterfall. The falling water looked like streams of white milk as it crashed against the rocks. It was beautiful, but also a little frightening because of the powerful force of the water.

Taking careful steps, we entered the water and moved towards a raised rocky area from where everyone seemed to be enjoying the best view. Water was falling directly onto that spot, and people were happily standing under it.

My father went there first. Then he helped me climb up, and we took some pictures together. When he stepped down so that my mother could join me, he slipped and fell into the water. Thankfully, he quickly got up and warned us to be very careful because the rocks were extremely slippery.

While my father was taking pictures of us, a lady came from behind and called his name. He turned around and was surprised to see one of his school teachers.

His teacher hugged him warmly, and it was such a lovely moment. She had come with her son and some relatives. They wanted to talk, but the sound of the waterfall was so loud that they could barely hear each other. So they decided to meet later near the parking area.

We took some photographs with my father’s teacher. After spending more time enjoying the waterfall and playing carefully in the water, we slowly made our way back

At the parking area, everyone talked for a while and exchanged phone numbers. My father’s teacher was very happy to see him after nearly 25 years, and my father was equally happy to meet her at such an unexpected place.

Soon, we said goodbye and started our journey back to the hotel.

Tirathgarh Waterfall was one of the most beautiful places I have ever visited. My father later said that Driver Uncle was absolutely right. He had tried so hard to convince us not to miss the waterfall because he knew how special it was.

This trip also taught me that we should always be careful while visiting natural places. A small mistake can lead to an accident.

Most importantly, I learned that we should always respect and value our teachers. They work hard to help us learn about the world and guide us throughout our lives.

Secrets Under the Microscope

On May 17, 2026May 17, 2026 By jaganmayanandLeave a comment

One day, my father gave me a surprise. He showed me a small device and told me that we could see many different organisms that are invisible to our naked eyes. It was a very small device that I could hold in my palm. He told me that he had purchased it from Amazon. The device was called the Carson MicroFlip 100x-250x LED Lighted Pocket Microscope.

My father went to the balcony and collected a pinhead-sized amount of soil from a flower pot and added it to a drop of water. He mixed it gently with a brush and then took a small stroke of the mixture onto a cover slip. He inverted the cover slip onto a glass slide and placed it under the microscope. He turned on the microscope and connected his smartphone to it. Now we could see the magnified image directly on the phone screen. We could even take pictures and record videos using the phone. I was amazed to see different kinds of organisms moving here and there in that tiny drop of water—organisms that we could never see with our naked eyes. Some were sliding, while others were gliding. We called our mother, and she also looked at them. She said, “That is why we should never touch dirty water.”

The Hidden Microorganisms in Garden Soil

Then my father pulled a few hairs from his head and placed them on a glass slide under the microscope. We were very curious to see how hair looked under magnification. Under the microscope, the hairs looked like huge pipes, and the base of the hair, called the hair follicle, looked like the base of a coconut tree. Overall, it felt as if I was looking at bamboo trees growing out from a bush.

A Closer Look at Hair and Hair Follicles

Next, my father brought a hibiscus flower and wanted to show me how pollen grains looked under the microscope. He gently dusted the pollen grains—the tiny yellow grain-like structures at the tip of the flower—onto the glass slide using a brush. OMG! What I saw under the microscope looked like deadly viruses shown in toothpaste advertisements. My father explained that pollen grains have many different structures and that they vary from plant to plant. He said that the spike-like structures on this pollen help it attach to the stigma, which helps in pollination.

I really enjoyed exploring a completely different world through the microscope. There are so many organisms around us that we cannot see with our eyes. Many things that look very simple to us are actually far more complex and beautiful when viewed under a microscope. It made me realize that there is an entire hidden world all around us waiting to be discovered.

A special trip to my Grandfather’s agricultural land in Indravati

On October 10, 2025 By jaganmayanand2 Comments

I went to Indravati during my Dussehra vacation this year. This is the place where my father spent his childhood. We went there to explore this beautiful place together. My father took us to a small piece of land that my grandfather had purchased beside the Indravati River many decades ago. My father often tells me how he spent a lot of time there enjoying nature and helping with the agricultural work during weekends and holidays.

The nearest town to Indravati is Nowrangpur. We reached Nowrangpur in the evening on 26th September. The next morning, on 27th September, we started our journey to Indravati at 9:00 AM. On the way, we stopped for breakfast at a roadside stall around 9:30 AM. It was very crowded, so I ate my breakfast inside the car. Even though it was a small roadside stall, the food was really delicious! My father said, “Whenever you see a crowd at a food stall, it means the food there is good.”

We reached my grandfather’s land by 10:30 AM. As soon as I got down from the car, my father pointed to a small creeper and said, “If you touch this plant, it will fold its leaves inward and droop. In Odia, it is called Lajakuli lata.” I smiled and told my father, “This is the Touch-Me-Not plant! I studied about it in my GK class last year.” The creeper was growing all along the roadside, and I really enjoyed playing with it.

Bhoomi playing with ‘Touch me not’ plant

When I entered the farm, I saw greenery everywhere. In the middle of the rice field, I noticed a scarecrow, and I was very excited to take a photo with it. Siva uncle (the tenant farmer) told my father that he made it using his old torn clothes. He also said that when the wind blows, the scarecrow waves its hands. I thought that must look very scary! It can easily scare children like me.

The Siva uncle’s wife took me around the farm and showed me different plants. I saw mango trees, banana trees, lychee plants, turmeric plants, jackfruit trees, bamboo, teak, and cashew trees. My father told me, “These big trees were planted by my father. It is his hard work that we are enjoying the fruits today.”

Siba’s wife showing Bhoomi different plants

Then Siva uncle showed me the Mancha — a bamboo hut raised above the ground. It is used as a temporary shed for resting. My father said that sitting on the Mancha and gazing at the lush green rice fields was one of his favorite pastimes when he was a child. We all sat there for a while, enjoying the view and the gentle breeze.

Entire family enjoying the grreenery from Mancha

Next, my father took me to a kaccha house near the Mancha. It was made of mud and polished with cow dung. Many small agricultural tools were stored inside. My father and Siva uncle plucked some pomelo fruits for us, and my father also harvested a whole bunch of bananas from the field.

Bhoomi’s father showing the fresh Pomelo fruit

Then came a big surprise! Siva uncle had brought a swing for me. He tied it to one of the branches of the mango tree. Soon, my mother and I began swinging together. We went up and down, laughing and enjoying every moment of the ride.

After some time, Siva uncle invited us to his home, which was on the other side of the river. As the water level was low, my father carried me on his shoulders, and we crossed the river to reach his village, Kastiguda. Siva uncle’s home was a small kaccha house, but it was very beautiful inside. He lives in a joint family with his father, two sons, two daughters-in-law, and two grandchildren. Since it was festival time, we gave them new clothes, sweets, chocolates, and toys for the kids. They, in return, offered us some fruits and local sweets.

In the backyard, I saw a mother hen with her tiny chicks grazing together. I asked my father to get the chicks for me. My father and Siba uncle’s son helped catch them, and soon I was holding them in my hands. I played with them happily, but they started chirping loudly, calling for their mother. The hen was watching me from a distance. When I went near to return the chicks, the mother hen suddenly jumped and pecked my leg with her beak! I got scared, but everyone laughed. My father smiled and said, “This is normal for any mother. They are always very protective of their children.”

Later, my father showed me a hand pump in front of Siva uncle’s house. I had never seen one before because we live in a big city. He showed me how to pump water. It was a bit hard for me, but I still managed to get some water out. It was such great fun!

What I Learned

This trip to Indravati was one of the most special journeys of my life. I learned how beautiful and peaceful village life can be. I saw how farmers work hard to grow food and take care of nature. I also understood how much love and care people in villages share with each other.

It made me feel proud of my father and grandfather, and grateful for the beautiful memories they have given me. I will always remember this trip and hope to visit Indravati again soon!

The Curious World of Bhoomi

Tag: nature