Bastar Oct 2023. I was feeling a lot of things but nervousness was not one of them. I had one point of contact with my friends at Unexplored Bastar and have known about the work they are doing at grassroots level. Beyond that, I only had a rough route map.
Along with the spectacular view of Dev Diwali with firecrackers, thousands of Diyas, laser light shows, you also see fire from the multiple cremations happening at the Manikarnika & Harishchandra ghats adding to it.
I saw my first desert and sand dune at the age of 11. Before that, being from Rajasthan meant rivers and birds and waterfalls. I used to be so mad at my cousins who would ask if we get enough water or if I see a camel every day.
Stories about Divar, Old Goa, Fontainhas, Tambdi Surla temple, Portuguese , Adil Shah. The stories about the secrets of the jungle. Trekking up to a hidden waterfall. Stories of different kinds of food & relishing it with the stories around.