From Delhi to Agra and the extraordinary stay in Chhattisgarh (page 2 of 4)

We start the day at the ethnic museum. Akesh explains all the customs really well. The traditional houses are outside. This museum reminds me of the one in Bhopal, but in miniature.



We drive through the countryside. Cashew trees grow around here, but it’s not the season.



We stop in a village that we explore on foot. A fisherman is repairing his net.



the houses are well-maintained.



We enter a courtyard where women are busy removing lice from one of their heads.





while the meal cooks



this village is very clean.





further on, a sanctuary with animals made of terracotta.

We’re having a picnic in the shade when a truck loaded with women in the back pulls up. Awesh stops them, chats, and tells us they’re heading to another village where a young man has eloped with his girlfriend—she went willingly. The girl’s mother is coming to demand a dowry from the boy’s family. She’s asking for 10,000 rs, plus chickens and vegetables.



We follow them to the boy’s house. All the women from the village are there, and the mood is festive. They’re making leaf bowls from sal leaves to feed all the visitors. Several trucks made the trip.





The wedding date is about to be decided. We get to know the future bride and groom. The kids are gorgeous.



While chatting, Awesh learns there’s a festival in a village near the Odisha border. We head there—it’s pretty great to have a car. The market is bustling, and we hang out for a while. You can find tools there,



the ice cream vendor rides around on his motorcycle,



and the barber sets up shop in the open air.



Women are selling mahua flowers to make alcohol.





The food stalls are a big deal.

we buy small wicker baskets



here we find dokhras and we buy a few of them



we spend some time at the festival



On the way back, the road is long. We pass through Jagdalpur again and drive another 40 minutes to reach the countryside, staying at a guesthouse run by Shakeel Rizvi, who is also a guide. We’re in the middle of roosters and hens, right in the heart of the countryside.

What a magnificent travel journal, Marie-Jo! You’ve immersed us in a world I’ll never get to experience myself. A huge thank you! ❤️ :)

Oh yes, Michel, I had an exceptional stay. Every day brought new surprises, and you’ll see what’s next. I’ll try to get to the end, but I don’t have much time left—I leave Thursday morning. This country is truly unique. So many emotions!☺️😢😊

Anyway, we’re the champions of France in the Six Nations tournament!🏆🇫🇷🇫🇷🥁

Chhattisgarh has always intrigued me. You’re revealing its well-kept secrets, far off the usual tourist trails—not too far (relatively speaking in India) from neighboring Odisha, of which we’ve only explored a (small) part. It’s a refreshing change from the usual Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and Rajasthan. And even in the latter, you take us to some truly unique spots.

If I’m not mistaken, I think you travel solo. But when you use the first-person plural, I assume you’re referring to your Indian friends who join you.

But enough chit-chat—I’ll let you continue your story before your next trip... to another Indian destination, I imagine! 😉

"If I'm not mistaken, I think I know you're traveling solo. But when you use the first-person plural, I assume you're talking about your Indian friends who are accompanying you." So yes, I'm traveling solo except here in Chhattisgarh where I left with my friend Raja, who's a guide and knows this destination well. He works with local guides who have lots of contacts—it's essential here since festivals are decided at the last minute. They spoiled me with one surprise after another every day. I never could've done this trip alone. Otherwise, yes, I'm heading off solo again to other Indian regions: Assam, Nagaland, and Meghalaya. I'm going to attend festivals that take place every year in April, which explains my late departure.

Have a great day and enjoy yourself! I lived a waking dream.🤗🥰

Assam, Nagaland and Meghalaya

These are more Indian states that intrigue me too, except for Assam, which we know, but the latter is easier to travel through. I dream of the Himalayan borders of Arunachal Pradesh. Maybe in my next life... 😉 Have a great day and good luck with what’s next! 🙂

" I dream of the remote Himalayan reaches of Arunachal Pradesh. Maybe in my next life... 😉"

We’ll meet there someday!!!! 😄 😎

Today we’re heading to Tirathgarh. We’re making lots of stops along the way. We visit a school. The kids aren’t there—what a shame.



On the road, we pass a house where quite a few women are sitting in a corner, and at the entrance, many shopping bags are lined up on the ground. That’s worth a stop. It’s a state-run house where the most needy come to buy certain staples (oil, chickpeas, flour, rice…) at low cost. They have a notebook where the person’s name and the number of family members are recorded, which determines the quantity of goods to be distributed. A page is stamped when they come, and they’re restocked once a month.



We arrive at the Chingitarai market—trucks haven’t finished unloading yet.



The women don’t traditionally wear saris; not all of them wear a top, and some leave their chests exposed, as seen in certain tribes in Odisha.







We get back in the car for the Tirathgarh waterfalls. We stop at an animist temple in the forest—the sacred area is quite large and fenced off, and the temple looks like a house.



We cross a market to reach the waterfalls, where we’ll take a short boat ride. On the way down the steps to the dock, we pass by a temple.



The waterfalls aren’t very impressive this season.

This morning, we set off on foot from the guesthouse for a walk. We follow a path through the forest that leads us to a river. Women are fishing there, with water practically up to their knees. Some are pulling up roots that grow in the water to cook them.



Others are fishing too—they dig their hands into the earth and pull out a kind of large black larva that they’ll eat and probably sell at the market. It doesn’t look appetizing, to say the least.





Others are doing laundry.



Since we’ve been here, I’ve noticed a beautiful tree—yes, another one. The *Butea monosperma*, very interesting. It has red flowers used to make natural pigments for painting houses or dyeing saris. The roots produce a yellow pigment, and the flowers a red one. It’s also a lac tree and is sacred to Hindus.



In the forest, we find a sanctuary with many terracotta figures, guarded at the entrance by two panthers.





This forest is so beautiful with all these trees—it’s a real treat.



In the afternoon, we stop at a market. Women are selling mahua alcohol and waiting for customers.



I’ll say it again—the landscapes here are stunning. I love this place.

Then we pass through a village where someone repaints tribal murals on house walls every year.





We arrive at another market where cockfights take place. It’s really lively. They attach a blade above the rooster’s leg, and it can enter the arena.



Two roosters face off, and the winner is the one who injures its opponent the fastest. Spectators bet on their favorite. It’s over very quickly.



After the fight, the injured roosters go to "the surgeon," who stitches them up.



Back to the guesthouse.

Hi Marie Jo, Thanks for this beautiful story from one of the many parts of India I don’t know and will probably never get to visit. Sniff...

Hi Anne, If you're traveling from Kétala to Karnataka, you can head to Chhattisgarh. To visit all these villages, you’ll need a car and driver, plus a local guide—that makes the trip super comfortable. It’s a really beautiful region, and all the festivals are unimaginable and surprising. I had a blast! It’s nothing like the usual tours, but unfortunately, I don’t think many people are interested. I won’t have time to finish it. See you soon

Car + driver + guide might make the trip comfortable... but it’s also really expensive, at least too expensive for us, unfortunately... But enjoy your upcoming trip to Nagaland...

"Car + driver + guide might make the trip comfortable... but it also makes it really expensive—way too pricey for us, unfortunately." It’s true you’ve got to plan your budget and save up before heading there.

Unfortunately, saving money isn’t an option right now after the floods we had in Brittany! I think this winter it’ll be Kerala/Karnataka for me... But I’m really enjoying the regions you’re visiting through your travel journals! Thanks, Mariejo.

Anne

"Unfortunately, this isn't the time to save money with the floods we've had in Brittany!" You’ve been really affected by these floods—it’s catastrophic wherever they hit. Kerala and Karnataka are great too; your travel journal makes me want to go, but as long as I’m still in shape, I’ll try to travel a bit more... though like everyone, I feel the years flying by, so it’ll be soon! 🙂

We're leaving the guesthouse. On the way, we stop at an artisanal brickworks. The bricks are drying in the sun, waiting to go into the kiln.

Further on, a man is picking mahua flowers that will be distilled.

Later, the fruit will be harvested and turned into cosmetic products. We stop in a village we walk through on foot. We see local life there. The women are doing laundry.



And we arrive at a temple with many terracotta animals that you must absolutely not touch. It’s always impressive and fascinating to see these temples—it’s so different from our culture. They’re also very curious in Tamil Nadu, particularly in the Chettinad region.



The women, with pots on their heads, return from fetching water with the same graceful ease despite the weight. What poise—I’d never be able to do the same.



We arrive at another colorful market, where women are selling mahua, a seasonal product.



The pastry section is, as always, well-stocked, but we’re just passing through—this time, the foodies in the group resist temptation.



Then we join the preparations for the festival. The chairs are beautifully decorated, and the stakes are huge. How can anyone sit on them for a long time? They must have some memories for days afterward.



The dancers are getting ready, putting on makeup, and the jewelry and costumes are all laid out—nothing is overlooked.



Impressive mustaches



We won’t stay for the festival—the road back to Jagdalpur is long.

Hello,

I think winter will now be Kerala/Karnataka...

You're absolutely right to take advantage of it now. Tempus fugit...

We're heading to a new annual festival, different from the previous ones. On the way, we stop by the roadside where Raja spotted colorful, painted tombs. The life of the deceased is depicted here. You can see drawings of animals, dancers, and musicians like in the festivals, as well as family life at home.



We arrive at the festival early enough to witness the preparations. Here, the totems are different from previous festivals. They're decorated with peacock feathers and little bells.



The men are shirtless and wear a longhi (a cotton cloth that goes from the waist to the knee, commonly worn in southern India).

The totems are lined up side by side for the blessing. A shaman places a few grains of rice at the foot of each totem, followed by the sacrifice of chickens, where another person deposits a few drops of blood. A little off to the side, the musicians' drums are gathered, and a shaman comes to perform the blessing with more chicken sacrifices. A drop of blood is placed on each drum. I mostly filmed at these festivals, but I don’t know how to post videos here, so you’ll only get photos, which I have to limit.



Once the blessings are done, the musicians and dancers start moving, followed by the shamans carrying the totems. They circle the square, and many of us are there to witness the event.





The women dance accompanied by the musicians.



And the shamans carrying the totems run around the square, while the spectators stay back to avoid the crowd.



It’s quite spectacular to witness these very unique events. Before leaving, we take a stroll through the market. For the occasion, evening wear is out in full force.

The women wear the typical tribal jewelry.



These colorful bracelets are too tempting—stopping for a purchase is a must.