As I see it

It is an anecdote of a Christmas Holiday spent away from hustle n bustle of Kolkata, away from eateries, discs, pubs of gorgeously lit up Park Street ....spent amidst nature, in remote countryside, inside rolling hills n an almost unknown waterfall. Visiting Kakolat Falls - a small but beautiful cascade located in rural Nawada district, Bihar is indeed an enthralling experience. Historical and mythological our eminent Kakolat is situated on a very sweetly beautiful hill named Kakolat hill. Although every inch of kakolat is panoramic view as the gift of goddess nature but sweet spring of Kakolat is the supreme bliss. It is a waterfall in Govindpur police station, about 21 miles away from Nawada. After going 9-1/4 miles from Nawada on Ranchi road, a pucca road known as Govindpur Akbarpur road diverts from there .Just below the fall there is a deep reservoir natural in character. The fall is about 150 to 160 feet, from the ground level. The scene is panoramic due to all round green forest area which is very pleasant to the eyes.A legend is prevalent that in Treta Yuga a king named Nahush was cursed by a rishi and had to take the shape of a python and lived here. The place was visited by the great Pandavas during their exile and the accursed king got salvation from the damnation. The king after getting rid of the curse proclaimed that one who would bathe in the waterfall will not take the yoni of snake and that is why a large number of people from far and near bathe in the river. A big fair is held on the occasion of bishua or Chait Shankranti. We started from Rajgir and dropped a visit to this hidden treasure of nature enroute Gaya. As mentioned above soon after taking a diversion from National Highway near the town of Nawada, it was an ordinary congested potholed road typical Bihar type full of buffalo driven carts loaded with straws, earthen potteries, bicycles, rickety two wheelers, hawkers selling anything mundane available. Our vintage yet robust Ambassador (with a WB no plate and prehistoric gear n controls) soon reached Akbarpur negotiating a countryside menace. From Akbarpur onwards one gets the feel of being lost into time …as the road is very narrow and mostly non-metalled traversing through villages and meadows towards the Kakolat Hills. These villages are just like portraits that depict life in rural areas of this region. One can see farmers busy in cultivating with ox-driven ploughs, scantily clad children playing in dust , village women busy making cow-dung cakes(for fuel) or in domestic household works . Though feeble mobile signal was available, but I wonder how many of the locals use cell phones! Four wheelers are rarely seen on these villages apart from tourists going to Kakolat for a seldom brief visit. After 20-25 minutes of bumpy ride through the beautiful countryside, hillocks started appearing into distant horizon. Soon we left human settlements as the hills came nearby. This area is actually extension of Kaimur Hills of Chhotanagpur Plateau dotted with residual hillocks here and there. Natural vegetation is mostly tropical shrubs and deciduous forests. Population in this area is really thin, only few sparsely populated villages hidden inside jungles. This place is not highlighted in the state’s tourism initiatives though it is very much accessible from both Rajgir and Gaya ….two most important tourist centers of Bihar one being a UNESCO World Heritage Site(Bodhgaya) drawing millions of national and international footfalls. Kakolat is totally infrastructure less, without any parking, accommodation, fooding facilities. There is only one chai shop mainly for very few locals who often drop a visit for a pilgrimage. A local villager (Choturam) looks after the small temple employed by Kakolat Vikas Parishad …a non-profit organization made by local villagers run by very small fund raised by themselves for arranging a yearly pilgrim fair when many people from nearby villages come here for a holy dip in the pool of the falls. Otherwise Kakolat remains hidden from civilization throughout the year. Choturam acts as a guide for occasional tourists to Kakolat. He is the poor king of his lonely kingdom. He guided us through deep forest, over stones, streams, makeshift bamboo bridge which he constructed himself up near the foot of the falls. The place is really enchanting, with sound of the fall and birds. I liked the person Choturam even more as he seemed to be a part of the wilderness. He is too much poverty stricken, clad in rags, yet he seemed so much happy with his life, with his kingdom. He doesn’t know what the history is and geography of the place, what is tourism, what pays n perks he can have by performing same services what a Taj or Khajuraho guide does. He seemed to be too happy showing us his territory, with stories of ghosts, wild animals, snakes, daku( Maoist rebels on the run) even he didn’t demand money. When insisted he asked for Rs.10 after a long thought. Indeed, I think He is one of the living attractions apart from the pristine nature of Kakolat in our civilization (?) of betrayal, hatred, greed and lust.