Chhattisgarh – James Stevenson

Chaat in Chatt

James Stevenson — Mon, 08 Apr 2024 14:21:16 +0000

I have to admit this post is only for the title alliteration (chaat in Chatt). I hope y’all get it……..

I have to say that this video was taken in Bhadrachalam.

In Odisha

James Stevenson — Mon, 08 Apr 2024 14:17:19 +0000

Really a pleasant day of cycling in Chattisgarh, where I encountered road blocks, no not Naxalites demanding money, but groups of young men collecting small change for some “tayohaar” that I couldn’t quite understand.
My GoPro is giving me problems right now but I hope I can upload the video I took of tbis good natured fun- just like “old man” in Goa.

Funny how near borders, nationally and internationally traffic is less. I have experienced often, never quite as intense as my memory of Greece and Turkey in late sixties (believe it or not), and even here, between Chattisgarh and Odisha it is blissful cycling in this “no man’s land”.
Here is another sensational video of the same sort of donation but with the added drums….wow, this is good.

Jagdalpur

James Stevenson — Sun, 07 Apr 2024 12:25:25 +0000

Arrived here at about 2 p.m. after an exhausting ride. I had started out early, about 6 a.m. because I knew it would be a challenge with the current heatwave conditions. I didn’t know there would be a substantial ghat section and plenty of bad roads. That said, the countryside was quite beautiful with much jungle. Again there was a prominent CRPF presence and some patrols walking down the road with even landmine detectors and trained dogs.
It has now been 2 weeks on the road and I thought to share the stats:

Tomorrow I enter Odisha. I hope the roads are good.
Very nice hotel here Devansh Residency at 1500 r/s.

Naxalite infested territory

James Stevenson — Sat, 06 Apr 2024 11:08:30 +0000

Someone along the way mentioned this very recent “encounter” that took place near the area I passed through today. I looked it up on Google and found this: “Three naxalites were gunned down in an exchange of fire with security forces in a dense forest in Chhattisgarh’s Bijapur district bordering Telangana on Saturday, a senior police official here said.5 hours ago”
It explains the incredible CRPF deployment all along the route. Serious stuff. After sometime I was not unexpectedly stopped in a friendly manner by Ashutosh and his mate.
. As nice as his Pakistani counterparts.
Many of these martyr statues along the route.

Stopped for breakfast and mentioned Naxalite. I was immediately shushed most emphatically and told that the commonly used euphemism is Mama- hence the laughter by the guy in the following video- he is a Muslim by the way.

I arrived safely in Sukma after a 80 km. ride. Lodge here 1200rs. a.c. This is from Wikipedia entry on Sukma: “ Sukma district is a part of the “Red corridor”. It is one of the most militarized districts in the country with a deployment of over 10,000 personnel. This region in India is primarily affected by the Naxalite–Maoist insurgency. The region has been under continuous attack by the Maoists who often target police personnel, military forces and political leaders. Some of the most well-known incidents around Sukma during this insurgency include the 2013 Naxalite attack in Darbha valley, the 2017 Sukma attack and the 2018 Sukma attack.”
It seems to be the end of Telegu influence, food and language, roti and Hindi once again.

Andhra Pradesh into Chattisgarh

James Stevenson — Fri, 05 Apr 2024 09:44:20 +0000

Stopped for the night in Bhadrachalam, just across the Cauvery River and in Andhra Pradesh. Not any noticeable difference, both states made up of Telegu speakers and the food seems the same. I am very fond of “meals”, Andhra style, a vegetarian rice thali that is very different from other South Indian rice plates. I have yet to find anything that isn’t delicious.
Along my route yesterday I was interviewed by a journalist and I include that here:

An early start from Bhadrachalam on almost empty beautiful road with few villages made for a very nice start. Eventually there were some roadworks, more traffic and more dry jungle. The people changed too, and this was tribal and Christian. It is obviously a very poor area too.
I stopped early because I was uncertain of finding a lodge between here (Konta) and Sukma which would have been too far for one day. So it was 70 kms. The lodge here, Rsn Palace is 1500rs. same as last nights Gitanjali Lodge.