If you haven't visited the magnificent Niagara Falls on the US-Canada border, you can soak up the same vibe at Hundru Falls on Ranchi outskirts in 2017.
The Sikidiri Panchayat Suraksha Samiti, formed by Sikidiri police station officer in-charge Praveen Kumar Sinha, has designed a special bamboo raft with rubber tubes to ferry visitors to the place at Hundru Falls where the water cascades from a height of 320 feet, similar to what visitors to the Niagara experience.
At the Niagara, which is the combined name for the three - Horseshoe Falls, the American Falls and the smaller Bridal Veil Falls - tourists are given cruises in boats, popular as Maid of the Mist, so that they get to catch the spray.
At Hundru, where Ranchi administration has forbidden people to swim near the falls for safety reasons, the raft trip is a godsend. The raft accommodates 10 visitors at a time, each of them having to pay the samiti a modest Rs 20 for the heavenly feeling.
On New Year Sunday, Hundru Falls recorded a footfall of over 22,000 visitors, with many opting for the raft trip. Of course, given the numbers, the single raft could not take all, but made continuous trips for delighted visitors.
Samiti volunteers, picked from five panchayats of Sursu, Tati, Nawagarh, Kuchhu and Hesatu, kept vigil on the teeming crowd. Tourists were not allowed to venture into the water, which is about 25 feet deep where the water falls from the height, drink or create a commotion, making Hundru Falls a safe outing for families, women and children. Two divers had also been deployed on the spot to prevent untoward incidents.
"We wanted the family crowd to come and enjoy here, so we campaigned very strongly for banning the sale of country liquor as well as consumption of any form of alcohol in the vicinity of Hundru Falls," Sikidiri OC Sinha said.
"Tourists are also asked not to blare music so loudly that it bothers other people. Samiti volunteers apart, personnel from Sikidiri thana also do the rounds here to keep mischief-mongers at bay. The concerted will of the police and volunteers has brought about a sea change in the ambience of Hundru Falls. "I'd say so far, it is working," OC Sinha said.
The efforts are being noticed, and not just by people from Ranchi.
Sujit Maiti of Asansol, Bengal, who came with a big group of friends to spend New Year at Hundru Falls, went gaga about the raft experience. "We went so close to the water that a spray of mist soaked us in minutes," Sujit chuckled. "Frankly, we never felt afraid because we saw that the administration has taken lot of precautions," he added.
Dilip Das, a visitor from Calcutta, who came with a busload of family and friends, said the trip to Hundru Falls surpassed his expectations.
"It was a pleasure to experience the natural beauty of the waterfalls without any unpleasantness. Decent crowd, ideal for a family outing, and a good option for a short getaway from Bengal," he said, adding they would catch the evening bus to Calcutta.
Didn't they mind getting their clothes soaked in winter?
"No way," laughed Sujit. "You descend over 740 stairs to reach the waterfall and you have to ascend the same stairs. It's quite a workout, so one doesn't feel the chill."
