Green. It is the colour that you will see all over when you travel towards Andhra Pradesh’s Konaseema in West Godavari district. The scenic beauty of villages, the stunning paddy fields, and coconut groves in all hues of the shade make for an excellent journey to this relatively undiscovered destination.

Spiritual Sojourn

I was headed from Vijayawada airport to my retreat at Sterling Palavelli Godavari and the over three-hour journey felt like a breeze courtesy the landscape of the region. Before I reached my destination, I stopped at the Penugonda Kanyaka Parameswari Temple. The old temple is bright and colourful and houses an ancient idol of the Goddess while a new temple featuring a 90-foot-tall idol made with panchaloha (five metals) is also becoming popular.

I also stopped at the Ksheera RamaLingeswara Swamy Temple, one of the five places that are sacred to God Shiva in Palakollu. The temple spire stands tall at 12 feet and is one of the tallest in Andhra Pradesh.

Farmers at work on a paddy field

Soon, I found myself at the serene Sterling Palavelli Godavari, welcomed with a special drink Panakam with dry ginger, organic jaggery and cardamom. Checking into my expansive suite that overlooks a man-made water body filled with all shades of water lilies is the best way to forget the travel stress. A hearty lunch with traditional Konaseema food with the famed pickles and gunpowder and I am set for my next adventure.

Culture Calling

My next stop was the village of Antarvedi, known to be the sangam where the River Godavari merges with the Bay of Bengal. I first stopped at the Sri Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy temple that has a history dating several thousand years. A short drive and walk on the shore brought me to the meeting point of the river and sea — it is quite fascinating to see the waves of the sea and the calm flow of the river merge in one place. What is more interesting here is that the sea shore has red crabs that dot the space. A lighthouse is also in the vicinity — in case you would like an aerial view of the sangam. I, however, wait on the shore to capture a stunning sunset before I head back to the retreat.

Here, I am treated to a storytelling performance by artiste Srinivas who performs Kanjari Katha — a mix of folk, cinema, drama, dance, music and more. These performances are usually an hour or longer and narrate tales from history and mythology.

Making jaggery in Burugupalli

Village Life

The next day I took an early morning boatride on the Godavari River and stopped at the Vasishta Godavari River Island. As the sun rises, the space is swathed in hues of gold and orange, adding a surreal feel to the river. Walking on the soft sand on the island barefoot is a great way to reconnect with nature even as you watch sandpipers playfully bathe in the water and strut along the sand. Watch carefully for several species like the painted storks, pied kingfisher, purple heron, cormorants, and more. This is the time when the fishermen are out at work in their boats so you can also watch how they lay their nets in the river.

After the best start to the day, I head to Burugupalli, a small village famous for regional organic jaggery. This is where I saw the making of jaggery where the harvested sugarcane is crushed, juice extracted, boiled, and then set into jaggery slabs. Bite into a piece or drink a glass of fresh sugarcane juice — the villagers insist that you return with at least a piece of jaggery in tow.

Another place that is worth a visit is the Narsapur crochet lace factory. Here I meet a bunch of enthusiastic women who have created stunning works using a lace technique — there is home decor (table runners, mats, cushion covers) as well as clothes for small children and even small dolls. All of this is handmade by the women of the village who admit this has helped them augment their incomes as well.

After this, a visit to the handloom village of Bandarulanka known for its hand-woven sari-making is a good idea. Most households have a handloom inside the house itself and one of the women tells me they weave one sari in three days.

Food Files

The retreat gives special attention to the regional Konaseema cuisine and executive chef Mehabood Syed made sure I sample all things local. From idli steamed in a jackfruit leaf to dibba roti — a thick pancake-like dish made from dosa batter and teamed with sugarcane juice — the food is all things flavoursome. I even sampled a vegetarian thali which includes a bottle of Artos, Andhra Pradesh’s first soft drink that has been relevant for over 100 years now.

When you are here it is a great idea to visit the village of Atreyapuram, for regional desserts like pootharekulu (thin-layered sweet) and mamidi tandra (mango jelly). Here you can see the process of how these desserts are made from scratch and buy them. You can trust me when I say they make for the best souvenirs.

The colourful facade of the Penugonda Kanyaka Parameswari Temple

Varied Experiences

At the resort, there is much to do with walks that bring you up close with the flora and fauna. If all the action has made you feel overwhelmed, head for a relaxing session at the in-house Subuthi Spa. The infinity pool with undulating views of the landscape and the river in the distance is also a great place to unwind. The retreat serves as a perfect getaway to explore the many wonders of the region. I had the Coringa Wildlife Sanctuary on my to-do list but could not make it due to the paucity of time. However, I guess that this is because I need to come back to explore the other interesting places here as I am sure that the river will beckon me again.