Adventure sports lovers get a taste of rafting in Madhya Pradesh

If you are planning a vacation in Madhya Pradesh, you need not bother to book hotels. Head for Bhopal, go to the Madhya Pradesh State Tourism Development Corporation office on Bhadbhada Road and check into a self or chauffeur-driven caravan.

MP Tourism has scored a first by getting sanction for caravan tourism. Each caravan is fitted with a refrigerator, microwave oven, toilet and four folded seats that can be converted into beds.

“Madhya Pradesh should be explored by road with 4,200km of National Highway and 10,000km of state highway connecting it,” said Hari Ranjan Rao, the managing director of the corporation.

For night or lunch-time halts, the caravans can be parked in special bays. One such has been built in Bhopal. Similar parking bays are coming up in Panchmarhi (a hill resort), Tawa (water sports complex) and Mandu (ruined fort city).

“The travellers might want to check into a hotel for the night. So we have planned the parking bays right next to our hotels,” said Rao.

A two-night-three-day Bhopal-Panchmarhi-Bhopal tour by caravan would cost Rs 12,000. A day trip of Bhopal-Sanchi-Udaygiri-Bhopal would cost Rs 4,500. A day trip is also offered for the Bhopal-Bhojpur-Bhimbetka-Bhopal sector. One can also chalk out one’s schedule. The charges would be Rs 18 per km for a minimum distance of 250km per day. Night halts would cost Rs 1,000 extra.

Those looking for more adventure can head to camp sites in Bhopal and Panchmarhi for a bit of rafting, rock-climbing and other adventure sports.

Wrong shadow

It was the opening night of the 15th Yatra Utsab. As chief minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee walked on to the stage for the inauguration, Phanibhushan Bidyabinod Jatra Mancha became quiet in anticipation.

But as he was about to take his seat, a voice from the audience pierced the silence: “Arey, mukhyomantri chhaya hoye gyachhe. Shorun, shorun (The chief minister has become a shadow. Move, move).”

Bhattacharjee froze inches above his seat, bent forward, hands clutching the handrest, as every head, including his, turned to scan the crowd in search of the source of the voice.

Given the political scenario in the run-up to the polls, the comment was pregnant with significance and tension was palpable in the air. But it was only the cameraman of a TV channel who was protesting the position of the chief minister’s seat which made a shadow fall on his face. Once the confusion was cleared, Bhattacharjee shifted to the next seat which was better lit.

“Er theke beshi uttejona ajker palateo hobe na (Even today’s jatra will not have a more tense moment),” remarked someone in the audience as the curtains went up a bit later on Bagher Khachay Balika Bodhu.

(Contributed by Sudeshna Banerjee)