They say, "A journey is like marriage. The certain way to be wrong is to think you control it ". Sometimes most memorable moments happen sans planning. Such was my fascinating trip to Vishakhapatnam aka Vizag, Araku Valley and Borra caves. With tatkal train tickets booked just a day before and no deliberations on how to come back; four of us set off for this wonderful weekend journey from Hyderabad to Vizag on 17th Aug, 2012.
We were
greeted by a mesmerizing view of the Eastern Ghats when we landed at Vizag the
next morning. Looking at those picturesque mountains, I could only imagine what
our trip was going to offer. We bargained for our stay & transport and got decent
deals. After having rejuvenating tea and breakfast at the hotel, we left for a day's
expedition to Vizag.
It seemed as
if weather had reserved its best for our arrival. Mild drizzle and gentle
breeze setup a perfect weather condition for peregrination. First stopover in
the itinerary was the famous Hindu temple, Simhachalam, cocooned in the verdurous
Eastern Ghats which we followed up with the ruins of a Buddhist complex, Thotlakonda,
perched imperturbably on a hill along the sea cost.
On our way
back, we stopped over at the Ramanaidu Film Studios which had to be approached
along a sinuous yet a spellbinding road giving a magnificent view of the
curvilinear coastline of the Bay of Bengal. No wonder why the movie producers are
making a beeline to shoot here.
We headed ahead
to the renowned Kailasgiri Hills. It can be reached either through a ropeway or
a walkway to see the majestic 40 feet statue of Lord Shiva and Parvathi and the
adjoining pleasing garden. Because of the hordes of tourists, a barely moving
queue and the strict timelines of the ad lib trip, we had to give it a miss.
We
proceeded to the prominent Rushikonda beach. It was a cracking time there with my
three other daredevil companions. Despite lack of swimming skills, we withstood
the battering waves. Frolicsomely we played and sported there for a long time
before marching further to the Mahankali temple near the other lionized beach,
the R.K. Beach and its unique museum. For some people, visit to a museum is a
wearisome affair but this one was a bit unconventional as the museum is a retired
war submarine! INS Kurusura, living history of the 1971 Indo-Pak war, has now
been converted into a tourist attraction. Going inside that submarine would
only marvel you. To imagine a 75 member crew working in such a small space (91 meters)
and at such low depths of the oceans gave me goose bumps. We sat at the RK
beach for an hour, unfazed by the hustle and bustle of life. Soon, it was dusk,
time to leave and end day one of our journey.
Next morning
we had to catch the noted train from Vizag to Araku Valley and get down at the Borra
Caves in between. And were not the caves a wonder! Formidable and astounding; well
taken care of by the Tourism Department of AP, these caves have a lot to offer.
Irregular limestone stalactites, stalagmites, a small Shiva temple inside and
an opening along the top of the caves with a folklore associated to it, provides
a great vista and a challenge for photographers under meager lighting
conditions. A sumptuous meal at a nearby dhaba awaited us and we gluttonously
devoured what was on offer.
And if the
caves were not grand enough, something even better was to follow. We went along
a delightful nature trail till the Katiki waterfalls originating from the
Gosthani River, tumbling from a height of about 50 ft. Enroute was another attraction
of the place, the bamboo chicken. The indigenous people roast chicken in bamboo
obtained from nearby jungles. While every non-vegetarian was having a go at it,
the monsoon weather made it inevitable for us (vegetarians) to have a bite of
the masala-flavored corns applied with tangy lemon, taken along with a cup of
hot tea.
After
rejoicing a great deal, we came back to our hotel worn out but not without accruing
more respect for nature and the gifts it has bestowed us with. If we could only
be more selfless and less greedy, we will realize that neither it is too
difficult to conserve our environment nor too easy too degrade it.
