Wandering Destination : Chitrakoot Waterfalls

Wandering Destination: Chitrakoot Waterfalls

Chitrakoot waterfalls, known as mini Niagara of India, is located about 45 kilometres from Jagdalpur town of Chattisgarh state. It is located on River Indravathi and near to the Kanger Valley National Park. Although water falls from a height of about 100 feet, the fall is known for his grand width especially in the season of Monsoon. In monsoon, the stream swells and acquires more than 200 feet width. The waterfalls display different moods in every season. In monsoon, it roars and swells. While after December, when the water recedes, it is snowy white with blue sky as the backdrop.

On the left bank of the Chitrakoot Falls, a small Hindu shrine dedicated to the god Shiva and several naturally created grottos named "Parvati caves" (named after Shiva's wife Parvati) are located [1].

My visit to Chitrakoot:

I visited the falls in the month of August when the water flow is at peak. Fortunately, a local jeep driver who happened to have good knowledge about the area was out tour guide. His vehicle, in which we travelled was not comfortable, but the information and the guidance were quite valuable for the first-time traveller. In the morning till eight o'clock, one hardly finds any shop or restaurant open. On the way, we stopped at a small Dhaba where we had a typical breakfast of Bhajiya with tasty spicy peas-potato curry with a cup of tea.

The road to the falls is splendid and well maintained. However, at the falls there are no good restaurants or even hotels to stay overnight. The only accommodation present needs to be booked through the district collector office. The colourful floodlights installed to beautify the falls are not working.

Tips for photography:

The place is best for shooting different compositions of the waterfall. I would advise a telelens as well as a wide-angle lens to capture different perspectives. An 'ND-filter' and a tripod would come in handy especially on a sunny day. The combination would help to capture blurry motion as well as the video of the falls.

Visiting the falls in the morning and evening is the best time to capture the beauty without any interference. If the vehicle is hired, the driver may refuse to stop after five or so. That's why it is better to travel in the own vehicle. Having said this, one should be careful about visiting offbeat places, as the area around is considered as Naxalite-prone.

Locals have converted the small caves near the banks to the temples. Locals priests take care of the daily rituals carried here. These little caves look beautiful due to the limestone walls.

Selfie with daughter: A family taking selfies with waterfall as the background

The grand view:

To watch the front view, where complete fall can be seen, one has to go down the valley. A small path, parallel to the walls of the resort, takes to the river bed. This path is well constructed. A boating facility is also available, however, it remains closed in the Monsoon season.

Watch the Video:

How to reach:

The best way to travel to Jagdalpur is by road. Chitrakoot waterfall is located at about 40 Km from the nearest town Jagdalpur. Road network well connects Jagdalpur. However, Rail connectivity is poor.