Tag: mountains

  • Reaching the mouth of Nohkalikai – India’s tallest plunge waterfall

    My story to the top of Nohkalikai falls –

    If you like adventure and want a thrilling experience, then walking to the mouth of panoramic Nohkalikai falls in Sohra, Meghalaya should be on your to-do list.

    It involves walking across open grass fields, descending a hill covered with green forests and jumping over boulders. You will be accompanied by clear streams flowing along a fossil covered river bed. With natural turquoise water pools throughout the route, what awaits you at the end is a breathtaking view of India’s highest plunge waterfall.

    A man crossing a small waterfall on river bed while walking to the top of india highest plunge waterfall
    Crossing various small waterfall and caves,en route top of Nokhalikai Falls

    How I ended at the top of Nohkalikai falls-

    It was a coincidence that instead of seeing Nohkalikai falls from the viewpoint, I ended up at beautiful Tlai falls and the bonus was an awe-inspiring view from the top of the Nohkalikai .

    When I visited the Nohkalikai falls, the entire area was hidden under dense clouds and the waterfall was not going to be visible for a while.

    I had seen a photograph of Tlai waterfall at the ticketing counter of Nohkalikai on my way in and decided to inquire about it.

    different level of a waterfall enroute the top of india highest plunge waterfall
    Tlai Waterfall, en route top of Nokhalikai Falls

    Tlai is a splendid three-tier waterfall with a green forest presenting a beautiful backdrop. I found it quite picturesque and decided to go; hoping the cloud cover over Nohkalikai to lift by that time.

    I was pointed towards the direction of these falls by the Nohkalikai ticket counter people. I reached a dilapidated board and found a guy who was issuing an entry ticket for visiting Tlai. This guy was pretty laid back and asked me and my travel partner to come along with him to the waterfall if we wanted to.

    I was slightly hesitant but the desire to see Tlai waterfall was overpowering and I decided to go.

    The half-hour walk to Tlai falls takes you through a complete change of landscape.

    The journey starts with a short walk in a grass field followed by descending a hill. You have arrows pointing towards the right direction as it’s easy to miss the point from where you have to go downhill.

    moss covered stones and trees while going to the top of india highest plunge waterfall
    Descending down the hill,en route top of Nokhalikai Falls

    This side of the hill didn’t seem to get much of sunshine. The soil was quite wet while the tree trunks and stones were covered with moss. This moss makes the stones slippery hence one has to carefully step on them.

    At the bottom of the hill, you have the river bed covered with huge boulders and rocks. You have to jump over these to reach the Tlai waterfall which explains the reason behind fewer tourists at this place.

    Tlai falls might not be well known to the tourists but locals seemed to come here quite often for the view.

    River bed filled with boulders and rocks surrounded by forest en route top of Nokhalikai Falls
    River bed filled with boulders and rocks, en route top of Nokhalikai Falls

    Way to the top of Nohkalikai Falls-

    From Tlai waterfall you have to walk 45-60 min on the river bed to reach the mouth of Nohkalikai. Along the route, you will come across a number of fossils embedded upon the rocks. I couldn’t get much information but the fossils are said to be around 70 million years old *

    70 million year old preserved Fossils embedded on rocks of river bed
    Embedded Fossils, en route top of Nokhalikai Falls

    Over the years the constant flow of water through the gaps on the river bed has created a number of pools and waterfalls which eventually plunge down the gorge to make the Nohkalikai fall.

    All along the ravine, you will see hollow caves formed by the high force of water during monsoons. These caves are visible during the dry season when you go to the top of Nohkalikai.

    Caves along the ravine ,en route top of Nokhalikai Falls

    It is worth noting, that a number of wooden ladders have been put by the locals for going up and down the boulders. These ladders reduce most of the arduous climbing and jumping.

    Although at one point during the walk, one has to literally crawl through a hole in the rock formed by the flowing water. Not to forget, you will also have to crawl your way back.

    crawling through small holes in rocks with water stream beneath them
    Crawling through cuts in rocks,en route top of Nokhalikai Falls

    Things to know about the Nohkalikai fall route –

    You only need basic fitness to reach the top of Nohkalikai. There are multiple occasions which will make you feel as if you have encountered a dead end. At such points; having a local is an advantage as they know the route.

    To me, it didn’t look like a marooned route as it’s frequently visited by young locals. But I again want to emphasize, try to find a local go with you.

    Clear turquoise pools on river bed formed by water stream of india highest plunge waterfall
    Clear turquoise pools on the river bed, en route top of Nokhalikai Falls

    Best time to visit the top of Nohkalikai falls –

    Walk to the Tlai falls and the mouth of Nohkalikai can only be done in the winter months till the start of the monsoons when the flow of water is less (October to March). During monsoons, this area is inaccessible due to increased water level.

    clear water stream flowing through a ravine and falling down the gorge to form india highest plunge waterfall
    The Top of Nokhalikai Falls,Meghalaya

    Time needed to reach the top of Nohkalikai falls-

    The time required is variable based on the speed of an individual. Locals take really less time, to and fro the route. For tourists, this could turn out to be a half-day activity unless you plan to race through it.

    I took me 4 -5 hours approximately . 30 minutes downhill, 45 min to reach the top of the waterfall from Tlai falls, same time on the way back. I stayed at the place for around 2 hours.

    Note – For going back one has to take the same route.

    Legend of Nohkalikai falls –

    There are quite a few stories behind the name of Nohkalikai. The most famous legend also happens to be quiet tragic.
    The name Nohkalikai translates to” the Jump of Ka Likai ” (Ka is a prefix for females in Khasi)
    According to legend, in a village near the Falls, a woman named Likai lived with her infant girl. After her husband’s death, she worked to support her family and later remarried. Likai, couldn’t pay attention to the new husband as most of her time went in taking care of the infant.
    Driven by jealousy the husband one day killed the infant and took off. When Ka Likai returned home, she saw nobody in the house except for a prepared meal. She decided to eat first and look for her daughter later.
    Ka Likai later found a severed finger and realized that the meal she ate was made from the meat of her daughter. Stricken with anger and grief she ran to the edge of the cliff and jumped. Giving the fall its name; Nohkalikai.

    About Nohkalikai Falls and Sohra –

    Nohkalikai falls has a height of 1115 feet (340 mts) . It is the tallest plunge waterfall in India and amongst the world’s highest waterfall. It is located around 5 km from Sohra (Cherrapunjee) in East Khasi Hills of Meghalaya.

    view of india highest plunge waterfall surrounded by lush greenery and cloud cover and falling into a small pool
    From the viewpoint, Nokhalikai Falls

    Monsoon season is the best time to visit Nohkalikai when the falls is in its full form. From the viewpoint, tourists can enjoy a panoramic view of the waterfall surrounded by lush greenery. A flight of stairs followed by some walking takes you to the bottom of the waterfall which is a clear turquoise water pool.

    During the dry season, like all other waterfalls, Nohkalikai is not at its full flow. But this is the only time of year which opens the heart of waterfall for visitors.

    The journey to the top of the falls is once in a lifetime experience and worthy of your time.
    You will enjoy every minute of this journey and the memory isn’t going to fade away for many years to come.

    Note :

    I am extremely grateful to Mr Wann Majaw for offering to help me along the route to the top of Nohkalikai Fall.  My journey might not have been possible without it. You can check his Instagram page for some wonderful images of Sohra, Meghalaya, India.

     

  • My first interview- a candid talk

    I was surprised when Youthspowerindia asked if I would be interested in doing an interview . My first thought was to chicken out of the situation, but I managed to convince myself that it can’t possibly hurt to share few things.

    It was only after the interview got posted that I realized how grateful I was for getting this opportunity. It’s not every day that you have a chance to talk to people and tell them about yourself.

    So I won’t keep you here any longer and share the link to my interview.

    It’s been more than a year that the interview got posted but I still feel very enthusiastic about it.

    The beauty of firsts I suppose!

    I hope you enjoy reading through it as much as I enjoyed giving the answers.

    two smiling girls posing for the camera with snow in the background
    winters of ladakh
  • Butoh: going beyond the definitions

    Butoh: going beyond the definitions

    Back in April of 2017 during my time in Mcleodganj, Himachal Pradesh, the story is of one lazy afternoon that introduced me to Butoh.

    A friend of mine was intrigued by the idea to go and see a famous but controversial dance performance which was open only once a week for public viewing.

    For I was aware of only slim details about Butoh and most of it was seeming like hearsay, my interest and excitement was pretty obvious.

    I won’t lie but at first, the only concern was to get this unfamiliar name right and then bother about its how’s and why ’s!

    Hastily making my way to the venue, I was just in time for the first Butoh performance of the day which started with the clink of a Tibetan singing bowl and what followed was once in a lifetime experience.

    usage of flowers and animal skeleton as Butoh wedding decoration , Butoh International Festival  ,McleodGanj ,Himachal Pradesh,India
    Butoh wedding decoration , Butoh International Festival  ,2017

    Honestly speaking, I could pick only bits and pieces from the first act. To my understanding, the performer was expressing grief of losing a loved one, or this is how I interpreted it.

    And that is when it struck me, Butoh was not just a dance form but it was serving as a medium between the artist and the audience. One could freely interpret and connect to the performance in a way which is unique to each individual.

    Two more performances went by and in between, I managed to hungrily read everything that Google had to offer over Butoh.

    Meanwhile, my friend talked to a Butoh performer and she gladly explained to us how a Butoh dancer encourages the audience to explore their own thoughts while viewing the performances.

    The use of body paint and props in Butoh , Butoh International Festival  2017, mcleodganj,himachal pradesh,india
    The use of body paint in Butoh , Butoh International Festival  2017

    With each passing performance, my mind was giving way to my heart to freely interpret what it was witnessing. By the end of all performances, I was overwhelmed by the chaos witnessed.  It was something that I have never seen before.

    Butoh with all its extremities goes beyond to what meets the eye. I witnessed such range of emotions during the performance which I did not know could coexist.

    This brief introduction to Butoh made me read about it more and eventually write about how this colourful hilly town of Mcleodganj, ‘the Little Lhasa’ was serving as a flourishing ground for a distant land contemporary dance form.

    Image from a Butoh performance , Butoh International Festival,McleodGanj ,Himachal Pradesh,India
    Image from a Butoh performance , Butoh International Festival 2017

    Believe me, when I say, I was immensely curious to know more about Butoh. So here are few details about Butoh that I compiled from the undermentioned sources.

    Origin of Butoh:

    Butoh saw its rise in Japan after World War II.

    Japan has a traditional culture and when industrialization came in, it created a mixture of confusion which sank further in the society with horror caused by the atomic bombing. This made artists react to these circumstances in their own way.

    Butoh Founders, Tatsumi Hijikata and Kazuo Ohno, were both trained dancers.

    wonderful expression given by Kazuo Ohno during a Butoh performace
    Kazuo Ohno (1906-2010)
    Pinterest Image
    https://marceloevelin.wordpress.com

    In a culture distinguished for its visual harmony, the two dancers highlighted ugliness, replacing the conventional Japanese social mask of reticence with one of anguish and even terror. They were in search for something that could go beyond everything they’ve already seen, including their own performing practices.

    It was about throwing off the constraints of Western dance and the rigidity of the highly codified Japanese traditions.

    In the late 1950s, Butoh came out in Japan with a performance titled “Kinjiki” (“Forbidden Colors”) after a novel of the same name written by Yukio Mishima.

    The act featured choreographer Tatsumi Hijikata (1928-1986) playing an older man out to seduce a younger man, Yoshito Ohno, who seemingly smothered a live chicken between his legs. This sensational performance with its apparent portrayal of homosexuality and bestiality gave birth to a movement.

    The audience was outraged and Hijikata was expelled from the festival where the piece was performed.

    Hijikata originally called his performance style Ankoku Butoh, or “dance of darkness and gloom.” Two Japanese characters make up the word butoh : “bu” for dance, “toh” for step. It was later shortened to Butoh and drew in the work of a number of other artists.

    Butoh which was first rejected in Japan was greatly received by the western world (especially in Europe in the 70s) and finally gained a big success in Japan in the 80s.

    Nowadays Butoh is performed all over the world and is mentioned in almost every contemporary dance history record.

    Style –

    The contradictions within Butoh is partly the reason why it is so fascinating.

    It is an attempt to uncover the dance that already exists, it must emerge from within, and not be imposed.

    Butoh uses stillness and slow motion to great effect. If done well, these two combined can heighten the awareness of the dancer and their audience to the detail of movement.

    use of animal skeleton prop by a butoh dance performer
    Use of props during Butoh performance : Pinterest Image
    (https://www.taringa.net)

    Often observed as a kind of trance, it is more accurate to say the Butoh dancer is in a state of hyper-presence, aware of everything going on around them and within their own body. The fact that butoh dancers often seem ‘other’ than themselves is the result of their skills in transformation.

    Another distinct aspect of transformation in Butoh is that performers don’t necessarily use only human characters as a source. Equally ready to explore transforming into a stone or a rug the Butoh dancer attempts to embody these physical and psychic materials in their bodies.

    A partially clothed Butoh performer
    A Butoh Dancer :Pinterest Image
    (https://theartstack.com)

    Some other details of Butoh dance form :

    • No set style: In words of Hijikata “There are as many types of Butoh as there are Butoh choreographers.”
    • Encourages aesthetic features that go against the western archetypes of perfection and beauty. Its technique uses some of the traditional Japanese knowledge, like the control of energy, which translates into a rhythm and strong expressiveness.
    • Search for an individual or a collective memory.
    • Use of taboo topics like death, eroticism, sex.
    • The hallmarks of this theatre include full body paint (white or dark or gold), near or complete nudity, shaved heads and grotesque costumes.
    • Performed in extreme or absurd environments; with or without an audience.
    • Involves slow hyper-controlled motion, playful and grotesque imagery, clawed hands and feet, rolled-up eyes and mouths opened in silent screams.
    • It may also be purely conceptual with no movement at all

    Now that I am wrapping this post up with a not so brief introduction to butoh along with my interesting experience, I hope that if given a chance to see a Butoh performance, you won\’t miss it.

    Information source :

    1. Reference Link 1
    2. Reference Link 2
    3. Reference Link 3

    Image Source :

    1. Pinterest
    2. tipsy banjaran (Instagram page). The images were taken during Butoh International Festival, 2017 (Location: Mcleodganj, Himachal Pradesh, India )
    3. Featured Image: Kazuo Ohno, Butoh legend ( link to the image )