With your continued support, on May 21 two additional members of our company joined the team in their journey to the Satpura hills of Chhindwara district, Madhya Pradesh. Their purpose was the exploration of honey and the study of Ayurveda, in Kumhri village near Patalkot, where our six-member team has already been active.
After a journey of nearly 20 hours from Delhi’s Safdarjung Railway Station, we arrived at Parasia Railway Station in Chhindwara district at 6 a.m. on May 22. There, our team member Anand Dehriya was waiting for us with a vehicle. From there, we had to travel via Bijauri and then through Chhindhi, a small town nestled among the hills, to reach Kumhri village.
Upon reaching Bijauri, we met the rest of the team who had already been waiting for us there. Amid the cool breeze of the beautiful valleys, carrying a hint of winter’s chill, we enjoyed steaming hot tea. Just as we were about to reach Chhindhi, strong winds arose and dark clouds burst forth with flashes of lightning, as if expressing their emotions to welcome us.
On reaching Chhindhi, our stay was arranged at the Forest Department’s guest house, built on a hilltop and known as Patalkot View Point. From there, Kumhri village was just 5 kilometers away.
After keeping our luggage, we stood on the guest house veranda, enjoying the beauty of the valleys amidst the heavy rain. Just then, Mr. Patel, the village head of Kumhri, arrived with his family to welcome us. What astonished us even more than his arrival was the fact that it was his daughter’s wedding day, yet he had left it behind to come and greet us.
While in our own homes, during family functions, members hardly find time for one another, here we witnessed the pure affection and heartfelt hospitality of the tribals, which filled our hearts with immense respect for them. After asking about our well-being, they invited us to attend their daughter’s wedding. We gladly accepted this honor. By then, the rain had subsided, and since electricity and water problems are common in these hill settlements, most weddings are held during the day. So, we prepared ourselves and by noon reached Patel Ji’s home in Kumhri village for the wedding.
Despite the joyous occasion of the wedding at Patel Ji’s home, the warmth of his and the villagers’ hospitality continued to astonish us.
Keeping alive the culture and traditions of ancient India, the tribal women stood at the doorway with ceremonial pots balanced on their heads, singing cultural songs to welcome us. Such a traditional and heartfelt reception was the first experience of our lives, which we considered our good fortune as we joined them in the wedding celebrations.
It had only been a few hours since we arrived in the tribal settlement, yet in that short time we had blended into their affection and warmth, becoming part of their family. We eagerly took part in the wedding rituals, while the voices of women singing, accompanied by the beats of drums and nagaras, echoed through the hills. Overwhelmed by the scene, we could not resist joining in the drumming ourselves—and from that moment, with spirits high, we immersed ourselves in the flood of ancient traditions.
After enjoying these joyous moments for quite some time, we proceeded to participate in the Jaimala ceremony. There, we observed that the tradition of offering jaggery and betel leaves (paan) to all the guests attending the wedding is still very much alive.
Amid modern India, we were experiencing, for the first time, the ancient civilizations we had only ever heard about in stories from our elders.
While savoring such astonishing hospitality and the nectar of their traditional cultures, we met the chiefs of various tribal communities—Bheria, Kudopa, Uike, Naraivati, and others—who had come from 14 villages. Sitting with them and participating in the ongoing wedding rituals, enriched by the experience of ancient Indian civilizations, we were compelled to say that truly, India was once the land of the golden bird.
That’s all for today’s blog. We will soon return with the next post, sharing invaluable experiences from the mysterious land of Patalkot. Until then, stay with us!
