I went to Chitrakote Falls a very long time ago in the late 1990's probably around 1996. It was a forest area and there was no road to the falls. We parked our car on the nearest road available which was about an hour's walk from the falls. Our driver who was a native of Bastar, requested some Adivasis who lived in the forests around to lead us to the falls. Initially, the tribesmen didn't like the idea cause they felt we were intruding into their homeland but after some requests, they agreed and one of them led us to falls through the forest. There was no road, it was a forest path. It took us about 30-40 minutes or more to reach the waterfalls. The area around the falls was rocky with scarce vegetation. Since it was not the monsoons, the falls were not in their maximum flow but still grand as could be. It was even more exotic at that time cause it was unexplored and the stories the Adivasi told us through the forest trek were enlightening. He showed us his hunting weapons and showed us many trees and plants that had medicinal properties. Unfortunately, I lost most of my photographs taken before 2005.
The waterfall area was developed into a tourist spot post-2003. I feel it was a lot better when it was hidden and unexplored. I guess the Adivasi were displaced too when the area was developed. Sometimes, I feel the Adivasis were right when they refused us at first. we did intrude into their homeland and uprooted them from their roots.
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| Considered Asia's widest waterfall |
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| The falls is located on the Indravati River. River Indravati is a tributary of Godavari |