The wonders of Belum Caves- second longest caves in India

From the origin of mankind, the one constant that we have always had are caves. They have been our classic shelters. For some they have been meditation hubs. And yet for others, an underground lair that led them to safety. Among the many natural caves in India, the Belum Caves in Andhra Pradesh is one such fascinating tale. The 2^nd longest caves of India were home to many Buddhist monks and today, form an offbeat attraction for those looking for beauty and adventure.

Located near Kurnool, the Belum Caves are made up of a labyrinth of tunnels that wind around for over 3230 m. They were discovered in the 1880s but were unexplored and unmapped till the 1980s. While these are the known dates, there has been evidence of them being used much before this time. Scores of prehistoric vessels of 4500 BC have been found here – along with relics from the time when the Jain and Buddhist monks used the caves for meditation.

The textured passages of the Belum Caves turn and twist to take you through the highs and lows of unique stone formations of its caverns. You will find yourself crouching and squeezing through gaps to discover an interesting formation created by nature. Well-lit, aerated and marked, the Belum Caves are perfect for any traveller – from young to old. Here are some of the key attractions of these caves.

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The Pillidwaram

 

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Off-season is the new travel season

Gone is the time when one looked forward to school and college holidays. Back then it meant visits to weather-friendly locations replete with picnics, long strolls, and aimless cycling in relative solitude. In other words, it was the mountains in summers, the plains in winters for northerners. This longstanding travel tradition continues unaffected, with one major difference–an exponential swell in number of footfalls at all tourist destinations. The resultant eye on optimising benefits by commercial establishments during these periods–aka peak season–has regrettably led to a general deficit in quietude and surplus burden on infrastructure. I have no doubt it’s still great amounts of fun for kids; not so much for those no longer.

Off-season Offers

Consequently, I find myself joining an increasing number of travellers for whom off-season is fast becoming the new season. For starters, it is pocket-friendlier. The airfares and hotel tariffs are way lower. Transportation and accommodation come instantly available. Alluring deals are aplenty. Food tastes better. Traffic jams and selfie sticks disappear. Local residents are visibly relaxed. Destinations breathe easy, as do fauna and flora. Generally speaking, the all-pervading vacation excitement, the crowds and their clamour are remarkably diminished. Discomfiture, in face of extreme temperatures, can be surmounted by travelling in the intervening spring and autumnal months.

Monsoon Magic

Better still, when the monsoon is just beginning to get a hold and nature is gloriously resplendent in countless shades of green. This luxuriant transformation is experienced across India and without question has an undeniable charm about it everywhere. Yet, none hold my affection quite like the rain-washed avatar of the Himalayas. I’m not alone either as monsoon tourism in these parts has begun appealing to–and gratifying–more and more nature-lovers. Not least, those with a sense of adventure, much patience, as well as, seekers of the experiential. My own forays have unfailingly brought in their wake enduring people memories and a renewed, more heightened respect for Mother Nature.

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Indelible Instances

Sharing here a few memories I suspect I may not have made in high season.  My visit to the Himalayan Orchard farm stay in Rukhla (Himachal Pradesh), just as the rains were setting in, found the owners catching their breath, and unhurriedly going about household chores set aside during the peak season. Baking, pickling, and jam-making was done and dusted; it was time for their artisanal cheese. This led to a 45 minute drive to Shararu Pass to source pails of buffalo milk from a Gujjar camp. Straight from the udders even as the bovines grazed amidst mist-kissed deodars. What a sight! A sudden shower got us an invite to wait inside their make-shift home, meet the extended family–goats included–and a hot glass of milk each. This warm hospitality is hardly experienced in peak seasons when tourists flock everywhere.

Prepare Yourself

While it remains a complete no-no for non-experts and first-time visitors, with a degree of preparation and some precautions, mountain travel during the rainy season could well become a hard-to-break habit. Listed here are a few helpful pointers.

• Ensure roadworthiness of self-driven vehicles
• Hire experienced cab drivers habitual of mountain driving
• Check up on road conditions before setting out, potential hosts will have latest updates
• Never ignore local wisdom and advice
• Keep an eye on the weather forecast; avoid travel during heavy rains
• Leave early to reach your destination with daylight on your side
• Be prepared for uncertainty and delays due to landslides and other eventualities
• Pack long sleeved and warm clothes, temperatures drop with the rain
• Carry quick-dry towels, raingear, and water-proof shoes
• Keep handy reusable water bottles, prescribed medicines, and insect/leech repellents

 

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The fascinating ruins of Hampi: A photo feature

The magnificent ruins of Hampi dot an unearthly landscape that has captivated travellers for centuries. Heaps of giant boulders perch precariously over kilometres of undulating terrain, their rusty hues offset by jade-green palm groves, banana plantations and paddy fields. While it’s possible to see this World Heritage Site in a day or two, plan on lingering for a while.

The main travellers’ ghetto has traditionally been Hampi Bazaar- a village crammed with budget lodges, shops and restaurants, and towered over by the majestic Virupaksha Temple. Tranquil Virupapur Gaddi across the river has become a new popular hang-out.

Here is a tour across the town in pictures.

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Opinion: The electronic music scene in Asia is gaining recognition amongst the big players

Dean Chew

Electronic music culture has always been Western-centric. I’ve been a victim and prisoner of that bias as well. I love it, but I became blinded by my lack of belief that we have things in this part of the world, too. A decade ago, I would warm up for a DJ from somewhere else. You could be just as good as the main act, but that perception of worth is so different.

Europe has traditionally been Darker Than Wax’s core market, but this year, the priority has been to secure relationships between collectives and affiliates in Asia. We’re getting more regional DJs to come here, as well as establishing links with clubs in Jakarta, Bangkok, Chengdu, Shanghai, Hangzhou and a couple other places in China. A cross-pollination is starting.

For the longest time, there just wasn’t a concerted effort to connect the dots. I think the Asian mentality is to just grind down and do your own thing first before reaching out to others. But over the past two or three years, there have been small, organic pop-up and DIY spaces opening. In Singapore, the proliferation of venues such as Intermission Bar at Golden Mile, Kilo Lounge and HQ suggests that things are happening.

More than just spaces, the younger generation in this part of the world actually expects you as a selector to play more Asian music these days. There’s an awareness that we have great things right here that we should be proud of. For instance Artifacts, a night I did at Intermission Bar recently, was about resurfacing Asian jams such as Malaysian-Singaporean funk, deep a-go-go and disco.

In Hong Kong and Shanghai, collectives like YETI OUT and Eating Music are doing the same thing – bringing experimental electronic music, trap and rap music from cities such as Chengdu and Xiamen, empowering local communities and reaching audiences in the United States and Europe.

At the same time, whether it’s a big performance, a festival or a little show, you have to make sure that space is an experience. Music is instinctive, but it’s also spatial and methodical – very much like architecture. Space retains your experiences and senses, but it’s also very mathematical and structural.

If you look at what Drake and Kanye West are doing – with talented art directors like Willo Perron, their sets are so spatial. People could easily listen to music at home, so you have to create a setting that they will remember.

“There’s an awareness that we have great things right here we should be proud of”

There also needs to be more dialogue between organisers and the government to open up more spaces. We need flexibility in order to grow. A few months ago, we closed the street outside Chye Seng Huat coffee shop in Singapore’s Jalan Besar area for the first-ever BREW block party. That was a collaboration between us and the Urban Redevelopment Authority.

We brought in guest selector UNOS from Belgium, laid out modular crates, collaborated with a photographer to document urban life around Jalan Besar and projected these collages onto the boundary walls of coffee shop, creating a strong visual backdrop for the party. Though it rained for two hours, there were eventually 700 people from different demographics present.

By creating memorable spaces and fostering collaboration, we can bring our sound culture to a bigger level. We can show that there’s an economy around the electronic music scene in Asia.

Illustrations by Stuart Patience

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This article was originally published in the January 2020 issue of SilverKris magazine

The post Opinion: The electronic music scene in Asia is gaining recognition amongst the big players appeared first on SilverKris.

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Ditch those tents; enjoy the open sky above Thar Desert

Think Rajasthan, think of the mighty Thar Desert aka the Great Indian Desert. No trip to this colourful vibrant Rajputana state is complete without visiting this desert. It’s never mundane. The gateway to experience the mighty Thar starts from Jaisalmer also called the Golden city known for its more than 800-year old “living fort”. A city that has been etched in yellow sandstone almost makes one feel that it has risen from the Thar Desert.

A little ahead from the city lie two of the most famous sand dunes – Sam and Khuri. They both are in opposite direction to each other and it takes around 40 mins to 1 hour from Jaisalmer to reach them. If you like a peaceful setting, not the usual song and dance, then don’t think twice; just head to Khuri – a small and beautiful village known for its barren landscape. Traditional-style mud hut, clay-and-dung walls, kids playing around will welcome you here. The sand dunes here are pristine and beautiful enough to keep you awestruck. Badal Singh- known for his warm hospitality will give one of the best desert village experience at Khuri. His house makes for the best stay option in Khuri and won’t even pinch your pocket.

From here the real adventure of sleeping under the moon without any tent starts as he arranges for a camel ride which takes the guests to the sand dunes around 2km from his house. As you reach the dunes all arrangements from your bedding to dinner will be made.  A vast stretch of empty and barren landscapes is all one can see, and at the backdrop of the setting sun, the bright golden yellow hues on the dunes makes it look like nothing less than a heap of gold.

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