Travel Telangana:Jodeghat valley- A sublime paradise that evokes patriotism

Even most serene places can breed the fiercest of emotions. The same is true with remote Jodeghat, which was central to a tribal uprising over 80 years ago.

The poignant memories of those times haunt the present generation, though it is far removed in time from the September 1 event of 1940 when 15 Adivasi rebels led by the legendary Kumram Bheem were martyred while fighting to reclaim their rights on `Jal, Jangal, Zameen'.

Jodeghat is slowly emerging as a place of tourist interest, thanks to the Kumram Bheem memorial and the tribal museum that the Telangana government constructed a few years back.

While visitors get to pay their homage at the martyr's statue and see memorabilia associated with those times, most of them miss the pristine nature spread all along the 22 km of road connecting the Hatti base camp with Jodeghat traversing through the hilly forest.

The best time to visit Jodeghat and the valley is August-September when the place is green. In short, this is the time when the proverbial Jal, Jangal, and Zameen can be related to the surroundings.

Visitors who can afford to spend about two days on the trip or can start the journey from Asifabad quite early should also plan to go boating in the Kumram Bheem project reservoir which is on the way to Jodeghat and see the beautiful cave temple of goddess Pochamma in the forest near the reservoir. The reservoir is about 10 km from the Asifabad district headquarter towards Hatti in Kerameri Mandal.

If coming from Asifabad, visitors should first head towards the cave temple which is about 3 km from the main road towards the newly developed nature park by the forest department. The help of locals is necessary to locate the temple owing to the thick vegetation which camouflages the approach path.

The boating spot is at Ada village, over 1 km from the right canal of the KB project in the same direction. Though proper boating under Telangana Tourism will start shortly, interested persons can request the local fishermen to take them on a ride in the country boat.

A word of caution. A ride in a country boat can be risky.

The drive on the hilly road to Jodeghat can be exhilarating as well as educating as visitors can see some of the unknown aspects of tribal life in the 14 villages that lie on either side. Only eight villages are located by the side of the road.

You can find different activities associated with tribal lifestyles in different seasons. For example, the monsoon has them taking up farming which presents a scenic view as it is all hill area farming. The rains also result in the restoration of water flow in the picturesque Babejhari waterfall and the hill streams which have children enjoying a swim.

In winter, the Adivasis indulge in religious activities and some of interesting parts. In summer, the scenario changes from green to dry brown which in itself makes for a lovely visage.

What should not be missed by visitors in any of the seasons is the breathtaking view below in the valley. There are villages located in the valley which can only be seen from given spots by the roadside, especially near Shivaguda.

Take the help of locals to descend to a comfortable spot from where you can take in the grand settings of nature in the valley. There are small clearings in some places where interested persons can even camp for the night but care should be taken to have the company of tribals when doing so.

There is no place to stay at Jodeghat but a few months from now, the KB project reservoir will boast of proper tourism facilities including cottages and hotels. Until then visitors have to carry their food.