A journey to the lush green fields of 'Little Shimla' - Mainpat
- Wandering clouds
- May 3, 2018
- 3 min read
Updated: Apr 28, 2023
Last year in October, I had the privilege of visiting Mainpat in Chattisgarh, India..Mainpat is also commonly referred as the 'Little Tibetan Village'. India provided refuge to the community in 1965. Approximately near a million Tibetans are spread in the North, Northeast, South and some part of Central India. The temperatures tend to be lower in these parts making it suitable for the community to adapt themselves.
It was a chanced opportunity, when I heard of the name I immediately checked on google and found a few posts on this beautiful location tucked away in the remote forests of Chattisgarh. I tried looking for the best travel option -- but in vain. Finally, I reached out to the locals I was referred to. It turned out reaching this destination was a long course. So options were:
1. Travel from Delhi by train (suggested option Sampark Kranti Express) overnight and reach Annupur. From Annupur take another train to Ambikapur. There are only two trains during the day. After alighting from Ambikapur its an hours journey to Mainpat. Alternatively, you can take a cab from Annupur to Mainpat which takes about 5 hours approx.
2. Take a flight to Raipur (capital city of Chattisgarh) and get ready to take a 9 hour journey by road to Mainpat. Alternately, Ranchi is an option but the road conditions are terrible..[which I realized on my way back]
So, I chose option 1 and took a cab to Mainpat, passing through the lush green fields on the way and cool weather made it such a joyful road trip... We stopped at Ambikapur to get some lunch as Mainpat was still more than an hour ride. And yes if you are looking for an ATM make sure you get your monies in Ambikapur itself else you will have some troubles making use of your card--digital india is far away in this green-land and well yes be prepared to miss your phone as you cross Ambikapur the signals become weaker..If you are JIO user you maybe lucky !
Mainpat does not have many accommodation options - few small hotels and a big cottage like option of the Chattisgarh Tourism initiative. The latter is a set of cottages spread across the field with beautiful scenery..Some of the tourist options here are:
1. The Tiger Falls - trail for trekking and a popular picnic spot
2. Jaljalaa - The land moves vigorously as you jump. This is a fun activity with a group [not fun if the land is wet after rains, which was the case with me]
3. The Tibetan Monastery old and new and walking down the camp is worth it. Try some Tibetan food in the small market - freshly made momos were worth the wait !
4. The place offers lovely walks through the fields - paddy, buckwheat,maize are popular in this part of the country.
5.The Tibetan camp 6 also has an organic farm using age old Tibetan farming practices.
Don't Miss: The grain mill cum shop where you can buy locally grown produce - flax seed, flax seed oil, mustard oil, buckwheat flour, chilly paste and much more ..Must try the rice varieties - full of fragrance and taste..
The return journey was not easy as well. I chose to travel to Ranchi instead of the long route to Raipur. But to my surprise the journey was only 5 hour long as per google but the highway was a torture with a mix of good and bad roads filled with potholes. I just lay dead when I reached in the night at the hotel with a backache as I travelled in local ambulance as no taxi was available. The Chanakya, Ranchi is the best bet, the airport is only 15 minutes away. The beauty of the place mesmerises me to this day, untouched, clean, fresh air and surrounding left me refreshed for long .. !
(All pictures courtesy self)
Some tips:
a)Keep enough cash, there is a small SBI bank in Mainpat which does not have an ATM
b)Ensure you get a driver in Annupur who is willing to take you back, else getting a ride back from Mainpat is an expensive affair and difficult due to the security situation in the area*
c)Definitely walk around the place and enjoy the green surroundings. Keep a mosquito repellant handy for mosquitoes though may not be sufficient.
If you are into adventure, this place is worth the visit. If you are interested in checking out some monasteries ‘it’s a tranquil place to be around’.
*Please note due to Naxalite activity this area is considered unsafe from security point of view. Please check the situation and travel.
September, 2017
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