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A tropical adventure right in the heart of Madhya Pradesh.
Spending hours on Instagram, and consuming travel reels has finally invoked the traveller in me. And as a banker expecting a heavy last quarter, I was in desperate need of a holiday. But the leaves left in my kitty said otherwise. All I could muster up was a day or two. So here I was sitting in Indore, Madhya Pradesh pushing my dreams of holidaying on a beach with my friends on the shelf once again. But then, I stumbled upon a reel, which enlightened me about Jal Mahotsav. I Googled how far it is from Indore and bam! The next moment, I booked my accommodation at the festival and headed straight to Hanuwantiya.
On my way, I had multiple questions fogging my brain. What exactly is Jal Mahotsav? What will the accommodation be like? What kind of water activities I can expect? I took a deep breath and decided to go ahead. After a short 4-hour drive from Indore, I finally have all the answers to all my burning questions.
So, let’s break it down…
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Jal Mahotsav is a 2-month-long festival that brings water-based activities and attractions to the landlocked state of Madhya Pradesh. Nestled in the backwaters of the Indira Sagar Dam reservoir on the Narmada River, the place is nothing short of a paradise. Hanuwantiya is perfect for those who are craving a tropical getaway but don’t have the liberty of taking a long holiday. The turquoise blue water of the reservoir and the sunny blue sky blend to form an ideal getaway for those who want to escape their mundane life. While the landscape of an authentic beach may be the final missing element, I feel that the beautiful backdrop can capture the essence of a tropical retreat quite well.
Apart from giving you multiple social media-ready photos and reels, the festival brings a lot of water activities like Cruise Ride, Jet Skiing, Bumper Ride, and Banana Ride, along with Tethered Hot Air Ballooning, Para Motoring, Zorbing, Reverse Ejection Bungee, to name a few. I have shared my experience with a few of the activities later in the blog. So read on…
I was speaking to one of the organisers, Kulshreshtha and he gave a very interesting take on how the Jal Mahotsav came to be. He said that the idea for Jal Mahotsav germinated from the desk of the Madhya Pradesh Tourism Department almost a decade ago. Their goal was to create a destination in the state that provided the locals with a break from the hustle and bustle of the big city. Then in 2016, the festival was launched by the then-Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chauhan. It resulted in a ground-breaking effort to promote tourism in Madhya Pradesh. After spending a day at the festival, I think it is safe to say that Jal Mahotsav has found its place in Madhya Pradesh's cultural calendar in a very short period.
The moment I reached the festival, I was greeted with strong gusty winds and cheerful dancers performing folk songs. For those who want to enjoy the festival without staying overnight, they can do so. Since I wanted to relax and get a full experience of Jal Mahotsav, I ensured to book the accommodation beforehand. The festival was divided into three sections: one - the accommodations, i.e. the Tent City; second – the activity zone for both kids and adults; and third – a dedicated zone for water activities. With a welcome drink in my hand, I headed straight to my Delux Tent, which I booked for Rs.6500. After settling in and relaxing for a couple of hours, I headed straight to explore all the water activities.
Frankly, my main goal was to relax as much as I could, but the abundance of activities offered here didn’t let me. Below is a list of activities I could enjoy in the short amount of time I was at the Jal Mahotsav.
Jet Skiing: Jet skiing becomes even more exciting when there is an island with tremendous waves. I was in awe of the fierce waves of Indira Sagar, which made it the ideal place to go jet skiing in MP. Additionally, there is a lot of wind here, which thrills the floor. Prices start at Rs.800/person.
Para Motoring: One of the activities I was not expecting at Jal Mahotsav was Para Motoring. The moment I saw it, I knew I must give this a shot. I booked a long trip at Rs.2500/person and I was speechless. The Birdseye view of Jal Mahotsav was an eye-opener and truly showed me the mammoth size and scale of the festival. Short trips are available at Rs.1750/person.
Water Surfing: After Para Motoring, the agenda on my plate was to check out one of my favourites - water surfing. It is a fine water sport for those without experience, like me. As the surfboat will be securely fastened to the motorboat, you don't need to be concerned about being submerged in water. Just maintain your balance and enjoy the experience.
Once I was done with the water activities, I decided to sit for lunch (more on this later). After I stuffed myself with lip-smacking food I decided to go for a short walk to explore the area. But somehow, I found myself in the line for Rope Swing and Reverse Ejection Bungee. After my second round at Reverse Ejection Bungee, I decided to call it a day with the adventure activities and headed straight for High Tea.
On my way back to my tent, I saw a plethora of activities, which I’d like to give a try next time. There’s a dedicated cruise ride on a houseboat, along with ATV Bike rides, horse riding and more. For kids, there are a plethora of activities like Trampolines, dedicated kid-playing zones, jumping castles, a Micky Mouse clubhouse, a Mini Train, a Toy Helicopter, and several other activities for the little ones.
For all of us with a competitive spirit, there are many games available at Jal Mahotsav. As I was staying for only a day, and had nothing planned for the night, I decided to give my vocal chords a stretch and go for Karaoke. I was surprised to see numerous board games and indoor games to outdoor sports available at the festival. If you are a board games enthusiast, you can find carrom, ludo, chess, and UNO, among others, to indulge in. For the athletes among us, Jal Mahotsava offers Kabbadi, wrestling, table tennis, archery, cricket, bowling and rope games.
Note: Taking a short deviation before I talk about the food situation at Jal Mahotsav, I’d like to inform you all that my accommodation included breakfast and dinner with High Tea. Other lodging options at Jal Mahotsav include a Luxury Tent and a Royal Suite, which are priced at Rs.8500 and Rs.11000 respectively. While the Luxury Tent offers more space than the Delux Tent, if you want to experience the best this festival has to offer then you must check out the Royal Suite. As I was travelling alone, I preferred booking the Delux Tent.
And in case you want to experience the scenic beauty of Hanuwantiya, but cannot visit the place during the Jal Mahotsav, then MP Tourism has got you covered. Apart from the accommodations you can find during the festival, MP Tourism has a slew of permanent cottages facing the reservoir. Jal Mahotsav or not, you can enjoy the scenic tropical beauty of Hanuwantiya any time of the year. But do note that, there won’t be any water activities too making it an ideal place to take a break.
As mentioned earlier, for the guests staying, breakfast and dinner is a part of the package. There’s a huge buffet that offers some of the classic north Indian delicacies be it veg or non-veg options. Classics like Dal Makhni, Shani Paneer and Mix Veg are available, and Butter Chicken, Egg Curry and Chicken Kebabs were the hot-sellers on the non-veg side of things. Those enjoying the festival and don’t intend to stay overnight can always hop in for lunch. The menu remains more or less the same, however, it is priced at Rs.600 (veg) and Rs.800 (non-veg) per person for the buffet.
Pre-Wedding Shoots: With such a scenic backdrop, it was a no-brainer for wedding photographers to opt for this place for pre-wedding shoots. Apart from the Tent City, pre-wedding shoot options are available at Boriya Mal Island and Nagar Beda Island.
Jungle Safari: During Jal Mahotsav, you can experience jungle safari as well. For this, you have to check with officials in advance. It is priced at Rs.1000/person.
Star Gazing: Even though I never miss an opportunity to stargaze, I had to let this one go because of the time crunch. Jal Mahotsav provides Star Gazing activity at Rs. 250/person.
Houseboat: Bringing the experience of backwaters to MP, I was amazed to know that one can book a houseboat at Jal Mahotsav. One can book it for Rs.7500/person or you can enjoy dinner for Rs.1000 or a session of Spa for Rs.300.
Photography Tour: From bird watching to jungle photography at Boriya Mal or Nagar Beda, shutterbugs will surely be delighted with so many options to choose from.
As I headed back to Indore the next morning, I couldn’t help but think about how amazing my experience was at Jal Mahotsav. From not having any knowledge about it to making on-the-spot plans to bidding adieu to a lifetime's worth of memories – the festival turned out to be exactly what I wanted. Needless to say, I’ll be back again next year but this time, I’ll get my friends and family as well.
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