Canoe Stories | Chandan Lahiri

Water has been a source of life for people through the generations and ancient civilisations have prospered around rivers and lakes. Apart from being the country with the longest coastline, India is a country that has a lot of rivers and lakes. Some of the mightiest, longest, highest and holiest water bodies are found in this ancient land. And lying along the shores are some awesome sights. From tropical forests to exotic flora and fauna. Ancient places of worship to tribes that continue to live according to age old customs and traditions.

There is probably no better way to experience this beautiful and wonderful planet than through the eyes of a small and slow boat floating along the waters of the many rivers, lakes, seas and oceans. That is what we plan to do in CANOE STORIES.

CANOE STORIES is a series of journeys that takes me along the many waterways dotted around the country, and around the world. Not just from the point of a view as a canoeist, but from the perspective of a traveller to the region. What to do, what to see, places to visit, the food, the culture, the people, the music and the history.

All the journeys will be made on an inflatable canoe, the Sea Eagle TC16. The purpose is to raise awareness about the increasing pollution facing our oceans, rivers, and ponds and the depletion in fresh water resources around the world.

More rivers and lakes will be added as more CANOE STORIES are told. For the immediate future, some of the rivers and lakes that I plan to take my canoe down are as follows:

Thanks to the Himalayan range standing sentinel to the North of the country, and the biannual monsoons that visit India with such ferocity and frequency, there are hundreds of wonderful lakes that dot the country. Most of these lakes are set in gorgeous surroundings and many of the locations around the lakes have developed into tourist destinations. Below are just some of the lakes around India that I plan to paddle. Obviously, there are many many more that are in the wish list and will be added as time goes by.

Uttarakhand is a State in North India, at the foothills of the Himalayas. It is green, it is gorgeous and it is dotted with many beautiful lakes. The plan is to paddle across as many of the lakes as possible that exist in this awesome State.

Bhopal is the capital of the Central Indian State of Madhya Pradesh and is aptly called the City of Lakes. There are two main lakes in the city, Upper Lake and Lower Lake. The Upper Lake is now known as Bhojtal, lies on the western side of the city and is a major source of drinking water for the residents. Bhojtal, also known as Bada Talaab, along with the nearby Chhota Talaab constitute the Bhoj Wetland, now a Ramsar site. Canoe Stories: Bhopal will be staged on the Upper Lake or Bhojtal. This will also be the venue for Paddlemania, an attempt at the longest distance canoed in 6 and 12 hours respectively.

Chilika Lake is a brackish water lagoon in Odisha, on the east coast of India, flowing into the Bay of Bengal, covering an area of over 1,100 km². It is the largest coastal lagoon in India and the second largest in the world, and the largest wintering ground for migratory birds in the Indian sub-continent. CANOE STORIES CHILIKA will cover the many attractions around the Chilika Lake ... Mangalajodi, Rambha Bay, Becon Island, Breakfast Island, Honeymoon Island, Barkuda Island, Somolo and Dumkudi islands, Birds island, Parikud, Kalijai Temple, Satapada, Barunkuda, Nabagraha, Chourbar Shiva Temple, Manikpatna, Bhabakundeswar temple, Sea Mouth, etc. Dates for this is yet to be decided. Stay tuned.

Sikkim, India's second smallest and least populous State lies cocooned between China to its north and east, Bhutan to its east, Nepal to its west and the Indian state of West Bengal to its south. Sikkim is notable for its biodiversity, including alpine and subtropical climates. It is host to Mt Kanchenjunga, the highest peak in India and third highest on Earth. Sikkim also has some of the prettiest high altitude lakes in the world and four of the prettiest are going to narrate the CANOE STORIES - (1) Tsongmo Lake, (2) Green Lake, (3) Gurudongmar Lake, and (4) Tso Lhamo.

Rajasthan lies to the West of India, is a border State adjoining Pakistan, and is India's largest desert. Known for the valour of the kings of yore, even today the Rajputs form a formidable contingent in the Indian Armed Forces. However, even though Rajasthan is a desert, there are many lakes dotted around the State, many man-made by the erstwhile rulers to alleviate the water stress faced by the citizens. I plan to paddle as many lakes as possible in this beautiful State.

Lahaul & Spiti district of Himachal Pradesh consists of the two formerly separate districts of Lahaul and Spiti. The administrative centre is in Keylong. The14,931 feet high Kunzum Pass, 21 km from Chandra Tal, is the entrance to Spiti. The two valleys are quite different in character. Spiti is more barren and difficult to cross, with an average elevation of 14,009 ft. It is a typical mountain desert area with an average annual rainfall of only 6.7 inches. It is the fourth least populous district in India. Lahaul & Spiti has some incredibly beautiful lakes and the three that are currently featuring in the CANOE STORIES are: (1) Chandra Tal, (2) Deepak Tal, and (3) Suraj Tal.

Ladakh, literally translated as the land of high passes, is also the land with some of the most breathtaking lakes in India. One of the most sparsely populated regions in India, Ladakhi culture and history is closely related to that of Tibet. Ladakh is renowned for its remoteness, some of the highest mountains in the world, its people, culture and music. This region is also unfortunately the geography of many a conflict between India and China, as well between India and Pakistan. Some of the lakes that will be a part of the CANOE STORIES in Ladakh are: (1) Tso Moriri, (2) Tso Kar, (3) Pangong Tso and (4) Mirpal Tso.

Dal is a lake in Srinagar, the summer capital of Jammu and Kashmir and is named the Jewel in the crown of Kashmir. The shoreline is about 15.5 kilometres, encompassed by a boulevard lined with Mughal era gardens and parks built during the reign of Mughal Emperor Jahangir. The lake, including its floating gardens, covers an area of over 20 square kilometres. The floating gardens blossom with lotus flowers during July and August. The wetland is divided by causeways into four basins; Gagribal, Lokut Dal, Bod Dal and Nagin. Lokut-dal and Bod-dal each have an island in the centre, known as Char Chinari and Sona Lank respectively.

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The canoe is a magical and romantic vessel. It is not just for transportation, it means so much more to the people who have used canoes over the centuries. It originated in Canada, with the First Nations people and has developed over the years to encompass modern people with its magic.