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Centuries
ago, when man first began to look up at the sky and wonder what lay
above him, he’s been captive to an inherent urge to fly- to soar
above and see what the earth looks like from way up there. Whether
it’s mythical Daedalus, or his unfortunate son, Icarus, whose wax
wings melted in the heat of the sun; whether it’s tales of angels
and cherubs, flying gods and winged deities, world mythology has
always reflected mankind’s desire to take to the skies.
Aeroplanes,
zeppelins, hot air balloons and helicopters have all been a
fulfilment of this desire.
But
if you really want to go off on your own, and not as part of a crowd of
people, aerial sports- hang gliding, paragliding and parasailing are what
you should be doing. Soaring along on your own (and having chance encounters
with curious birds!), getting a bird’s eye view of a stunning landscape-
that’s what aerial sport is all about.
Aerial
sport, as a part of adventure travel, has only recently gained any level of
popularity in India. A number of places, both in Himalayan and peninsular
India, are suitable for gliding, but have little infrastructure or rescue
facilities to speak of. For the time being, therefore, we’re listing only
the places where aerial sports facilities do exist, adequate enough to
ensure that you’re safe and have a good time.
When
to go
When you go gliding or parasailing depends upon where you go.
By and large, summer is when the Himalayan sites- those in Himachal, for
instance- are at their best; and winter is when the sites in peninsular
India can be used for aerial sports. The Nilgiris tend to get chilly during
the winter, and although it is possible to go gliding during this time,
summer is generally much more suitable.
The
only time aerial sports come to a standstill is during the monsoon, when
wind and rain can make it a dangerous activity.
What
to bring
Warm clothing and a windcheater are a must, as the higher you rise, the
lower the temperature falls, and it can get quite cold. Make sure you’re
wearing sturdy ankle-support shoes, long trousers, and gloves. A pair of
sunglasses and a liberal splash of suntan lotion are highly recommended too.
Whatever
you need in the way of bedding and other `essentials’- mineral water,
food, medicines, etc- will depend upon where you’re going. Larger cities
and towns like Ooty, Bangalore, Mumbai and Manali have virtually everything
you’ll need, but if you’re headed further out, to Billing and smaller
places, it makes sense to carry stuff you can’t do without.
Training
Much more training is required for aerial sports than for a number of other
sports like trekking or swimming. Both paragliding and hang gliding need a
few days’ training, in which trainees are taught the essentials of rigging
up and dismantling a glider, aerodynamics, air safety, wind and land
conditions, and so on. Theoretical training is followed by dry runs, then by
short hops which do not rise high in the air and cover very short distances.
Even when you’ve learnt gliding, it’s best to go for short, easy glides
in the beginning, and graduate to more difficult and higher ones later.
Parasailing, in comparison, requires less training and can be enjoyed even
by novices.
Physical
fitness is top priority for anybody who’s keen on aerial sports. You’ve
got be in good condition, and not overweight. Suffering from vertigo is
obviously a no-no when it comes to aerial sports.
A
few institutions in India offer training in paragliding and hang gliding and
other aerial sports. The length of courses varies, with private companies
offering a short 4-day course which just about manages to get you flying.
What’s recommended, instead, is a good course from a reputed association
which specialises in aerial sports training. Some of these organisations
include:
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Mumbai
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Nirvana
Adventures, 2-A, Takshashila Apts, Tagore Rd, Santacruz (West),
Mumbai 400054.
Tel: 91-22-6493110, 91-22-6053724
The Western India Paragliding Association, 14 Percy, I C
Colony, Borivali West
(Tel: 893 6184)
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Manali
(Himachal Pradesh)
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Himalayan
Institute of Adventure Sports
C/o Himalayan Adventures (P) Ltd
The Mall (Tel: 53050)
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Bangalore
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The
Aeronautical Society of India, 9 Suranjan Das Road, New
Thippasandra Post
(Tel: (080) 5297159/ 5286721.
and
Karnataka Mountaineering Association,
No 307, 3rd Cross, 5th Main
(Tel: 080-2269053)
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The
Sports
Aerial sports can be divided into six types: hang gliding, paragliding,
parasailing, skydiving, hot air ballooning and bungee jumping. Of these
aerial sports, only hang gliding, paragliding and parasailing are popular
enough in India to be offered as an adventure option by organisers. Bungee
jumping, skydiving and ballooning are very limited in scope and are
currently available only in large metros like Delhi and Mumbai; furthermore,
the infrastructure for these hasn’t been developed sufficiently. But, hold
on- a few more years, and they’ll catch up too!
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