If you think this is another one of those manuals on the A B C of rafting, then prepare to be mistaken. Certainly not meant for the weak at heart, this sport and favorite holiday activity of many people has been extremely popular lately. A management tool par-excellence for group bonding and an even better stress-buster.

White water sport. This is the other terminology used for rafting.

The term derives from the white and foamy appearance of fast flowing water. 

How apt the term is becomes clear when you go into the gorges and see the foamy white water thundering down.

Like trekking, rafting has become one of the most popular activities today. Most travel agencies have included rafting in their itineraries. Although the sport is exciting enough to send our adrenaline into overdrive, what will bring you real contentment will be the leisurely travel through the terrain and the interaction with the locals. 

The best time of the year to go rafting is from the middle of September, stretching through winter, and the beginning of summer to somewhere in April.

You will need a good pair of sneakers and warm clothes for the camp. Rafting will require light and free-fitting clothes. A good water resistant suntan lotion is a must.

River running, as it is also called, generally starts early in the morning and carries on till late evening. Often the camp is set on a secluded part of the banks of the river. Most travel agencies organize good support and filling meals to keep you going for the next day. The excitement can sometimes get a little too much, with seeing the river gushing through the rocks and overpowering everything that comes in its way. Your instincts tell you to jump in and get started at that very moment but that is when you have to listen to your instructor and keep things, including yourself, under strict control. Discipline is of utmost importance as this may be the thin line between keeping you alive and losing your life in the rapids.

Rafting, apart from being a splashing experience, is also a risky sport. Like most other adventure sports, rafting has its processes of grading with respect to the degree of difficulty among other factors. Grading is done for the rapids, which are obstructions formed by rocks in the path of the river. There are 6 grades given to rapids by assessing their degree of difficulty. It starts with Grade 1 being those with small waves with no obstacles. Grade 2 becomes the one with moderate difficulty but with clear passages. Things now take a twist towards the rough with Grade 3, which is difficult with narrow passages and requiring precise maneuvering. Just when you start drawing the line for difficulty, you are in for a surprise in the form of Grade 5, which is extremely difficult and violent and is best left in the hands of experts. In this wake I would certainly not to forget to mention Grade 6, which in simple words is playing with your life.

In spite of all these risks, anyone who is not afraid of water can do rafting. Proper protection and gear and most of all a highly dependable raft can reduce the risk manifold. The best raft would be a rubberized pneumatic 16 footer with metal frames and four paddles. A first timer with this amazing sport can rest assured that a raft is always commanded by well qualified rafters. The guide, being the main navigator, sits in the center. Next in line is being the highsider, who encounters the waves and maintains the balance  so that the ride is a pleasant one. Paddlers are the ones who move the raft along and follow the guide.

It is hard to disagree with the fact that a sport like this has its share of risks, and it  is always better to follow the age old saying of prevention being better than a cure. As far as rafting goes, on the top of the rules of any book will be to blindly listen to your guide. Let the life jacket always be close to you and strap all loose buttons. If the unfortunate does happen and you end in the waters, panicking will get you nowhere, instead keep your cool and allow yourself to float in the direction of the river.

India has always been a favourite location with rafters world over, and no prizes for guessing the chosen spot on our country’s map. While the Ganges in Rishikesh is the preferred one, not far behind are the Indus in Leh and the Brahmaputra in Assam.

Rafting is a great bonding force. Grade 3 rafting creates instant bonds of shared life experiences that memory carries for long afterwards. Having lived though hell and high water it is not easily forgotten. The point that no one would have survived without the entire group working as a cohesive team leaves a mark on the spirit. Executive teams who have rafted together, have been found to become more efficient and productive. Like siblings they even tend protect each other in later life. It is like having a brand new family.  

BY LAWZ BUREAU