A painting that launched a 4000 km drive | Caves, Forts and a Fortuner

 

Forts and Fortuner


The cave Painting that sowed the seeds


A 4000Km drive

Pack your bags and plan a road trip with family its December! December holidays in the recent years have been road trips blame it on covid or the sky high air ticket prices. The kind of holiday travel I look forward to- the open road, car reverberating with music (mostly restricted to what my daughters choose), chai breaks along the highway Dabha's. Road trips shows what it actually means to enjoy the ride more than the destination. This year we veered towards Central India.


Chai break at a roadside Dabha


Why not we are on a road trip can take as many breaks as we need

The Plan: It was History textbooks again , elder daughter was reading about the ancient cave paintings (Bhimbetka rock shelters) and it was close to Bhopal and I told them the story of my first train journey on my own without any adult supervision.

As a 17year old, had to attend the SSB (Service Selection Board) in Bhopal, this was early 90's when one goes to the railway station ticket booking counter, computerized yes but one has to go there physically to get it done . It was a thrilling experience to travel from Bangalore to Bhopal by Indian Railways General compartment an experience to remember forever the return was also by same mode along with friends made at the SSB over the 5 days stay. This train journey was also the impetus for the hodophile in me to wake up, post this my journeys have taken me to multiple continent's and countries. I am no Pico Iyer but have great experiences to pen down a few books.

Put the two together a plan to MP was firmed up. Added Sanchi, Jabalpur, Orchha, Gwalior and Jhansi to the itinerary.



The Preparation:

• Car was serviced about 2 months back for the 20k, and it had done only 3k after that.
• Ad Blue topped up
• Mi Air Compressor 1S (it’s a good light weight has helped me twice in the past to get to the nearest puncture repair shop)
• Dug up our winter clothes (after the Spiti trip they had gone back to the attic)
• Spotify offline music/audio books

The Machine: Toyota Fortuner 2021 4x2 AT Diesel


The People: Me , Wife, Daughters


The Itinerary:


There are many travelogues in this forum which detail the places you should visit at each location, I don’t plan to describe them here in great detail listing some useful tips, the fun part is the planning + reading up the travels of others.

Fuel Economics:
Total Fuel: ~337 L
Total Fuel cost: ~INR 32k
Total Distance Done: 406 4KM
Milage: ~12 KMPL
Fuel price: AP was the highest (98.76) and Karnataka the lowest (87.91)

Toll:
Gates crossed: 60
Amount Paid: Rs. 5690
Toll Cost Approximately Rs. ~1.4/km

DAY1: Bangalore to Nagpur
Distance Travelled: 1098 KM
Hotel: Le Meridien

• A longish drive as the route is very familiar it was an easy one. We stopped every 3 hours for the blood to flow through the legs. Started at 5:30AM and we reached Nagpur hotel by 8:30PM.
• Took 4 breaks breakfast, lunch (Paradise) and 2 coffee breaks to break the monotony. Roads were excellent all the way through.
• The hotel is close to the highway so works best for us as we don’t have to enter the city.
• There were many places to eat close to the hotel but we just got lazy after a long drive so had dinner at the Hotel Restaurant.

You never know what you will see


Cruise Mode whenever possible

DAY2: Nagpur to Jabalpur
Distance Travelled: 338 KM
Hotel: MPT Kalchuri Residency

We started early as the plan was to see the places in Jabalpur before we retire for the day. The list was long and we wanted to check all of them. The roads were excellent and the weather too helped.


When in MH Poha is a must

• The main highlight is the ropeway view of the waterfalls would recommend that you get this done the first thing in your list.
• Also would suggest you go to the 'New Bhedaghat' side as the crowd is much less and lots of parking space.

The boat ride and the jokes they crack through their limerick was interesting but one has to have a depth of Hindi to better appreciate it.



Next stop was Madan Mahal a few steps of climb , Balancing Rock is also next door to this .

The other highlight was the food, as we had a local friend he had some recommendations and also the order of eating. Hygiene factor needs to be overlooked  at these eateries. The Fuhara market was a short drive but you need to park the car at some distance away and then walk or take an electric auto to the crowded and narrow streets.


Fuhara Market Jabalpur


Badkul Khoya Jalebi


Kesar Milk

The last activity for the day was the Narmada Aarti at Gwarighat we headed to this place after our visit to the eateries, regardless of the religious affiliations this can be witnessed and enjoyed. Warning: Don’t park your car on the road to the ghat as it gets crowded as the night progresses and it was a massive jam by 8PM. Luckily we had decided to park at the very beginning of the road to enjoy the walk, turned out to be blessing + got the exercise done after all the food we ate.





DAY3: Jabalpur to Gwalior ( via Jhansi)
Distance Travelled: 471 KM
Hotel: Park Inn by Radisson

If I say I have tested the size of my car with the width of the narrow streets of Jhansi it would be an understatement. In Jhansi many main roads were closed and google map took us through the markets of Jhansi and I was scared if I would go into the side ditches or rub against the shops / people. We were blessed as no car coming from the opposite side, so we did have narrow escapes on even narrower roads! Lesson learnt never trusts Google maps blindly but what's the other alternate??

The Jhansi Fort and Museum was crowded so we decided to do it on the way back and headed straight to Gwalior.

Evening we went to the Gwalior fort but the Sound and Light show is non-operational since Covid , they are upgrading it to a Laser show. Tentative date for restart is Apr 2023


We were at the same Dabha in Apr 2022 for our Spiti Trip

DAY4: Gwalior
Distance Travelled: 94 KM
Hotel: Park Inn by Radisson

Today was all local travel in the first half was the Gwalior city sights. The fort has ample Parking space.
Gwalior fort do take a guide they have English speaking ones also , they give hidden insights and stories of the forts which are very interesting.


Gwalior Fort


Strike a Pose


Rock Cut Jain Temples

Second half the main highlight was the Bateshwar group of Temples, it’s a short drive from the city , would suggest this to be on the top of your list in Gwalior - Don’t Miss it. This can be combined with the Mitawali temple Ekattarso Mahadev Mandir (this is the second Chausath Yogini Temple after the one in Jabalpur)


Chausath Yogini Temple


Chausath Yogini Temple


Bateshwar group of Temples


All the girls of the trip


Sunset @ Bateshwar

DAY5: Gwalior to Orchha ( via Jhansi)
Distance Travelled: 125 KM
Hotel: MPT Sheesh Mahal

A short drive today.

It was a successful Jhansi trip we were able to go to the Fort and Museum.

Post that we headed to Orchha. Our second MPT stay in this trip and this time our hotel was in the palace and one of the places to see in the to do list! Jehangir Mahal was steps away.

Attended the Sound and Light show and got a deeper appreciation for the history of the Bundelas. The English show is at 630PM.


DAY6: Orchha
Distance Travelled: 0 KM
Hotel: MPT Sheesh Mahal

Local Orchha today, all places are walking distance from the hotel so the car had a rest day. Afternoon we took an electric auto for the places we walked in the morning to enjoy the ride!

Orchha has a very bohemian and laid back ambience somehow reminds me of the old Hampi (in the 90's before it came in the tourist radar).
This place needs to be visited for a more extended "nothing to do" holiday and appreciate the views at leisure of the Cenotaphs from the Betwa river.





I would highly recommend folks to add this place to your next travel itinerary . Let the photos do the talking of this place


Kalpa Vriksha


Cenotaphs


Early morning minus the crowd




How do they last this long?


Sistine chapel?


Liked the Art Work


Empty Streets to the Ghats






Colorful Murals


Jehangir Mahal


Betwa River View

DAY7: Orchha to Bhopal ( via Sanchi)
Distance Travelled: 391 KM
Hotel: Radisson Hotel

Our first stop for the day was Udayagiri Caves, reached in the afternoon as we started late in the day after breakfast at Orchha, they have locked all the caves so one has to see the statues through an iron net, wish they could replace it with clear glass so we could better appreciate it.




Tracing the oldest Ganesha Cave No.6



Next stop was Sanchi Stupa, this was one of the photos I remember seeing it in our Social Science textbooks and yes now in the Rs.200 note. Parking is available in plenty near the stupas. The museum is next to the ticketing counter but vehicle parking is haphazard.



Tropic of Cancer we made sure we got a photo op here, in Kutch Gujarat we had missed the milestone.



It was late by the time we reached the Hotel with Bhopal evening traffic. Impressed by the wide roads.

DAY8: Bhopal
Distance Travelled: 106 KM
Hotel: Radisson Hotel

Morning we left for Bhimbetka, this was the drive we were looking forward to, the cave paintings that sowed the seeds of this trip.
It's an hour's drive from Bhopal ,the entry fee was Rs.75 for a 4 wheeler. Its 2km from the forest check post.
We took our time to spot the paintings and appreciate the Paleolithic and Mesolithic periods. Our kids were able to teach us as its still fresh from their mid-term exams.


Boar and Elephant


Elephant


Warriors on Horses

The second half of the day was visiting the two museums:

• MP Tribal museum - If you have time only for one activity then make it this one
• Indira Gandhi Rashtriya Manav Sangrahalaya - open air Anthropology museum vehicle is a must as the exhibits are spread across a large area

Indira Gandhi Museum


Masks Display


Chats at Tribal Museum

Evening was visit to the Upper Lake followed by Dinner at Manohar Dairy Restaurant
Best part of Bhopal parking was not an issue at all , in spite of the holiday crowd there were many slots.

DAY9: Bhopal to Hyderabad
Distance Travelled: 878 KM
Hotel: Le Meridien

New Year's eve the hotel was loud and many parties in progress, we got a quiet room on the top floor so could get some good rest.

Needs a good wash

DAY10: Hyderabad to Bangalore
Distance Travelled: 563 KM
Hotel: Home Sweet Home , Last day of the travel always reminds me of Frank Sinatra's song-"It’s Nice to Go Travelling"

It's very nice to go travelling
To Paris London and Rome
It's oh so nice to go travelling
But it's so much nicer, yes it's so much nicer to come home

The Good: MPT Hotels Never realized Government run hotels can be this good. In all my travels over the decades we have consciously avoided Govt. hotels. The service quality was outstanding , the employees made sure we got the best service. Rooms were also very spacious and comfortable.

The Bad: Windshield cracked due to the "pebble" from the road, a small crack in the center, happened on the last day. Have a another trip to Kerala so will get it changed after that.

Once again a big thanks to all the folks in this forum who share their travel experiences . Until the next road trip.

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