Traveling is good
महावत बोल, साहब वो शेर है, वो डरता नहीं है, यही कही झाड़ियो मे होगा, किस्मत हुई तो फिर दिख जाएगा आप कैमरे हाथ मे रखिये, तब हमें होश आया की फोटो लिए या नहीं, उस वक्त कैमरा मनोज के पास था हम सभी उसके पीछे पड़ गए की उसने फोटो क्यों नहीं लिए, वो बोला, शुक्र मनाओ कि मैंने कैमरा नीचे नहीं फेक दिया, वहां अपना होश नहीं था और आप लोगो को फोटो की पड़ी है।
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साथियों, इस श्रंखला की पिछली पोस्ट में मैने आप लोगों को हमारे ओंकारेश्वर टूर के बारे में बताया था, करीब सात बजे हम लोग…
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This time on the first day of Remembering Rukmini Devi festival we watched drama based on Devi Meenakshi. The dance drama name was “Meenakshi Vijayam”. I was very well aware that photography was not allowed inside the auditorium, but I couldn’t resist myself and just for sharing picture of such a wonderful place I clicked one picture only for the sake of sharing at Ghumakkar.
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This temple is considered in a UNESCO World Heritage site. It was built in 7th century. It is one of the oldest South Indian temples built in Dravidian style. The complex spreads out over a square platform, and comprises three temples, of which two are east and west facing Shiva temples, and the third a Vishnu shrine in the center. The temple has vast open are at the western side. Rows of Nandi form the perimeter wall for this temple. The Shore temple is the lone survivor out of seven such temples , the rest having fallen to the ravages of sea.
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This temple is a very old temple of 8th century. It is famous for its Pallavan Architecture. According to legend, the temple is located on the spot where Brahma, one of the Hindu trinities, installed a Shiva lingam. It is said that the creator or the Hindu Trinity Brahma , originally had five heads, one of which Lord Shiva cut off to arrest his pride. Following which Lord Brahma installed a Shiva lingam to do penance and that is where the temple stands today. This Shiva lingam is known as Kapaleeshwar and is the main nucleus of the temple.
Read MoreDay 2 : Kamptee to Jhansi
Start early morning at 5.00 AM and head toward Chhindwara. This section is mix of good and bad stretches. Reached Chhindwara around 7.00 AM, stopped for a fuel refill and headed toward Narsinghpur. At Chhindwara ask for Narsighpur direction, I remember as soon as we cross the railway crossing within Chhindwara town took Left road and head toward Narsinghpur(a small direction board for Narsinghpur is placed at railway crossing which is not visible). I loved this section after Chhindwara. Like good road even single lane road, ghats section, Jungle, a lot of villages on road side. Be careful at Ghats section as usually people drive fast on these types of ghats section. Please check out your speed and same time be very careful from vehicle which is coming from other end. Ghats road end before entering Narsinghpur. Road from Narsinghpur to Babina is good. Careful with diversion, cases where need to drive on wrong direction. Full of heavy trucks. Bypass Sagar and Lalitpur. Keep following Jhansi. Road from Babina to Jhansi is horrible, Need to enter Babina town which is really horrible. Road condition is very bad till Jhansi. A lot of local traffic between Babina and Jhansi. Stretch of around 25 KM. Reached Jhansi around 5.30 PM and took night halt. During night while roaming in Jhansi got the route map to exist Jhansi and follow Gwalior. Total drive time = 12 Hrs. KM drive = Approx 640 KM, toll around = Rs 200
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Once you cross the MP border and enter Maharashtra, the real pain begins. The border was a stretch of non existent roads with craters all over it. To add more to misery, there was a RTO checkpost which was checking the trucks and had created a huge Jam at this place.
After crossing the border, roads were bad, though there was tar on top but sudden potholes do surprise you and take a hit on your suspension.
After around 30 Kms from there, 4 lane road started which took me straight to Nagpur byepass. Paid my toll @ Mansar, and drove down the Nagpur byepass. I had initial plan of taking a stoppage at Nagpur and then start afresh from there, but never found any boards inviting me inside Nagpur, and I reached the next toll gate which was outside Nagpur. Now I had covered more than 250 Kms and wanted to have some rest but there were no dhabas or motels available.
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Before entering the main gate, get off at Mathura Road and enter the lake area. You can take the kids out boating. But you have more serious things to do. You walk towards the looming Talaaqi Gate. This gate like the others is also capped with chattris and protected with bastions. Walk along the ramparts on the right with the rim of the lake on your right. Once the moat probably ran around the fort but now is limited to the western flank. Just make some noise walking so that you do not startle love birds cooing in the bushes.
Shergarh is a sprawling compound bound by walls on all sides. There are three gates: The Western Gate for entering is called Bada Darwaza flanked with mighty bastions, Northern Gate is called the Talaaqi Darwaza or the Forbidden Gate and the Southern Gate is called Humayun Gate. Humayun Gate is the signature symbol of Purana Qila with the two ubiquitous pavilions on top. At the foot is an amphitheatre where the Light and Sound show about Seven Cities of Delhi is played out in the evenings.
This place is located nearly 1364 Meter above the sea level . The Kempty Falls, surrounded by high mountain ranges and located at a high altitude of 4500 feet, is a good place for picnic or for spending a couple of hours listening to the music of water in the midst of the Greenery which cover the surroundings This waterfall attracts many tourists particularly from plain areas. Located at a distance of 15 KM from Mussoorie town , it can be visited by conducted tour or by taking a shared taxi near Gandhi chowk taxi stand. We opted for shared taxi.
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We were really not sure what 6000 ft actually means, so after every 10-15 minutes we used to think Mussorie has come. But we were still not at Mussorie. Then at one particular point we saw a board Mussorie welcomes you and after sometime we reached at a place where there was number of taxi and it was the last point i.e. Mussorie. Weather was now little cold. We had covered our son with sweater and shawl and got down from taxi. We asked for the route to our hotel and a taxi person guided us to a staircase and then to the road. We paid charges to Taxi and was carrying our luggage.
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शाम करीब ७ बजे हम लोग औंकारेश्वर पहुंच गये। औंकारेश्वर में ठहरने के लिये हमेशा हमारी पहली प्राथमिकता होती है श्री गजानन महाराज संस्थान यात्री निवास, तो हमने सीधी राह पकड़ी संस्थान की और कुछ ही देर में हम संस्थान के सामने खड़े थे।
स्वागत कक्ष पर कुछ जरूरी औपचारीकतायें पुर्ण करने के बाद हमें हमारे कमरे की चाबी मिल गई। हमारा कमरा यात्री निवास नंबर ४ में था. अब चुंकी बहुत जोरों की भुख लगी थी अत:निर्णय लिया गया की सबसे पहले भोजन किया जाये। यहां यह बता देना सही रहेगा की श्री गजानन महाराज संस्थान के हर यात्री निवास में किफ़ायती दर पर भोजन की व्यवस्था होती है, चुंकी हम पहले भी श्री गजानन संस्थान (शेगांव) में रह चुके थे तथा भोजन भी कर चुके थे और वहां हमें भोजन बहुत पसंद आया था अत: हमने आज भी भोजन यहीं भोजनालय में करने का निश्चय किया और चल पड़े भोजनालय की ओर।
खाना सचमुच बड़ा स्वादिष्ट था, ३० रु. में थाली जिसमें दो सब्जी, रोटी, दाल, चावल तथा एक मिष्ठान्न के रुप में हलुवा……शुद्ध सात्वीक भोजन और हमें क्या चाहिये था? सो भरपेट करने के बाद हम लोग अपने रुम में आकर थोड़ी देर के लिये लेट गये। अब हमें ओंकारेश्वर मंदिर में शयन आरती में शामिल होना था जो की रात नौ बजे शुरु होती है. इस समय साढे आठ बज रहे थे और यही समय था शयन आरती के लिये निकलने का, अत: हम लोग मन्दीर जाने के लिये तैयार होने लगे.
चुंकि वातावरण में बहुत ठंडक थी अत: बच्चे तो इस समय बाहर निकलने में आनाकानी कर रहे थे लेकिन उन्हें हमने चलने के लिये मना ही लिया और अन्तत: हम लोग उनी कपड़े वगैरह पहनकर अपने रुम से बाहर निकल गये। बाहर सचमुच बहुत ठंड थी और हमें तो नर्मदा नदी पर बने झुला पूल से होकर ओंकारेश्वर मन्दीर की ओर जाना था जहां और ज्यादा ठंड लगने की संभावना थी।
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As weather was hot, this ride was giving us good relief from heat. For first 15-20 minutes it was just like a normal cruise experience similar to Mumbai Gateway of India cruise ride or cruise ride at Rameswaram. But we were happy as kids were enjoying this ride with lots of space to sit as well as to run inside the boat and to see sparkling water.On our way we got to see many boats like country type, Russian yacht etc.
Although, it was a pleasant journey but I didn’t find it worth or it’s not value for money. Boat sailor but surely took us at the midst of sea and we saw numbers of Dolphin fish. Watching Kochi Harbour, Bolgatty island resort and Dolphin were good experience. Chinese Fishing net is an icon for Kochi but I didn’t find anything interesting watching that. The total time we spent here was 02 hours and we found it tiring. We came back to Marine Drive. Marine drive is a nice hangout place with many eatery joints.We had some light lunch and icecreams and came back to our friends place at 1730 hrs.
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