For me it was a sort of nostalgic trip as i was posted in MP and UP while in Army. This trip was also a sort of reunion with some old pals after 25 years!!
It all started with a our curiosity to visit Banaras - that's what locals in UP still call the city - which we have been planning for last three years. Then we decided to club it with other places around it like Khajuraho, Bandhavgarh etc.
We made elaborate plans in the last three years to visit Banaras and somehow or the other, we couldn't make it. We were ready to kick off last year but Ayodhya verdict and possible repercussions out of it held us back.
Some quick facts to start withDate - 24 Sep 2011 to 09 Oct 2011
Total distance covered - 6752 KMs
The route - Bangalore - Pune - Shirdi - Dhar - Mandu - Maheshwar - Indore - Ujjain - Bhopal - Sanchi - Khajuraho - Allahabad - Banaras (Varanasi) - Ayodhya - Lucknow - Orchha - Udaipur - Ahmedabad - Pune - Bangalore
Passengers on Travel - Self and Brinda. Me driving through out.
Highlights of the trip
1. No breakdowns. No flat tyres.
2. Quick darshan in Shirdi
3. Sunrise cruise in Banaras, Sun set at Orchha
4. Magical Mandu, Magnificent Khajuraho
5. Sights of Udaipur palace at Night from Amet Haveli
6. Coconut Patties, Ghamandi Lassi, Bhuuta Ki Khees and Dahi vada in Indore; Suleimani chai, Poha & Jalebi in Bhopal, Blue lassi, Poori Chole & jalebi, mita chaat, Banarasi paan in Banaras, Gujarati dinner in Agashye
7. Excellent roads - Dewas-Bhopal, Jhansi - Udaipur, Baroda - Ahmedabad, Pune - Mumbai
8. The maze of gullies in Banaras and meeting with Aghora
9. Nawabi Lucknow and Mayavati ki Lucknow!!
10. Maheshwari sarees, Banaras sarees, Mirzapur carpets, Lucknow chicken work
Lowlights
1. Bad roads - NH 86 between Sanchi and Sagar (virtually no road at all), Diversions on NH 3 after Dhule, Bye pass under construction in Kanpur to connect NH 1
2. Driving in towns of MP and UP - Where road discipline is unheard of
3. Traffic in Banaras - Driving is beliving in Banaras!
I am attaching some snapshots of the trip for a starter!
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| Magical Mandu after Monsoons |
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| Maheshwar - The Narmada Ghat |
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| Stupa No 1 @ Sanchi - 3 Century BC |
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| Magnificent Kandhari Mahadeva Temple - Khajuraho |
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| Trapeze of beautiful Sculptures @ Khajuraho |
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| Life on Banks of Ganga in Banaras in the morning!! |
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| Spectacular Ganga Arati @ night in Banaras |
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| Silhouettes of Chattris @ Sunset in Orchha |
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| Surreal picture of trees in Madhava Sagar lake in Shivpuri |
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| Udaipur Palace complex |
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| Udaipur palace @ night - As seen from Amet Haveli |
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| Bhojeshwar Temple with Tallest Shiva Ling in the world |
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| Taj-ul-masjid in Bhopal - one of the largest mosques in Asia |
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| Quiet flows River Ken in Panna National park |