Touching the Heart of India

[abbey4u]

This was a trip long due. I wanted to travel to my parent place (posted in Chattisgarh) very dearly and that too on a road drive.

Some planning:

The itenary:

Delhi > Lucknow (Inlaws place) > Manendragarh (CG)(Parents Place) > Khajuraho (MP)(Short overnight Halt with some sightseeing) > Delhi

The Route:

1. Delhi > Lucknow (490 Kms): Via hapur, Moradabad, Rampur, Bareily, Sitapur
2. Lucknow > ManendraGarh (650 Kms):Via Allahabad, Rewa, Shahdol, Anuppur, ManendraGarh
3. ManendraGarh > Khajuraho (450 Kms): Via Anuppur, Shahdol, Govindgarh Near Rewa, Satna, Panna
4. Khajuraho > Delhi (650 Kms): Via Chattarpur, Jhansi, Gwalior, Agra, Mathura

The Vehicle:

Safari Dicor 2.2

The Partners (Humsafar)

Me, Wify, Ekaksha (2 Years old traveller: To the record he has travelled more than 10K kms on Road itself, leave the other modes), The Driver

The Journey (Safar)

Day 1

Delhi to lucknow Via Muradabad: I did a big mistake by chossing this, as the condition was really bad. We started on Saturday morning 5th July at around 6 AM. As soon we crossed Hapur bypass, the rain god started puring himself, and this trend almost continued till lucknow. The drive was okay but nothiing to write about except some information for other fellow travellers that the condition is not really good. There are sme works of 4 laning going on between Delhi to Moradabad (we all know since last 5 years) and work has also started at Sitapur Lucknow stretch. So people travelling to LKO should either catch the train or follow the Kanpur road.

At around 5 in the evening we reached our Destination 1.

Day 2

As planned this was our day of meeting relatives etc and some rest.

Day 3

Early morning we started at 5 and this was journey on the way where i never went before. Road from LKO to Allahabad was fine with some bad patches in between. We reached Allahabad at 8.30 and after some refuelling (Both the Car and People on it), we decided to have a glimpse of Sangam. A nice feeling prevalied as soon we saw the vast waterbodies. Being off time it was nice to be at such a place with calm of the nature. Ofcourse pandits etc are always at your back for some puja etc etc etc.

Now its time to move on. We took a left turn on the Rewa Road with a brdge over Ganges. Wow Road so nice, four Lane. I couldn't believe it. I confessed to my wife, Daal mein Kuch Kaala hai). After around 10 kms my wife said Puri Daal hi kaali hai. There were watebodies on the middle of raod with muds all over. only thing missing were fishing nets. Lol..

but thankfuly the situation constinues only fo the next 8-10 Kms. After that the roads were Okay with some bad patches. Now we started getting hungry, We had a cup of tea at Lucknow and its already 11. Surprisingly there were no Dhabas between lucknow to Allahabad catering to Private Vehicle passengers. The ones found were only for trucks drivers. We had no option but to have some junk bakery product we had kept for snacks.

We reached rewa at around 2.30 PM. and everybody's face started dispaying their hunger. Hurray, we found one resto cum Dhaba at rewa. But he said that some private paty going on and sorry. After some talk and convincing him how badly we need food, he agreed to serve. At 3.15 journey contnued again.

This was the stretch we loved, Beaty all around, Some Ghatis, greenery and good road condition with sparse traffic on it. The next stretch of 165 Kms was covered in 2.30 hrs. Something to watch out for, Never expect the catteles to clear away from roads when your speeding car approaches them. And follow the same pattern to loacl public. I had a few instances when i continuously honkedand was expcting a clear road ahead but ....

At Shahdol we took a small halt for a tea break and final stretch of th journey continues. We reached home at around 8.30 in the evening.

Day 4, Day 5, Day 6

Lazed around

Day 7

At 7 Am in the morning we started again for our return journey. We passed the same stretch till near rewa were we took a left turn to Satna. The next 25 kms were simply bad road. After that the roads till Khajuraho passed some beauty and the beast of Panna tiger reserve and sanctuary. At around 4 in the evening we checked in Ramada at Khajuraho. Nice hotel and a few kms away from Western Group of Temples.

We went ahead and visited the temples in the evening itself. Actually the work on the temple is marvellous. Its time to get some sleep.

Day 8

The Started at 6 Am. The road till chattarpur is okay after which you wll find some good ones. 10 O'clock at Jhansi we took our breakfast and contnues ahead. Some mix condition of roads with rivers passing by and many small Dams on our way. An overall nice drive. My only target since I started from CG, that I should pass the stretch of Jhansi till Agra in the daylight an hence I took a halt at Khajuraho.

So we were at agra passing by Gwalior at around 4. Took some food and hit the road again. We were at faridabad at around 7.30 and it rained a little while earlier so a huge traffic at Badarpur, Finally w reached home at 12 midnight.

Everybody was down and out but on a whole we loved this road drive and would like to have a similar one again very soon.

[Saurabh M]

Excellent writeup Abbey. Chattishgarh has always been a facsinating place and what can be better than exploring it on wheels. The Safari Dicor 2.2 is meant for these journeys.

[phamilyman]

naish. its the 3 Lt no....

tha said, how is the trip to lucknow like - safe at night? how many of those km are bad? or is the route via kanpur better?

[abbey4u]

Originally Posted by phamilyman

naish. its the 3 Lt no....

tha said, how is the trip to lucknow like - safe at night? how many of those km are bad? or is the route via kanpur better?

Its a 2.2. the road is lucknow is patchy as road contruction is going on many places. Would prefer via kanpur now onwards

[VJ_MAVRICK]

Good concise report with excellent pics there abbey4u bhai. keep them coming.