[laluks]

"When a person really desires something, all the universe conspires to help that person to realize his dream" says Paulo Coelho in Alchemist.

And so says SRK in Om Shanti Om "Agar kisi cheez ko dil se chaaho to puri kayanat usey tumse milane ki koshish mein lag jaati hai"

My dream to be at the Kumbh Mela, against all odds finally materialized and I can only say how true these words are.

On a lazy Saturday I got a call from my BIL updating me about his new assignment, and how he will be occupied for the next couple of years. He just asked me why don't you just come over to Delhi, lets go to the Kumbh Mela. The dream which was buried some where down in my mind, when heard from my BIL I was thrilled. But then commitments at work and home pulled me back, and I played it down.

I could not but sit and ponder, a dream that I carried, which I buried deep down in my mind, why is it that I am given a choice, and that too just out of the blue?

Is it destiny?

Again Paulo Coelho and Alchemist came to my mind - "Making a decision was only the beginning of things. When someone makes a decision, he is really driving into a strong current that will carry him to places he had never dreamed of when he first made the decision"

Later that evening I called my BIL and confirmed that we will indeed go to the Mahakumbh and take the holy dip at Sangam on Mahashivrathri

So an impromptu trip to Allahabad was made. I flew to Delhi and took my BIL's Aveo and drove out to Allahabad and Varanasi for being a part of kumbh mela on Mahashivrathri.

[laluks]

The Plan

Day 1 09.03.2013 Fly to Delhi, Delhi to Allahabad by road
Day 2 10.03.2013 Dip at Sangam, and Ganga Aarti at Varanasi
Day 3 11.03.2013 Varanasi to Delhi

BIL got his Aveo all pepped up for the drive, and this log is a also a tribute to this wonderful car.

[laluks]

We saw Sangam by night from Yamuna bridge


From the banks of Ganges


The tents at the banks


The crowd going towards the Sangam


To the Sangam


Waiting for a holy dip at the Sangam


We were VIP's for the day


We got amazed by the old buildings at Allahabad


We visited Sarnath too


Once upon a time I studied about this in Social Studies

[laluks]

We were at Varanasi Ghats


We took a boat ride on Ganges


We passed by the various ghats of Varanasi


I was amazed at what I saw, an ancient city which I never knew!


Nobody dies more, than when they die in India


We got lost in the intriguing alleys of Varanasi


We dissolved into the crowd at Varanasi


We witnessed Ganga Aaarti at Varanasi


We sat at the bank of Ganges by night

[laluks]

We slept at a road side dhabha


We stopped for Kulfis too


We were happy to have such roads


We congratulated India on having her own F1 circuit

[Rudra Sen]

Mods note: Thread moved from Assembly Line to Travelogues section. Thanks for sharing.

[bbhavan]

Originally Posted by laluks

"When a person really desires something, all the universe conspires to help that person to realize his dream" says Paulo Coelho in Alchemist.


So an impromptu trip to Allahabad was made. I flew to Delhi and took my BIL's Aveo and drove out to Allahabad and Varanasi for being a part of kumbh mela on Mahashivrathri.

Oh! superb Lalu,

What a way to start a traveogue.

And the teaser photos are all mind blogging and really captured the mood of the situation.

Waiting for more details, and pictures.

bbhavan

[akaush]

Here we have another great travelogue from our very own LaluKS. Great photos and journey! Looking forward to more photos !

We also went there on the main bathing day on 10th of February, I'll also try and update some pics to this thread.

[NPV]

Awesome, another mind-blowing travelogue @laluks! Thanks for sharing
What I like most is your never-say-die traveler spirit - when everyone wants to travel to places far away from maddening crowds you do just the opposite! Of course a visit to the holy Ganges is worthy of such an effort.
No PPG's on this trip ?
From the thread title, I first thought you'd replaced the Swift with an Aveo recently!

[laluks]

Originally Posted by bbhavan

Oh! superb Lalu,

What a way to start a traveogue.

And the teaser photos are all mind blogging and really captured the mood of the situation.

Waiting for more details, and pictures.

bbhavan

Thanks bbhavan. Will be updating soon. Got to get on with my next drive

Originally Posted by akaush

Here we have another great travelogue from our very own LaluKS. Great photos and journey! Looking forward to more photos !

We also went there on the main bathing day on 10th of February, I'll also try and update some pics to this thread.

Thanks akaush. I heard about your drive. Will love to see the pictures from your trip. I'll finish my log fast for you to update the pics.

Originally Posted by NPV

Awesome, another mind-blowing travelogue @laluks! Thanks for sharing
What I like most is your never-say-die traveler spirit - when everyone wants to travel to places far away from maddening crowds you do just the opposite! Of course a visit to the holy Ganges is worthy of such an effort.
No PPG's on this trip ?
From the thread title, I first thought you'd replaced the Swift with an Aveo recently!

Thanks NPV for your kind words.
PPGs were having their exams during that time.

Swifty is still with me

[laluks]

Day 01
9th March 2013
Bangalore - Delhi - Allahabad

Reached Delhi T3 by 10:45AM and was picked up by my BIL. We drove towards Akshardham temple from where we were be joined by two of his friends. We reached the Noida express way by 12:00PM and I was given the privilege to drive the Aveo.

We took the Yamuna expressway and reached outskirts of Agra in good time. It was a clear love story between the Aveo and Yamuna Expressway. I was amazed at the handling of Aveo, and was impressed at the way the car was built. Next two days and 1600 Kilometers made me a complete fan of the Aveo.

We reached Makhanpur by 14:15 hours and filled up Petrol.

Some interesting schemes


Beware of this pump, they have some short filling tricks with them


After getting Aveo it's fill we were ready to move on


continued...

[laluks]

Day 01
9th March 2013
Bangalore - Delhi - Allahabad

We were all feeling quite hungry by then, and stopped at a dhabha near the petrol pump at Makhanpur

We stopped for lunch


Menu discussions going on


The cook is on the job


Waiting for the lunch to be served


Colourful Salad


Pepsi Man This phone call was important as I figured out later


By 15:15 hours we are ready to roll


We had already covered some 240 odd kilometers by now. Another 425 + to go. I was really worried if we will reach Allahabad at any sane timings.

I drove non stop from here to reach Allahabad by 21:00 hours , much to the shock of other inmates in the Aveo.

continued...

[laluks]

Day 01
9th March 2013
Bangalore - Delhi - Allahabad

We roamed around in Civil Lanes, The MG Road equivalent of Allahabad






Yatris were welcomed for the Maha Kumbh




We were in search of rooms


All we could find was a room in a Punjabi Dharamshala and kalyanamantap. That too with some local contact and influence.


After settling the room issues, we went to the home of the family who helped us get this accommodation. After a quick tea and pleasantries there we drove towards Yamuna bridge to get a view of the Sangam in the night.

continued...

[laluks]

Day 01
9th March 2013
Bangalore - Delhi - Allahabad

We reached Yamuna Bridge by 22:45 hours


All these phone calls were to turn out to be quite important later


Some panoramas of the Yamuna Bridge




It's a hanging bridge


continued...

[laluks]

Day 01
9th March 2013
Bangalore - Delhi - Allahabad

First view of the Sangam from Yamuna Bridge


I was almost like a zombie by now and was fumbling with the camera settings

It looked magical


Some boats were still on the river




I was amazed at the width of the river.


I tried some more clicks, was too tired to experiment any further




It was already 23:30 and we were tired, sleepy and hungry.

continued...