A 525 kms Pilgrimage: Ujjain, MP

SirAlec · 3rd February 2014, 00:58

Prologue!
First off, people who know me will never believe me, if I said I will drive whole 500+kms for a Mandir visit. There are friends and there are extreme Bhakt friends in your circle. The one who fast four days out of seven a week. Well this trip was long awaited for one of such friend's insistence. And i will not regret taking it.

Route was carefully plotted, As I was traveling to MP for the first time. i have no idea about the state, the people and the culture, Don't even know how the MP girls look like.

I have not traveled down south too. But I have a slight idea about it, even I will never know if someone is Giving Gali to me in that language. Hope you got the point.

Route was pretty simple

Abu>Pindwara>Udaipur>Nimbahera>Neemuch>Mandsaur>Ja ora>Ujjain

Abu to Udaipur NH76
This is the most beautiful route but very expensive. You can do 160+, but don't, as curves are not for everyone, especially drivers who drives in plains. It will under steer, no doubt! Also beware especially in monsoon, of falling rocks. They have not made anything like barrier to stop this. The whole part of mountain may fall on the highway

Udaipur to Nimbahera
Nimbahera is the border town of Rajasthan and MP. This part is bit tricky. We have to leave NH76 leading to Chittaur/Allahabad and use a single lane State/Village road that connects NH79. This road although being single is very crowded with trucks, because it connects NH79 toward MP. To make the matter worst you have cattle and village people on tractors and two wheelers.

Nimbahera to Mandsaur NH79
This is a beautiful four lane road. Except for the traffic at border RTO and the flyover that is being made, else the road is smooth. Why don't Govt do something and make a by pass at all RTO check post. Gujarat has mastered these.

Jaora to Ujjain SH17
We leave smooth NH79 and took SH17 towards Ujjain. this is a single lane State highway. very less traffic but speed bumps at each village. . So max you can do is 80. Roads is very well built except about 7 kms ...well is no roads at all. Better watch out for cattle.

Ujjain
Its a very crowded city with narrow roads and alleys full of people who have no traffic sense whatsoever.

As a local guy said Ujjain is all about temples. If you walk with a bag of wheat grain, and drop a single grain in each temple. Till evening you will empty your bag but there will still be some temple left.

2016 Kumb Mela will slated to be held here. The Ghats are being renovated. It will be a logistical disaster if Govt does not rebuild its infrastructure in time, as city I fell is to much crowded already.

The Main Mahakaleshwar temple is very beautiful with a kund inside. The BHASM AARTI in wee hours at 4:00 am is very important. It needs prior booking and permission. Booking can be done online or one day prior 9:00 am onwards. Counter opens at 10:30. You need photo id. Each form will allow three people. You need a proper dhoti/lungi to attend this with a Lota.

There are 5 AARTI. If you are practical like me you will like the 10:30 pm one, which end at 11:30 hence very less crowd. Enter mandir at 9:15pm and you are good to go. My friends attended all of them, even the 4 am one and not let me sleep with their dhoti tying escapades. Morons!

Hotels are very cheap, so expect basic amenities. Normally we are used to in-house restaurants with bar. Parking is a major issue with hotels near the Temple. I chose one that was just newly built and had one in front of it.

Major Issue we faced was food. This place simple does not have a good restaurants. Almost all of them will serve veg food. what a bummer for a chicken freak like me!!

Major Points
1. Road TOLLS I have drove all over. But MP roads have the cheapest toll. Highest I paid was Rs.30. Tolls were like 16/20/26/30. Compare this with Jaipur Delhi stretch, which has toll as high as Rs.115 and its still being made. I will support Raj Thakre and his crazy MNS goons if he breaks these Jaipur/Delhi toll.

2. Diesel Diesel is expensive in MP. So will be petrol. I have my own supply of diesel (don't ask). For a guy who pays 40 rs. for diesel, Rs.60.25 is a big let down.

3. Food What we deduce from our trip is that MP people are not food-a-holic like Delhiwala or Punjabi or Bengali for that matter. I never found one decent restaurants or even a Dhaba. We order three sabzi and two dals. And believe me even the Dal tasted all alike - just the name were different.lol!

4. People MP people are decent and honest but have no traffic sense whatsoever. There is harmony among people and communities. I mean first time I have seen couple of Muslim guys in the temple....hold your chair...selling Mahakal Memorabilia. Muslim autowalas, praising the Mahakal Temple for their livelihood and having their own great opinion about how different religion leads to same great God. Beat that you bloody politicians.

5. Best way to travel inside the city will be by auto or old Tempo Hanseat (Yup they still use it, environmental freaks! will freak out). Leave your car at hotel. There is simply no parking space even in posh area -Free-Gunj. Now Free-Gunj is like CP of Ujjain. And then you have all those towing cranes. Police are decent guys though. I entered a one way and they simple told me the correct direction in return.

Images

Beautiful Udaipur Highway 76

Caught this baba in a tea stall. Full-on high on grass

There are two tunnels on NH76 Beware of falling stones on NH76

I hardly take any thella things, they are very harsh on my stomach.

Little Junk food won't hurt.

Plotting the next route in near Debari

Here you go. The bypass 45 kms of sheer nonsense

NH79 what a relief

I spoke too soon...

Pradusan Janch Kendra in other words PUC. mine expired a week ago and didn't even realize. Thats a big bummer for car freak like me. It never happened.

Its a mobile PUC

SH17 from Jaora to Ujjain

Only the name is great. Food is $hit!

Plotting the next route, right to the temple

Calling wife and also trying the Van Damme Volvo split on a charpai

Well said.

SirAlec · 3rd February 2014, 01:24

More Photos...

Like I said City of Temples

Stall selling Flower and Puja stuff

This is 9:00pm. Empty street

Like I said I am not that Mandir going type. But i can sit here for hours and not do anything. Its a strange feeling for a workaholic like me. It was so peaceful. Photography was banned, But i could not help taking one shot for later.

Old Lady selling things

Beautiful

Yeah! Get high... the devotional way!

Temp Hanseat. Still doing its duties. Environmentalist East $hit!

Unique Gear Lever

In MP you use your moped as Pickup Trucks

Auto ride. Very cheap

Shipra River. This is where Kumbh is going to be held in 2016

People doing things that do after a last rites.

A tour bus on Eicher Chasis. Rs.50 per head.

Like I said, a very unique sightings. A devoted Muslim seling Mahakal Memorabilia.

SirAlec · 3rd February 2014, 01:44

And then some more Photos...

This is a Temple which takes wine as offerings.

A 525 kms Pilgrimage: Ujjain, MP-7-daru-mandir.jpg

A 525 kms Pilgrimage: Ujjain, MP-7-daru-mandir1.jpg

The shops in question

Let me Zoom it for you.

Braked very Hard and stopped for some Elephant Gyan.! This is a very majestic animal maybe intelligent too. The moment i caressed it it used to lift the trunk. What an awesome feeling. its just that Owner didn't let me touch it to much.

True Easy Riders. They travel the length and breath of country on a basic commuter bike. with no riding Gear. RESPECT!

Fiat Super Select owned by a Mahant of an Akhara. In bone stock condition

A CJ3B in good form. But 4x4 removed. what a silly guy.

MP tourism Brochure. I wish i could go to all these places. Time is a major factor. Hope someday.

Lights! Camera!......and Action!. Imagine the revenue these guys make considering the fact that 1000s of trucks that passes through these check points on daily basis.

RTO punters asking for Kharcha!...

Poor driver giving the kharcha!

Punters receiving the kharcha!

Thanks for reading

ampere · 3rd February 2014, 06:04

Nice! We all write about the roads and the places. The best part is how to add your own perspectives. It shows everything; roads, car enthusiast, foodie and of course the urge to drive even if you are not temple man!

Moral of the story:
Any road trip is a good road trip, as long as you are driving!

anujmishra · 3rd February 2014, 07:51

This travelogue is "different" than usual travelogues posted here. It includes all kind of ingredients like travel, roads, fund, spiritual, auto, food. I thoroughly enjoyed and picture tells story itself

. I will also sometime visit Ujjain, not sure when.

PS: For long, I was looking for light bar design for installing aux lights in my Tata Safari. I just found in your car. I wanted to make similar bar for my Tata Safari as I do not want to install bull bar. Any help appreciated designing this bar for Tata Safari.

joybhowmik · 3rd February 2014, 11:56

Ujjain is well known for Shiv Bhakts praying to a frenzy and trying to emulate the ways of the God in a very literal way. Aside from the picture you have posted here, I am reminded of holy-men, liberally coating themselves with ash (from nearby crematorium) and then working themselves up into a frenzy while praying. Even the tika that is applied on the forehead of pilgrims is from the same source.

SirAlec · 3rd February 2014, 18:02

Quote:

Originally Posted by anujmishra

This travelogue is "different" than usual travelogues posted here. It includes all kind of ingredients like travel, roads, fund, spiritual, auto, food. I thoroughly enjoyed and picture tells story itself

. I will also sometime visit Ujjain, not sure when.

PS: For long, I was looking for light bar design for installing aux lights in my Tata Safari. I just found in your car. I wanted to make similar bar for my Tata Safari as I do not want to install bull bar. Any help appreciated designing this bar for Tata Safari.

Hope you enjoyed the write up.

Sirji! As for the light mounts, there is a DIY for this setup done by your's truely somewhere here.

bhavtol · 9th March 2014, 17:47

The Road that you traveled upon from Nimbaherra to Jaora to Ujjain , is a relatively new toll road. True that the road existed earlier but it was until recently a shamble. Since the road has now come up, the road side infrastructure is bound to come in next cpl of years.

Had you not turned from Jaora and gone straight to Badnawar via Ratlam then you would find yummy tasty food at Ratlam (Ratlami sev is exported in tonnes) , Badnawar ki Kachori is world famous, Ghevar from Ujjain too (Apart from the Rajasthani one) .

Bhaang at Ujjain, Food at Meghdoot dhabha at Ujjain, Gujrati thali at Natraj/Hotel Gujrat near Bus stand are all famous. Snacks at Free Gunj are too.

We Indoris are more foodaholic than ujjain. The reason Ujjain not having good resturants may be cuz ppl from there frequently come to Indore for outings (Its hardly 55 kms on a 4 lane).

Indore Poha, Indori Sev, Indore ki Kachori, Indore ki Tikiya and what not and a great Non veg fare too...

In Indore, you are never more than 10 mins away from a food stall/hotel/tea stall. Next time travel upto Indore to have best veg and non veg food.

Be it at a Dhabha or at a five star.......

3rd February 2014, 00:58	#1
SirAlec Senior - BHPian Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: zxc Posts: 3,393 Thanked: 726 Times	A 525 kms Pilgrimage: Ujjain, MP Prologue! First off, people who know me will never believe me, if I said I will drive whole 500+kms for a Mandir visit. There are friends and there are extreme Bhakt friends in your circle. The one who fast four days out of seven a week. Well this trip was long awaited for one of such friend's insistence. And i will not regret taking it. Route was carefully plotted, As I was traveling to MP for the first time. i have no idea about the state, the people and the culture, Don't even know how the MP girls look like. I have not traveled down south too. But I have a slight idea about it, even I will never know if someone is Giving Gali to me in that language. Hope you got the point. Route was pretty simple Abu>Pindwara>Udaipur>Nimbahera>Neemuch>Mandsaur>Ja ora>Ujjain Abu to Udaipur NH76 This is the most beautiful route but very expensive. You can do 160+, but don't, as curves are not for everyone, especially drivers who drives in plains. It will under steer, no doubt! Also beware especially in monsoon, of falling rocks. They have not made anything like barrier to stop this. The whole part of mountain may fall on the highway Udaipur to Nimbahera Nimbahera is the border town of Rajasthan and MP. This part is bit tricky. We have to leave NH76 leading to Chittaur/Allahabad and use a single lane State/Village road that connects NH79. This road although being single is very crowded with trucks, because it connects NH79 toward MP. To make the matter worst you have cattle and village people on tractors and two wheelers. Nimbahera to Mandsaur NH79 This is a beautiful four lane road. Except for the traffic at border RTO and the flyover that is being made, else the road is smooth. Why don't Govt do something and make a by pass at all RTO check post. Gujarat has mastered these. Jaora to Ujjain SH17 We leave smooth NH79 and took SH17 towards Ujjain. this is a single lane State highway. very less traffic but speed bumps at each village. . So max you can do is 80. Roads is very well built except about 7 kms ...well is no roads at all. Better watch out for cattle. Ujjain Its a very crowded city with narrow roads and alleys full of people who have no traffic sense whatsoever. As a local guy said Ujjain is all about temples. If you walk with a bag of wheat grain, and drop a single grain in each temple. Till evening you will empty your bag but there will still be some temple left. 2016 Kumb Mela will slated to be held here. The Ghats are being renovated. It will be a logistical disaster if Govt does not rebuild its infrastructure in time, as city I fell is to much crowded already. The Main Mahakaleshwar temple is very beautiful with a kund inside. The BHASM AARTI in wee hours at 4:00 am is very important. It needs prior booking and permission. Booking can be done online or one day prior 9:00 am onwards. Counter opens at 10:30. You need photo id. Each form will allow three people. You need a proper dhoti/lungi to attend this with a Lota. There are 5 AARTI. If you are practical like me you will like the 10:30 pm one, which end at 11:30 hence very less crowd. Enter mandir at 9:15pm and you are good to go. My friends attended all of them, even the 4 am one and not let me sleep with their dhoti tying escapades. Morons! Hotels are very cheap, so expect basic amenities. Normally we are used to in-house restaurants with bar. Parking is a major issue with hotels near the Temple. I chose one that was just newly built and had one in front of it. Major Issue we faced was food. This place simple does not have a good restaurants. Almost all of them will serve veg food. what a bummer for a chicken freak like me!! Major Points 1. Road TOLLS I have drove all over. But MP roads have the cheapest toll. Highest I paid was Rs.30. Tolls were like 16/20/26/30. Compare this with Jaipur Delhi stretch, which has toll as high as Rs.115 and its still being made. I will support Raj Thakre and his crazy MNS goons if he breaks these Jaipur/Delhi toll. 2. Diesel Diesel is expensive in MP. So will be petrol. I have my own supply of diesel (don't ask). For a guy who pays 40 rs. for diesel, Rs.60.25 is a big let down. 3. Food What we deduce from our trip is that MP people are not food-a-holic like Delhiwala or Punjabi or Bengali for that matter. I never found one decent restaurants or even a Dhaba. We order three sabzi and two dals. And believe me even the Dal tasted all alike - just the name were different.lol! 4. People MP people are decent and honest but have no traffic sense whatsoever. There is harmony among people and communities. I mean first time I have seen couple of Muslim guys in the temple....hold your chair...selling Mahakal Memorabilia. Muslim autowalas, praising the Mahakal Temple for their livelihood and having their own great opinion about how different religion leads to same great God. Beat that you bloody politicians. 5. Best way to travel inside the city will be by auto or old Tempo Hanseat (Yup they still use it, environmental freaks! will freak out). Leave your car at hotel. There is simply no parking space even in posh area -Free-Gunj. Now Free-Gunj is like CP of Ujjain. And then you have all those towing cranes. Police are decent guys though. I entered a one way and they simple told me the correct direction in return. Images Beautiful Udaipur Highway 76 Caught this baba in a tea stall. Full-on high on grass There are two tunnels on NH76 Beware of falling stones on NH76 I hardly take any thella things, they are very harsh on my stomach. Little Junk food won't hurt. Plotting the next route in near Debari Here you go. The bypass 45 kms of sheer nonsense NH79 what a relief I spoke too soon... Pradusan Janch Kendra in other words PUC. mine expired a week ago and didn't even realize. Thats a big bummer for car freak like me. It never happened. Its a mobile PUC SH17 from Jaora to Ujjain Only the name is great. Food is $hit! Plotting the next route, right to the temple Calling wife and also trying the Van Damme Volvo split on a charpai Well said. Last edited by Technocrat : 9th April 2014 at 02:41. Reason: Typo corrected, thanks
	(5) Thanks

3rd February 2014, 01:24	#2
SirAlec Senior - BHPian Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: zxc Posts: 3,393 Thanked: 726 Times	re: A 525 kms Pilgrimage: Ujjain, MP More Photos... Like I said City of Temples Stall selling Flower and Puja stuff This is 9:00pm. Empty street Like I said I am not that Mandir going type. But i can sit here for hours and not do anything. Its a strange feeling for a workaholic like me. It was so peaceful. Photography was banned, But i could not help taking one shot for later. Old Lady selling things Beautiful Yeah! Get high... the devotional way! Temp Hanseat. Still doing its duties. Environmentalist East $hit! Unique Gear Lever In MP you use your moped as Pickup Trucks Auto ride. Very cheap Shipra River. This is where Kumbh is going to be held in 2016 People doing things that do after a last rites. A tour bus on Eicher Chasis. Rs.50 per head. Like I said, a very unique sightings. A devoted Muslim seling Mahakal Memorabilia.
	(3) Thanks

3rd February 2014, 01:44	#3
SirAlec Senior - BHPian Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: zxc Posts: 3,393 Thanked: 726 Times	re: A 525 kms Pilgrimage: Ujjain, MP And then some more Photos... This is a Temple which takes wine as offerings. The shops in question Let me Zoom it for you. Braked very Hard and stopped for some Elephant Gyan.! This is a very majestic animal maybe intelligent too. The moment i caressed it it used to lift the trunk. What an awesome feeling. its just that Owner didn't let me touch it to much. True Easy Riders. They travel the length and breath of country on a basic commuter bike. with no riding Gear. RESPECT! Fiat Super Select owned by a Mahant of an Akhara. In bone stock condition A CJ3B in good form. But 4x4 removed. what a silly guy. MP tourism Brochure. I wish i could go to all these places. Time is a major factor. Hope someday. Lights! Camera!......and Action!. Imagine the revenue these guys make considering the fact that 1000s of trucks that passes through these check points on daily basis. RTO punters asking for Kharcha!... Poor driver giving the kharcha! Punters receiving the kharcha! Thanks for reading
	(9) Thanks

3rd February 2014, 06:04	#4
ampere Team-BHP Support Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Bangalore Posts: 17,951 Thanked: 12,939 Times View My Garage	re: A 525 kms Pilgrimage: Ujjain, MP Nice! We all write about the roads and the places. The best part is how to add your own perspectives. It shows everything; roads, car enthusiast, foodie and of course the urge to drive even if you are not temple man! Moral of the story: Any road trip is a good road trip, as long as you are driving!
	(1) Thanks

3rd February 2014, 07:51	#5
anujmishra Senior - BHPian Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Bangalore Posts: 1,290 Thanked: 492 Times View My Garage	re: A 525 kms Pilgrimage: Ujjain, MP This travelogue is "different" than usual travelogues posted here. It includes all kind of ingredients like travel, roads, fund, spiritual, auto, food. I thoroughly enjoyed and picture tells story itself . I will also sometime visit Ujjain, not sure when. PS: For long, I was looking for light bar design for installing aux lights in my Tata Safari. I just found in your car. I wanted to make similar bar for my Tata Safari as I do not want to install bull bar. Any help appreciated designing this bar for Tata Safari.
	(1) Thanks

3rd February 2014, 11:56	#6
joybhowmik Senior - BHPian Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: New Delhi Posts: 1,421 Thanked: 2,281 Times	re: A 525 kms Pilgrimage: Ujjain, MP Ujjain is well known for Shiv Bhakts praying to a frenzy and trying to emulate the ways of the God in a very literal way. Aside from the picture you have posted here, I am reminded of holy-men, liberally coating themselves with ash (from nearby crematorium) and then working themselves up into a frenzy while praying. Even the tika that is applied on the forehead of pilgrims is from the same source.
	(1) Thanks

9th March 2014, 17:47	#8
bhavtol BHPian Join Date: Feb 2013 Location: Indore MP India Posts: 64 Thanked: 32 Times	Re: A 525 kms Pilgrimage: Ujjain, MP The Road that you traveled upon from Nimbaherra to Jaora to Ujjain , is a relatively new toll road. True that the road existed earlier but it was until recently a shamble. Since the road has now come up, the road side infrastructure is bound to come in next cpl of years. Had you not turned from Jaora and gone straight to Badnawar via Ratlam then you would find yummy tasty food at Ratlam (Ratlami sev is exported in tonnes) , Badnawar ki Kachori is world famous, Ghevar from Ujjain too (Apart from the Rajasthani one) . Bhaang at Ujjain, Food at Meghdoot dhabha at Ujjain, Gujrati thali at Natraj/Hotel Gujrat near Bus stand are all famous. Snacks at Free Gunj are too. We Indoris are more foodaholic than ujjain. The reason Ujjain not having good resturants may be cuz ppl from there frequently come to Indore for outings (Its hardly 55 kms on a 4 lane). Indore Poha, Indori Sev, Indore ki Kachori, Indore ki Tikiya and what not and a great Non veg fare too... In Indore, you are never more than 10 mins away from a food stall/hotel/tea stall. Next time travel upto Indore to have best veg and non veg food. Be it at a Dhabha or at a five star.......
	(2) Thanks