[Turbo_anup]

Thanks for this great thread Boss. This caught my attention after looking at the word - Narmada. I have been brought up for part of my childhood in Bharuch / Ankleshwar and this thread brought up the memories of growing up watching & crossing Narmada regularly during those times. Of course, the nature of the river is quite different in Gujarat than the humble beginnings in Chhattisgarh. Awesome photos and thread. Also, wanted to know that how are the roads in Chhattisgarh? It is one of the unexplored state that I have not driven to or visited in India.

[laluks]

Originally Posted by adneeraj

That's quite an exhaustive thread, Laluks.
I've a couple of my family members doing the Narmada Parikrama on foot. We met them in Ankleshwar, Gujarat in the last month and have plans to meet them again sometime.
That caught my attention and interest when the title of this thread said Narmada.

I'd like to visit sometime, but certainly, this is a drive that'll take meticulous planning and a lot of time.
I will bookmark this as a guideline for my trip when I plan for it.

Thanks adneeraj. Narmada has its own fair share of admirers, and belief. I am in awe after discovering a few of the fables for my trip.

Originally Posted by Turbo_anup

Thanks for this great thread Boss. This caught my attention after looking at the word - Narmada. I have been brought up for part of my childhood in Bharuch / Ankleshwar and this thread brought up the memories of growing up watching & crossing Narmada regularly during those times. Of course, the nature of the river is quite different in Gujarat than the humble beginnings in Chhattisgarh. Awesome photos and thread. Also, wanted to know that how are the roads in Chhattisgarh? It is one of the unexplored state that I have not driven to or visited in India.

Thanks Turbo_anup. I can feel your emotions. Most of my child hood I too have the memories of a water body, which I used to love. All my memories have many pictures of the same in it.

Chhatisgarh most national and state highways are quite good in the places I have visited. A few interior roads were getting laid, and the miseries because of that did exist, but nothing so bad.

[pcpranav]

Originally Posted by Turbo_anup

...This caught my attention after looking at the word - Narmada. I have been brought up for part of my childhood in Bharuch / Ankleshwar and this thread brought up the memories of growing up watching & crossing Narmada regularly during those times.

Hey Anup, this is so awesome - I too have spend many years in Bharuch, and also I had swam the Narmada across the Golden Bridge banks, and swam across Kabirwad island!
Just recently I tried to capture the Old Bharuch area and made a video, hope you enjoy it. And few days back when returning on bike from Vadodara, I had some coffee at Nyay Mandir Hotel, after many years! Memories!

https://youtu.be/yWQza_JwGr8

Originally Posted by laluks

Thanks adneeraj. Narmada has its own fair share of admirers, and belief. I am in awe after discovering a few of the fables for my trip.

Hey Laluks, your travelogue is just beautiful, awesome and comprehensive. I will have go read the details carefully. Incidentally, just last month (Dec'19) we had a Versys Biker's Meetup in Nagpur, and I rode ahead solo to visit Amarkantak. My trip was short, just a glimpse, but I was very happy that finally I was able to see the origin of Narmada. And within the same trip while returning, I even passed Narmada bridge at Bharuch.

With your due permission (TIA!), please allow me to share my videos of Amarkantak visit and Narmada bridges at Bharuch.

https://youtu.be/LYOWoUjd9_o

https://youtu.be/AURnlWYcEa4

again, yours is superb travelogue. Maybe someday again I will visit Amarkantak area with more time. "Har Har Narmade"

regards,
Pranav

[tp_dominator]

Superb narration and detailed directions of Amarkantak city. My father's job took him to some of the remote areas of Madhya Pradesh. Amarkantak used to be on our way to Bilaspur (Chhattisgarh) - our hometown, and we have visited the place 'n' number of times and have seen it going from beautiful to populated to now somewhat less touristy.

It was the first hill station (if you can call it one) that I ever visited and this is from the time when the roads were horrible and I was a toddler. During monsoons, it becomes too beautiful and clouds descend down just like Lonavala. We also visited Amarkantak in the Diwali 2018 holidays. Seeing your brilliant writeup, photos and videos of the various spots just refreshed my memories of the place. Thanks for sharing!

[laluks]

Originally Posted by pcpranav

Hey Laluks, your travelogue is just beautiful, awesome and comprehensive. I will have go read the details carefully..... Maybe someday again I will visit Amarkantak area with more time. "Har Har Narmade"

regards,
Pranav

Thanks Pranav. Thanks a lot for sharing the videos, they are awesome.

Originally Posted by tp_dominator

Superb narration and detailed directions of Amarkantak city. My father's job took him to some of the remote areas of Madhya Pradesh. Amarkantak used to be on our way to Bilaspur (Chhattisgarh) - our hometown, and we have visited the place 'n' number of times and have seen it going from beautiful to populated to now somewhat less touristy.

It was the first hill station (if you can call it one) that I ever visited and this is from the time when the roads were horrible and I was a toddler. During monsoons, it becomes too beautiful and clouds descend down just like Lonavala. We also visited Amarkantak in the Diwali 2018 holidays. Seeing your brilliant writeup, photos and videos of the various spots just refreshed my memories of the place. Thanks for sharing!

Thanks tp_dominator. When I visited Amarkantak was mostly devoid of anybody other than the people who came to worship and be a part of Narmada. Infact Amarkantak region is a unique natural heritage area and is the meeting point of the Vindhya and the Satpura Ranges, with the Maikal Hills being the fulcrum. Wish all the places stayed the same with its earlier charm, but with civilization growing strong, connectivity easier, its bound to see influx of people, developments (sustainable or not is another question altogether).
-------------------

I, for a moment thought nobody would be interested in such a log. But thanks for posting your views and sharing the same emotion with Narmada, as well as that of traveling and understanding our glorious motherland, who has a lot of such gems hidden under her veil.

[V.Narayan]

Thank you for all the trouble you have taken to write this essay and share these beautiful photographs. Central India, where I was posted for two years in the 1980s had much to offer for tourists and it's destinations are largely uncrowded and most importantly clean. Lovely photos. I must say I admire your energy.

[laluks]

Originally Posted by V.Narayan

Thank you for all the trouble you have taken to write this essay and share these beautiful photographs. Central India, where I was posted for two years in the 1980s had much to offer for tourists and it's destinations are largely uncrowded and most importantly clean. Lovely photos. I must say I admire your energy.

Thank you for the encouraging feedback.

Central India has a definite charm, and as you rightly said less crowded and peaceful.

[blackwasp]

Lovely travelogue there laluks! Nice pics as well as crisp writing. The greenery and pleasant atmosphere there is something definitely to see.

I have seen the Narmada, but not in this form. It is the lifeline of Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh.

[laluks]

Originally Posted by blackwasp

Lovely travelogue there laluks! Nice pics as well as crisp writing. The greenery and pleasant atmosphere there is something definitely to see.

I have seen the Narmada, but not in this form. It is the lifeline of Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh.

Thanks blackwasp.

My first ever meeting with Narmada was at the great traffic jam on golden bridge at Baruch many years ago. I never thought that Narmada had this beautiful stories and origin.

[Samba]

A very well documented travelogue.
Whenever i manage to get off-days, the first thought that comes to my mind is to visit the Himalaya.
You wont believe, just a couple of days back, i was telling my friend to plan a road-trip to Kanha, Bandhavgarh and few other parts of MP & this travelogue came up!
Thanks for sharing this exhaustive travelogue.

[laluks]

Originally Posted by Samba

A very well documented travelogue.
Whenever i manage to get off-days, the first thought that comes to my mind is to visit the Himalaya.
You wont believe, just a couple of days back, i was telling my friend to plan a road-trip to Kanha, Bandhavgarh and few other parts of MP & this travelogue came up!
Thanks for sharing this exhaustive travelogue.

Thanks Samba. Once you travel to these parts we will get to see beautiful pictures through your lens

Meanwhile you can check this log on Khajuraho (Kungfu Panda (Sr.) Chronicles : Khajuraho, (Possible) Weekend Getaway from Bangalore), and this one on BhoramDeo (S-Cross'd : Bhoramdeo Temple, the Khajuraho of Chhattisgarh)

[lejhoom]

Thank you, Laluks for this excellent and informative travelogue. The accompanying photos and videos are highly appreciated. Your narration has rekindled my desire to visit Amarkantak even though I had made two abortive attempts that ended up visiting some other parts of Chhattisgarh.

Wish you could post the complete travel story of yours through Arakku from Chhattisgarh. Even the Chitrakoot falls. Looking forward to them too.

Once while driving to Raipur from Hyderabad alone, due to the distraction of a phone call, instead of taking the Bhandara, Bhilai route ended up near Kanha National Park entrance when I woke up from reverie to realize the mistake. A helpful retired truck driver at a small shop, a rare thing in that remote place, helped me retrace the steps. He, however, warned me of a 40km drive through an absolutely lonely stretch of teak forest with no telephone signal or even people to guide. I took the plunge and reached Bhandara. Now when you mentioned the disappearing forests in MP and Chattisgarh, one can relate to the man-made disaster.

[sgmuser]

Wow! Nice travelogue to a unique place. Photos and videos are nicely captured on this special location. This is the first time I heard about the origin of Narmada river. Very informative. Kudos. Surely, added to my bucket list of places to see in MP.

[laluks]

Originally Posted by lejhoom

Thank you, Laluks for this excellent and informative travelogue. The accompanying photos and videos are highly appreciated. Your narration has rekindled my desire to visit Amarkantak even though I had made two abortive attempts that ended up visiting some other parts of Chhattisgarh.
Wish you could post the complete travel story of yours through Arakku from Chhattisgarh. Even the Chitrakoot falls. Looking forward to them too.

Thanks lehjoom. Someday definitely I will write about the Chhattisgarh part

Originally Posted by lejhoom

Once while driving to Raipur from Hyderabad alone, due to the distraction of a phone call, instead of taking the Bhandara, Bhilai route ended up near Kanha National Park entrance when I woke up from reverie to realize the mistake. A helpful retired truck driver at a small shop, a rare thing in that remote place, helped me retrace the steps. He, however, warned me of a 40km drive through an absolutely lonely stretch of teak forest with no telephone signal or even people to guide. I took the plunge and reached Bhandara. Now when you mentioned the disappearing forests in MP and Chattisgarh, one can relate to the man-made disaster.

That could have a been scary detour. People have been good so far to me in MP, and have helped me in many ways during my drives there.

Originally Posted by sgmuser

Wow! Nice travelogue to a unique place. Photos and videos are nicely captured on this special location. This is the first time I heard about the origin of Narmada river. Very informative. Kudos. Surely, added to my bucket list of places to see in MP.

Thanks sgmuser. Hope my log was of help to you.