[MX6]

@VRP. No tricks involved there. It's been 4 years since I got a raise or a promotion. I've moved out of all this rat race. So I might really need to move from my ikon to this icon.
The main reason for not putting up facts is that it takes a long time for me if I start putting in things. So I'm stopping short. Only mentioning what's salient here.

Coming over to Gadkalika temple. It's around 3 kms from Mahakaleshwar temple. I don't have the route details now. I forgot to turn on the garmin and lost the track logs. But locals would be able to guide. And I can drive there myself next time when I'm there, thanks to Shiva.

Wonderful car park outside temple. My car is the furthest. Basking in the shade.


Entrance to Gadkalika mata temple.


Old temple. 2 milleniums old.


Nice ambience and peaceful.


The reflections of god.


Who says kali has to be horrible looking with teeth and bloodshot eyes and things like that. Here Kali ma is looking more like grandma. So cute and funny.


Lamp tower.


Move over tadobha andhari tiger reserve, I've spotted one too in Ujjain.


Now what brought MX6 to this temple? There should be some history. Else why would MX6 specifically ask the locals for this particular temple? Heh heh. Read below.
Some of the greatest works of sanskrit poetry owe their creation to Gadkalika mata!


Yes. This is supposedly the place where Kalidasa was blessed by Kali! That's a bit of history for the people who want it!

Having had Mata's darshan, we all felt hungry. Unfortunately, we weren't Kalidasas for Mata to come down and feed us. We have to fend for ourselves. The guide was good. He waited patiently and then directed us to a nice veg restaurant.
He said that take the straight road, that takes you out of Ujjain on to Indore. The roads in old Ujjain are so narrow that I had to go in to one of the by-lanes to park. Then we had sumptuous meals.

@Aargee. Sorry. Didn't take photos. From now on, any time I enjoy food, I will take a photo for you.

Up next: Shiva blocks us. I understood the real meaning of the tamil movie name Shivaji The Boss.

[aargee]

Originally Posted by MX6

Sorry. Didn't take photos. From now on, any time I enjoy food, I will take a photo for you

You got my pulse

Originally Posted by MX6

Up next: Shiva blocks us. I understood the real meaning of the tamil movie name Shivaji The Boss

Aaarrr!!! couldn't wait to read more; you're making impatient with these one liners. I hope you'll post it tonight

[MX6]

We finished our sumptuous lunch followed by wonderful Lassi.
Then we walked to our car. Now old ujjain is like typical temple towns. Roads running parallel and perpendicular and very narry. And open drainages on either side, with rows of houses dotting the streets.
I turn on the navigator and key in the destination as Indore.
I remembered the words of the guide. Take this road straight to Indore. All I needed to do was reverse all the way to that road from the by-lane.
But I thought, what the heck, it's all parallel roads. So I shall just take three right turns as seen in my satnav. I'll be on the road without having to reverse on such narrow lanes.
I take the first right turn. The road becomes narrow after a few hundred feet and there's no sight of a proper right turn.
Finally the road starts winding all around.
Then I see there's a right turn further ahead where bikers are darting in and out off.
I take that right which starts climbing up slope.
Then it became so narrow that only a cycle can cross me.
There was a blind curve and as I saw in my satnav, once I cross the blind curve, I should be there on my Indore road in 25 feet.
Since the road was on an upward slope, and narrowing, I drove slowly.
Now all these houses had atleast 2 - 3 steps to climb from ground level. And they were on either sides of the road.
Open gutter separated the road and the houses on either side. And too close that open gutter in front of the entrances to their houses, the inmates put concrete slabs, rocks. That would just give them place for one person to stand and cross. The gutter is not very wide, hardly 20 - 25 cms in width.
Near the curve, the road started sloping down. And the step belonging to that house was horizontal - plaine 180 degress flat. I didn't notice that the step was jutting out and drove over it only to find that both my left wheels when crossing that step literally climbed down around 20 cms.
It was like my car left wheels just got down a step.
I realised that there is no going back. My wheels will not climb that step from backside on reverse gear. From the other side, it was gentle slope with a sudden thud!
Curves, steps, narrow roads make all those illusions.
Only way was way forward.
I proceeded a little and when I came to the curve and was turning around, I saw a big cylindrical stone, around 40 cms diameter and 2 feet height smack bang in the middle of the road.
There is no going forward as well.
I got down from my car nearly stepping in to the gutter on the right.

This is the position I was in.
I had around 5 cms gap from the right wheels to the right gutter which was around 1 feet deep and 1 feet wide.
I had around 10 cms gap from the left wheels to the left gutter which was around 1 feet deep and 1 feet wide again.

Behind I had the steps of a house jutting out which was over 20 cms to climb.
And in front, bang in the middle of the road, I had this huge shiva lingam kind of structure blocking my way.

Soon crowd started building up. Bikers who came that side had to take a U-turn as they couldn't cross me.
Cyclists, got down the gutter and walked carrying their cycle.

My mother was anxious seeing me walk around the car scratching my head. She asked me whether it's anything serious.

I replied to her - We travel 700 kms to see Shiva. Here he is standing like Nandi and blocking our path.

[aargee]

Originally Posted by MX6

We travel 700 kms to see Shiva. Here he is standing like Nandi and blocking our path

But was that for real? Don't tell me you didn't take pics. I just love to see that situation & pic. What happened next? Did you reverse?

[MX6]

Pics? Man, that was the last thing in my mind. I was royally stuck and was slouching on my car bonnet for over 20 mins trying to analyse the scenario and plan something.
Now that I'm out of it, I feel like an idiot following the satnav in old towns blindly. I also feel that the next time I go there, I will take photos of the street and the stone. It's not a stone that's placed there. It looked more like a swayambhu linga, attached to the ground.

A couple of bulls came that way, saw my car in the middle and they too turned and went back.
Then some bikers came and started telling me things like
1. Why did you turn here? Didn't you know that there's a big stone at the end of this road?
2. Try reversing. We'll see and ask the owner of that house whether it's ok to demolish his stairs a bit.
3. You came all the way from Maharashtra to get stuck here?
4. This is only for bikes. Why did you bring a car here?
5. You thought you are a hero?

One biker comes in last and asks me, "Uncle, gaadi nikalo, I have to go".
Me: Gaadi niklega nahin.
Him: Kaise nahin niklega. I will see. I will tell you how to take your car ahead. (angrily)

seems like he's new there too. He gets off his bike, walks in front, angrily staring at me, sees the huge stone in front and his jaw drops.
Him: Sorry uncle. Gaadi niklega nahin.
Me: You said you'll tell me, so tell me.
He just gets on his bike, turns around and goes.

I knew one thing for sure. There is no going back. I have to go ahead. Even if it means squeezing between the stone and the corner house and falling in the gutter.

Soon I had some great local guys teaching me how to drive.
They stood near the stone and started saying, left left left. stop stop. Go back. Straight straight straight. Stop. Mind your left headlights. Turn right
slightly
come front
little bit
left, left.
I moved slowly and my right side bumper hit the stone gently.
I stopped and got down to inspect.

[aargee]

Originally Posted by MX6

Now that I'm out of it, I feel like an idiot following the satnav in old towns blindly

Then my comment on the company going bankruptcy is for sure

Originally Posted by MX6

moved slowly and my right side bumper hit the stone gently

I think more appropriate sentence would be - "The car was blessed/kissed by lord Shiva himself". So now the Ford Ikon has changed to a Great Icon

[laluks]

I must appreciate Satnav for guiding you right to Him, after all you went in search for him and told Satnav also to do the same.

[MX6]

The last thing that really occured in my mind was to swish out my SLR and take photos of the same. I was really tensed as I was over 700 kms away from home. And the temperature was over 45 degrees may be. Man, The last time I was in such a hot place was 10 years back. Churu recorded 52 degrees!

But then, off late, I keep using my favourite sentence more often. Shiva is testing me!
I have left the scratches on my front bumper intact. I remember reading a story way back in school. Mark of vishnu. This is Mark of Shiva!


To make aargee happy, here's a painting I did just now using my great skills. (I'm sure my daughter will beat me in painting in a couple of months).
You can't exactly call this a painting. But who knows, when I become a very successful ceo, this might fetch a million bucks in auction!


Up next
Mrityoma Amrutangamaya - From death to Immortality.
From Mahakaal to Amaresh! From the god of mass destruction to one of immortality.
Ofcourse after a bit more drama and comedy inbetween trying to extricate from this predicament.

@KS. We need to ask map guys to start putting across barricades, naturally formed such structures etc too in their maps.
I've seen instances of roads existing not being shown and roads not existing, being shown. This one takes the cake. Road exists, and is shown. But a barrier exists which is not shown!

[arindamray]

Originally Posted by MX6

I've seen instances of roads existing not being shown and roads not existing, being shown. This one takes the cake. Road exists, and is shown. But a barrier exists which is not shown!

The way the barricades (or the one-ways) come up in our country, we might have to give benefit of doubt to the map guys.

Wish they can also mark the water loggings, digging up of roads by various civic agencies (ask SST ), and the list goes on.

[aargee]

Originally Posted by MX6

To make aargee happy

Aah!!! C'mon dude now!!!

Originally Posted by MX6

when I become a very successful ceo, this might fetch a million bucks in auction

CEO? Hmm...I was under a different impression. Anyway, this reminds me of a spidey joke, which I'll narrate on separate incident/thread

Originally Posted by MX6

We need to ask map guys to start putting across barricades, naturally formed such structures etc too in their maps

Now, you're digging the grave for them

Originally Posted by ArindamRay

The way the barricades (or the one-ways) come up in our country, we might have to give benefit of doubt to the map guys

+1; we don't need maps in India, we only need live pics from satellite captured a minute ago & we'll need hourly update like weather forecast on road updates

[f1fan]

Finally the TL is out. Dont know how I missed it till now.

Waiting for the next installment MX6

[MX6]

@aargee. Different impression? What's that?
@f1fan. you noticed this at the right time


I thought the great painting of mine would have got me some ratings. Sad. No appreciation for natural artwork here.


When I got down I saw that there were some minor scratches on my front right bumper. I also noticed that I needed to move just another 5 cms to the right to manage squeeze between the house on left and the stone on right. My front left wheel was already ahead on the side over the
covered portion of the gutter and I had a small gap to further squeeze in to the left.
Rear right wheel was on the road. perfectly aligned. All I need to do was back up a little and turn left slightly and then once I manage to squeeze to the left of the rock, just go straight.
There's an issue though. What about my rear left wheel.
When I walked back, I was shocked.
It was almost in to the gutter. Only three of my wheels were on the road.
The rear left wheel had just 1 or 2 cms on the road. Rest was in air over the gutter. A bit more to the left, one wheel would have gone down in the gutter completely.
Reversing is going to be more tricky.
One of the on-lookers came with a marvelous idea. He walked down the alley to find one of the concrete slabs covering the gutter to be used as a step for a house. Finding it loose, he with 2 others carried that and positioned it behind my rear wheel.

Till that moment, many people were peering out from their house windows (even from first floor windows). When this stone was moved by those 3, the person from who's house this was moved, started screaming.
Him: Get the stone back you theives. Don't break it. You got only this stone to try your gimmicks? You have to pay me if the stone breaks.
The crowd was literally laughing out.
One trying to help me: We'll give it, we'll give it. If the stone breaks, then the car will get stuck in the gutter. You can have the car itself!
I was muttering, who is giving away who's car and for what?

Now to the modus operandi.
It's simple. I need to reverse back on the slab. Turn a little, move the slab to the front of the rear wheel once the wheel is off the slab and on the road, and drive over the gutter, praying that the slab doesn't break.
When I tried reversing, the slab moved and the wheel came down in to the gutter. Luckily there was a stone right below and my wheel came to rest on that. I was even more worried now. The petrol intake pipe comes directly that side. Any false move, I'm in serious trouble.

I prayed to Shiva. I quickly removed the stone from behind and put it vertifally in the gutter, instead of covering it.
Now the gap of the gutter was bridged with the stone right in the middle.
I got in to my car and slotted it in first gear and moved ahead slightly. When I looked out and saw the stone on the right with a gap of 4 - 5 cms between the stone and the car, I quickly hit the pedal to see the car lunge forward and in a couple of seconds, the whole crowd erupted with joy and were clapping and cheering.
I knew that I safely made it across with just a minor scratch on the front bumper.
The crowd quickly dissipated. But I could hear the owner screaming, don't drive away. Return that stone. Put it on the same place.

I pulled the car in front to stop in a corner. Walked back. Picked the slab. Man that was heavy. Managed to carry and cover the gutter in front of that person's house.

Walked back to my car. Stopped momentarily near that big rock. We search so much for god. Seldom do we realise that god is right in front of us. Many a times, we mistake things to be an obstacle. It could well be a blessing in disguise.

I did a quick underbody inspection. It was scorching hot with temperatures over 40 degrees. Things looked fine. So I got on the road and started driving towards Indore.

Hardly 5 minutes would have passed. Suddenly my father says -

[sachinj12]

Mx6, don't leave us hanging. I am hooked to this thread despite my mom's warning to pull the power chord!!

[MX6]

I smell petrol.

What? Petrol? No. This can't be.
Father: I smell petrol.
Me: Sure?
Father: Yes, I did.
Me: I'll pull over and do another inspection.
Mother: Why don't you ask for some mechanic shop?

I pulled over. Sun was beating down hard. I lay down flat on the boiling hot road nearly scalding myself and looked beneath. There was no trace of petrol. I ran my fingers along the inside and all I got was dust. My hands were black in colour. No fluids. No petrol.
But I too did get a small smeel of petrol when my father said. I was surprised. I asked my father whether he can smell anything. He replied negative.

We started driving. I kept an eye on the fuel indicator needle (as though they go around in circles as they show in hollywood movies when a plane loses fuel and altitude).
10 minutes, my father says again. I smell petrol again. I could smell it too. I had more than half a tank left. More than enough to take me till Indore which is 60 kms away. But what if there was a leak? What if we are stranded in the middle of no where?
I pulled over and did another underbody examination. Then drove again.
I saw a nice shop where they were selling sugar cane juice. I let my car idle and we all had sugar cane juice. I was watching below the car to see whether there's any trace of petrol.
My father said all he can smell now are sugar canes.

I told my mom, let's go find a petrol pump on the way, top up and drive to Omkareshwar. It's around 300 kms. Should be 5 hours max. Don't worry.

10 minutes after driving, I spotted a BP pump to my right and was about to pull in.
My father said, "I smell petrol"

That was it. I quickly zoomed out the satnav map and saw the route I came by. Where ever I'd stopped by when my father said he smelled petrol, we'd just crossed a HP pump!
He was so over cautious that the hint of petrol, he thought it's from our car. All the while, we didn't notice that the smell is actually from the pump that we crossed.
I burst out laughing and told him that this is what we've been smelling all the time and showed him the pump.

After tanking up, I checked and ensured for the last time that there was no leak anywhere and soon was on over drive.
What more, the temperature dropped below 40 and the a/c started working as well.
Soon I was cruising towards Omkareshwar (missed a turn - didn't want to trust satnav anymore and stuck to the conventional route through Dewas) at 100 kph.

MP roads were absolute dream to drive on.

We stopped midway to have tea and for my mother to stretch her legs. I was just reminiscing. I took my 11 month old daughter on a 6000 km trip 6 months back. Everything went with clock work precision. No issues at all. Here, look what happens.
That's strange and mysterious life. Small obstacles like these teach us survival skills.
Very essential for people who aspire to climb up the corporate ladder.

Land was parched and no signs of monsoons. They were planning to do 1 lac Rudrabhisheka in Mahakaleshwar temple praying for rains. But for a farmer, no miracle works. He labours hard. Wish for the sake of these farmers, Shiva answers those prayers!


When we crossed the Narmada river bridge, we knew we are very close now. There's a station there. Omkareshwar road.


Distant rail bridge. People can take the train from Indore to Omkareshwar road.


Excellent roads in MP. Especially this stretch between Omkareshwar road and Mandhata.


I love these old highways with trees on both sides.


In moments we were in Omkareshwar. We checked in at the MP tourism guest house. Best place to stay. A room with an amazing view. And a restaurant that offered mouth watering dishes.

Up next: Amazing photos of Omkareshwar and Amaleshwar.

[ampere]

I am still not done reading. But what stuck on to me is that snap of Public transport in Ujjain. I used to travel in a similar one in Kota. Just that colours were black and yellow!