[kbishwa]

Not a first trip to these places, but first in the new Marazzo. In last few years my trusted companion was Skoda Fabia 1.6. It is still very capable with super silent petrol engine, 1600 cc under hood which is ready to give extra punch whenever required. But it cannot cope up with 5+ passengers.

That resulted in a new member in our family of cars with spacious interiors for long drive. The Marazzo M8 was ready on the New Year eve to venture on the morning of 2nd Jan 2019.

Number of people: 6, 2 mid aged adults, 2 Senior Citizens (my parents) and 2 kids of 12 & 5 years. Except the driver all people kept exchanging the seats, finding 3rd row good and other rows super cool.

Preparation: Tank-full of diesel (45 litres), Air (not Nitrogen) as per specification (35 psi). Luggage to the brim with warm clothes for everyone and other requirements for 5 days. Required medicines, sufficient stock of water and food was taken care of.

We started at 5:30 AM, it was still dark. While I used mix of native map and Google map, for illustration I chose the route shown in blue line in the map by Google. In between, based on the experience of the roads, made slight route modification as shown in the next picture.

The roads were smooth with 2 short breaks at toll-booths (1st ₹ 15, 2nd one ₹ 50), and no further toll in Jharkhand. However, after around 80 kms of smooth ride (yes the Marazzo glides in highways) there came the first of 5 railway crossings, starting from Jhinkpani to Haat Gamharia. Your travel time is dependent on them, obviously. The important thing is the huge speed-breakers on either sides of the crossing which usually a car struggle to cross by applying all ideas.

Marazzo crossed all of them confidently without kissing any of them.

[kbishwa]

Good things, beautiful scenery all along the way. You also get some new and well maintained fuel filling stations which are equipped with clean and rather clean toilets.

Not good things: after Saraikela you hardly get a good eating outlet, yes there are plenty of tea-stalls and small shops which will provide packaged waters and store of junk foods.

I must mention: the vehicle never stalled in the whole journey except once when I slotted 4th gear in place of 2nd gear (they are very close).

Comfort level for all was spot-on. Hand-rest as well as left foot-rest were practically supportive while driving. A small bag with food and accessories was easily slipped between 2nd row seats.

Using Android Auto: Google map support only comes live with USB cable connected. However, phone and music are otherwise automatically connected.

Note: When it was quite bright outside I struggled with brightness of both the display units. I maximised the settings but not of much help only to find that the parking lights were on. Switching it off brought back the super brightness & contrast levels.

My father liked the sun-shade while mother was more keen in looking at the natural beauty all across.



Jagannath Road and road-side views:



Caution: There were around half a dozen places where the roads were dangerously broken. Few of these patches I always find in the same sorry state. Unfortunately these patches are all between Chaibasa to little before Champua in Jharkhand command area only. In Odisha the roads are just perfect. It is better to avoid such roads in night or be more cautious. I personally have used these roads at night though a couple of times.

[kbishwa]

We found at different places Ambulances ready to help. And there were police jeeps at various places which never bothered us.

Caution: There are at many places road construction is going on so you need to look for diversions, and should avoid to rush into it. Signage for diversions are there at every place and one need to be attentive to find it. From start of road after diversion the roads are single hence need lower speed and more cautious movement. Would like to appreciate the truck drivers for the well mannered driving all along the trip.

There are tempting places like a small temple in a lake and an adjacent ancient fort like structure which would attract you to stop many a times which increases the travel time and economy figures. But, here the road travel is equally important for us rather than reaching the destination. This is how a road trip is different than train trip.

The temple in lake near Kendujhar town, at NH 20:


There are several reservoirs and dams across so many rivers in Odisha & Jharkhand where one would like to spend hours altogether.



In the way near Ghatgaon, just one km away from the highway there is a famous Maa Tarini Temple. In the same compound there is beautiful Shiva temple also.



Maa Tarini temple entrance


Lord Shiva temple in the same campus.


Another temple in the same Maa Tarini temple compound.


On week-days the temple is less crowded, but on festival day or on weekends there is enough crowd. Inside the temple it is well managed. There are a number of shops which will provide puja-articles at reasonable rate.

Like other place you will appreciate how places of pilgrims help in generating employment. Just structure it in a more professional way and that will help both tourists & the local mass.


Native map also keeps you warning not to leave the main road whenever a service road or other roads. This is helpful. However, Google Map through Android Auto was more updated. In either case one should not depend entirely on these maps, otherwise they may really take you for a funny ride.



We stopped to have some watermelon and coconut water. It is another way to stretch your body also, which was in fact not asking for any break though.



At road-sides we enjoyed Watermelon (₹20-25/kg) and Coconut-water (₹20 each). The spicy slat that they sprinkle over the cut watermelon really adds to the taste of sweet melons

[kbishwa]

We reached the hotel in Bhubaneswar before 12 noon.
Journey distance: ~ 400 kms
Time taken: approximately 6 and half hours
Fuel economy: 15.5 kmpl (as per vehicle information system)
Total toll charges: ₹ 470. (In Jharkhand ₹ 65 (2 toll-booths), rest in Odisha, 5 tolls). Details attached.
Toll Adityapur to Bhubaneswar.pdf

Note: Better avoid, if possible, being behind a truck in a toll bridge queue.
Learn to respect Marazzo while maneuvering it on turns, for its bulk & resulting body roll. Driving enthusiasts may stick to sedan, proper SUVs. I missed my Fabia (which I anyway miss while driving most of other cars though.)

The rule is don't expect everything from everything! The luxurious suite like space and untiring ride are few things what we expect from an MUV. Steering was accurate, again the benchmark is Fabia, and braking was predictable; and I always cared to keep safe distance.

Caution: The bus drivers were very casual, just turning the bus without giving any signal or caring for others. I saw one biker, just saving his life.

I also got surprised by cows and goats, and of course street dogs on the highway. In my couple of night journeys I at least didn't face these nuisances.

In Bhubaneswar we visited two famous temples, in a city full of temples. Lingraj temple was huge. but was little crowded. Panda (priest) culture was prevalent where you will literally get chased by a panda whether you want or not. This is prevalent in most of the temples in Odisha including in the famous Jagannath temple of Puri. For me, with due respect to all concerned, it is not only irritating but also demotivating to visit such a great place. Whatever, my parents would visit them every time.

At Lingraj temple we parked the car in the police station just opposite to the temple. And the policemen more than welcomed us. In fact all through the journey no where the policemen acted in a unruly manner. Didn't take any photograph as the same was not allowed. However, on the way to Lingraj I found the following:



We offered puja at ancient Mukteshwar temple, which we visited earlier than Lingraj temple. At around 7 AM there was no crowd. A much more peaceful place. Sharing some photographs:







I could learn to check the Ecosense application which looked like this:

[kbishwa]

Stay in Mayfair Lagoon was a treat. Servive, facility, food and aesthetics were very good to excellent! Here photographs would speak themselves. The hotel is a world in itself.

[kbishwa]

On 3rd morning after breakfast we planned to move early for Gopalpur. Everyone was waiting to meet the serene beaches of Gopalpur. And, Mayfair property in Gopalpur was also very attractive. In fact the combination of beach and hotel makes it the best rated by us in Odisha at least, while Mayfair Gangtok still holds the first place by us.

In the name of early departure we stated just after 10 AM, hotel checkout experience was smooth and pleasing. We were taking with us good memories. Six months back when we were here, our elder daughter and older car both were not well! Touch wood this time things went perfectly.



The journey was started with view of few more temples in the way.



I refueled the vehicle and by that number also the fuel economy achieved was between 15 & 16 kmpl. After around 450 kms of run the pressure dropped to 32 psi (exactly in all tyres). Got it inflated to 35 psi again.




The journey was again beautiful with mountains and rivers.






We reached a place from where Chennai was 1111 kms



Innovation: I'm seriously thinking of wiring two cameras attached to front and rear windshields from inside to photograph/video the journey with steering command or voice command. Manufacturers listening!

The drive was more peaceful, with less crowd in the road. Road quality was amazing and without any diversion. That resulted in a fuel economy of 16.6 kmpl as per car data.

Distance: ~ 175 km
Time: ~ 3 hours
FE: ~ 16.5 kmpl

And yes, by this time I forgot to miss my 1.6, and stated falling in love with 1.5. And it was beyond the Philosophy of liking your present, forgetting your past and not worrying for the future! And in most of the case you would like a silent/peaceful entity- even with diesel engine.



We met 2 toll booths in between, with total total charge of ₹160.

Toll Bhubaneswar to Gopalpur and ferry in Chilka.pdf

[kbishwa]

Earlier also we stayed at Mayfair Gopalpur a couple of times. But all these were train journeys. Or combination of train and taxi. To arrive at Gopalpur through train the nearest major station is Brahmapur, station code BAM. Also, while coming from Puri to this place there are two beautiful railway stations Barkul and Rambha. One should take the seat in left side to see the godly scene from train. At Barkul and Rambha Odisha Tourism has its Panthnivas. Ok kind, but for a traveller these are great place to break journey.

Well, more about Chilka later. Let's enjoy Gopalpur first. The beach is beautiful. Just near the hotel there is a market where you would get good food (specially varieties of fishes and pron). And the price is very reasonable that you would get tempted to leave big tip.

As like Bhubaneswar let me share some photographs which talk better than me:

The lush green compound attracts the kids and their parent equally.


The sea calls you, some time loudly and some times whispers in your ear:


And there are hotel appointed life-guards who can take you to little far inside.


And this kind of waves you can only get in Bay of Bengal. And, in Gopalpur it is as clean as most South Goa beaches, and definitely much cleaner than Puri. Bubble blanket:


Look at the boats, in fact I could no take my eyes off.


Kids trying to imitate something big


You, me and few boats in the sea


You will love to sit here and see and hear the sea, and there plenty of such view points. And do you know in the past twice this place had been devastated by the sea storms (Gopalpur is prone to such storms)


Sunset..evening time and you will get the best Jhal-murhi in one of the oldest stalls, the photo follows after one photograph.



Heard, tea is also superb, which I don't take. But yes, jhalmurhi with double mirchi. Pls note down the time and note the year of establishment


Gopalpur and nearby areas (e.g. Rambha, Rushikulya etc. whose photo already attached in the earlier post) are also famous for Olive-Ridley turtles


In the backdrop you can see sea..grand sea, beautiful sea









Marazzo with some other stalwarts, one thing is for sure, none of the them as comfortable to sit as the Marazzo. Period.


And beach volley-ball just near the beach


This is extra-ordinary luxury..again innovative, right


And this boat is a life-line for the inhabitants..real boat


Serious discussion sitting over golden sand, and you can also see a light-house


Silent moments, can you see the boats at the other end of sea.


Perfect walkways


I like this moment:


And this field:

[kbishwa]

When we started for Puri from Gopalpur, Google map showed 2 options. Option-1 was more or less the same road which we used while coming to Gopalpur.




Option 2 was little more time consuming as per map. Finally we decided to venture through the new route (option-2).



Looking at the map it appeared more exciting, the road crossing between and very close to water bodies (the lake and the sea). But, due to one graphical mistake by Google baba, we lead to a dead, almost dead end of the road. And that resulted in one of its kind of adventure for us. Will tell in detail little later.

On the way, after driving ~ 25 kms we again saw the board for Tampara lake (which we earlier saw while going to Gopalpur). We took a U turn and visited the lake where some boating facilities were available.





The speed boat option reminded me of the Pykara lake boating (near Ooty), both in normal and speed boats. That was amazing and the landscape was also soothing. And yes, Bhavani lake was the godly place.

Marazzo looks good from a distance also!


And it is behind the Marazzo as in the above photo, from little close. A spot in itself.


Even the design team wouldn't have appreciated the Marazzo..from this angle it is better than many MPVs, the most challenging angle for an MPV.


And here we reaches a place where the Google map through Android auto announced that we need to take FERRY. Half of the people were shocked (including me) and another half were enjoying the ride and scenery. Now because it was first time such option came and that was completely unplanned and all of sudden, I was advised to take a U turn and enjoy the route again. The culprit (or Tintin in disguise) was the map. It never showed that we need to take a ferry as far as the blue line is concerned (like with different colour or broken line etc). But in map details it was present.

Learning: Spend some time with maps before venturing new path.

Well at the end my persistence won and my Marazzo could also had a ride. Smoothest ride. The ferry operated by Odisha Govt had a capacity of more than 95 metric tonnes. As a bonus we also watched dolphins.


Marazzo on board, along with other vehicles and people


We talk a lot on safety, important also, but this is the reality of a common Indian, it is just an example. Or is it really adventurous?


Handsome, you will agree.


People must be paying much more than my family for Chilka tour, and that without their car.


There were many such views, beautiful birds..they have plenty to eat.




















The dash-board is cute. This is when I stopped to take by glasses from the glass holder.
Caution: At few places it was stapled on the plastic wrapping, just like on a sun-visor over driver's head. Take care while removing the plastic to avoid hurting your fingers.


Birds everywhere. Well watching from very close was different experience. And for the first time everyone liked watching something which I liked.


If Mahindra comes to me to buy the copyright of the photographs, I would again have some money to spare.


Saw godly kids having or going for mid-day meal, without slippers. My kids vowed to respect the food and I think this may be lasting vow.








An average of ~15 kmpl when I stopped the car numerous time and most of my journey through villages is commendable. Yes, throughout the journey I never used Eco mode (in fact I have never yet used it)

[kbishwa]

We reached Puri 3 hours late than planned. And we loved to fail this time. We didn't even mind a little less fuel economy and single roads.

In Puri again we stayed in Mayfair (Heritage). Just across the road is Mayfair Waves which is a newer property. Kids liked the Wave more and I may choose the Wave next time which is bit cheaper also. Puri Mayfair hotels don't have parking place and boards were put near the hotel: Parking at owners' risk. But what was pleasantly surprising for us that the vehicle was properly cleaned when we saw it next morning. Customers' delight. Not the case in any other Mayfair hotel. Let me share some photographs of the hotels and Puri beach.

Note: Like in Bhubaneswar, the Jagannath Temple didn't allow mobile/camera. Hence we left them in Hotel while visiting Lord siblings Krishna, Balram and Subhadra.













Bus stand just out-side Puri while coming/going from/to Bhubaneswar


I still wonder why Lodgy was such a failure. Another 1500 cc engine with better drive & handling than Marazzo, other than bland look.






It reminds us of our own childhood. Children given similar environment would not be very different despite generation-gaps.


A dance performance by talented children in hotel Pramod Convention where we stayed for last extended day.








Children liked Air Hockey, looks the grandfather also enjoying.


Camel ride, for around 100 meters (50+50), 100 bucks per child.








You can easily identify it. In Odisha beaches you easily get crowd of crows, and they are expert in picking the crabs from sea-shore. One of the most intelligent birds, in some places even crows are fighting for their existence.


Foods were good, reception looked good but the service quality didn't have wow factor this time. May be because the hotels were too crowded.


Nice pools. But only my elder one could dare to go inside. This time we felt Puri colder than ever. But it helped in enjoying even in afternoon, which cannot be thought in other months.


The Waves definitely had more, much more space and facilities than the Heritage. However, any guest can use facilities of either of the Mayfair twins.




Lord Shiva temple at the entrance of all the Mayfair Hotels is a hallmark of this chain of hotels. The most beautiful I found in Gangtok.




From Puri to Bhubaneswar by-pass it takes around 1 hour.
Caution: Please beware of people crossing the highway without giving a damn to the traffic on the highway.
Where the Puri highway meets the Bhubaneswar by-pass, the map may ask to take a left turn. In stead you can go straight below the flyover and take right turn after crossing the flyover brom beneath.


We stopped at Saraswati Mistann Bhandar in Saraikela to take some famous laddu (besan-sew). But the road is extremely crowded with people parking at both sides of the road.



While coming to Bhubaneswar it was charged ₹ 115 at Panikholi toll, where while returning it was ₹85 only! Otherwise everywhere same.

Toll Puri to Adityapur.pdf
There were 8 toll booths, one between Puri & Bhubaneswar, afterwards 5 from Bhubaneswar till end of Odisha and 2 in Jharkhand in the selected route.
The average was again ~ 15 kmpl with 2 traffic jams of around half an hour. Traffic jam after a long journey may remind you that you are not driving an automatic. This I didn't feel while coming from Goa to Mumbai in Octavia automatic.

Yes, throughout the journey, except one place when I slotted in 4th in place of 2nd gear, I never stalled the Marazzo. My elderly parents and kids were tired after a more than 10 hours journey, but no complain of any fatigue it used to be in earlier car trips. And Marazzo service people were waiting eagerly for first servicing after 1000 kms with some surprise. I will cover that in Marazzo Review thread.

My next trip would be a one day expedition to the Dalma hill on Marazzo to test its hill climbing abilities for which I'm not very sure.

[SDP]

Thread moved out from the Assembly Line. Thanks for sharing!

[V.Narayan]

Excellent travelogue. Nice to see family trips with grandparents. The presence of grandparents has its own unique value for the grand children. I recall staying at Mayfair in Bhuvaneshwar in 2006.

Off topic: That is a Lockheed Electra Model 12 in that photo. It is an iconic aircraft and the world's first aircraft designed to be a business executive aircraft. This version first flew in 1936. The Birla's used one out of Calcutta till literally the early 1990s. These were unbreakable machines quite like the DC-3 Dakotas. There are only 5 left as museum/display pieces now and a few in USA are still on active flying!! Amelia Earhart the world famous woman aviator (termed aviatrix in those days) was flying a Lockheed Electra on her unsuccessful around the world flight, in 1937, when she was lost at sea.

[sathyasuri]

Congratulations on your new Marazzo. Nice travelogue. I recently took a test drive of the vehicle and it surely is a very good family vehicle.

BTW, I think you should tweet/share the fourth pic in your travelogue to Mahindra (the one with all the six of you seated comfortably and having fun together). I am sure that the picture conveys clearly the message on the space and comfort in the vehicle and they can use that for their promotion (do claim your royalty ).

[PetrolRider]

Originally Posted by kbishwa

When we started for Puri from Gopalpur, Google map showed 2 options. Option-1 was more or less the same road which we used while coming to Gopalpur.

Hats off sir, I might never ever dare to venture in that road from Gopalpur to Bhubaneswar . Nice travelogue indeed.

Regarding your view towards Panda cultures, I can not agree more. Lingaraaj temple is still in much better shape, but sadly Jagannath temple is in a very sorrow state.

Originally Posted by V.Narayan

.

Off topic: That is a Lockheed Electra Model 12 in that photo.

Sir, you are the grand patriarchs in TBHP, when it comes to things those fly. But, what I heard in my childhood, it is a Beechcraft owned by erstwhile Kalinga Airlines under Biju Patnaik. It is just hearsay, you might throw some more light on this.

[captain.torque]

A beautifully written travelogue and as mentioned by Mr. V. Narayanan, it was a pleasing site to see the grandparents together with the grandchildren in today's "modern" (westernized) era.

A have a couple of questions though.

1. Your car had temporary registration stickers and not the HSRP. Did you face any trouble from the police? Is it legal to travel around without HSRPs?

2. Yours is a top end Marazzo as it has the alloy wheels, then how come the vehicle doesn't have the shark fin antenna?

[kbishwa]

Thank you. I agree and most of the 7 seaters for personal use are bought for that reason.

1. I enquired with friends before going with temporary number sticker and they say it may not be a problem as long as you are in Jharkhand and Odisha and carry all original papers. Yes, I didn't have any problem.

2. No shark-fin antenna for any model yet. Aditya also mentioned this in his review.