[lucifer1881]

This would be a photo-log in an ideal world. But then Instagram exists.

Contrary to popular perception (the big presumption being that I am popular), I am not anti social media. I have issues galore with it, mostly because it promotes instant gratification rather than quiet reflection. May be what my sister says is true - I am averse to change in general. Then again change for change's sake doesn't make sense. A picture may speak a thousand words but words spoken without context are about as useful as music without rhythm.

This trip is among those shortish ones that typically do not get their own log. There are exceptions, of course, such as (Satpura - Quick Jaunt, Quicker Log)Satupura or (Hampi - A Tale of Two Cars and Two Seasons)Hampi. By and large, a 10-day trip is less epic than a 17-day one.

Unless this happens:

Magnificence, thy name is Durga Vaahana

To be fair, this wasn't my first tiger sighting - that was way back in 2011 at Tadoba, before tourists ruined it. Those were the times when you could ride an elephant and get really up close with a big cat in the grass.

Tadoba Andhari Tiger Reserve, circa 2011. The alpha male of the era


That's Lakshmi, who took us to him

I digress. This trip wasn't even about a tiger sighting. It wasn't supposed to be a 10-day trip. It was meant to be a weekend family getaway, something that my wife and I have almost codified into tradition. The wife, her parents, her sister, my parents, my sister and I - we all take a longish weekend trip around wife's birthday in April. Am I complaining that 4 days morphed into 10? You know the answer to that.

The wife and I chose to drive, as we do. The others decided to fly in to Varanasi on 31 March, for that was the chosen destination for the family get together. The family went back from Varanasi on 3 April while the wife and I carried on.

The Journey: Hyderabad - Maihar - Varanasi - Bandhavgarh - Kanha - Amarkantak - Chitrakote - Hyderabad

The total distance covered was ~3200km over 11 days (30 March to 9 April). This was as relaxed a road trip as we have ever done.

[lucifer1881]

The wife and I started our drive at 5am on 30 March. The car chosen for this trip was the Rapid, mostly because the Elantra is due a suspension overhaul. Maihar was our stop for the day, a distance of 975km from Hyderabad. Gmaps estimated a journey time of ~17 hours. Going by the 80% axiom, it should have taken us ~14 hours. It took less, much less. Barring some traffic around Buti Bori and Jabalpur, it was clean all the way through.

The Skoda Rapid, rapid not just in name

We checked into MPT Surbahar, because that's the law. When MP Tourism runs a hotel, you check-in there. And it is especially important to check-in there if your arrival is around 3:30-4:00pm. They make the best pakodas. Period.

This was kind of a working day for both of us. So we did working things like emails, ppt, calls, etc. In the evening we took a walk in the market which was fully decked up for this was the day of Ramnavami. Small towns have their own charm. And small towns with powerful temples, as this one does, have their own allure.

The following morning, we were up bright and early and made our way to the Maa Sharda Temple on the hill. The temple is a hop, skip and jump away from MPT Surbahar. There is a ropeway that takes you directly to it.

Going up the hill on the ropeway

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iwbJCo5QMow

At the Maa Sharda Temple

The view from atop the hill

Our darshan done, we made our way back to the hotel for breakfast post which we were on our way to Varanasi.

[lucifer1881]

It took us 6 hours to reach our hotel in Varanasi, which is about the average. There was some traffic, and I wasn't driving with my pants on fire. I think we even took a break for tea, something we rarely do. Why don't we do it? I dunno, to be honest. We take breaks for fuel and to answer nature's calls. But that's about it.

Congregating with the peeps in the hotel lobby


The lions of Sarnath

In the evening, we made our way to the Ganga Arti. We rented a boat, because that is the best way to do this.

Gaay Ghat, Varanasi


Along the holy Ganga

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PzVdK5mBLJE

Allow me to reminisce a little. I had said this in 2015 on the (Where no Elantra has gone before - 5500 kms, 6 States & Bhutan!)Bhutan log:

Why do I like Banaras? It is difficult to explain. I have this friend who stayed in the city for a few months but could never like it. So I suppose you either love Varanasi or you don’t. It is not a taste that you can acquire. Yes, it is a dirty city. Yes, the roads in and out of the city are a nightmare. Yes, temples fleece you at every opportunity.

Yes, none of this is true anymore.

It is chaotic, but that's India for you. We revel in chaos. An Indian without Chaos is an Indian without soul. But it is managed chaos, almost choreographed. I have been to Varanasi 5 times over the last 14ish years, most recently in September 2022. The transformation this time was starkly apparent. And it was absolutely joyous.

That said, do not drive in Varanasi. Do the sensible thing. Keep your car at the hotel and rent a cab or an eRickshaw. The traffic is beyond anything you can possibly imagine. The honking is incessant. Yet, there is a crazy calm. The oldest continuously inhabited city in the world is like no place else.

The next day began with a visit to the Kashi Vishwanath Temple. We left our phones in the hotel because they aren't allowed in the temple complex. That is a very good thing in my opinion. The modern human has forgotten to live in the moment in the zeal to capture it on camera.

I had been to the temple in 2008, on my first visit to the city. It was not a very pleasant experience. The temple in 2023 is something else. You book your darshan slot online, arrive at the appointed place at the appointed time. A Shastri escorts you inside and takes you for darshan. This elevates your temple experience to another level. You focus on bhakti while the administration takes care of everything else.

Not having our phones on us meant that there were no distractions. No urge to take a picture. No urge to check messages. No urge to make a call. We spent lovely quiet time - it was just us and the God communicating through a direct line. Bam Bam Bhole!

Post darshan, we got back to the hotel for breakfast.

Post breakfast groupie

...and we were off to Sarnath.

Some pictures at Sarnath


Banarasi thali for lunch is mandatory

The evening was spent leisurely at the hotel while indulging in some family gossip. The great Indian family get together is incomplete unless you talk about what your third cousin's maternal uncle's eldest son has been up to, isn’t it?

[lucifer1881]

As I said, this trip was planned around wife's birthday. Well, 2 April wasn't her birthday but it was the last day when all of us would be together since the sister was going back. At any rate, when has a date got in the way of a cake cutting? I remember distinctly when I was 6 and we were on a train from Delhi to Patna, my maasi met us at Lucknow station with a cake (my birthday was a day later). Maasis are wonderful, aren't they? How many of us have celebrated our birthday in a train? Of course, when I reached Patna, my grandma ensured there was a cake for me to cut on the day of my birthday as well . And yes, my Bua had ensured that I had a cake to cut in Delhi too on the evening before the train journey began. 1 birthday. 3 cakes. Fair game.

Anyhoo. We surprised the wife during breakfast.

Happy Birthday, date not strictly relevant

We chilled at the hotel for a bit and then decided to go out for lunch.

Riding in the front of an auto rickshaw is also a law, right?

The family part of the trip was over this day. It was short but amazing. As far as traditions go, this one rocks.

[lucifer1881]

We started for Bandhavgarh around 8am on 3 April. The 340 odd km drive took ~6 hours. At Mauganj, we left the dual carriageway and did not come across a divided road until 5 days later around Bilaspur in Chhattisgarh, a rarity that I have begun to appreciate more and more as time passes by. Single carriageway highways are pure driving joy with their meandering curves and varying grade. If you drive a half decent sedan or hatch, you know exactly what I mean - the fusion of man and machine into a single entity.

Bandhavgarh is a fantastic village. It is worth spending a day there even if a Safari is not your thing. The main street has multiple restaurants and several shops selling traditional handicrafts. The facilities are excellent, the roads to get there are fabulous, and the people are incredible.

The hotel restaurant, rustic and functional


With a view that's unparalleled... So far

Feast of a lunch and a shower later, we were off for the evening Safari.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z3n7BiNfTrw

Waiting at Tala Gate while our Naturalist completes the entry formalities

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-DmyBKdjQrU

We saw Chitals, Macaques, Sambhar and even the occasional Mouse Deer.

Mouse Deer


My first Jackal sighting in the wild

[lucifer1881]

Okay. Enough prelude. I shall let the big cat shine now.

He is something else.


He teases


He stretches


He watches


He scratches


He poses


He walks away

[lucifer1881]

The light had begun to fade. It was time to exit the park.

Vultures shot in fading light

Damn, was it a good day!

We got back to the hotel, welcomed by lanterns.

We sat here, watching dusk fall, reliving the experience and letting it fully sink in


Dinner under the stars


A very pleased Lucifer. Yes, that's him smiling

We had an early morning safari the next day but the excitement of the spotting just wouldn't let us sleep until way past midnight.

[lucifer1881]

4 April. Morning safari. Would we get lucky again?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pnzJkcARTCM

The sun rises at Bandhavgarh

You don't see a tiger. A tiger decides if it wants you to see it.

The safari begins well. Tiger tracks

Sometime towards the end of the evening safari the day before, the autofocus on my 70-300 gave up. Fortunately, it happened post the date with the tiger. But we had two more safaris to go - a morning one at Bandhavgarh and a morning one at Kanha.

But when I got these two shots through manual focus, I realised that all is well with this world.

Crested Serpent Eagle


Indian Roller

From hereon, every picture taken on the Canon was focussed manually. And I am quite pleased that for someone like me who hasn't used a DSLR for at least half a decade, focussing is muscle memory.

Self-aggrandisement aside, we spotted another big cat. When providence is on your side, a tiger can be close enough to take a video on a smartphone. The wife was quick to shoot this.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GPTBM3hUlXM

Only reinforces what I have always believed - the best camera is the one that you can get to fastest.

Shots such as these depend on the tiger's mood

In all, we spotted 4 tigers in Bandhavgarh over 2 safaris. We managed to get decent pictures of two of them. In every imaginable way, this trip was a WIN.

We got back to the hotel, fully satisfied. But the hotel staff served us lunch that satisfied us some more.

Post which, what was a man to do but find a cosy spot by the window.

Around sunset, we take a walk around the property.

And return to find that a bath had been drawn for us.

There are some things money can't buy. A hotel staff that goes the extra mile is one of them.

[lucifer1881]

Eastern Madhya Pradesh is achingly beautiful. The drive through the jungles to Kanha from Bandhavgarh needs to be experienced to be believed.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CIhFCsKI_8Q

5 April. The birthday.

We reach Kanha a little after noon. If the hotel restaurant in Bandhavgarh had a view unparalleled then the one at Kanha decided to show off with its own river.

And quiet flows the Banjaar... view from the open air restaurant deck


A restaurant that truly comes into its own once the moon rises



The hotel also has a poolside restaurant


Which is perfect for a cake cutting


Then the hotel staff surprises us with a very nice touch

[lucifer1881]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WfjftDZAuJw

The sun rises at Kanha

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zbHxutiLQiM

The jungle was eerily quiet on this day. We did not spot much. But the grasslands of Kanha are spot-worthy of their own accord.

We came across Shravan Tal, the fabled spot where Maharaj Dashrath shot Shravan Kumar mistaking him for a deer. The deer find this place safe to this day, as evidenced in the picture below.

Shravan Tal


Spotted deer, munching on the fallen fruits of the Mahua tree

Got this one shot of a vulture perched atop a tree. I am particularly pleased with this one considering it was shot on manual focus.

And then we spotted the best tiger of the trip.

When we got back to the hotel, we were treated to a troop of Langurs on the banks of the Banjaar river.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YKG_1Y0IHY0

[lucifer1881]

Our next stop was Amarkantak. In September, we went as east as one can before India runs out (Rapid Trip to Arunachal - 8111 km, 19 days, 11 States, Bhutan, Myanmar, China, Virat Kohli and more…). Amarkantak is as east as you can go in MP before Chhattisgarh begins.

Having driven as much as we have, we hardly ever stop now for pictures by the side of the road. We have seen it all, done it all. Or so we thought. Dindori in MP did to me what Chitkul did (The Elantra does it again: 6233 km, 9 States, 18380 feet above sea level. Spiti, Ladakh & more) - its beauty socked me in the face. And I am not exaggerating.

What sorcery is this? Meadows stretching on until the eyes can see at Dindori

It was about a 4 hour drive from Kanha to Amarkantak. Those 192km went by in no time, courtesy the gobsmacking scenery.

I do not know why I chose Amarkantak. But I am glad I did. It is the source of two of India's great rivers - the Narmada and Son. It is an important place of Jain pilgrimage too.

Shri Yantra Mandir, Amarkantak

We also visited Narmada Kund, the source of the river Narmada, and drove around for a bit. No pictures to show but take my word for it. Everyone in their lifetime must visit Amarkantak. And do it now before the tourists take over.

The legendary pakodas at MPT Holiday Homes, Amarkantak

[lucifer1881]

On this day, 8 April, we enter Chhattisgarh. My first time visiting the state. I should have visited it sooner. If eastern MP is achingly beautiful then Chhattisgarh is impossibly pretty. The thick forests and winding mountain roads are every driver's dream, especially when you start at 6am and have the entire road network to yourself.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oci7_wjw1D0

We were looking forward to driving through the Achanakmar Sanctuary. Sadly, they built an alternate road and closed the sanctuary to vehicular traffic exactly 8 days earlier.

Full props to the Rapid's in-car navigation system. It was our sole source of guidance in Chhattisgarh. Airtel is not aware that the state exists, except in pockets around Raipur / Bilaspur. This also meant no music in the car because everyone streams these days. We are good with no music, though. Driving on a beautiful road in silence is infinitely more enjoyable. And guess what, it also enables you to have a conversation.

Our stop on the penultimate day of this trip was Chitrakote, not to be confused with Chitrakoot. We stop at the CG Tourism hotel at Kanker for an early lunch, a little before noon. The food was excellent. The view from the place was even better.

Lake at Kanker

Chitrakote in Bastar district is a waterfall on the river Indravati. April is not exactly the best time to visit a waterfall but one travels when one has the time. It is what it is.

This must be absolutely smashing during monsoons


Damn right, we do




The sun sets over the town and on this holiday too

The following morning, we made our way back home. I should have refuelled at Chitrakote but the fuel station there needed about 30 minutes to get started. I drove on assuming that the next pump will be close enough. It wasn't. We drove for perhaps 60ish km until we found a human being, who told us that the petrol pump is a further 30km away. He was also confident that since the stretch is mostly downhill, we will make it. Fortunately, we came across a village where fuel was sold in bottles. Bought 10 litres, the first time I have ever done this. At the next pump, we tanked up. Phew!

Other than in uppermost Himalayas, I have never found distances between fuel pumps long enough to worry about. Then again, in my zeal to save 30 minutes, I brought this upon myself.

[lucifer1881]

I have been struggling to summarise this trip. From the divinity of Maa Ganga to the wild jungles of MP to the untamed beauty of Chhattisgarh - this trip had it all. A friend suggested that I try ChatGPT, which was a total fail. Not the suggestion itself for that led to the intended action, but ChatGPT. That tool either hallucinates or is ignorant.

Unlike other trips, this one did not give me any great insights into life in general. May be that's a good thing. Sometimes one should shut off the thought process entirely and live in the moment. May be Instagram does have its place in the world and not all pictures need context.

Take this Gaur, for instance. Does he care that this picture is not showing his best side?

Epicness is overrated. Once in a while we should appreciate the joys that little trips bring, such as:

Having a morning cuppa after a light shower


Looking at the vast expanse in vacant or in pensive mood, with due regard to Wordsworth


Cosying up in a corner to shut the world out


And looking forward to the wonderful things that life has to offer

[lucifer1881]

My tryst with forests began in 2009 with Bharatpur (From Africa to Leh - The Journey of Two Souls). We did a few Tadoba trips in early 2010s, courtesy friends of ours who are actively into wildlife conservation. A trip here to Satpura, a trip there to Nagarhole or Bandipur.

Malabar Flying Squirrel at Nagarhole

I am not an expert or a veteran of wildlife sanctuaries. I have only been to a handful across India. But I will go out on limb and say that the best managed parks are in Madhya Pradesh. Why do I say this?

For one, they do not allow the Naturalists or the Spotters to have their phones on them. Thus, there isn't a "jeep rush" when a tiger is spotted. There may be 6-7 jeeps around a tiger but that's because they have been waiting at the spot for the tiger to make an appearance. They are not driving at breakneck speed to get there.

For another, they understand "Atithi Devo Bhavah." It may be the very foundation of a service business but find me one hotel / guide / restaurant that understands this concept in Tadoba. I dare you. Whether it is MPT Kipling's Court or MPT Bison Highway Treat or MPT Hotel Highlands or a Taj Safari, your experience in MP is guaranteed to be top notch.

And that's what a great holiday is - a series of fantastic experiences.

[Aditya]

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