Bhopal

 Bhopal

Day one was about seting in at A’s place and letting her mom pamper us.

Day two was hectic as hell. It did not begin at the crack of dawn but it seemed to last super long. We went to Bhojpur. Here, we visited the incompletely built Shiva temple. A Shiva linga that was huge and made from polished shiny marble. Very vague inscriptions on the rocks could be discerned. A guy educated us as to how wedges of wood can be used to cleave rocks! I was amazed. Then, we proceeded to the Jain Mandir, which housed a large idol of Teerthankar. We had Daal Bati again. On to the Bhimbhetka Caves. These shelters have drawings from the Mesolithic Era. Actual proof of our ancestors and their stories painted upon the stones using some magic dye that might just last forever. Heritage! A long drive to Salkanpur,  boarded a ropeway to the top and happened upon a glorious sunset. The temple and its premises were well maintained and pretty. A small Devalaya housed gods like Dvarpal, Ganesha, Hanuman and Khokli Mata. The fences were filled with offering cloths tied in hopes of having their wishes fulfilled. People who had no cloth used plastic bags but they prayed earnestly to Bhijasan Mata. She was exquisite to look at. A mere rock to some, but the vibes of pure godliness that emanated from her.

     

It was too late by the time we reached Hoshangabad. A lonely drive through a dangerous forest. Monkeys everywhere. We halted at a small tower that gazed upon the valley. The Sethani Ghat had a temple for Narmada Devi, they have a Pooja for her and give people the prasad. This Ghat was modelled after Banaras. There was a spanky Hanuman temple too. We lit Diyas and set them afloat the green dark river. A wish I had had for a long time...

We had a late start on the third day. Not having slept much the previous night. But we gathered our will and set off for Sanchi. A crowded bus in which we stood gyrating with the brakes and the whims of the driver. The Stupas were serene and the whole place rang with the mating calls of peacocks and peahens. An expedition along stony ruins and photographing every piece of rock. There was a small lake. I ran to see a peahen fly. I caught a glimpse of a peacock at first. Then as we went ahead I saw another one up close and another. It was the first time I witnessed the call and the banter of a wild peacock. Annoyingly enough, there was a film crew shooting a song for a Marathi movie Mix n Match. We saw Ganesh Acharya, the famous choreographer.

The Indira Gandhi Manav Sanghralaya is vast and spreads out over 200 acres. It is an open air exhibition of the settlements of tribal folk all over India. Ranging from Kerala to Mizoram, sacred groves and huts and boats and sheds of all kinds. Walking in the sweltering heat was taxing, but the intriguing displays of a much richer culture than I thought, kept us going. We came upon a snake on the roof of a small hut of Kamaar. We narrowly escaped while shouting for our lives! The museum contains exhibits and galleries depicting eras from the evolution of man till today, the discovery of the genome. It houses information and artefacts from every nook and cranny of the Indian subcontinent. A visual art gallery filled with a variety of everything. Clothes, shoes, hats, armor, weapons, drums, spoons, masks, jewelry and more. Marvelous! 

The final day consisted of brief visits to the Moti Masjid and the Taj-UI-Masjid. Quiet places of prayer. A friendly worshipper interacted with us and asked us to visit the Begum's palace, the woman who had the Masjid built. The Mahals have all been converted to office buildings sadly. But Bhopal is still picturesque! 

It was a trip to remember!