16 days in Madhya Pradesh

July 01, 2024

16 days in Madhya Pradesh

Intrepid explorer at Urwai caves

Day 1: Home – Gwalior (18-Nov-2023)

Took the morning flight from home. The transit airport was Mumbai. The 9 year old intrepid traveler is also travelling with me. Its evening when I reached Gwalior. Checked into Krishna Guest House. It’s a large old house than has been converted into a hotel.

Day 2: Gwalior

Went to Jal Vilas palace in the morning. It’s the former residence of the Scindia family. Part of the sprawling palace has been converted into a museum. A guide accompanies each group of visitors. The fees for the guide is included in the ticket. The palace is very well maintained. The steep entry fees for the museum will go a long way towards it’s upkeep.

Gwalior fort

The next stop was Gwalior fort. The fort is located on a solitary sandstone hill. Auto rickshaws are not permitted beyond the foothills of the hillock where the fort is situated. I got off and started walking up to the fort. It’s a short hike to the fort entrance. While walking up, I spot a magnificent collection of rock cut statues. These are the Urvai gate sculptures. Further uphill, on the right side of the road is another large collection of Jain statues. This location is called Gopachal hill. Sadly, many of these sculptures are damaged and eroded. Most people who drive up to the fort tend to miss these gorgeous statues.

Beside Gwalior fort

The fort walls enclose about 3 Sq KM. Even though the rickshaws are not allowed to go up to the fort, there are ‘resident’ e-rikshaws plying exclusively in the fort. Hop into to one of them for visiting the important places inside the fort. (Rs. 200). The fort houses many impressive buildings. These include Sans Bahu mandir, Teli ka Mandir etc. It is said the eldest inscription of Zero (0) is in this fort but I couldn’t locate it. The museum inside the fort is definitely worth visiting. One of the newer additions is the fort is the prestigious Scindia School. There is a light and sound show in the fort at night, but I did not wait for it.

Carving at Garhi Padawali
Day 3: Gwalior – Padawali – Bateshwar group of temples – Mitawali (64 Yogini temple)– Gwalior

Today’s trip is to Morena district. It’s an hours drive from Gwalior. Visiting all these places by public transport is near impossible. So I took Ola hire from the hotel. When I told him the destination, the driver wanted to fill CNG. Apparently, getting CNG outside city limits is quite difficult. That took another 30 min before we started from the CNG station.

Bateshwar temple

The first stop was the temple called Garhi Padawali. It’s set in very rural surroundings. As expected, there are very few tourists here. it’s a relatively small fortress like structure. The inscription by the Archeological Survey of India states that the temple was first built in 10th century AD. In the 19th century, the temple was fortified by the rulers of ‘Jat Ranas of Gohad’. There are beautiful carvings on the temples, a few of which are erotic carvings.

Bateshwar temple

After visiting the temple, returned to my cab. The driver did whatever he could, but the car refused to start. I told him to get the car fixed and started walking to Bateshwar temple. It’s approx. 1 Km away from Garhi Padawali. By the main road I spotted a hotel and I decided to go in for lunch. It was a big hotel in the middle of nowhere! It has a big lawn and probably is a marriage/party venue.

Chausath Yogini temple (64 Yogini temple) at Mitawali

As I was eating my lunch, the cab driver called me. He had managed to sort out the ignition issues of his car. He picked me up from the hotel. Bateshwar is an amazing sight. It is a large collection of temples. Within the temple premises is a large rectangular pond. I have the entire temple premises to myself as I am the only person here today! The board put up by the Archeological Survey of India states that these temples have been dated from 6th to 9th century AD. Many of the structures we see today have been restored. Many more buildings are still in ruins. There is an exhibit of photographs from pre-restoration period. Only then was I able to appreciate the immense amount of restoration work that had gone into this site!

The priest at Chausathi Yogini temple at Mitawali

The next stop was Chausath Yogini temple (64 Yogini temple) at Mitawali (Mitaoli). It’s located on a small isolated hillock in the middle of agricultural fields. From the car park, it’s a short hike to the top on the hillock. Enter through the narrow opening into the temple and one sees another circular building at the center of the courtyard. This central building is the main sanctum. The inner courtyard does not have a roof. It was believed that the Yoginis would fly in and out of the temples. Hence, most of the Yogini temples have this design element. (Click here for 64 Yogini temple at Orissa) There are 64 chambers on the outer wall. However, none of the chambers have Yogini statues!! It’s all Shiva. Even in the central building, Shiva is the deity. Today this building is also called as Ekattarso Mahadeva temple. I asked the resident priest why it’s called as 64 yogini temple. He had no clue. It is said that this yogini temple was the inspiration for the old Indian parliament building at New Delhi.

The young couple at Chausathi yogini temple
who wanted their pic taken

I stepped out of the Yogini temple and began taking pictures. A local family was reaching the temple. On seeing my camera, they politely requested me to take their pictures. They whole family happily posed for the pictures. The young man in the group wanted a separate a picture with his wife. The young couple posed separately for the camera. He gave me his WhatsApp number to send him the pictures. It was almost a month before I got back to him with the pics. He wrote back to me. “Thanks elder brother. My wife often used to ask me what happened to our pics from Yogini Temple. She will be very happy today.” Here is that pic.

Khajuraho

Today’s destinations were set in the rural heartland of Madhya Pradesh. It’s off the beaten tourist path. It’s a pity that the architectural wonders of Morena district are not on every traveler’s itinerary.

Day 4: Gwalior – Khajuraho

The noon train to Khajuraho arrived an hour late. By the time it reached Khajuraho, the train is late by 4 hrs. It 9 PM when I get to the hotel.

Erotic sculptures at Khajuraho

Day 5: Khajuraho

This is a tourist town. Services for tourists like taxis, guides etc. are always available. Of late, the roads have been well developed and there are many new tourist amenities have sprung up. Many of the big hotel chains have opened shop here. The temples and its premises are being managed well. Khajuraho temples are divided into the eastern and western group of temples.

The eastern group of temples are solitary temples. They are well spread out over a large area. After completing the eastern group, I visited the museum run by the Archeological Survey of India. They only accept online payments for purchasing museum tickets! The museum is not large, but it’s worth visiting.

Khajuraho

After lunch, I went to the western group of temples. There are a lot of temples clustered together in this area. The first temple I visited was the Chausathi (64) yogini temple. The temple is practically in ruins. It has a unique square layout. The board outside says the temple does not have a roof as the Yoginis can fly in and out. I spend rest of the evening in the other temples. It’s very beautiful. I leave when the guards chased me out at closing time! (Click here for photos of Khajuraho temples).

Chausathi Yogini temple at Khajuraho

While I was visiting one of the temples in the morning, a boy selling books came up to me. He was about 9-10 years old. He discreetly showed me an illustrated edition of the Kama Sutra that was hidden among the other books. This happened to me at a few other temples too. It could be due to the popular association of Khujaraho with erotic sculptures. There are a few erotic sculptures, but it pales in comparison with those at the Sun temple (Click here) or Nirmaljahr (Click here).

Khajuraho
Day 6: Khajuraho – Pandav falls – Satna – Jabalpur

Departed hotel by 0830. The first stop was Pandav falls. It is situated deep in the Panna tiger reserve. As per local folklore, Pandavas (think Mahabhataram) visited this falls during their period in exile. Hence the name Pandav falls. It is a short walk from the car park to the bottom of the falls. A guide accompanies each group of tourist. The guide fees is included in the entry ticket.

Pandav falls

I walked down to the bottom of the waterfall. Since its summer, the water flow in the falls has reduced to a trickle. Beside the waterfall lake are a few of arch shaped buildings. In summer, when other sources of water dry up, animals arrive here to drink water. These arch shaped buildings are hunting lodges built by the erstwhile maharajas. It is possible to enter only a few of these arch structures. My guide explained that animals sometimes come to these buildings to escape the oppressive summer heat. To avoid human-animal conflict, some these buildings are off limits for tourists.

The hunting cabins at Pandav Falls

A steady stream of water drops are falling from the cliff face beside the arch buildings. This is water that has percolated into the soil. The surface of the ground may look dry, but there is always water beneath the soil. Hence, this water always flows at the same pace all year round. The water is supposed to be ultra pure. It tasted like ‘regular’ water to me.

Balancing rock, Jabalpur

In monsoon season, the Pandav falls becomes a deluge. It sure will be beautiful. However, it becomes impossible to go all the way down. The place I’m standing now becomes completely submerged. So do the kings hunting lodges. The only way do justice to this magnificent falls is to visit this place twice; once in summer and later in the monsoons. I walk back up to the top. Beside the car park, is a statue of Bhagath Singh. Freedom fighters including Bhagath Singh would secretly conduct meetings here.

Jabalpur fort

We stopped at a small hotel beside the road. The hotel is a mud and wood structure. There are a few plastic tables and chairs beside the road. The only item on the menu is aloo paratha. It’s freshly prepared on a wood fired stove with local ingredients. The cab dropped me at Satna railway station (Rs. 3500). The 15:10 train arrived at 16:15 hrs. It’s quite late when I get to Jabalpur.

Day 7: Jabalpur – Balancing rock – Jabalpur Museum – Bhedaghat boating – 64 Yogini temple – Dhuadhar falls - Jabalpur

I spoke to the hotel owner and he arranged an electric auto for the days trip (Rs 1200). The first stop was balancing rock. Jabalpur fort is not too far from here. It’s a small fort with a strange building perched on top of a rock. This building seems to have been renovated recently. There are a couple of ruins besides it.

These kids wanted their picture taken

When I was taking photos, a couple of college kids came over. They asked me how much I charge for photographs. With the advent of mobile phone cameras, people with SLR cameras are quite rare. And anyone holding a camera is automatically assumed to be a professional photographer. This would happen to me again during my trip. I promised to take their picture and send it to them later on WhatsApp. This is one of those pics.

Bhedaghat boating

After returning from the fort, I told the auto driver to take me to Jabalpur museum. This museum is located in the heart of town. My driver told me that he visits that part of the city regularly but he was unaware of the museum! It’s a 2 storied building with quite a few exhibits. I’s a bit dated, but definitely worth visiting. As expected, the museum is almost empty. There are a few sections on sculptures, old photos, coins, tribal life etc. But my favorite part in the museum was the room about the 64 Yogini temple at Bhedaghat. Photography is not allowed in the museum, but I did manage to take a few pictures in this room.

Chausathi (64) yogini temple at Bhedaghat (Bheraghat)

Boating at Bhedaghat is quite popular with tourists. The share boat takes about 20 people. Smaller boats can be hired for personalised trips. The round trip in the row boat takes about 45 minutes. The marble rocks on either side of the river is the main attraction of this trip. Young boys were standing on the high marble rocks next to the water edge. Shout out to them and they will jump into the water; for a fee, of course. Wonder how they will collect the money from the passengers for their acrobatics show!

Chausathi yogini temple at Bhedaghat

My next stop was the Chausathi (64) yogini temple at Bhedaghat (Bheraghat). From the road, it’s a short walk to the temple. It’s relatively quiet at the temple. It appears that most of the tourists at the boating site don’t bother coming here! This temple is built in the typical yogini temple layout. It’s a circular temple with a roofless courtyard. The main sanctum in in a separate building at the center of the courtyard. This central building slight offset from the center. The deity in the inner temple is Gauri Shankar (Shiva). Most of the statues on the outer wall are in damaged condition. The board outside the temple says that there are 81 statues. These include statues of Yoginis, Ganapathy etc. Most of the images are from 10th Century. The oldest is believed to be the statue of Krishna from the 2nd century AD. (Click here for Bhedaghat 64 Yogini temple)

Duadhar falls

The next stop was Duadhar falls. It has the largest volume of water in any waterfall in India. In monsoon the water flow will be quite a lot. The viewing spot where the tourists are standing at will becomes un-accessible. So it’s best to come here in summer.

Day 8: Jabalpur – Pipariya – Panchmarhi

Kuli scene at Bee falls, Panchmarhi

I took the 08:45 train to Pipariya. From Pipariya railway station, private cabs are available to Panchmarhi. Opposite the railway station is the bus stand. Private share taxis ply frequently from the bus stand to Panchmarhi (Rs 100 per person). The share taxi dropped me near my homestay.

Panchmarhi is the only hill station in MP. This little town is prime example unchecked ‘development’ without any urban planning. It’s a crowded messy place. To make matters worse, I have arrived on the weekend. The place is teeming with tourists. During the weekend, expect to pay the higher weekend hotel tariffs.

Reachgarh cave

After lunch, I hired an open jeep for half a day. A forest permit is required to enter many of today’s destinations. So the first stop was the local forest office. Make sure to visit the small museum beside it. Private vehicles are not allowed to many of the tourist spots and one is forced to hire a local jeep. There is a large parking lot beside the forest office for visitors to park their car. The local forest rules, require that all vehicle entering the forest area be painted green. This is the reason all the local jeeps look identical in the same shade of green.

Panchmarhi sunset point

My first stop was the ‘B’ falls. It’s a short walk down from the car park. The water is quite cold. There are many people beside the falls but just a handful under it. Me and the intrepid traveler took an exhilarating bath in the waterfall. The next stop was Reachgarh cave. It’s a large cavern open on both sides. It is said that bears used to visit this cave in summer as the cave the cave always remains cool. There is an echo point besides the cave.

Panchmarhi Echo point

The last destination was the sunset point. This is a high vantage point. Concrete steps have been built for visitors to sit. It’s a foggy day today. Views on clear days will be better. Make sure to visit the museum beside the view point.

Day 9: Panchmarhi

Hired an open jeep for the day. Forest permits are not necessary for places I’m visiting today. All these destinations can be visited on a private vehicle. It’s 10 when I started. The first stop was Handi Kho. It’s also called as suicide point. The views from here are quite nice.

Carving at Bateshwar Temple

The next stop was Mahadev Mandir. It’s a Shiva temple located in a small cave. As I wait in the queue, I notice large number of locals walking up to the temple from the mountains. They were carrying firewood and other items with them. I try to understand what’s going on. Today is a special pilgrimage day for the tribals. They come from the forest and camp beside the temple. They will cook food and sleep in the open. Tonight (or is it tomorrow night?) they will ceremoniously marry Lord Shiva and Parvathi. Before arriving here, the tribals visit another temple called Chauraghat. There is no road access to this temple. It’s a 2-3 hrs walk from here. I don’t have time to go there today. Perhaps, another time!

Khujaraho temple

There are many small shops that have sprung up catering to the locals. I find something that I’ve not seen in a while. A wooden catapult. It’s sturdy and extremely well built. This catapult is not a toy for the tourists; the tribals use it to hunt birds and other small creatures. My shopping from Madhya Pradesh is over! Beside Mahadev Mandir are holy caves called Bada Handev Gufa, Parvati Gufa and Kala Dev. They are all walking distance from each other.

Pamchmarhi Echo point

Echo point is another popular destination. It’s also called Indira point after the former Prime Minister Ms. Indira Gandhi. The view from here is quite nice. To get good echoes, keep walking to the left until the vertical mountain is in front of you. There is a 2 second delay for the echo!

Rajendri Giri Park is another tourist destination. It’s better not to waste time going there. In the evening, I went to a small amusement arcade.

Sanchi Stupa

Day 10: Panchmarhi – Pipariya – Bhopal

It’s drizzling outside. It’s damp, cold and horrible. I walked to the bus station by 7:30. There are no share taxis in the morning. I get the 0800 Hrs bus to Pipariya. Then onwards to Bhopal by train. Travelling by train, especially the longer distances, has turned out to be quite comfortable. I checked into the Fab Presidential hotel i. In the evening, I went to Kamala Park museum. But it’s closed. Beside it is a small park with a children’s play area. But most of the equipment in the park are broken or in-operational.

This carving of Ganapathy at Udayagiri
caves is believed to the the oldest
representation of Ganesha
in existence

Day 11: Bhopal – Udayagiri top caves – Sanchi Stupa– Bimbeteka rock shelter – Bhopal

I hired a cab for the day. Udayagiri is about 1 hr from Bhopal. It is a magnificent collection of rock cut Hindu and Jain caves. Beside the ticket counter is a small museum that gives a lot of information about the caves. Make sure to visit the museum before visiting the caves. Udayagiri caves are built in 2 layers. The plan with the layout of the caves at the museum in quite helpful.

I first went to the upper layer. Almost all the caves have been locked to prevent damage. One has to peep through the steel grill door to see what’s inside the cave. On the exterior rock face of an upper level cave is a special Ganapathy sculpture. The museum states that this is one of the oldest surviving representations of Ganapathy!

Magnificent sculpture of Varaham the boar

2 large carvings on the lower level stand out for the size and grandeur. The carving of Vishnu reclining on his has snake Ananta is truly spectacular. It has been covered by Plexiglas to prevent damage. Unfortunately due to the reflection from the plexiglass, it’s impossible to get good pictures. The second masterpiece is massive sculpture of Varaham the boar. Varaham is one of the 10 major incarnations of Lord Vishnu. The original red plasterwork on top of the sculptures in still intact in many places. The person kneeling at the feet of Varaham is believed to be none other than Chandragupta II. (Click here for Udayagiri top caves)

Ruins of building in Greco Buddhist style at Sanchi

Sanchi stupa was the next stop. This UNESCO heritage site is depicted on the Indian 200 rupee note. I hired a guide to get a better understanding of the Buddhist temple complex. He told me that the stupa remained hidden by thick jungle until it was rediscovered by the British. That is how it escaped the destruction of the Muslim rulers. Sanchi stupa was originally commissioned by Ashoka the great. The 4 gateways were added much later on. The gateways feature exquisite carving depicting Buddhist teachings and stories. As per my guide, it was a Telugu king who built the gateways. Hence, the south Indian style architecture on the gateways. There are many monuments around the main stupa. A ruined building adjacent to the main stupa is an architectural oddity. My guide explained that the building built in Greek style is an example of Greco Buddhist art. It’s testimony to the trade and cultural links between the Indian and Greek empires. (Click here for Sanchi Supa)

They asked me to take their picture. At Sanchi

As I was walking around taking photographs, a group of kids approached me asking how much I charge for the photos. I told them that I am not a professional photographer. The kids insisted that I take their pics. Soon the entire family was posing for the pics. I did send them the pics on Whatsapp later. I had to skip the museum beside the stupa as it was getting late.

Intrepid explorer studying
Bimbeketa rock paintings

It was 4 PM when I got to Bimbeteka. It’s getting dark and I rush in. Humans lived in Bimbeteka rock shelter caves during the Paleolithic and Mesolithic eras. The oldest shelters have been dated to 10,000 BCE. The rock art here is among the oldest in India. Many of the paintings are in very good condition. It humbling to see the cultural legacy left by prehistoric man. It has become dark. The guard escorted me out on closing time. I wish I had more time here (Click here for Bimbeteka rock shelter)

Day 12: Bhopal – Ujjain

I took the morning train to Ujjain. It’s 13:15 when the train arrived at Ujjain. I’m staying at the small hotel called Anjali. It’s set in residential area away from the main temples. Ujjain is an ancient temple town. Ujjain was once called the navel of the earth. In the ancient astronomy book Surya Siddantham, the longitude of Ujjan was used as the prime meridian. However, contrary belief, the tropic cancer does not pass through Mahakaleshwar temple. It’s off by approx. 30 KM.

Paintings from Paleolithic era at Bimbeketa

After lunch, I took a rickshaw to Mahakaleshwar temple. Thanks to new roads, the ancient temple town has a modern vibe to it. Mahakaleshwar is one of the 12 Jyotir-lingams that are associated with Lord Shiva. This temple has a few unique traits. The idol at Mahakaleshwar temple is the only Swayambhoo (i.e. Self-created) Jyotir-lingam. Additionally, it’s the only south facing Jyotir-lingam. Hence this temple is also called Dakshinamurthy.

Mitawali Chausathi yogini temple

Mahakaleshwar temple complex is very well organized. The crowd management has been well thought out and beautifully executed. Cameras and mobiles have to be deposited in a safe locker. Then one enters the queue. After traversing a multi-level labyrinth, one reaches the sanctum. Devotees cannot enter into the sanctum to see the Shiva Lingam; the queue passes in front of the sanctum door.

Dhuadar Falls

Like most other temples, there is paid queue and a free one. In front of the sanctum, the free queue is behind the paid one. I wonder what Shiva has to say about his poorer devotees getting send class viewing rights! Above the sanctum door is a large flat screen TV with a live HD life feed from within. Thankfully, the temple is almost empty today. I walk straight into the sanctum. Even the paid queue in front of me is empty. I loiter around for a while. People generally spend hours in the queue to get to fleeting glimpse of sanctum. Maybe Shiva took pity on this poor soul!

After coming out from the temple, I phoned the same rickshaw that bought me to from my hotel to Mahakaleshwar temple. He suggested the temples where I should visit and we agree on a fare. He will wait for me at the temples.

Sri Takari Yogini sculpture at
Chausathi Yogini temple, Beraghat

Gada Kalika mata temple: It’s a Shakti peetham. The lip of Sati devi is believed to have fallen at the spot where the temple now stands. The great poet Kalidasan is believed to have attained his linguistic skills by praying to Kalika devi at this temple.

Bhartrihari caves: It is believed that Bhartrihari, the brother of king Vikramaditya renounced mundane matters and retired to this cave for spiritual pursuits. It’s relatively quiet when I got there. The rock cut caves are quire narrow and is to be avoided by claustrophobic people.

Kaal Bhairav temple: This ancient temple is located on the banks of the Shipra River. The deity of the temple is Kaal Bhairav. Bhairavs are wrathful deities created by Lord Shiva. As per some other accounts, Bhairav’s are emanations of Lord Shiva himself. There are 8 Bhairavs and Kaal Bairav is arguably the most powerful. Kaal or Kalam means ‘time’. So Kaal Bairav is a reminder not to waste time in worldly or material pursuits. Kaal Bairav, the temple deity, is also venerated as the guardian of the city.

Gwalior Fort

It’s dark when I reached Kaal Bairav temple. There is a decent size queue leading to the temple. As I stand in the queue, I’m surprised to see a liquor shop in the temple premises. Only later did I realise that liquor is the main offering at this temple. At the sanctum door, the priest will open your bottle, spill a few drops of liquor and return the bottle to the devotee. I pointed out this intriguing custom to the intrepid traveler. She was all excited and asked me “will I get some to drink”!

Outside the temple is a huge lamp stone lamp that a conical shape. I saw one of the temple workers climbing the slippery lamp barefoot to fill oil in it. He did not have a safety harness or any other safety device. One wrong move can have disastrous consequences. Faith or foolishness; I cannot decide.

Boats at Omkareshwar

Mangalnath temple: This temple is also located on the banks of the Shipra river. It’s a modern building. As per Hindu mythology, the planet mars (Mangal) was born here.

Day 13: Ujjain – Omkareshwar

I took the 0900 hrs bus to the temple town of Omkareshwar. The bus goes through Indore. I was at Omkareshwar by 13:15 Hrs. The new bus station is located in the outskirts of town. From there, one has to catch a rickshaw to reach the town. The rickshaws stop near the main temple. They are not permitted to go beyond it. It was a short walk from here to my hotel room.

Dam across the Narmada river at Omkareshwar

Omkareshwar is a small temple town located beside the Narmada river. The huge dam constructed over the Narmada river ominously towers over the ancient pilgrimage town. The main attraction here is the temple that houses the Jyotir-lingams. However, unlike Ujjain, this town has an old world charm to it. The streets are narrow, messy and dirty. The roadside shops and eateries reminds me of a bygone era. (Click here for Omkareswar)

Carving at Omkareshwar Siddnath temple

In the evening I went to Omkareshwar temple. This temple is located on a river island on the Narmada river called Mandata. Beside the temple entrance is a small cave. It’s believed that Adi Shankaracharyan met his Guru at this cave. Like all other temples, Omkareshwar also has a paid queue and a free queue. The paid queue will be definitely faster. As usual, I’m in the free queue. Its madness here. The devotees are needlessly pushing into each other and trying to jump the queue. After a while, the queue stops moving altogether. We get news that the chief minister is visiting the temple. Soon, the priests came around shouting that they can place anyone in the ‘VIP queue’. For a ‘service charge’ they will add anyone to the chief minister’s retinue. It was only then that I realized that there are 3 types of darshan options: the free queue, paid queue and VIP queue. It took me 1.5 Hrs to get to the sanctum.

Bathing ghat at Mandata island, Omkareshwar

After visiting Omkareshwar temple, I walked across to Mamaleshwar temple. It is located on the mainland. There are a couple of pedestrian bridges over Narmada river connecting Mandata Island and the mainland. It was my hotel owner who insisted that I go to Mamaleshwar. I had never heard about this temple before! There are many legends about the creation of Mamaleshwar. However, the general consensus is that Mamaleshwar and Omkareshwar temples together constitute a Jyotir Lingam. Hence it’s said that to get full efficacy, one should visit Mamaleshwar after praying at Omkareshwar temple. However, there are only a handful of people at this ancient temple.

Omkareshwar Kedareshwar temple

Day 14: Omkareshwar – Indore (01-Dec-23)

After breakfast, I went back to Mandata Island. I plan is to do the 5 KM pilgrimage trail around the holy island. This pilgrimage trail was originally built by and maintained by local kings. At many places, the gates built by the kings still watch over the pilgrims. There are numerous temples along this route. At the western end of the island is the Dharmaraj Dwar (Gate). The board beside it put up by the Archeology Archives and Museum Department states the following “This door along with the 4KM fortification wall were constructed in the 13th century by Parmar rulers, comes in Panch Khosi Parikram Marg. Several temple remains can be seen in the fortifications constructed during the Paramar period. It was the western gateway of Mandata fort… … “

Offerings of grain tied temple wall at
Omkareshwar Rinamukthashwar temple

I walked to the western end of the island. It is believed that this marks the confluence of Narmada and Cauvery rivers. A bath at this sacred spot is supposed to erase all sins and reset the karmic account to zero. It’s a quiet day. Only a few people are taking a bath here. When I was walking here, I saw raw sewage from the town being discharged into the Narmada. I could not gather courage to take a holy dip. Instead, I sprinkled some water on myself. That’s should be more than sufficient to remove whatever miniscule sins that I have accumulated! Later I learned that this bathing spot is not the geographical confluence of Narmada and Cauvery. The Narmada River bifurcates in the eastern part of Mandata Island and rejoins at the holy bathing ghats on the western end. The true confluence of Cauvery and Narmada happens behind the Narmada dam. A good knowledge of geography cannot erase your sins, faith can! (Click here for Holy waters)

Omkareshwar Gori Somnath temple

In addition to Omkareshwar, there are many ancient temples on Mandata island. I visited quite a few during the trail. Thankfully, there is virtually nobody doing the trail and I an alone in most temples.

Kedareshwar temple: It’s a small yet beautiful temple before the bathing ghats. A small statue of Nandi the bull (Shiva’s steed) sits facing the sanctum. There is a board put up by the Archeology Archives and Museum Department in the temple premises. It states the Kedareshwar temple was built in the 13th century by Paramar rulers and later renovated in Maratha period. The temple is closed but a person is offering prayers. He’s probably the priest!

Mukteshwar Mahadev temple: This is the temple closest to the bathing ghats. The offering here is yellow dal (a kind of edible pulse). Small packets of dal are tied inside the temple walls.

Omkareshwar Siddhanath temple

Gori Somnath Temple: This is a reasonably large Shiva temple. It has a unique architecture with 3 deities on 3 floors. The priest sits only on the ground floor. Devotees are welcome to climb up through the steep narrow steps and pray at the upper 2 floors. A statue of Nandi in black stone sits outside the main temple facing the sanctum.

Omkareshwar Siddhanath temple

Siddheshwar temple: This temple set in its own courtyard is totally in ruins. There are carved stones lying around in the temple premises. The sanctum houses a Shiva Lingam. On the red stone exterior walls are beautifully carved elephants, but not a single one is intact. In its heyday, it must have been an awesome spectacle. (Click here for Omkareshwar)

Shakaracharyan statue

Shakaracharyan statue: This massive statue of Adi Shankaracharyan was still under construction. This project, long with the statue, involves the construction of a mortorable bridge to the Madata Island and an approach road to the statue. Land has been cleared for what could be a massive car park.

I’m sure this island has many more temples that I have not visited. At the eastern end of the island is gate called Surya-Chandra (Sun-Moon) gate built by the erstwhile kings. This marks the end of the pilgrimage trail. This gate has excellent views of the huge Namrada dam.

By 12 PM I’m out of my hotel. Took a share cab (Rs 30/- per person) to the bus stand. Buses ply frequently between Omkareshwar and Indore. Its 4 Pm when I reached my hotel. In the evening, I went to visit the central museum. It’s worth visiting.

Day 15: Indore

Nandi the bull watches over
Omkareshwar Gori Somnath temple

After breakfast I went to Rajwada palace. This is located in the heart of town. After having visited many other magnificent buildings, this is a bit of a letdown. The next stop was Lal Bagh Palace. This a relatively modem European style building. Unfortunately, the top floor was closed for renovation.

After this, I went to Kanch Mandir. It’s a relatively modem Jain temple that’s completely covered with mirrors and glass. It’s quite unique. Behind the Kanch Mandir is a small family owned vegetarian lunch center that is renowned for Jain food. I ordered their famous Thali lunch. First they start off with something like chapatti, but it’s not. I can’t figure out what it is. Once the meal was over, I asked the cashier what it was. The cashier turned out to be the owner of the hotel. He told me that it was made from some pulse; it’s not made from wheat. Apparently, it’s quite difficult to make and this is the only shop in Indore that makes this local dish anymore. The street where the hotel is located is also the main textile shopping area of Indore. Walk through the textile street and the shopkeepers will invite you into the shops. Step into any of these shops and haggle for a good bargain.

Ruins outside Bateshwar temple

I’m back in my room by 4. Since morning, I have been suffering from mild diarrhea. It’s not getting any better and a low grade fever has set in.

Day 16: Indore - Hyderabad

My flight to Kochi is scheduled to depart at 1230. I will reach home by evening. But the flights don’t arrive due to fog in departure destinations. Its chaos at the airport. It’s certain that I will miss my connection flight. The travel desk suggested an alternate flight through Hyderabad. It will arrive at Hyderabad by 11 PM and depart to Kochi the following day at 8 AM. He tells me not to wait for the next day’s flights as there is no guarantee that tomorrow will be any different. He promises me that hotel will be arranged for me at Hyderabad. Thankfully, the Hyderabad flight arrived, albeit a bit late.

Mitawali Chausathi (64) yogini temple

It’s pandemonium at Hyderabad airport. Many flights have been delayed or cancelled. There are people shouting at the airlines staff. Finally it’s my turn to meet the airlines staff. He tells me that hotel cannot be arranged, but only a lounge. I go to the lounge and there are no beds. I end up sleeping in the airport. Diarrhea is my constant companion throughout the night.

Khajuraho temple

Day 16: Indore – Home

I board the morning flight. I’m home by noon.

It was an excellent trip. I am thoroughly amazed by the history and culture Madhya Pradesh has on offer. The hospitality of the people was second to none. The historical monuments are breathtaking. Visiting 3 Chausathi Yogini temples was quite a treat, considering there are only a handful of such temples across India. If I have to choose only one place that can visit again, it has to be the Bimbeteka rock shelter caves. On this trip, I have collected a few brownie points by visiting both the Jyotir Lingams. In addition, the holy water from the sacred bathing Ghats of Omkareshwar has certainly had washed off my sins. After this trip, I can say that I’m a 'new improved' man of history and culture. And without any sins, my aura glows like the sun. It’s such a pity that you sinners can’t see it! As for me; I’m rushing off to the loo!