Meanderings in Middle India In The Last Road Trip of 2024
Part 1 — The Legacy of the Ahilyabai
Not until we crossed the bridge over the wide basin of the Narmada River did it feel like we’d entered middle India — the state of Madhya Pradesh (MP).
It went on for ever and the river full to the brim flowed steadily below.
Leaving behind Kalghat at 3 pm, we crossed the Narmada and headed towards Dhamnod. Our final destination for the day was the historic town of Maheshwar.
We were close now. After taking a last look at the traffic map, I left Pune at 5:40 am that morning. Good coffee, melodies and a road trip-loving friend (A) was just the company I needed to plan this meander.
The Region
After leaving that morning, we made good progress till Dhule and took a lunch break there.
Soon we passed Shripur, the last big town on the Maharashtra (MH) side of the interstate border.
MH shares a significant cultural overlap with MP because of the large diaspora who migrated due to conflict during the 17th and 18th centuries.
Anytime now we anticipated sign boards welcoming us to MP but saw none.
When the ubiquitous tea shops started displaying samosas, kachoris and other savoury snacks we knew we had made it there.
The snacks marked the shift in region, preferences and culture.
Destination Maheshwar
Ahilyabai Holkar is the most famous figure of her dynasty. After the loss of her husband and young son, she administered her dominions ably from the capital city, Maheshwar.
After crossing Dhamnod we called up the hotel for directions. Google Maps was going bonkers and kept directing us into lanes that could accommodate only walkers or cyclists.
A was not thrilled about my navigation skills so we called the hotel for directions and touched down at about 5:30 pm.
Maheshwar is historically a religious centre located on the banks of the Narmada. We had booked a room in a house converted into a hotel inside the Ahilya Fort area.
The lanes inside were tiny, and the layout was half hazard. The fort ramparts were overrun by wild foliage in places.
Food carts jostled for space with vehicles. Every turn had a shop selling Maheshwar’s most famous product — the Maheshwari Saree.
After squeezing my car into one of the lanes, we checked in and the hotel owner gave us a lay of the land.
The Ahilya Ghat
It had been a long drive of about 12 hours. By the time we were rested and unpacked, it was late.
Both A and I were eager to get to the water and sit by the river on the magnificent embankment till the light lasted.
The boats were now parked and visitors had thinned out. We sat listening to the water lapping at the shores and an occasional mosquito buzzing past.
Far away in the middle of the river, we could see the silhouette of a temple.
A was eager to walk so we made our way along the Narmada Ghat.
It is one of the longest in India and can be accessed from different parts of the fort. But the royal entrance is the grandest. It’s pyramid-like step structure leads to the river below.
It was soon twilight.
The jarring lights of the turning selfie stands and the Hindi songs they were belting out vitiated the atmosphere we had come to seek.
It was expecting too much for the ghat to be tranquil. All seemed lost when three other vendors peddling the same tricks turned up.
We left.
Tomorrow would be another day and natural light would shine on things.
The Temples
It was hazy as the sun rose and there was no sign of a winter chill that is typical at this time of the year.
We got ready and made a beeline for the food carts for a hot breakfast.
The tea was sweet but refreshing with all sorts of condiments and ginger. Both A and I loved the rice flakes and jalebees combo on offer — breakfast of kings. We dug in.
We had a boat ride and a daytime exploration of the ghat and the temples coming up.
In the middle of the river lies Baneshwar, a Shiv temple that submerges in monsoon floods and emerges the rest of the year. Brave souls can swim to it, but we took a boat.
The temple is built on a partially submerged island that is home only to birds, the occasional human and an electric generator that supplies light to the temple. You can get down from the boat, pray and come back.
From the river the Ahilya Fort and Ghat appeared grander than before. We could take in the whole landscape from afar.
After paying off the boat man, we stopped to admired the royal entrance up close.
On the left of the entrance is the Ahilyeshwar temple dedicated to Shiva. A tapering spire rises high. Every section has unique motifs, animals in action or humans carved in poses of worship, guarding in revelry.
The shorter but equally adorned structure on the right is the cenotaph of Vithoji Holkar.
Visitors can climb up to the second floor of the fort and take in the views from the huge terrace that faces the Narmada.
We took our time admiring the carved ceilings, and intricate arch patterns. The jharokhas or ornamental windows seemed suspended in the air. Witnessing such architectural mastery, A was tempted to pose for photos.
It was a lot of beauty to take in, in a short time.
Both A and I love to sit and process what we just saw. As A chatted with a bead seller about how business was, we settled on a platform from where we could take in both temples. As she spoke about what impressed her most, I watched people being people.
Last Trip of 2024
Ahead of us that day, was a visit to an equally grand historic sight and our final destination —Indore.
The last trip of 2024 was my first road trip in two years with A. We chose to meander in Middle India.
Back at the wheel of my car, it felt like meeting an old friend after years of absence.
There was an initial awkwardness, a feeling of being out of place. A settled into her role as our music curator.
As the hours passed, and as we left behind people and places, the rhythm returned.
The car hadn’t changed. It welcomed me back without question.
But I was a work in progress. The journey felt new.
Back in the driver’s seat, I worked through the map with our destination in mind.
Seat adjusted, snacks at hand, playlist tuned and a peppy engine raring to go, I reconnected with a part of myself that I had lost.
Finally, I was exactly where I needed to be.
To be continued… Part 2: The Legacy of the Khiljis.
