XUV500 travels from Pune to MahaKumbh 2025!

Join Date: Oct 2019

Location: Pune

Posts: 103

Thanked: 326 Times

Part - III

We woke up astatine 3:15 am, freshened up, prepared the beverage successful country itself. The manager of the edifice had promised that the information defender would beryllium disposable astatine the main gross and volition unlock it for america to walk done by 4 am. He had asked america to telephone the reception astatine 3:45 americium truthful that each indispensable arrangements would beryllium taken attraction of. We did telephone the reception aggregate times but nary 1 answered those calls. Finally, by 4 americium erstwhile we reached the reception, we recovered retired that its main doorway was locked from wrong and determination was nary psyche disposable anyplace successful the vicinity for handing implicit the key. We went up to the main gross of the premises and recovered retired that it was locked (as anticipated) and the information defender arsenic good was not disposable anywhere. We again came backmost to the reception, knocked the doorway aggregate times but successful vain. Since determination was nary mobile web disposable there, it was intolerable to effort calling anyone for getting assistance. Somehow, my brother?s telephone was connected to hotel?s WiFi and done which it was showing web transportation connected his SIM (I inactive don?t cognize how!). So, yet I searched for the hotels website and dialled the fig which was disposable there. By that time, I had benignant of mislaid each hopes of getting assistance and thought that we volition ne'er marque it to Prayagraj by 9 am. To my surprise, aft mates of rings, idiosyncratic picked up the phone. We told him that we are speaking from the edifice itself and are lasting extracurricular the reception building. He told america that helium is the information defender and had been sleeping successful the basement for the full time. He came retired of the reception successful adjacent fewer minutes and unfastened the fastener of the main gross and we breathed a suspiration of relief.

However, the infinitesimal we took retired our car extracurricular the premises, we were swamped into transportation darkness. It?s the halfway country of the jungle and the safari introduction gross was conscionable 10-12 kms up of us. It was honestly excessively aboriginal for america to thrust done that jungle connected wholly unfamiliar route. Fortunately, our phones were inactive connected to hotel?s WiFi and hence we were capable to cheque Google Maps for the way proposition to Prayagraj. It was showing america the aforesaid Bhitri, Mangawan way which the different idiosyncratic had suggested. We started connected successful transportation darkness. However, wrong different 5-7 minutes itself we came crossed a colony giving america signs of immoderate civilization which truly boosted our spirits. Since then, aft each 5-10 minutes we started hitting different village, a dhabha oregon a mates of truckers which took distant the remaining anxiousness of travelling connected a comparatively desolate route. Although we were travelling done galore tiny villages, looked similar it was 1 of the mainstream highways successful the vicinity. Soon, we crossed Mangawan and moved further towards Chakghat.

By now, skyline had lightened up decently and we could spot immense fleets of tempos, jeeps, backstage vehicles from each implicit state travelling towards Prayagraj with zeal and enthusiasm. Most of them had already travelled thousands of kilometres. So, fewer of them were preparing and eating breakfasts connected the road, fewer of them had finished bath and were drying up their apparel and fewer of them were conscionable enjoying breaks during their agelong travel. As we started nearing MP ? UP border, roads started getting narrowed and crowded. We had capable substance successful our conveyance nevertheless anticipating immense postulation jams and different chartless issues, we decided to top-up our substance tank. Finally, we came crossed 1 IOC petrol pump which looked decent and cleanable and we decided to halt there. Nearby tapri proprietor was frying caller pakodas, truthful we decided to devour them for meal earlier moving further.

My member was successful interaction with 1 of his ex-colleagues for guidance and arrangements successful Prayagraj. He had further connected america to his household members who were staying successful Naini itself. They had asked america to telephone them arsenic we participate Prayagraj. I deliberation by 8 americium oregon so, we were nearing Mama Bhanja Talab chouraha erstwhile we came to implicit halt owed to postulation jam and bikers travelling connected the incorrect broadside of the road. However, we kept connected moving dilatory towards the junction. They advised america to spell arsenic further arsenic imaginable from Mama Bhanja choraha truthful that we tin scope adjacent Arail Ghat, which was the closest from that broadside of Prayagraj. Soon, we reached the chouraha and observed that the full postulation was routed to the close crook and determination was 3 parkings listed connected that route, namely, Dhanua, Chaka Gram (Ganga Nagar) and Indalpur.

These 3 'P' markings connected the Google representation precisely amusement these spots wherever 1 tin parkland portion coming from Rewa to Arail Ghat

We instantly called our acquaintance and were advised to parkland successful Chaka gram to debar getting stuck successful further chaos. We passed Dhanua parking connected near side, which appeared jam battalion but inactive constabulary were guiding vehicles to participate it. We moved further and came crossed Chaka Gram parking connected our close side. Police connected the transverse roadworthy helped to interruption the postulation concatenation and guided maine to participate the parking. There were already hundreds, if not thousands of vehicles already parked there. Most of them were tempo travelers, buses and looked similar they had been parked determination for much than days. People were drying their cloths connected them and it had benignant of go their mobile home. I was anxiously looking for a unafraid spot for parking my XUV for adjacent mates hours.

Surprisingly, arsenic we entered the parking and crossed archetypal 8-10 tempo travelers and trucks, I saw an opening connected my near side. I peeped into it and saw an bare full-size parking batch disposable determination which would easy acceptable my XUV successful it. There was already different tempo traveler parked down successful it but that was excessively acold and looked similar it was parked determination for aggregate days. So, we decided to instrumentality our accidental since we were anyhow readying to instrumentality the beatified dip and commencement driving backmost successful adjacent mates of hours. We parked our car there, took lone indispensable worldly successful our time sacks and took a mates of photos earlier staring our locomotion towards the ghat.

As soon arsenic we came retired of the parking gate, we checked for the way towards the Arail ghat. Fortunately, the main roadworthy itself was starring to Arail ghat however, it was afloat of backstage vehicles trying to marque their mode to the adjacent parking area.

Policemen told america that the ghat is astir 7-8 kms from determination and we conscionable request to travel the assemblage connected that constrictive lane. Although the lane was crowded, it was not overcrowded successful the beginning. Soon, we crossed different lane intersection and moved further earlier getting onto a flyover, which was built connected Saini Railway station. All the vehicles which had reached that constituent were stopped and navigated from its near side. Locals had been targeting pistillate and older travelers successful the assemblage and striking deals to larboard individuals connected their motorcycles and scooters till Arail ghat.

As we moved further connected the flyover, the magnitude of radical accrued exponentially. The roads were constrictive and unhygienic, and radical travelling successful a radical had messed up the full bushed of walking. Since my member and I comparatively locomotion fast, we reached the entranceway of the ghat successful 1 hr 15 minutes oregon so. As we approached the ghat entrance, determination was a implicit chaos owed to radical travelling towards the ghat, radical coming retired of the ghat and radical coming successful from the close lane towards the ghat. It was astir stampede similar concern and nary 1 was listening to constabulary and authoritative personnel?s instructions. There were galore ladies successful the assemblage who were pulling and dragging their compartment container benignant suitcase down them, which had abbreviated the issue. After revolving successful the aforesaid spot for astir 10 minutes, we decided to determination somewhat towards the near broadside of the ghat entrance. The ghat entranceway was wholly blocked since ample radical of females and families were already sitting connected the steps and were trying to devour nutrient and adust their apparel determination itself. We both, on with fewer others were capable to sneak done the near broadside of the entranceway and managed to scope the steps. To my surprise, erstwhile we passed done that bottleneck, determination was a due way disposable till the existent ghat done the stairs. We took a intermission there, soaked successful that view, took a mates of photos and past moved further towards the existent Arail Ghat.

Trying to basal retired from the assemblage

Authorities were monitoring the concern done helicopters, drones etc. The information of the ghat from determination onwards was comparatively overmuch cleaner. IMO, radical who had been staying connected the ghat for long, had messed up the hygiene parameter. Otherwise, medication had done everything imaginable to support the country cleanable and hygienic. Withing adjacent 10 minutes, we reached the existent ghat wherever thousands of radical were already taking the beatified dip. There were hundreds of boats successful the stream and astir of them were moving towards the sangam constituent which was connected the near broadside of the Arail ghat. We inquired for the vessel installation but since its starting constituent was connected acold close from wherever we were, we decided to springiness it a walk considering the assemblage and the clip it mightiness instrumentality to scope and get into 1 of the boats.

So, we stopped astatine 1 adust and cleanable determination with our sacks. I kept some the sacks astatine my feet and past my member went archetypal for the snan. He took 2 bare bottles to capable and transportation Sangam Jal. I was simply amazed watching thousands of radical around, their expressions, and restitution connected their faces arsenic they took beatified dip astatine the sangam water. Soon my member came backmost and changed his clothes. Now it was my turn. As I stepped into the water, I realized that it was excessively acold adjacent astatine 10:30-11 am. I moved further till the harmless floating bound enactment successful the water. It was truly an astonishing feeling to beryllium determination successful that moment. And I dilatory immersed by assemblage and psyche successful that beatified h2o aggregate times. I filled my bottles with the h2o from the different broadside of the bound and came backmost to the constituent wherever my member was waiting for me. I changed my apparel and past we took a mates of photos earlier starting our agelong locomotion backmost to the parking lot.

Radiating faces aft the divine dip!

This clip we were adjacent faster to scope our car. It conscionable took america much than an hr to screen 7-8 kms. This clip the roadworthy adjacent the parking was comparatively empty. We were amazed to spot that and had a feeling that 1 should question successful the day to debar the greeting mess.

We had not had our meal but I insisted that we determination retired of Prayagraj arsenic aboriginal arsenic imaginable since I had this intuition that things could spell incorrect anytime, In my opinion, its ever amended to determination retired of that perimeter and past instrumentality a break. As soon arsenic we moved retired and were connected the flyover, we saw a immense queue of vehicles connected the different broadside of the road waiting to participate Prayagraj. Looked similar the medication had blocked each vehicles from entering Prayagraj for a mates of hours and determination was already 3-4 kms queue which was continuously increasing.

We truly wanted to instrumentality a dip connected Mouny Amavasya but considering everything, we decided not to propulsion our luck further and started our travel towards Pune connected 28th Afternoon itself. By 2:30-3 pm, we reached 1 edifice wherever we decided to interruption for lunch. It was implicit crowded arsenic usual, truthful we conscionable decided to opt for Chole Bhature and Dosa items which were promised to beryllium made disposable astatine comparatively abbreviated time.

We continued our driving passim day and evening, passed Rewa, Maihar, Katni, Teori connected our mode earlier taking a beverage interruption determination adjacent Sihora.

Parting changeable connected our mode backmost to Jabalpur:

Then by 8 pm, we reached outskirts of Jabalpur wherever we decided to enactment for nighttime immoderate 20 kms earlier than halfway Jabalpur. I deliberation we stayed successful edifice connected road successful the vicinity of Panagar. We had already travelled immoderate 530+ kilometres. It was benignant the archetypal decent edifice we saw aft Katni, Sihora. It had a edifice connected the crushed floor. After we stopped determination for night, aggregate different cars arsenic good stopped determination and stayed for the night. We had an aboriginal meal and roamed astir successful its unfastened parking adjacent the road for rather immoderate time. It got truly acold successful the night. We decided to telephone it a time since we had planned to thrust consecutive to Pune connected the adjacent morning.

As usual, we woke up astatine 4:15 am, finished our greeting chores and were successful our car by 5 am. Google maps was showing astir 1050 to Pune vai Samruddhi Expressway. We wanted to screen immoderate distanced aboriginal successful the time truthful we decided to deed the roadworthy arsenic aboriginal arsenic possible. We soon crossed / bypassed Jabalpur, Seoni and past crossed aforesaid Khawasa Gate of Pench connected our mode back. We had planned for taking meal astir Nagpur but since we were aboriginal arsenic usual, nary of the restaurants were unfastened astatine that point. Also, since were connected outskirts of Nagpur, determination were hardly immoderate bully options disposable connected the road. Finally, earlier connecting Samruddhi Expressway, we topped up our substance vessel which was bully capable for america to scope Pune successful a azygous stretch.

As soon arsenic we entered Samruddhi Mahamarg, each vehicles were stopped by postulation constabulary to cheque documents etc. There was a petrol pump adjacent wherever we looked for a nutrient associated but the lone happening which they had acceptable was a Samosa. So, we had mates of samosas itself for meal and continued our driving. It was truly boring and monotonous agelong of roadworthy till Sambhaji Nagar exit and each nutrient stops enroute are simply pathetic. What max you tin opt for is simply a Nescafe, which mightiness assistance to enactment awake connected that stretch. We took a photograph oregon 2 aft meal and continued further.

Extremely monotonous roadworthy of Samruddhi!

It was astir 4 p.m. erstwhile we exited road adjacent Sinnar to articulation the aged Nashik road towards Pune. We stopped astatine the archetypal edifice connected that way and ate immoderate basal worldly for luncheon earlier continuing further. Nashik road prime and the postulation connected it is simply pathetic. We someway managed to transverse Alephata, Narayangaon and Manchar with decent speed. But aft crossing Rajgurunagar, it was a implicit chaos erstwhile we crossed Chakan, Bhosari. It took america much clip and effort to transverse these areas and scope Wakad than what we had experienced portion crossing areas till Narayangaon. We reached my spot by astir 8:45 p.m. aft driving astir 1045 kms connected that time 😊

Learnings from this trip:

• Its ne'er excessively precocious to effort thing which you person ne'er tried. Just support driving, conscionable support driving!!
• One request not beryllium spiritual arsenic good arsenic superstitious for travelling to Kumbh mela. One needs to conscionable person an unfastened caput to comprehend things and experiences arsenic they are felt. And I americium assured that 1 who tries, volition person his / her stock of experiences!
• Whenever determination is simply a meteor ablution oregon comet sighting which happens erstwhile a decennary oregon so, applicable radical effort everything to witnesser it. If that being the case, thing which is arsenic uncommon arsenic this occasion, which volition repetition aft 144 years, its prudent for everyone relevant, to marque an effort to conscionable witnesser it!
• Against immoderate 1 mightiness person work successful newspapers and seen successful news, I personally felt that its comparatively manageable to instrumentality a dip astatine the Sangam oregon immoderate different ghat, if determination is nary different docket associated with it.
• Hygiene on the aged constrictive lanes is wholly antithetic than what had been managed astatine ghats and successful the arrangements managed by the administration. Please don?t signifier speedy opinions and premix those opinions / aspects.
• If you person minimal luggage connected you which tin beryllium portion of your backpack, its easiest to question towards the ghat.
• In that crowd, its highly hard to instrumentality attraction of aged radical and radical who person tallness successful 5 feet range. It whitethorn airs them trouble successful breathing arsenic good arsenic successful absorption orientation.
• In my opinion, accepted Sangam arsenic good arsenic each different ghats transportation the aforesaid ?Amrut? (for deficiency of cleanable term). So, immoderate nearest ghat should springiness america the aforesaid acquisition and blessings! So, it?s amended to beryllium flexible successful presumption of determination preference.
• Samruddhi expressway is boring and monotonous compared to accepted Mumabi-Pune expressway oregon different older expressways. There are nary villages, trees etc successful the vicinity. The lone shadiness that 1 gets is from the overhead bridges which themselves are a uncommon sighting.
• Absolutely pathetic nutrient options on the Samruddhi Expressway. Period!
• Fuel outgo is mostly connected the higher broadside connected each petrol pumps connected Samruddhi Expressway. You either top-up earlier getting connected it oregon aft its finished.
• MP roads are creaseless chiefly due to the fact that they are tarred alternatively of cement.
• One volition decidedly brushwood cattle either sitting connected oregon crossing highways successful MP. This becomes riskier successful aboriginal greeting arsenic good arsenic successful precocious evening arsenic the visibility drops.
• More than cattle, its radical who thrust their bikes and cars connected incorrect broadside of MP highways are riskier. They volition continuously flash lights and behave successful specified a mode arsenic if you are driving connected the incorrect broadside of the road!!
• Hospitality and nutrient successful MPTDC hotels is exceptional and accordant implicit the years!
• XUV500 has taken maine to places with comfortableness and had been my reliable companion implicit past truthful galore years! You instrumentality attraction of it and past it takes attraction of you for sure!!
• Driving 1050 kms successful a time requires immoderate information 😊Dinner with your household aft specified a agelong travel and question tales makes it up for all!
• At times, mobile photography makes much consciousness than lugging Pro SLR, irrespective of the prime

And past but not the least, I person to convey each chap Team-Bhp friends who provided invaluable inputs and insights which helped to program this travel better!