Day1-Indore via Bhedaghat
(Approx. 200kms/5-7hrs)
We are early birds & started our trip at 6.00am. God was really merciful & it was drizzling along the NH12, which was a welcome change from the daily soaring temperatures of 43-44C in indore. Also the wonderful earthly scent, which only the first showers can provide, made our drive much more enjoyable.
NH12
The NH12 is a mixed bag of goods; majority of the road is good, sparing the badly pitted & potholed patches in between. The road is dotted with pretty villages. We halted at a village shanty to sample the ‘poha & jalebi’ breakfast. The ‘poha’ was cooked on a wood fired ‘chulha’ & tasted wonderful. The jalebi was not available as the shopkeeper’s wife was ill (all men have the same woes ).
We reached Bhedaghat at 12.30pm & straightway headed for the ghats. There are a no. of options available here:-
1. Take a common boat ride (Rs.41 per head, 20-25 people in a boat, normal engine driven boat, nothing fancy, once seated you cannot move around)
2. Take a private boat (Rs.400 for upto 5 persons, small dinghy driven by oars)
3. Take a private motor boat (Rs. 460 for upto 5 persons)
The boys charge Rs20 for this jumping off the rock When i questioned about the safety, he told me that he is jumping since the age of 3!
We opted for option 2 as the entire circuit takes upto 50mins & you get a personalized guide (though no commentary is required as there is nothing of historical significance). Most importantly, you get ample time for clicking photos & the boatmen are happy to line you up for the shots. As opposed the motor boat has a circuit of 20mins only & there is little scope to while your time away. Also the larger boat is so crammed with people that it will be difficult to move around for photographs.
Tip Best time to visit is at sunrise/sunset as you’ll get nice shots of the sun rays in the water.
The ghat is spectacular & you can see varying shades of the marble rocks. It’s really enthralling to see these gigantic marble structures standing majestically in the Narmada river. After a satisfying boat ride & a simple lunch at Motel Marble Rocks (MPTDC hotel, clean rooms, Rs. 1999/- for AC single/double rooms) we headed to Dhuandhar Falls (just a km away). Enroute there are lots of shops selling marble artifacts (good place to buy souvenirs, haggling essential).
In spite of being in the midst of peak summers, the fall was gushing with water. The force & the roar of the water is tremendous & is a treat to watch. Watching the falls, you get enveloped by the cool spray of the water (watch out for your cameras!), which is very refreshing
1. Try to be here by evening if you want to click soft photos of the flowing water as during daytime, the fall is too bright & for a slower shutter speed, the photo is overexposed (I suffered this problem).
2. Rs.100/- is charged as VIP entry for taking the vehicle nearer the falls. This is just a ploy as from the normal parking lot (Rs.30/-), the falls are just 10mins away & also the Ropeway is available near the parking lot (didn’t try it as it’s not too high to offer a spectacular view- personal opinion).
