325 Km. from Delhi, driving along NH-2/ Expressway and NH-3 for 6-7 hours. If statistics sounds boring - you are in for a
surprise and reconsideration of your thoughts.
It was one fine day I got a chance to drive
till Gwalior. I knew that the highway is in good condition but was still
skeptical about the real picture. It was not a planned one, but as I always say,
"Good travelers never plan in advance", all of a sudden,
a divine thought struck me - lets drive all the way to Chambal Ravines till
Gwalior. With all the spirits roaring, I started at early afternoon,
however it is always better to start in the early morning to escape the
heavy traffic of Delhi.
If you take expressway, you will directly reach Agra. However, if you take NH-2, then there are lot of options for sightseeing in the way, apart from vastness of agricultural fields.
For nature lovers and bird watching enthusiasts there is Sur Sarovar Wild Life Sanctuary on the way to Agra, 40 km. from Mathura on your left-hand side at NH-2, just before Agra.
Just at the entrance of Agra is Sikandra Tomb, mausoleum of Akbar.
Out of all visitors to city of Taj, only 5 -8 % of travellers visit this place. This place offers amazingly calm and serene surroundings. Huge lawns with lot of deers, and black bucks roaming around peacefully, it is an ideal place to find some quiet moments.
Keep some time for Agra, you cannot afford to miss "The Taj Mahal".
From Agra onwards you will be a part of Chambal Valley.
It is very difficult to remove sights from the exceptionally beautiful
landscapes formed by sandy hills of Chambal Valleys. Romance, adventure and driving, all at same place.

Vow...Now tell me who says it is required to go to hills or drive
2000 miles from your house to capture Sunset like this...
With the tremendous growth of India as economic
superpower, Highways have improved considerably. Driving is a sheer pleasure. However,
if you are nature lover, you will be focusing more on the amazing
surroundings which accompany you for most of the distance from Delhi to
Gwalior.
- Kakan Math Temple: 115 ft. high Lord Shiva temple, assembled out of stones without any adhesive. Pyramids share stark resemblance with this temple. 34 km. from Morena bus stand.
- Mitawali, Shiva Temple: The place which inspired the design of Indian Parliament house (Sansad Bhawan). 23 km. from Kakan Math temple towards Gwalior.
- Padawali Temple, dedicated to all Gods and is considered as superior to Khajuraho Temple. 3-4 km. from Mitawali temple.
- Batesara complex of temples: A complex of around 350 temples. Excavation work is ongoing to restore the original glory of the temples.
Believe
me real safari will start from the above left turn. Enjoy a virtual tour of Secrets of Chambal and Betwa rivers.
Once you have set
your foot in this region, you will be left craving for more. Fun will
not stop at Gwalior, so after covering all these and Gwalior take the road to
Jhansi, and explore:
1. 60
km. from Gwalior on Jhansi Road is Sonagiri Jain temples, a sacred place to
Digambar Jains. It has a chain of 77 temples, all in white
colour situated on top of a hill.
2. 125
km. from Gwalior and 15 km. from Jhansi is a small hidden town of Orchha. It consists of numerous temples, forts and cenotaphs (Chhatris), which
all make Orchha an interesting spot to visit.
3. Amazing saga of Raja Ram temple and Chaturbhuj temple at Orchha.
Great!! Chambal valley is very pretty and I agree that Delhi's traffic kills. Oh, and pollution too. But there is hardly any city without these things. Beautiful sunset.
ReplyDeleteKeep traveling and keep posting pics!!
U dint mention the reason why U went to Gwalior
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