Nagpur to Sagar and a fantastic stop at Ramtek - 12th day of our 14 days long trip through east coast of India || Noida to Rameshwaram
We started early from Nagpur on the 12th day of our 14-day long trip from Noida to Rameshwaram and back via the Eastern Ghats, and took our first stop at Ramtek. This turned out to be quiet, charming place. There we visited the serene and secluded Karpur Baoli, which is an ancient stepwell and temple located near Ramtek, Maharashtra. It is believed to be around 1200 years old and holds historical and architectural significance. The stepwell, also known as "Karpuracharanya Baoli," is said to have been built during the reign of the Nag Dynasty.
Then, after a brief stop at Ramtek Digambar Jain Temple, we visited the hilltop Ram mandir and fort. Ramtek Fort is an ancient hill fort located near the town of Ramtek. The fort has historical significance and offers breathtaking panoramic views of the surrounding countryside. It is believed to have been built during the Satavahana dynasty and has seen various rulers throughout history, including the Nag and Bhonsle dynasties. There are multiple temples inside the fort. It is believed to be the place where Lord Rama, along with his wife Sita and brother Lakshmana, sought shelter during their exile period as described in the epic Ramayana.
By the time we were out of the fort, we were starving. So we had a "healthy" breakfast of chai and samosas near Ambala lake. The lake was charming with interesting structures at the banks. It was the perfect setting for a quick stop.
Then we drove toward Sagar through the stunning landscapes of Pench Reserve Forest. We crossed several good gates of the forest and resisted several temptations to take a detour. It was also during this drive that both of us felt really sleepy, so we parked our car in one of the truck lay-bys and slept for half an hour. There were several truck drivers around and somehow we felt very safe doing that. This trip did tell us that mostly people do not want to harm you, they would help you wherever possible. We would discover this again the next morning.
After this we had tea, and feeling a little refreshed, we headed on toward Sagar. We reached Sagar at around 4 and drove through the nice part of the town near the university. It looked really cool. But that is where this impression ended. We headed toward the Lakha Banjara Lake, and Google decided to take us through some narrow streets. This too was fine and we spent a few minutes along the Lakha Banjara lake, which was almost dry.
Then we wanted to visit the Gadpahra fort but had to take a u-turn because of pathetic roads. We asked some local people on advice about whether we should search for a hotel on the highway or stay in Sagar and then head out in the morning. They advised that we should not try to search for a hotel on the highway as we are not likely to find any suitable options. This also matched with our Google research. They also pointed us to the exact hotel that we should check out because of its proximity to the highway and the condition of the hotel. We decided to check that hotel out and it matched our criteria. It was in the Gujarati Market. We checked in and then went for some Gujarati Namkeen shopping.
On our way back to the hotel, we had kulhad chai with some black-colored Mawa Jalebi. It was a new thing for us. Back at the hotel, we drifted off to a peaceful sleep, blissfully unaware of the challenges that awaited us the next morning.
%20to%20see%20the%20Danish%20fort%20in%20Tamilnadu%20state%20of%20India-3.jpg "Do you know about the 'Danish' Fort in India which is located at a beautiful location round the coast of Bay of Bengal?")
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