Day 5: Shivpuri to Indore via Ujjain

The previous night had stretched a little longer than planned, so the morning began late. Breakfast at the hotel did not go well. It arrived cold and had to be returned. It wasn’t the kind of start one hopes for before a long drive. Checked out around 11:00 AM after sharing feedback about the room noise and food quality. In the hindsight, this was expected since it was a hotel attached with banquet.

A short stop at a roadside restaurant followed. Tea and toast made for a quickre placement breakfast, and then it was back on the road.

Traffic discipline was clearly missing. Even after repeated honking, vehicles refused to give way. It tested patience more than the distance itself. Till Guna, progress was slow and the kilometres did not reduce as expected.

After Guna, the highway opened up. Traffic eased and the drive became smoother. Was stopped by traffic police for a routine paper check. Documents all clear and the journey continued.

Change in plan: Instead of heading straight to Indore, adjusted the route towards Ujjain to visit Mahakaleshwar Jyotirling. And thanks to Google Maps for taking a detour through village roads which was to become a routine as the trip progressed. The diversion turned out to be pleasant. Fields stretched on both sides, wheat crops either ripe or close to harvest. Golden shades stood beside patches of semi-ripe green. Windmills dotted the horizon, signs of progress towards cleaner energy albeit with it own future pitfalls of disposal of fins.

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Reached Mahakaleshwar around 4:30 PM. Parked the car and went for darshan. Paid ₹250 for the VIP/expedited entry, which made the process smoother. By now, the journey seemed to be quietly weaving through sacred names and places. Keoladeo, Shivpuri, and now Mahakal.

Darshan was calm and had a close darshan of Shivling within the permitted distance. A calming effect and which became first Jyotirling of the trip even before I realised. Might have been a call from the god himself for making me adjust the route and not directly go to Indore.

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Spent about half an hour walking through the temple complex before stepping out. Tea andParle-G biscuits at a small restaurant near the parking area was refreshingbefore leaving for Indore around 7 PM.

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Night hadfallen by then. The otherwise forty-minute drive for roughly fifty kilometres stretched longer because of traffic and cautious driving. Reached Indore around 8:40 PM.

The stay was at a hotel in Vishnupuri Colony. A boutique property in a residential neighbourhood. Clean, compact, and managed by courteous staff. The rooftop restaurant with just eight tables stood out.

Dinner was simple and satisfying. Soup, butter khichdi, salad, and lemon water. The body was tired, not the soul. The day felt complete after the darshan at Mahakal.

Turned in for the night.