My little brother paid the motherland a visit after 2 years, and before the Indian summer set in with its full glory, the family decided to make it the first ever self-driven road trip for the family. So, off we set in late March, on a 6-day road trip with an itinerary so fluid that we only knew the first 3 places we planned to visit. Deciding to let the vagaries of chance sprinkle our journey with generous doses of surprise, we did not also book a hotel prior.
And boy, was it rewarding! With a mix of the famous and the little known (or even barely-frequented), this time we forayed through the desert to brush with history stretching back to 5000 years ago, in search of a lost river and a lost civilization, chanced upon desert lakes and desert wildlife, hobnobbed with human-like rats, and delved deep into a jungle on a temple chase while the sun was going down.
Hanumangarh
Our search of the mythical River Saraswati led us to the desert town of Hanumangarh, where we came upon the Bhatner fort, which dates its origin to the 2nd century AD. The old structures are now buried in mud, and the fort is being renovated.
Kalibangan
One of the earliest discovered and excavated Harappan sites, Kalibangan gave us a sneak peek into 5 millennia earlier. Sadly, the ruins are buried in mud, even the excavations have been covered up by the Archaeology Survey of India (ASI) to prevent further deterioration.
In the vicinity, we finally met the Ghaggar River, which is purported to be the Vedic Saraswati River – nothing more than a dried-up intermittent, almost obscure rivulet right now.
Badopal Lake
We took a slight detour through the desert hinterland to take a peek at the Badopal lake, a salt lake located beside the Badopal, an ancient mound, and part of the Rang Mahal culture.
Suratgarh
Another desert town midway between Hanumangarh and Bikaner, noted for its Thermal Power station and the air force base.
Lunkaransar
A fairly expansive salt-lake that is home to migratory birds, midway between Suratgarh and Bikaner
Bikaner
One of the major cities of Rajasthan, founded by Rao Bika, famous for Junagadh Fort and savory sweets and snacks
Deshnoke
Home to the Karni Mata Temple, where rats, who are considered children of the Goddess, behave just as humans! Eating nibbled on by the rats is considered auspicious. Accidentally or deliberately killing a rat requires replacing it with one made of gold or silver as atonement.
Kolayat
The place where the Vedic Sage Kapil (Kapil Muni) is said to have shed his body. Home to a lake and temples on its bank.
Bundi
A quaint town nestled in the Aravallis, with an imposing hill-side palace overlooking a lake.
Badoli Temple Complex
A 10th-11th century temple complex which crept into our plan by serendipity as we were short on time to visit the Gagron fort. The temples, dedicated to Shiva, Vishnu, Ganesha etc., were built by the Gurjara-Pratihara dynasty, and are described as one of the best representations of the temple. Situated on the banks of the Chambal just outside the village of Rawatbhata, it can be reached from Kota through winding roads cutting across hills and forest. As the sun was beginning to set, the ride through the forest was a race against time, and quite the adventure!
Ranthambore Fort
Rounding off the trip was the magnificent and legendary Ranthambore fort, situated on top of a hill right in the middle of the Ranthambore Tiger Sanctuary. The ride through the forest is memorable and so are the sights from atop the fort.
Trip Summary
Day 1:
Gurgaon to Hanumangarh via Sirsa (lunch break in Sirsa)
Saw Bhatner fort at Hanumangarh (overnight stay in Hanumangarh)
Day 2:
Hanumangarh to Kalibangan
Kalibangan to Suratgarh via Badopal (lunch break in Suratgarh)
Suratgarh to Bikaner via Lunkaransar (overnight stay in Bikaner)
Day 3:
Bikaner fort early morning (lunch at Bikaner after seeing the fort)
Bikaner to Deshnoke to Kolayat, and back to Bikaner (overnight stay in Baikaner)
Day 4:
Bikaner to Jaipur via Sikar (overnight stay in Jaipur)
Day 5:
Jaipur to Bundi
Bundi to Badoli Temple complex (Rawatbhatta)
Badoli to Kota (overnight stay in Kota)
Day 6:
Kota to Ranthambore
Ranthambore to Gurgaon via Dausa and Manoharpura
The Timber Trawler 