Journey Du Jour
Outlook Traveller|June 2018

Rishad Saam Mehta Takes The Classic Road From Mumbai To Delhi, But Does It A Little Differently

Journey Du Jour

It is 4.54am, and Ahmedabad seems to be a city of ghosts—ones that flit across the road on their sputtering motorcycles. Milkmen, along with the others who render essential morning services, are shrouded in heavy shawls against the cold, the wispy morning fog adding to their ethereal appearance. Our journey has just begun: we are headed towards Nalsarovar, about 70 kilometres to the southwest of Ahmedabad. The instrument cluster inside the BMW 520d registers 9°C.

Yesterday, this car had made short work of the 550km between Mumbai and Ahmedabad, via Udwada. I remember a childhood drive to Gujarat in the early 1980s, when the road was nothing but a narrow strip of tar through dense forest beyond the outskirts of Bombay; the only smattering of urbanity had been at Surat and Baroda. Yesterday, however, it had been a continuous metropolitan sprawl.

While the roads are definitely wider, smoother and quicker, you may not find the quintessential romance of the long drive here. The road to Nalsarovar, though, is a different story.

I drive past a few tea stalls while blitzing through Ahmedabad, hoping to stop for tea a little further away, but the road is densely forested, and its little hamlets still deep in slumber. However, the gleam of a furtive eyeball by the roadside tells me something lurks in wait.

On backing the car up, we see two magnificent nilgai (blue bulls) partially hidden in the foliage. We’re soon at the crossroads near the Nalsarovar ticket booth, but my morning cup of tea remains elusive. Villagers crouched around a fire say the tea shop will open shortly, but the ticket window beats them to it.

The car park in Nalsarovar is a kilometre from the magnificent lake; one can board boats to explore this shallow waterbody spread over 120 square kilometres, and its 36 varying islands. Sailesh, our boatman, asks us to hop onto his motorcycle, forsaking the usual Maruti Suzuki Eeco vans used to transport visitors.

Esta historia es de la edición June 2018 de Outlook Traveller.

Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 9,000 revistas y periódicos.

Esta historia es de la edición June 2018 de Outlook Traveller.

Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 9,000 revistas y periódicos.

MÁS HISTORIAS DE OUTLOOK TRAVELLERVer todo
Can The Himalayas Outlast Tourism?
Outlook Traveller

Can The Himalayas Outlast Tourism?

Love The Himalayas, But Worried About Its Future? Hear From Three Experts On The Future Of The Region And How It Can Be Protected

time-read
4 minutos  |
October - November 2024
EATING MINDFULLY
Outlook Traveller

EATING MINDFULLY

SUNITA NARAIN FROM THE CENTRE FOR SCIENCE AND ENVIRONMENT DISCUSSES HER NEW BOOK WHICH COMBINES THE JOYS OF EATING WITH CARE FOR THE LAND AND THE PEOPLE WHO TILL THEM

time-read
3 minutos  |
October - November 2024
The Jewels Of Costa Rica
Outlook Traveller

The Jewels Of Costa Rica

A Long-time Birdwatcher Describes His Travels To The Lush Rainforests Of Costa Rica

time-read
6 minutos  |
October - November 2024
WINGED WONDERS
Outlook Traveller

WINGED WONDERS

The story of migrating birds is the story of a promise to return, flying thousands of miles beset with dangers.

time-read
2 minutos  |
October - November 2024
THE LOOMINARIES
Outlook Traveller

THE LOOMINARIES

THE ROLE OF THE GREAT REVIVALISTS WHO GAVE INDIA'S TEXTILES A NEW LEASE ON LIFE CANNOT BE STATED ENOUGH. WE TRACE THEIR CELEBRATED LEGACY

time-read
8 minutos  |
October - November 2024
KEEPERS OF THE CRAFT
Outlook Traveller

KEEPERS OF THE CRAFT

FROM REVIVING TRADITIONAL WEAVES TO CONTEMPORISING THEM WITH MODERN SILHOUETTES, THESE DESIGNERS ARE COMMITTED TO KEEPING THE LOOM TURNING WITH A FRESH TAKE ON HERITAGE TEXTILES

time-read
8 minutos  |
October - November 2024
SONGS OF THE SOIL
Outlook Traveller

SONGS OF THE SOIL

WITH INDIGENOUS TEXTILES FACING THE WRATH OF FAST FASHION AND CLIMATE CHANGE, INDIAN DESIGNERS ARE RALLYING TO REVIVE AND PRESERVE THESE PRECIOUS WEAVES

time-read
3 minutos  |
October - November 2024
CRAFT CRUSADER
Outlook Traveller

CRAFT CRUSADER

THROUGH HER TEXTILE EXPLORATIONS ACROSS INDIA, DR PRITHA DASMAHAPATRA HAS BEEN PRESERVING ANCIENT CRAFTS, EMPOWERING ARTISANS, AND INSPIRING TRAVELLERS TO DISCOVER THE BEAUTY OF HYPERLOCAL EXPERIENCES

time-read
3 minutos  |
October - November 2024
ON THE GRID
Outlook Traveller

ON THE GRID

THE VIBRANT MADRAS CHECKS, NATIVE TO SOUTHEASTERN INDIA, HAS NOT JUST TRANSCENDED BORDERS BUT ALSO TRADITIONS AND STYLES

time-read
4 minutos  |
October - November 2024
GOLDEN SILK
Outlook Traveller

GOLDEN SILK

THE PROPERTIES THAT MAKE MUGA SILK UNIQUE COULD SEE IT BEING USED IN THE BIOFUELS AND MEDICINES OF THE FUTURE

time-read
2 minutos  |
October - November 2024