Bunnygoespop in and around Indore

If you look up “things to do in Indore” online, they will send you to Omkareshwar and Rajwada. Guess the people writing these guides were traveling with their grandmothers. If one asks the young people, they will say go to the mall, or eat at this hip Italian restaurant. Umm.. we are Sarafa kind of people. Italy also happens to be next door. Anywho. Sarafa is a locality in Indore that is full of jewelry shops during the day and a street food heaven at night. The jewelers get free security from the street food sellers. Symbiosis. That is literally thing #1 to do in Indore. But since we were already food poisoned by street side sugarcane juice (India 101 duh), here are some other things we did and some tips.

In increasing order of niceness

Not so special category:

Indore zoo: Quite a lot of animals actually, even a black tiger! Ok to go if you have nothing else to do or want to see a bit of history (how zoos in the colonial times looked like). Tip: go right when they open and before the crowds make it into an impossible place.

Ralamandal: Right outside Indore. Nice little hike of 200 m up. Tip: go early in the morning and take the dirt road midway! Slideshow with some pics below.

Funny story here – we passed a guy sitting by himself, admiring the view. I had an instinct that this guy knew the place. So I asked him where all could one hike near Indore. He said he was going to Kalakund forests soon and he could take us there. I took his phone number and we arranged a date. This guy looked trustworthy but too many years of Criminal Minds and Crime Patrol has corrupted us all. What if he was a murderer?

The day came. We left home at 5 am (plan was to catch the sunrise in the forest) and met him in the city center in front of one of the big police stations. I thought either that was a good sign or super ballsy. Next, he stopped at a small shop in a tiny village on the way and asked for samosas. I thought ok, to drug us. There were no samosas that morning. Phew. Then he stopped at a little thatched hut and talked to this random farmer. Alarm bells were going off in my head – accomplice! When we reached the forest, I peeped into his trunk – no ropes/ machetes. Even if we were going to be killed, this place looked awesome (see slide show below).

We would have never guessed that this could be a way into the forest if he wouldn’t have taken us there. What you don’t see in these pictures is the stillness of the forest broken by the calls of the many different types of birds, the distant sound of monkeys, the strong smell of wild basil, and the warmth of the morning sun. It was just beautiful. I would love to see this place in the monsoons too.

Spoiler alert – we weren’t killed that day. This guy was the nicest person- he even bought us paneer puffs from Kerela bakery (highly recommend it)! My instincts were right. My paranoia was .. well .. just a funny story to laugh at myself.

Bhopal is really nice too. This year we couldn’t go. Check out my previous blog to Sanchi here. Bheembetka is very nice too. Friends have sent me pictures of tigers in the Satpura national park which is not so far from Bhopal. Things for our next trip!

Maheshwar – a bit further away from Indore but very nice! Tip: Should combine Mandu trip with it with overnight stay

We went during the pandemic and had the place literally to ourselves.

Stopped at Sahastradhara on the way. It was really nice!

Mandu/ Mandhav – a bit further away from Indore but very nice. It deserves a full post! Check it out!

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OK we did try the hip Italian place (Ground Baking Co.) and it was really good. The mall (Phoenix mall) was well, just a mall.