A Taste of South in Central India may have affiliate links. But, as always, the views are entirely mine. The story mainly revolves around our brief stopover at Gagron Fort (Jhalawar Fort), Rajasthan.
Hungry Travellers
‘An Idli, a vada and a Masala Dosa each please,’ my cousin Alok said.
We were heading North from Jhalawar to Bundi in Rajasthan on NH 52 – a 2317-km highway that meanders through Central India from Ankola, Karnataka in the South to Sangrur, Punjab in the North. We were tired and hungry and had stopped at a nameless roadside
Road Trippers
During our 10-day road trip this monsoon, we had decided to drive from Delhi to Chittorgarh (Rajasthan), Mandu (Mandav, Madhya Pradesh), Ellora Caves (Maharashtra), Ajanta Caves (Maharashtra), Aurangabad (Maharashtra), Indore, Bundi (Rajasthan), and back.
Once we took off, we realised Jhalawar lies between Indore and Bundi. The distance between Indore and Bundi is a comfortable 359-km on NH 52. For some reason, Google Maps was showing the duration of this drive as almost 8 hours.
Ignoring that little detail, we decided to stop briefly at Jhalawar to see the famous Gagron Fort located on a peninsula jutting into the confluence of Ahu and Kalisindh rivers, with a deep moat on the fourth side. This fort features amongst the 6 hill forts of Rajasthan that have jointly been inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List.
Off We Go
We started from Indore after breakfast and the journey to Jhalawar was mostly uneventful. I say ‘mostly’ as upon entering Jhalawar and making our way towards Gagron Fort, we found ourselves stuck in a maze of narrow alleys of the old city. It took us almost an hour to cross this short stretch of 2-3 km.
As we reached the fort entrance at about 1:45 pm, the gentleman at the ticket counter mentioned we could take our car in for a nominal charge. That simple statement made us realise the fort is massive. It dawned on us the brief stop we had planned here was not going to be that brief after all!
Bracing up For An Extended Stop
But then, ‘what the heck’, we said to ourselves. We entered the fort and embarked on our mission to photograph its magnificent ramparts and ruins. Moving from its stables, temples, and palaces to its most impressive bastion, Ram Burj, we totally lost track of time.
It wasn’t until a guard approached us and mentioned it was closing time that we realised it was already past 5 pm. We begged him to give us a little more time, as we had not finished the photography of Ram Burj. He obliged. We were soon done. As we drove out, hunger pangs hit us. We hadn’t had lunch!
Looking For Food
We still had to cover 127 kms to reach Bundi. But, as they say, ‘prudence before valour’! We decided to look for a decent dhaba as we bounced around on a rumble strip of a state highway still under construction that went past a couple of villages along the outer wall of Jhalawar airport – an airstrip actually. Nothing there. We drove on gamely aided by Google Maps.
Soon, this state highway joined the earlier-mentioned NH 52. Alok and I exchanged glances and saw a glimmer of hope in each other’s eyes. We could now almost smell food!
A Nightmare Called NH 52
After cruising a few kilometres on a newly laid concrete highway, we soon found ourselves on a disastrous stretch that was still being built. To boot, it passed through a locality inhabited by people with negligible traffic or civic sense. That is when, somewhere near Suket, a small town just 16 kms from Jhalawar, we spotted a dhaba.
Wait a second – 16 kms only? It sure felt a lot longer than that!
Food, Finally? A Taste of South in Central India
We slipped out of the crawling traffic and parked. As we were settling down, a waiter placed a soiled menu on the plastic table. We didn’t touch it. Instead, we asked him what could he serve fast.
‘Saab, hamare paas idli, vada, dosa – sab kuchh hai!‘ (Sir, we have Idli, Vada, Dosa, and all that). As we cursed under our collective breath, Alok said ‘An Idli, a vada and a Masala Dosa each please.’ Of all the things, South Indian food in Rajasthan!
As the waiter turned around to get us the food, Alok and I apprehensively looked at each other silently. Soon enough, the food arrived. We braced ourselves for the worst and dug in.
The Aha Moment!
Heavenly! That’s how I would describe the food. The idli was soft and fluffy, the vada crunchy, the dosa crisp, and the sambhar, delectable. Out of the blue, I recalled an old Indian ad for Sambhar Masala that talked about 14 spices in right proportions. Well, they surely were talking about this sambhar! The only time I recall having tasted such gorgeous preparation was in one of the Pondicherry Hotels.
We silently gorged on the gorgeous fare, paid, and left – to brave the next 110-km journey over a terrible road through the twilight and night hours. Seriously, we had no clue how long the bad road will last.
Fortune Favours the Brave!
But, we were lucky. Upon entering Mukundra Tiger Reserve, the road had improved tremendously. The journey again became enjoyable. Once in a while, we would steal a glance to look through the sunroof and enjoy the glorious star-filled sky. That is when it hit me – hunger had blinded me so much that I had neither taken a photo of the food, nor the dhaba! But then, Maslow’s ‘Needs Pyramid’ sure kicks in when you are hungry. After all, we are talking about the most basic physiological need here! That is the second time on the same day I said to myself ‘what the heck; it is alright!’
Read about another UNESCO-inscribed Rajasthan fort HERE
 & discovery of authentic cuisine at an unexpected location - A Taste of South in Central India - Travelure ©){kind=link}