Lata

Hi, I made a trip to Maheshwar in Central India. It is an ancient town situated on the banks of the holy river, Narmada. It is well-known for the fine Maheshwari sarees that are produced on hand-operated looms there. Here is an account of the wonderful trip!

http://thisislata.blogspot.in/2014/0...maheshwar.html

julies

Thanks so much for posting this! I am in the midst of deciding whether to visit Maheswar. You definitely make it sound like a winner.

Lata

@julies: Thanks! All the best for your trip if you do decide to make it to Maheshwar. A small but important piece of information which I did not mention in my blog post: it can get pretty hot in the summer, so please check the temperatures before planning your trip.

Elainee

Loved your blog! Thanks for posting.

jacketwatch

Hello again Lata and thanks again for the post and the pics.
Larry.

sartoric

Looks fantastic Lata, thanks for posting.

Lata

@Elainee, @jacketwatch & @sartoric: Thanks a lot for reading and taking time out to writing. I loved hearing from you.

Lata

I meant, taking time out to write, not writing!

CaliNurse

Thank you, Lata!!

julies

Lata--

I am curious if you have also visited Mandu. It is in the vicinity and is on my bucket list.

If so, can you please tell me about your impressions of the place? And, how would you compare it to Maheshwar?

Lata

@julies: I went to Mandu long back. Haven't been there in the last 30 years at least. Yes, it is in the vicinity of Maheshwar. Mandu is a city of ruins. I heard the state government has taken some steps to make it more tourist-friendly, in terms of accommodation etc. But Mandu and Maheshwar both are very different from each other in nature. Mandu is more elaborate in terms of architecture (though in ruins now), while Maheshwar is serene, the river Narmada is an attraction. It also appeals to those who are interested in the history of the Holkars (the erstwhile ruling family). I have written about Maheshwar in detail in my blog post

julies

Lata--

I have decided to visit (end of February). I am thinking of two nights here and two nights in Mandu. We love to just walk and observe everyday life, we'll check out the sari production, we'll do a boat trip (are these difficult to arrange?), and we'll take in the fort and temples. We can't afford the super expensive Aliyah Fort and instead intend to stay in the small lodging in the gatehouse at Laboo's Café. Should I do two nights here, or is that too many? I've got four nights to split between Mandu and Maheshwar. These are our first destinations after the long trip from the US, so we will need some down time. But, we also don't want to be completely bored and out of options.

Thanks much. Do you live in Indore?

Lata

@julies: well, great! Have a nice time in Mandu and Maheshwar. Your plan of two nights in each of these sounds perfect. When I was in Maheshwar last month, I walked past Labboo's Cafe. Didn't go in, though. Looks like a nice place from outside.

Maheshwar is not a very touristy place. So, arranging for a boat should not be difficult. We did a short round in the boat, but I understand one can go for longer trips too. Your hotel should help you in this.

I don't live in Indore now, but I grew up there. Have a great trip!