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The City

I visited Bhopal for the first time with a friend, and I really loved the place, especially the way Madhya Pradesh Tourism Department has organized tourism in the state. There was a small issue with the hotel booking, but it was fine in the end. We stayed at Ranjeet Hotel near the railway station. The hotel was nice for the amount I paid, but when I had tried to book it over the phone from Varanasi, they told me there were no rooms available. We reached Bhopal around 10:30 PM without any booking, but since we already knew about Ranjeet Hotel, we decided to take a chance and show up there. Surprisingly, even though they had told me earlier that no rooms were available, they still gave us one. Strange, but definitely good for us.

the city

Bada Lake

We had one important purpose in Bhopal, which was to visit Chingari Trust to learn about their work. We managed to do that the very next day after arriving. With plenty of time left, we decided to explore the city. On the suggestion of the people working at Chingari Trust, we went to see the two famous lakes of Bhopal: Bada Talab and Chhota Talab. Both were wonderful, clean, and offered several options for water sports. Chhota Talab is separated from Bada Talab by an over-bridge. We didn’t try any sports but enjoyed walking around and soaking in the calm atmosphere.

wetland for birds and crocodiles

Beautiful Kids at the Mosque

After visiting the lakes, we took an auto rickshaw back to the hotel. On the way, I asked the driver if there was any other interesting place nearby. He suggested the Darul Uloom Taj-ul-Masjid. I had already read about this mosque and wanted to see it, so we decided to visit before returning to the hotel. It turned out to be one of the best experiences in Bhopal. The mosque was grand and beautiful, and it is considered one of the largest mosques in Asia. Unlike many mosques in India, this one allows women, non-Muslims, and foreigners to enter, which I found very welcoming.

beautiful kids at the mosque

Meeting a Student

Inside the mosque, there is an Islamic school. I met a very nice student who showed me around. He shared his life story and even took me to his room. He told me that he had studied up to Class 12 in a regular school, but afterward, he chose to dedicate himself to Islamic studies. He showed me his books, but when I wanted to touch his Quran, he politely stopped me. He explained that since the Quran is the holiest book for Muslims, there is a specific process of purification required before touching it. I was really impressed by his respect for his faith.

We spoke for nearly two hours about many things, including politics and Hindu-Muslim relations. He told me that Islam strictly prohibits creating tensions between communities, so anyone who does it is not a true Muslim, no matter what they claim. I had heard this before, but it was refreshing to meet a young person who truly believed in it. For me, such people represent the real development of India. We exchanged contact information, and I hope to meet him again whenever I return to Bhopal.

Van Vihar National Park

The next day, we visited a small national park called Van Vihar, located near Bada Talab. It was a peaceful and well-maintained place. They had bicycles for rent, battery-operated vehicles, and of course, walking paths. The park was quiet and clean, with a wide variety of animals such as lions, tigers, leopards, deer, bears, hyenas, crocodiles, and monkeys. The animals seemed to be kept in good condition. The park stretches for about seven kilometers from one end to the other. Plastic bags were banned, and it was a no-horn zone, so it felt very different from the usual chaos of Indian cities. At the far end, there was a cafeteria serving snacks. We rented bicycles, explored the park, and really enjoyed the calm environment.

awesome place

One interesting thing I noticed was the urinal system. They had arranged a separate design for Muslims, since they squat while urinating. It was set up lower to the ground to allow this posture. Despite traveling across India, visiting Muslim friends’ homes, and experiencing many things, I had never seen anything like this before. Bhopal has a large Muslim population, which probably explains the arrangement.

look at the right side ones

More Sites Nearby

Later, we visited Bhimbetka, famous for its ancient cave paintings, and on the way back, we stopped at the Bhojpur Shiva Temple. The next day, we explored Sanchi, known for its Buddhist stupas. All of these places were fascinating, and I thoroughly enjoyed Madhya Pradesh. The weather was pleasant, the city was green and quiet, the sites were clean, and I never encountered touts.

Honestly, my home state has far better tourism potential than Madhya Pradesh, but because of politics and government negligence, tourism here is rarely given priority. If things continue this way, Madhya Pradesh will soon surpass Uttar Pradesh as a leading tourism destination. Visiting Bhopal and its surroundings was a truly memorable experience.

Trip to Rohtang Pass

After visiting Shimla and Manali, we headed to Rohtang Pass—the only place on our entire journey where we could actually see snow. We were all so excited. Our driver warned us that we needed to leave very early in the morning; otherwise, we would get stuck in heavy traffic later in the day and might not even reach the snow. We woke up at 5 a.m. and were ready by 6. The driver insisted we were already late, which we thought was just a joke. But he was right. About 15 kilometers before Rohtang, we got stuck in one of the biggest traffic jams I had ever seen in my life. Cars and buses lined up for kilometers along the mountain road—it was a complete disaster.

the traffic jam

Renting Clothes for the Snow

Before the trip, the driver had asked if we had brought warm clothes. When he saw what we had, he said they were not enough for the snow and insisted we rent special clothing. Attila, who had already been to several snowy places, told me such clothing wasn’t necessary for Rohtang. But since the driver kept pushing, I finally agreed. He took us to a shop that rented out long jackets and boots—basically factory rejects—for ₹1000 a set. It was far too expensive. I asked him to take us somewhere else, but he claimed there were only a few shops and we wouldn’t find any more on the way. After bargaining, we got the clothes for ₹500. I knew it was still overpriced, but I had no choice, especially since I was worried about my wife and baby.

Later, as we drove toward Rohtang, I realized the driver had cheated us. There were countless shops along the way, all renting similar clothes for just ₹50! Even at the pass itself, shops were everywhere, and in truth, the weather wasn’t cold enough to require such heavy clothing. We never even used the clothes we had rented.

people enjoying the snow

First Impressions of Rohtang

When we finally reached Rohtang Pass, it was both exciting and disappointing. Yes, there was snow—but much of it was ruined. It was black in places, littered with garbage, and even spoiled by animals. Plastic waste was everywhere, as usual. There were snow bikes, snowboards, and even hand-pulled carts for tourists. The cart service was particularly upsetting. People would sit in a chair while two or three men physically pulled them uphill and then brought them down. It was exhausting work in thin air, and I couldn’t understand how tourists could actually enjoy such a service.

it was everywhere

The snow bike drivers were reckless too. Despite the crowds, they zoomed around dangerously. The snowboard rental was just as strange—they had only one pair of boots, and every customer, regardless of shoe size, was expected to wear them. I had never skied before, but it looked unsafe. Attila confirmed that using the wrong-sized boots could even break your ankles. Still, many tourists rented boards and struggled hilariously on the slopes—it was quite a sight to watch.

They looked fit enough but….

The Experience

We spent about four hours on the snow, enjoyed the scenery, and had a good laugh watching others try their luck with skiing. Around 5 p.m., we headed back to our hotel. Overall, Rohtang Pass was a memorable experience—though I will always remember how our driver cheated us out of a few hundred rupees.

snow bikes

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