🌤️ Day 2 — Nagpur to Sagar

 29th Aug, 2025 - When the Road Becomes Familiar Again -

Morning After the Rain

The night before had stretched long — heavy rain, a late dinner at Haldiram’s, and that quiet relief of finding a safe halt.

By morning, Nagpur looked freshly washed. I started early, tea in hand, planning to reach Sagar by evening through Betul and the Satpura belt. The highway out of the city felt open and welcoming, that easy feeling you get on the second day of a trip when both you and the car have found your rhythm.

The forest north of Nagpur was green and damp from the rain. I stopped once for chai at a small stall where a few truckers warmed their hands near a stove. “Sagar tak jayenge, saab?” one of them asked. “Dekhte hain,” I said. The conversation ended there, as most road chats do — short, friendly, and forgotten as the engines started again.

Jam Sawali Mandir

A few kilometres before Betul, a board for Jam Sawali Hanuman Mandir appeared, with an old archway on the left. Something about the place made me slow down, and I turned in almost instinctively. The narrow road went for about two kilometres through trees before opening into a quiet temple complex.







The Jam Sawali Temple is believed to be centuries old and is one of the very few where Lord Hanuman is seen in a reclining pose — resting after completing Lord Rama’s service. The locals consider this form especially sacred, representing strength at peace.

A wast temple premises with number of shops with all sorts of puja items, toys, local garments and all decorations making it very attractive and lively atmosphere.

Drenching in Rain - not in Sagar, but at Sagar

Later in the evening, I still felt like seeing a bit of the place, so I hired an auto. The driver, Asus, turned out to be a polite and talkative fellow. We headed toward a nearby dam, chatting along the way. Halfway through, a sudden cloudburst caught us — heavy sheets of rain, no warning, and no escape. The auto leaked from every corner, and within minutes both of us were drenched. Asus just laughed and kept driving through the bumpy stretch till we reached the waterfall. I stepped out anyway — it was one of those moments when you stop caring about anything. The rain, the wind, the emptiness around — all of it just felt perfect. Asus shared some forest fruits and corn, and we stood there under the downpour, smiling like old friends.

By the time we got back, clothes were soaked, shoes squelched, and the day’s fatigue had disappeared. But still went around the small gulleys of Sagar munching local food and my native reiepe a simple dosa, though yuk! 😥 dinner, I couldn’t help thinking — I came to Sagar, and though it’s not really a sagar, I did get my share of drenching after all.

.......The best parts of a trip are rarely planned.

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