Kanchan Kanya Express: ডুয়ার্সের রাণী - Joydeep Roy

Dude, this train is lit! It's like one of the dopest trains from Puri to Howrah and vice versa. It's almost always on time, which is hella impressive. And yo, what's super cool is that it arrives at Howrah in the wee hours of the morning (04.50 am), so passengers love that. Plus, the AC coaches have clean and fresh bedding wrapped in paper. The permanent loco link is Santragachi using a beast of a locomotive called #WAP4.

Ekdam best train hai re Puri se Howrah and Howrah se Puri jaane ke liye. Puri se Howrah ki aur Howrah se Puri ki bhidu times pe chalti hai. Sabse jyada logon ko pasand hai ki subah jaldi (04.50 am) Howrah pahuch jaati hai. AC coaches mein ECoR ne saaf-suthri, paper se wrap ki hui bedding provide ki hai. Iski permanent loco link hai Santragachi #WAP4.

There gonna be lotsa buses waitin' outside Bhuvanagiri railway station to Yadagirigutta. Tickets 'bout 30 bucks in the express bus. You gotta go all the way to Yadadri temple bus stand. Once ya there, tons of free buses gonna drop ya off right in front of the temple.

Bhuvanagiri railway station se Yadagirigutta tak buses baar-baar milengi. Ticket ki cost express bus mein lagbhag Rs. 30 hogi. Yadadri temple bus stand tak jaana padega. Wahan se mandir ke bahar humein seedhe le jaane waali bohot saari free buses milengi.

I'm spilling the beans on my recent trip. If you're headed to Arulmigu Kallazhagar Thirukkovil (Azhagar Kovil) in Alagarmalai, catch bus number "44" from platform 1. It's a smooth ride taking around 45 minutes to an hour tops, dropping you right at the temple gate. Ticket fare is Rs. 31. To return, hop back on the same bus near Madurai junction. For Pazhamuthircholai Arulmigu Solaimalai Murugan Thirukkovil, located about 3.5 km from Azhagar Kovil, HRCE buses come every 15-30 minutes charging Rs. 10 per person. You can also take a leisurely walk up the staircase/walkway at the temple entrance. Both temples shut by 8 PM. If you're heading to Arulmigu Meenakshi Amman Thirukkovil from Alagarkovil on bus 44, alight at Simmakkal bus stop, just a 500 meters stroll away. To reach MGR bus stand (Mattuthavani), you might find direct buses, but if not, take bus 44 and switch at Goripalayam for MGR bus stand (Mattuthavani).

Ar na latest chhutkula hai, meri recent yatra se.
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Arulmigu Kallazhagar Thirukkovil (Azhagar Kovil) jaane ke liye, Alagarmalai mein "44" bus frequency mein mil jayegi platform no. 1 ke samne entrance mai, jiska samay hoga 45 minutes - ek ghanta(max), aur yeh temple ke entrance par chhod degi. Ticket ki keemat hai Rs. 31/- har vyakthi ke liye. Aur wapas jaane ka rasta, wahi bus mil jayegi near madurai junction pe utarne ke liye.
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Pazhamuthircholai Arulmigu Solaimalai Murugan Thirukkovil jaane ke liye, jo Azhagar Kovil se lagbhag 3.5 kms door hai, HRCE of TN sarkaar ke buses temple ke entrance par har 15 - 30 min mai milte hain Rs. 10/- har vyakthi ke liye. Aur entrance par ek seedhi/ walkway bhi hogi, jisse mandir tak paidal ja sakte hain.
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Dono temple raat ko 8 baje tak band ho jaate hain.
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Aur agar koi Arulmigu Meenakshi Amman Thirukkovil jaana chahta hai, Alagarkovil se bus no 44 lekar simmakkal bus stop par utar sakte hain, aur wahan se paidal chal kar mandir tak pahunch sakte hain, karib 500 meter door.
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Aur agar koi MGR bus stand (Mattuthavani) jana chahta hai, seedhe buses uplabdh hongi lekin frequency utni achhi nahi hai, agar seedhe buses available nahi hain, to 44 bus lekar goripalayam par jakar MGR bus stand (Mattuthavani) ke liye change kar sakte hain.

At Bareilly Junction
Escalator was installed and lift was also installed
Here proof

At Bareilly Junction
Escalator lag gaya aur lift bhi lag gaya
Yahaan proof hai

Trip to Shirdi Sai from 1 Dec - 4 Dec 2015
Took Goa Exp (12780) to Shirdi on 1 Dec 15. Leaves Nizamudin at 1500 hrs and gets to Manmad / Kopargaon between 10 and 11 the next morning. Taxi charges from Manmad to Shirdi are Rs700. Auto charges from Kopargaon are Rs300. Manmad to Shirdi is about 75 km and Kopargaon is 30 km. Takes 1.30 hrs and 30 minutes. Train ride between Manmad and K Gaon is about 40 minutes.
Travel in 3 AC on GoaExp was alright. It was cleaned at two spots by private company staff. Travelers have gotten better and try to keep the train clean except toilets. Food and drinks are available and neatly packed. Bio toilets are a total fail. They're always super dirty. Earlier toilets could be used even if dirty. Now travelers avoid bio toilets and look for other toilets in different compartments.
Stayed at Hotel Sai Kanahyia, just 200 meters from the Mandir. It's near Hotel Tulsi at Gate 3 of the Mandir. Sai Kanahyia was a good experience. Very clean. Non AC room for Rs900 per day. Food/tea available across the street at fair prices. Lots of restaurants near the Mandir. Sai Kanahyia is opening its own restaurant soon. Hotel staff was helpful and polite.
To visit the Mandir, you can book through internet - Aarti Rs500, Darshan Rs100. Or have Darshan in the regular queue without booking. Senior citizens and government officers can go to PRO’s office near gate no. 1. ID proof and Rs 500 / Rs 100 are required for priority entry through a shortcut. Thursdays and Fridays are busier, as well as other festival days.
Shani Shingnapur Mandir is about 70 km away. Taxi charged Rs1100 for round trip. Takes 1.30 hrs each way. You can take 'Tel, Kale Til’ and black thread to the Mandir, available in the market outside. Mobiles are allowed inside but no belt or leather items.
Stayed at Hotel Mauli Prasad, about 6 km from Shingnapur. Had delicious Kadhi Pakori and rice. Bajra Bhakri was tasty. Chhach was great.
Return trip from Shirdi to Manmad by taxi for Rs500. Bought Bhelpuri for Rs20 on the way, 30 km from Manmad. Yummy.
KarnatakaExpress at Manmad leaves at 2.45 pm, halts for 15-20 minutes. Same deal as GoaExpress.

Travel Experience – Shirdi Sai – 1 Dec -4 Dec 2015
Shirdi gaya tha Goa Exp (12780) se 1 Dec 15 ko. Nizamudin se 1500 baje nikla aur agle subah Manmad / Kopargaon mein 10 aur 11 baje ke beech pahuncha. Manmad se Shirdi tak taxi Rs700 hai. Kopargaon se auto Rs 300 ka hai. Manmad se Shirdi ka fasla lagbhag 75 km hai. Kopargaon se 30 km. 1.30 aur 30 minutes mein pahunch jaata hai. Manmad aur K Gaon ke beech ki train ka safar lagbhag 40 minutes ka hai.
GoaExp mein 3 AC se safar kafi kharab nahi tha. Yeh do jagah private company ke staff se saaf kiya gaya tha. Yatriyon mein thoda sudhar aaya hai aur zyadatar log train saaf rakhne ki koshish karte hain sauchalaya ke alawa. Khana aur peene ka samaan milta hai aur saaf pack kiya gaya hai. Bio toilets ka anubhav poori tarah se nakam raha. Bio toilets hamesha gande hote hain. Pehle ke saman toilets gandagi mein bhi upyog kiye ja sakte the. Ab yatri bio toilets ka upyog karne se bachte hain aur anya toilets ki taraf dekhte hain anya bogies mein jane ke liye.
Hotel Sai Kanahyia mein ruka, bas mandir se sirf 200 meter door. Yeh Hotel Tulsi ke T junction, Mandir ke Gate 3 ke paas hai ek sadak par sthit hai. Sai Kanahyia ka anubhav accha raha. Bahut saaf suthra. Non AC kamra ke liye Rs 900 prati din. Khana / chai sadak ke dusri taraf uplabdh hai aur munasib kimat par. Mandir ke paas kai saare restauranat hain. Sai Kanahyia apna restaurant chalana shuru karne ja raha hai kuch dino mein. Hotel ke staff madadgar aur vinamr the.
Mandir ki darshan online booking ke through bhi kiya jaa sakta hai - Aarti Rs 500, Darshan Rs 100. Darshan queue mein bhi kiya ja sakta hai bina booking ke. Senior citizens aur sarkari adhikari PRO ke daftar ke paas ja sakte hain, gate no. 1 ke pass, highway aur Mandir Road ke kone mein. Unhe ID proof aur Rs 500 / Rs 100 dikhana hoga. Unhe priority entry slip di jaati hai jo unhe shortcut se pravesh karne ki anumati deti hai. Gurubar aur Shukarwar prativarsh bahut bhid hoti hai. Aise hi anya tyohar wale din.
Shani Shingnapur Mandir lagbhag 70 km door hai. Taxi ne Rs 1100 charge kiye upar neeche ka safar ke liye. Har ek taraf 1.30 ghante lagenge. Jaruri nahi hai, lekin koi 'Tel, Kale Til ' aadi aur kaale dhage mandir le ja sakte hain. Ye mandir ke bahar market mein uplabdh hain. Mobile andar le ja sakte hain. Belt ya anya chamda se bane vastu pehenna mana hai.
Wapas, Shingnapur se 6 km door Mauli Prasad Hotel mein achha anubhav raha. Kadhi Pakori aur chawal behad shandaar the. Bajra Bhakri (roti) lazeez thi. Aur Chhach behad acchi thi.
Wapas ka safar Shirdi se Manmad tak taxi se Rs 500 mein hua. Raste mein, Manmad se 30 km door, Rs 20 mein Bhelpuri khareeda - bada packet. Shandaar.
Manmad par KarnatakaExpress ka samay 2.45 pm hai. Vahan 15-20 mniutes ke liye rukti hai. Ufficially yeh 10 minutes ke liye hai. GoaExpress ke liye bataya gaya sab kuch KarnatakaExpress ke liye bhi sach hai.