29-Jan-2016 -- We started at 09:15 hours from Narmada Nihar resort which is near the Sardar Sarovar (Dam). From Google Maps, we figured out that the DCP lies in vicinity of Bhundmariya village but there weren’t any visible motorable roads marked, hence, we decided to rely on the local inputs.

We took left from the ticket pass counter for the Sarovar and headed towards Naswadi village (via Bhumaliya - Chimadia) but took a right turn at around 7 km. The further villages I couldn't read the names but the major one was Tankhaal which was around 10 km. Later, we didn't go there (on the left) but continued straight till we reached another T-junction (I took most of the junction photographs) and took right for Bhundmariya. Later, the road became worse and we couldn't clear a steep gradient near Nani Jaduli due to a broken path and decided to fall back. A local suggested to revert to Kevadiya naka and take vehicles to Sariyapani.

Foot journey to the DCP started at 12:09 hours from 21°59.102'N 74°00.000'E where there was a milestone for Kevadi 0.3 km. At 12:54 hours we were at 21°59.530'N 74°00.025'E, in a field in Kotbi (कोटबी), tal. Kavant, dist. Chhota Udaipur. Black soil, jowar and tur grown, tiling difficult due to rocky surface. We could see plenty of custard apple trees, as per the local farmer, in monsoon, the hillocks are covered with the fruit fall. A dry river bed seen from a bill at 21°59.632'N 74°00.056'E. This bed divides two panchayats - Kotbi and Bhundmariya (13:08 hours). At 13:38 hours we were stuck at a hillock and the DCP 0.1 miles away.

From here, I descended westwards and finally arrived at the DCP. In haste, I had forgotten to carry any water with me and was exhausted by the time I recorded the DCP. I approached a nearby hut and asked for some water. An old gentleman (Bhola bhai, he later told his name) offered me a cot and plenty of water. I was moved by their plight (impoverished and lost one hand) and despite of the gentleman’s protests, I handed him some money in exchange for showing me the easier way out to Kotbi. The gentleman confirmed that the DCP lies in the Bhundmariya village taluka Kavant, district Chhota Udaipur.

Later, when the villagers learned about our state of exhaustion, they readily dropped us to the main road by riding us pillion on their motorbikes. We were awestruck by their riding skills - 3 people on a bike and ascending and descending steep gradients and slopes along soiled, graveled pathways! We left for Vadodara at 15:45 hours. I had to buy petrol from a hutment-cum-shop for INR 80/litre. After contradicting directions by villagers and Google Maps (since we left Narmada Nihar, the network was available at 22°01.658'N 73°45.721'E near a canal along which a road leads to Dabhoi (30 km), along this route lies the village/town of Tadkachhla, as mentioned on the DCP official site), we (wrongly) took the road to Naswadi which later caused an extra 60-70 km run till Vadodara.

To summarize, we owe this toiling and excruciating, yet, cherished DCP to the locals of Bhundmariya, Kotbi, and the surrounding villages.