Rahil flew to Indore on the evening of September 16th and met his Mom there. The next morning, he, Mom, and Dad drove to Maheshwar, a small town of about 30,000 on the banks of the sacred Narmada River. Rahil stayed in the lovely Ahilya Fort, high atop the bluffs, with its innumerable nooks and crannies, dining areas, pool, animals, and gardens. Highlights of Rahil's stay in Maheshwar included a trip across the river, several visits to the clean, sparse, wide, and non-commercialized ghats, and, above all, the discovery of several snails and slugs.

After two nights at the Ahilya Fort hotel, Rahil drove to Mandu, a magnificent abandoned fortified city that purportedly was home to nearly a million people several centuries ago; now all that remain are the buildings (in various states of repair) and a few thousand residents. Mandu was home to the famous musician Roopmati, and Rahil saw where she performed. Mandu is also home to the tomb of Hoshung Shah, the first marble structure built in India (c. 1470) and a model for the Taj Mahal, as well as several other simply stunning complexes.

After scouring as many ruins as possible for slimy insects, Rahil returned to Indore for a late night flight back to Delhi.