Zipping on a fantastic road, through the teak forest with the odd Flame of the Forest adding that dash of colour, from Jhansi towards “Hidden” Orchha, we have had a latish start, so I don’t get to see the famed chhatris (or cenotaphs) either at sunset (as originally planned) or at sunrise…oh well God proposes and lazy man disposes. If India has its own standard time which has a certain time lag, it seems Madhya Pradesh is in a time lapse mode.. Ah! That explains the time warp feeling…
Read some more timeless tales in- An Ode to Ancient Life in Stone- The UNESCO World Heritage Site of Ajanta & Ellora
Picnic Breakfast with a View
We head straight for the park on the bank of the Betwa opposite the chhatris. It is deserted and we put our packed breakfast, picked up from a shop on the main thoroughfare, on a bench close to the waters. We soak in the sight of the ethereal chhatris by the ghats on the Betwa, their ephemeral reflections bathing in the river, the clouds behind in retreat. A huge kingfisher breaks the silence of the cool morning as we sit down to sip our tea and help ourselves to the hot jalebis and pohas. We spy massive vultures nesting on the slender spires of the chhatris, their colouring making them seem like living extensions of the carvings.
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Wildlife Discovers Us
Then pandemonium ensues. Two langurs decide to join us for breakfast. To be fair they are polite…,at first, sitting in companionable silence with the husband as he wolfs his poha. The cousin and I jump around, as she has had a run in with a boorish one as a child and isn’t too keen to renew the acquaintance. Just then three-four more lope in to make it a party. I put my plate down on the bench and back off as I get dirty looks from one and then they proceed to sit there and dine on our breakfast, technically theirs now, as we stand at a safe distance and wring our empty hands. The cousin’s husband, the hungrier and smarter one, has already had round one of breakfast at the shop itself. There is nothing left to do but to wait…and clean up after them!
Flying…oops, Cycling in the Jungle
Giving up on breakfast as a bad joke (Entirely on us!) we get on to our next agenda- cycling through the sanctuary. It is an island spread over 40 square kms and is home to a variety of animals and birds. We get off to a wobbly start on a well marked trail and the path is gravelly and clean. The cousin feebly protests that she doesn’t know cycling but I remember (from twenty years back) otherwise. The route is undulating, the forest sparse and rocky but devoid of any undergrowth. The only animal we spot is the dog who decides to go for his morning run with us. With each winding curve we gain confidence till one downward one, where the cousin decides to leave not only the path but terra firma too. The flight is short, the landing hard and noisy. No serious damage done, we decide that we’ve had enough adventures for the day and while we are in one piece, it is time to head to sedate civilization back across the causeway.
Read about other cycling adventures in- Cycling in Dehradun – The Best Routes for Leisure Rides
Melancholic Monuments
A leisurely stroll across the emerald river skipping over the rocks and dipping into clear pools brings us to Kanchana Ghat. The sepulchral chhatris built between the 16th and 17th century tower around us. Built in the signature style of Bundelkhand where Mughal influence meets Rajput architecture, there are 14 of them spread around the ghat where the erstwhile rulers of Orchha were cremated. Bir Singh Deo’s, who seemed to be influenced by the Mughals, stands out not only in terms of architectural style but it also hugs the river, standing aloof while the majority huddle together inside the adjoining walled complex.
Discover the chhatris of another family in-Satiating Nostalgia Under the Winter Rain at Junia
The Monumental Show
We walk into the walled enclosure with the chhatris sitting back in a laid out rose garden. The cenotaphs at Orchha are more imposing than any I have seen elsewhere. Their plain facades rise up three tiers to give way to spires and cupolas where the vultures nest. When they sit still they look like winged gargoyles but right now they are bickering with each other, showing off their magnificent size as they swoop through the garden from one melancholic monument to the other.
We then head towards the fort and the other monuments. More of that in the next installment of Outstanding Orchha.
Fact File-
There are entry charges for the park as well as the sanctuary. (Rs 25 per head for the park and the sanctuary charges depend on the mode of transportation.)
The cycles are available on hire at the ticket counter for about Rs 100.
Helmets are available with the cycles but one has to ask.
The entry ticket to the Orchha fort complex covers the entry to the walled cenotaphs too.
