Majestic Madhya Pradesh

 Little bit of Madhya Pradesh

20th- 24th March 2017.  My friend and me  

I seek to Explore and new destinations cross unexpected heavens on the way- with shooting stars and hidden paradise. Hyd-Delhi-Jhansi-Orccha-Khajuraho-Panna-Orccha-Jhansi-Delhi-Hyd. Its the kinda circle I chose to complete this time!!! Every time I travel I learn and unlearn. The world has so much more enchanting drama to dwell in human dramas.

Day-0 Hyd -> Delhi - I started my trip by getting to Delhi from Hyd and managed to scoop time to go to the Delhi Arts n Crafts museum which was lovely. Called it an early night as my frd n I had an 6 am Shatabdi to catch to Jhansi the next morning.

Day 1 Delhi -> Jhansi -> Orccha - We got on the Shatabdi to Jhansi in 5 hrs with a little delay. As we reached Jhansi station we were warmly welcomed by The Bundelkhand Resort Manager and he took us directly to the Jhansi Fort which was grand. The guide told us stories of the Fort and how Rani Lakshmi Bai fought bravely and gave us details of the fort and its hidden glories. WE were time traveling. We walked all over the Fort and hearing the stories gave me goosebumps and a thought crossed by that - Today we talk about Feminism and all but in that era, India had a woman who was bravest king and warrior ever. From there we were en route to Bundelkhand Resort - Orccha where we rested for awhile and were offered to be served with our tea n snacks by the riverside, which was nuthing less then perfect and peaceful. After being promised to have the same next day we agreed to go do some sight seeing and started with the Chattris, which are quite a treat to the eyes. From there we went to the Ram Raja Temple and got to know the story of its origin. We went to the Orccha Fort for the Sound and Light show and while waiting took a quick round of the Sheesh Mahal Hotel which is a part of the Fort campus itself, The Sound and light show is really nice and you sit under the star studded night and hear the story - all probabilities like me you may spot a shooting star too. After that we went back to the hotel where we were served with the Uthentic food and again to my surprise i loved the brinjal dish which is thr speciality. Trips teach you so much.

Day- 2 Orccha - We got ready and after a scrumptious breakfast head off for sightseeing. I was awestruck when I saw the Jehangir Mahal which is a part of the Orccha Fort. The Orccha Fort has the Jhangir Mahal, The King's palace and the Sheesh Mahal Hotel. The frescos are marvelous, they depict the Dashavataar, the floral Turkish carpet designs, the gods, and goddesses. Its totally a mavel. I wonder why they are not as popular as other palaces and forts as its glorious. From there we went to the Lakshmi Narayan Temple which used to be a Lakshmi Temple but some time back the idol was stolen and found in a bad state. since then its just a tourist attraction. The temple is a beauty. The whole structure is in the shape of an Owl. The entrance being the head and the 2 sides being the wings and the tail behind. The structure is ornamented and decorated in intricate carved patterns and the side structures give a view of the wings with detailing. No picture of it from the ground would do justice to the well thought off and executed structure, only and ariel view of the structure might do some justice i guess. The interiors of the temple are beautifully decorated with so much drama with the ceilings frescoed and the famous part is the huge animal which is carrying 7 elephants. The hotel head came with some refreshments which pumped us for some more history and sightseeing. After the city tour we decided to call it a day and go back to the hotel for a late lunch and avoid the heat. We were looking forward to our evening tea by the Betwa River and i climbed some rocks and took a moment for myself to surrender and just be there. While we were having our dinner at the Resort, we were told that the owner of the resort was there and would like to meet us, He is the present king of Orccha and was also my friend's uncle. He's immensely knowledgeable and was very humble.

Day - 3 Orccha -> Khajuraho - After our breakfast with the King who recommended and put in a word to a restaurant owner in Khajuraho, we started our 4 hours road trip to Khajuraho. The German bakery there was run earlier by a German couple who were frds of the king and now their grandson runs it. Its bang opposite the khajuraho temple and serves amazing food. Its menu is a blend of some lip smacking continental and Indian food. We had lunch there and went back to the hotel to beat the heat and rest. We went for the tour of the temples and again went for coffee and snack to the German bakery and went to see the Sound and Light show post that. The sound and light show at Khajuraho is one of the best with Amitabh Bachchan, Rahul Bose and various other prominent figure's voices. We were advised to go to the Pandav falls and the Tree House next day. We were staying that night at Taj Chandela at Khajuraho and it was alright. We barely spent the time to enjoy the hotel.

Day - 3 Khajuraho-> Panna-> Orccha-> Jhansi-> Delhi - As recommended we decided to venture out to Panna - The Panna Nation Tiger Reserve is 1 hour away from Khajuraho but be prepared for a rough ride. As we reached there at the entry we got a guide with us who took us down to the Pandav Falls and as we were descending down the flight of steps - man, I was just amazed at its beauty. The lake was in lovely shades of blue and green with water so pure that we could see the fish in it. The waterfalls were bleak but it was the summer effect. The Water comes from the earth and not any of the rivers. It was believed that the Pandavas were hiding here for a while during their exile. Even today there are caves restored and there is this one window from which you get a view of the lake which is just breathtaking and makes the whole trip so worth every journey. Its every essence and passion of the word of pristine, its so effortlessly glorious from every angle that one just needs to look around. The little red moths flying around the rocks and the surface of the lake add to the complete color scheme with the blue skies above, the lush green trees, the gray rocks and the green hues in blue waters was unimaginably pristine. Its a bit of a walk and one can walk into the caves, if not for anything just for the perfect view from the window from within of the falls outside. There is a small temple on the upper deck of the Pandavas which one can go from behind the falls. It was heartwrenching for me to leave that place as it seemed too peaceful to leave. From there we went to the Ken TreeHouse which is about 15-20 mins drive inside the Panna Forest Reserve itself. It is run by a humble couple. The Tree House has beautifully done up the room with a touch of modern and nature friendly decor. They upper deck of the tree house has an outdoor seating and A/c seating area overlooking the lake. We were told that when a few years back the floods hit them the whole place was wrecked, so much so that some of their belongings were found about 4-5 kms away. They have re-built the place amazingly and the nature is left in a natural way yet extremely luxurious.It was time for us to head back to Orcha and the drive was tiring. There is a decent place on the way to refresh and get some snacks. Upon reaching Orcha We had our Tea with the owners of the Bundelkhand Riverside Resort and in no time it was time for us to leave for the station. With an Extremely long an eventful day we reached back Delhi by mid-night.After this trip I realised how glorious Madhaya Pradesh truly is and hence propose to travelers exploring this side of India must start from Gwalior, Datia, Jhansi, Orccha, Khajuraho, Panna, Bhopal, Indore Ujjain. Plus whatever more you would like to see.

Unexpected Orccha Palace