21st October,2011
06:05:51 AM -On a chilly Friday morning , three TRAVELERS Pawan Rawal , Shahzad Gani and Tushar Tuteja(Tuttu) left Rendezvous behind , and headed to Nizamuddin Station , to take a train to Jhansi to visit place named Orchha , which used to be the capital of BundelKhand.
I(Pawan) and Shahzad took an auto for Nizammudin (100 bucks) . All we knew at this moment was that we were going to Orchha , a place near Jhansi. Cold winds of Delhi made us shiver , but there was excitement ( like of a diver when he is about to jump into the pool for the first time ).
06:30 a.m. - So the Experdition begins after Pawan , Shahzad's Rendezvous with Tushar at the station. The train Taj Express scheduled to leave at 7:10 AM, left at 7:30 ! We had 2S seats( that is all you get if you book the eve before leaving ). The seats were comfortable for a 7 hour journey and were cheap(Rs. 100 per person). The Indian Railways gives you the flavor of delicacies available in India.
As our train departs we inform our Professor (Rural Development department/Value Education). He gives us his blessings and some contacts in Jhansi as well as Orchha. It’s a comfortable 7hr journey and we reach Jhansi at 2:30pm. While in train Shahzad and Tushar try all kind of delectable stuff from every vendor who came into the coach(kachori wid chatni at Agra, popcorn, peanuts, pakore and obviously chai multiple times).
We called our contact in Orchha. As we were starving we first went to Janaks on Elite Chowk,Jhansi to have something.
We ordered dal makhani, kadhai paneer , 3 stuff nans ( and they had a lot of stuff in them) , 1 onion kulcha(had abundance of onion and dhania) . These people knew the art of spices and everything was too good.
The tempting rasmalai was the best I have had.
3:30 p.m. - Reached Jhansi bus stop and took an auto for Orchha (Rs. 100 ) , else you can even sit in the crammed autos that carry a dozen people (Rs.15/person).
Reached Orchha in forty five minutes ( its a 14-15 km journey ).It was as if we had come far far away from the rush of the city ( geographically too Orchha is in Madhya Pradesh , and Jhansi in Uttar Pradesh). The weather which was nasty in Jhansi was somehow very pleasent here.This place is mostly visited by foreigners.We are at a crossing (centre of Orchha). The road by which we entered (from Jhansi) runs parallel to the Betwa River. On our left we can see a huge palace and on our right is a relatively crowded temple area. We head for the palace as there is still light and we want to explore. We pass many restaurants (many flaunt the fact that they are recommended by the ‘Lonely Planet’). We cross the bridge over Betwa River and reach the foot of the palace where we buy entry tickets.
Entrance Charges:-
Rs.10 for Indians Rs.250 for foreigners Rs.25 for Camera
We reject the offer of a guide as they seem to be expensive and we want to explore on our own. We realise that on the backside of the Raja Mahal is another palace called the Jhanghir Mahal (a fusion of Mughal and Buldeli architecture). We begin with the Jhanghir Mahal which was built in the 16th century by the king of Bundelkhand for Mughal emperor Jahanghir who was supposed to visit Orccha for just 1 day. The palace is huge and we place imagine ourselves as the King and how it would have felt. The view from the top is breathtaking and can be captured neither in words nor in photographs.
Rs.10 for Indians Rs.250 for foreigners Rs.25 for Camera
We reject the offer of a guide as they seem to be expensive and we want to explore on our own. We realise that on the backside of the Raja Mahal is another palace called the Jhanghir Mahal (a fusion of Mughal and Buldeli architecture). We begin with the Jhanghir Mahal which was built in the 16th century by the king of Bundelkhand for Mughal emperor Jahanghir who was supposed to visit Orccha for just 1 day. The palace is huge and we place imagine ourselves as the King and how it would have felt. The view from the top is breathtaking and can be captured neither in words nor in photographs.
5:30 p.m. - had pineapple juice at the lonely planet recommended restaurant, lol!
8 p.m.- Meet Abhishek Surana, our senior in the 4th year. Got a decent room for Rs. 150/night for 3 people.The bathroom is not attached but the rooms are clean. No TV/AC. It is at a 5min walk from the crossing.
All freshened up, the four of us leave for dinner and plan to chat with the local people. We go to the Ram Raja Mandir and hear its story from the local people. India is a land of stories and we get enchanted when the local people narrate the ancient tales and the beliefs associated with them. We meet a 12th class kid who wants to get into IIT. His zeal and enthusiasm is amazing. The people here are not in a hurry, are acquainted with the people around them and are aware of their surroundings. Had dinner at Rajawat Bhojanalya( Rs.40 for an unlimited thali). The thali was not very good but was served with love.After a very simple lunch we head back for our rooms. We sleep at around 11pm and plan to wake up early in the morning and see the sun rise.
22nd October,2011
We woke up at 6 a.m. , wanted to see the sun rise on the banks of the betwa river.The bridge is very narrow and only one-way. It seems a bit scary as it doesn’t have railings along its sides. We do not find any sun rise point such as we have the forest in front of us which blocks the view.
Off to Chattrabhuj Mandir, the temple that was supposed to be the Raja Ram Mandir centuries back. The story of why and how the mandir is made is mesmerising and should be heard only in Orchha, where it all took place. We enter the temple at around 8:30am and are amazed by the architecture and grandeur of the temple.
The temple has not been maintained well by the authorities and that makes the climb to the top scary. Infact only some foreigners who seek adventure go to the top. It required a lot of guts and more importantly the help of the local guide Manoj to reach the top. I have few words to describe the view from the top. On one side we have the Palaces across the Betwa River and on the other side we have the Laxmi Mandir. We can see vultures perched at the apex of the temple from up close. Standing on the top of this temple is an experience of a lifetime and very few people get this opportunity as the climb up is risky. The stairs are narrow,very high and broken at a lot of places. It is sad that the temple has not been maintained by the authorities.We are thankful to our guide ‘Manoj’ for this amazing experience. Manoj Sen- +91-9589837780
Next we chat with the people selling antique stuff outside the temple. The dry colours kept for sale are enchanting. The display of colours makes the world seem black and white. A lot of hard work is required to keep the colours clean. A lot of stuff is up for sale.Most of it is bought from other places and sold to foreigners by associating it with the history of Orchha. The Chowkara (colour box) is indigenous to Orchha (made by the local people in their homes). We also buy a couple of very beautiful marble cases. There is a lot of scope for bargaining and being an Indian definitely helps.
Greesh Maharaj (Antique Shop outside Chattarbhuj Temple)
+91-9893917726
At 10am we return from our ‘morning walk’. Next we plan to go to Gandhi Bhavan (Chattarpur), 3hours by bus from Orchha/Jhansi. We connect with the contact given by our professor and get to know that almost everyone from Gandhi Bhavan is in Jabalpur for an Organic Farming meeting. Now we have to decide where to head next. Our professor in Delhi puts us in touch with a professor in Jhansi, who asks us to meet him in Jhansi sometime in the afternoon. At 11am we checkout from the guest house. We head towards the auto stand.
On the way colourful bags catch our attention and we stop to take a look. Most of the bags have been bought from Rajasthan but some of them are from Chandheri, a place we keep hearing about. We buy a couple of Chandheri bags (rs150 each).
Orchha Apparels Handicrafts (opposite State Bank ATM) Naveen Khan- +91-8085123145
We inquire about place worth seeing in the Bundelkhand region. The first place which we always hear is Khajuraho.We feel it is too crowded and commercial. Naveen suggests a long trip which we plan to make sometime in the future.
A cold but an amazing and memorable sleep outside a rural home in a village in the heart of India. We wake up at around 5:45am by the natural kukurooku sound. We attend the nature’s call in the open, a new experience for us. It is a priceless experience, trying to understand the life of a farmer by living it. We now better relate to them.
At 7:30am after a lot of waiting at the platform we are finally on our way to Delhi. A very uncomfortable journey, first barely finding a place to sit near the door and eventually had to stand. At 10am we reach Okhla station(Delhi). Shahzad and Pawan head for IIT. Tushar will get down at New Delhi station and leave for his home.
P.S.- Most inputs from Shahzad's notepad entry during the trip.
+91-9893917726
At 10am we return from our ‘morning walk’. Next we plan to go to Gandhi Bhavan (Chattarpur), 3hours by bus from Orchha/Jhansi. We connect with the contact given by our professor and get to know that almost everyone from Gandhi Bhavan is in Jabalpur for an Organic Farming meeting. Now we have to decide where to head next. Our professor in Delhi puts us in touch with a professor in Jhansi, who asks us to meet him in Jhansi sometime in the afternoon. At 11am we checkout from the guest house. We head towards the auto stand.
On the way colourful bags catch our attention and we stop to take a look. Most of the bags have been bought from Rajasthan but some of them are from Chandheri, a place we keep hearing about. We buy a couple of Chandheri bags (rs150 each).
Orchha Apparels Handicrafts (opposite State Bank ATM) Naveen Khan- +91-8085123145
Jhansi----Tikamgarh----Kundeshwar----Lalitpur----Chandheri----Shivpuri
We take an auto back to Jhansi and Surana who has been an excellent company gets down at Devolopment Alternatives (Taragram). We take the auto till Rani Laxmibhai’s fort (Rs 140).
At 12 noon we step inside the fort.
Entry- Indians- Rs. 5 Foreigners- Rs. 100
This fort is well maintained and falls under the Archaeological Survey of India. We are not able to enjoy the fort much initially(partly due to the scorching heat), so we take up a guide to make the things interesting. Sangram Singh, a senior guide makes the experience memorable. He takes us back to the time of the Indian Army, the British rule and further back to the time of the King. He also shows us the point on the fort from where Rani Lakshmibai jumped on the horse when the Britishers where looking for her.
He suggests a book ‘Jhansi Ki Rani’ by ‘Brindavan Lal Verma’. The one and half hour trip of the fort leaves a permanent impression.
We take an auto to the famous ‘Narayan Chaat Bhandhar’.
We had everything on the menu aloo ki tikiya( Rs. 20- was good typical up chat),dahi bhalla gujarati(Rs.15 -good), punjabi papdi chat(Rs.15 - not too good). Pani ke batase , chatni ke batase for rs 10 each.
The day of wisdom
At 3pm we meet a professor in Jhansi itself who suggests us some possible ventures that we may undertake in/near Jhansi. He also gives us a request letter for a priest in a local temple in case we decide to spend e night in Jhansi itself. Finally he advises that we go to a village in the municipality Datia (M.P.) where he put us in touch with a farmer. He believed that by spending some time with a farmer we could better understand what is the condition of a major part of India(agriculture). Now this may sound boring , it did to us. I remember how Shahzad and I were divided on whether we should be going to Chanderi(a tourist spot) or spend the night at a farmers house.Tushar prefers joining the stronger side. Now in hindsight I believe , this was one of our best decisions. After a 50 min bus ride from Jhansi we reached Datia and there were welcomed by Shri Chhatra Pal Pateria (practices Organic farming). On 2 motorcycles the five of us(Me, Shahzad, Tushar and the two farmers)leave the bus-stop for his home.The empty road, farms on both sides, the cool breeze and the sun setting in-front of us. The experience of reaching his home itself was mesmerizing.
After covering approximately 23km from the bus stop, at 6pm we reach We take an auto back to Jhansi and Surana who has been an excellent company gets down at Devolopment Alternatives (Taragram). We take the auto till Rani Laxmibhai’s fort (Rs 140).
At 12 noon we step inside the fort.
Entry- Indians- Rs. 5 Foreigners- Rs. 100
This fort is well maintained and falls under the Archaeological Survey of India. We are not able to enjoy the fort much initially(partly due to the scorching heat), so we take up a guide to make the things interesting. Sangram Singh, a senior guide makes the experience memorable. He takes us back to the time of the Indian Army, the British rule and further back to the time of the King. He also shows us the point on the fort from where Rani Lakshmibai jumped on the horse when the Britishers where looking for her.
He suggests a book ‘Jhansi Ki Rani’ by ‘Brindavan Lal Verma’. The one and half hour trip of the fort leaves a permanent impression.
We take an auto to the famous ‘Narayan Chaat Bhandhar’.
We had everything on the menu aloo ki tikiya( Rs. 20- was good typical up chat),dahi bhalla gujarati(Rs.15 -good), punjabi papdi chat(Rs.15 - not too good). Pani ke batase , chatni ke batase for rs 10 each.
The day of wisdom
At 3pm we meet a professor in Jhansi itself who suggests us some possible ventures that we may undertake in/near Jhansi. He also gives us a request letter for a priest in a local temple in case we decide to spend e night in Jhansi itself. Finally he advises that we go to a village in the municipality Datia (M.P.) where he put us in touch with a farmer. He believed that by spending some time with a farmer we could better understand what is the condition of a major part of India(agriculture). Now this may sound boring , it did to us. I remember how Shahzad and I were divided on whether we should be going to Chanderi(a tourist spot) or spend the night at a farmers house.Tushar prefers joining the stronger side. Now in hindsight I believe , this was one of our best decisions. After a 50 min bus ride from Jhansi we reached Datia and there were welcomed by Shri Chhatra Pal Pateria (practices Organic farming). On 2 motorcycles the five of us(Me, Shahzad, Tushar and the two farmers)leave the bus-stop for his home.The empty road, farms on both sides, the cool breeze and the sun setting in-front of us. The experience of reaching his home itself was mesmerizing.
1791,Village-Sanora, District-Datia, Madhya Pradesh.
Now its just the three of us, the host and his family and the vast expanse of fields in all directions. We realise it very soon that the farmer is very wise and that we are humbled by his knowledge. The air is very clean and it is beginning to get dark as there is no electricity in these parts and the artificial lights are few(solar powered). The farmer is using only solar and bio-gas energy. Pateria Ji chats with us and we got to know a lot about farming, Medicinal plants and life in general. There is abundance of knowledge and we are absorbing as much as we can. On paper we may be more ‘educated’ than the farmer but we feel like illiterates as compared to him. On inquiring for a restroom, he laughs and tells us to take a mug filled with water and to go in which-ever direction we feel like. At around 7pm it is completely dark and we dare not wander too far from the house. The clear and starry sky is very beautiful, . On mentioning the fact to Pateria Ji, he tells us that the sky is clouded by pollution in the cities and the people in cities lead such a hurried life that they hardly have time to stare at the sky. We have a simple yet tasty meal. We sleep outside in the open. The hospitality of our host is unbelievable.
23/10/2011(Sunday)
Now its just the three of us, the host and his family and the vast expanse of fields in all directions. We realise it very soon that the farmer is very wise and that we are humbled by his knowledge. The air is very clean and it is beginning to get dark as there is no electricity in these parts and the artificial lights are few(solar powered). The farmer is using only solar and bio-gas energy. Pateria Ji chats with us and we got to know a lot about farming, Medicinal plants and life in general. There is abundance of knowledge and we are absorbing as much as we can. On paper we may be more ‘educated’ than the farmer but we feel like illiterates as compared to him. On inquiring for a restroom, he laughs and tells us to take a mug filled with water and to go in which-ever direction we feel like. At around 7pm it is completely dark and we dare not wander too far from the house. The clear and starry sky is very beautiful, . On mentioning the fact to Pateria Ji, he tells us that the sky is clouded by pollution in the cities and the people in cities lead such a hurried life that they hardly have time to stare at the sky. We have a simple yet tasty meal. We sleep outside in the open. The hospitality of our host is unbelievable.
23/10/2011(Sunday)
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| Now that ain't a watermelon no matter what Tushar has to say. |
A cold but an amazing and memorable sleep outside a rural home in a village in the heart of India. We wake up at around 5:45am by the natural kukurooku sound. We attend the nature’s call in the open, a new experience for us. It is a priceless experience, trying to understand the life of a farmer by living it. We now better relate to them.
After Datun(brushing) and a cup of tea, at 7am we head for a morning walk in the nearby fields. We return at 10:20am from ‘the walk to remember’. We understand crops, farming, medicinal plants and a lot more. Mr. Pateria is a huge reservoir of knowledge, a scientist and a lot more. He has been experimenting all his life. Everything he tells us is from practical experience and he is confident about his theories.
As compared to other farmers Mr. Pateri is much more happy and self-sufficient, reason being Organic farming. A birth of an idea takes place in our minds. Doing something so that the grains, Vegetables, etc are purchased directly from the ones who produce them (the farmers). We may try this with IIT as the model first and who knows what this will lead to. In this way the food quality will be good, rates will be cheap, farmers will have a say in fixing the price of what they have produced, benefits will go to the farmers directly, Organic products which are better for health will be supplied, adulteration will be greatly reduced. The only additional charges will be of transportaion.
As compared to other farmers Mr. Pateri is much more happy and self-sufficient, reason being Organic farming. A birth of an idea takes place in our minds. Doing something so that the grains, Vegetables, etc are purchased directly from the ones who produce them (the farmers). We may try this with IIT as the model first and who knows what this will lead to. In this way the food quality will be good, rates will be cheap, farmers will have a say in fixing the price of what they have produced, benefits will go to the farmers directly, Organic products which are better for health will be supplied, adulteration will be greatly reduced. The only additional charges will be of transportaion.
At around 12 noon we call our professor to briefly narrate our experience and to thank him. We have lunch. We have an awesome open air bath and make preparations to leave Sanora. At 1:07pm we head back for Datia railway station.
We are dropped on bikes from where we get an auto till Datia. In Datia we visit Pitambra Peeth, a very famous pilgrim spot attracting devotees from all over India. After a quick ‘darshan’ we head for the Datia railway station(in auto Rs. 5 per head). We get general tickets for Gwalior(Rs. 84 for 3 people). We are not able to enter the general coach and are standing near the bathrooms of the sleeper coach. The train is crowded as are all trains in India. At 2:50pm we begin the one and a half hour train journey. We are invited to a friends house in Gwalior. We reach Gwalior at 4:10pm. In auto(Rs. 50) to friends house.At 4:37pm we are at the friends house narrating our stories of the previous days.We have an awesome lunch. At 5:40pm our trip to Gwalior fort begins.The guide with us is just awesome
Chandan Saxena
+91-8889856464
+91-9770363604
+91-8120241984
Chandan Saxena
+91-8889856464
+91-9770363604
+91-8120241984
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| Its the flash man , we aint feeling sleepy at all. |
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| The saas bahu mandir , a unique piece of architecture |
The story of Rani Laxmi Bhai which was half told in Jhansi concludes here at the Gwalior fort where she died. We visit the Saas Bahu Mandir, Gurdwara inside the fort. Every place here as a story associated with it and that is what makes the place worth visiting. The light and sounds show at the fort is dull. It feels amazing standing on a mountain 365feet from ground with three awesome friends which is surrounded on all sides by the city of Gwalior.
At 8:50pm we return back to the friend’s home. We plan to return to Delhi as soon as possible. No tickets available, lets see what happens next. We leave very late from the friend’s house after a lot of gossiping and sharing of experiences. There are some more places worth visiting that we missed out in Gwalior , only reason could be that we are destined to come back again.
23/10/2011(Monday)
At 12:30 am the three of us leave for Gwalior railway station.
At 1:25am we are sitting in GT(train). Plan to get down at Mathura. Have General tickets(Rs. 58 each),are very tired so bribe the TT(Rs 140 total after a lot of pleading) for a sleeper. We reach Mathura at 4:10am. Reach Vrindavan on the back seat of an auto . A very dusty,bumpy ride to an almost isolated place(this early in the morning). At 5am we are drinking tea(in Khulli) at a tea stall in Vrindavan, waiting for the temples to open.Somehow the fatigue shows up now , guess a night out was not such a good idea. In no mood to wait we head back to Mathura railway station.
At 7:30am after a lot of waiting at the platform we are finally on our way to Delhi. A very uncomfortable journey, first barely finding a place to sit near the door and eventually had to stand. At 10am we reach Okhla station(Delhi). Shahzad and Pawan head for IIT. Tushar will get down at New Delhi station and leave for his home. P.S.- Most inputs from Shahzad's notepad entry during the trip.
