Delhi is a great place to start off on a drive. North lie the Himalaya and south lies Rajasthan. However, your driving options can range farther than that. If you drive east or southeast from Delhi, you can reach some amazing destinations all over northern India. In our previous article we’d covered the first leg of a long Delhi-Khajuraho drive. In the second part, we bring you the stretch from Gwalior to Orchha, via Jhani, Khajuraho and the Panna Nationl Park. So read on and start planning your driving holiday now!
Route: Gwalior-Jhansi
Distance: 103 km
Time: 3 hours
After a day of bouncing around on Gwalior’s potholed roads and a restful night, set out for Jhansi. You will breathe a sigh of relief as soon as you see the roads on the outskirts of Gwalior—they’re smooth as steel. Whizz down the NH75 stopping only if necessary at Datia, Orchha’s twin town, and you’ll reach Jhansi before you
know it.
Historic Has-Been
Jhansi is part of Bundelkhand, the cultural region of Madhya Pradesh- Uttar Pradesh which was ruled by the Bundela Rajputs since the 16th century. Eighteen kilometres from Jhansi, a Bundela king founded Orchha on the banks of the Betwa river, and it was a Bundela king of Orchha who built the Jhansi Fort in the 17th century. From the early 18th century, this region, including Jhansi, fell under Mughal rule for a while. And then it came under the Marathas. Today, except for its major railway junction and its convenience as a transit point for tourists to visit Khajuraho (176 km) or Orchha (18 km), Jhansi doesn’t have much to offer. If the dusty town is still famous today, it is entirely thanks to one of India’s best-loved heroines, Rani Lakshmi Bai, Jhansi ki Rani (the Queen of Jhansi) who fought against the British in the revolt of 1857.
Things to See & Do
Jhansi Fort stands on a hill and was built in 1613 by Orchha’s ruler Raja Bir Singh Deo. Temples of Shiva and Ganesha are housed inside the fort. The queen’s cannons called Karak Bijli and Bhawani Shankar are still here. The Government Museum in the fort has exhibits from this region’s ancient past, when the Chandela Rajputs ruled from the 9th to the 16th century. There are weapons, statues and a picture gallery. Rani Mahal, the palace of Queen Lakshmi Bai is also a museum that houses a collection of sculptures of the Chandela period between the 9th and the 12th centuries.
Route: Jhansi-Khajuraho-Panna National Park
Distance: 176 km from Jhansi to Khajuraho; 44 km from Khajuraho to Panna National Park
Time: 4 hours (Jhansi-Khajuraho); 1 hour (Khajuraho-Panna)
When you hit the NH76 for Khajuraho the next day, the real pleasure of the road trip will pan out as your vehicle goes racing past scenic countryside. Social forestry and grasslands provide succour to the eyes after largely brown vistas and dishevelled towns. Chhatarpur makes for another diversion. There’s nothing to see in Chhatarpur but then not all travel is about the sights. Visitors, celebrities included, primarily come here to stay at the Alipura Palace, a lovely royal home converted into a resort. The Alipura Palace (Tel: 076825-263225, Cell: 09424714155, 08085238223; Tariff: ₹2,550, with breakfast; Meals: ₹350 for lunch and ₹450 for dinner), is a rambling 400-year-old heritage building, the ancestral home of Manavendra Singh, whose family has ruled this part of Chattarpur district for 19 generations. The Dhanushdari Temple at the palace is lined with erotic panels, many marred by streaks of whitewash, but their splendour still visible. From Chhatarpur continue down the
NH76 for another 44 km before turning off the road following signs to Khajuraho.
Ancient Erotica
Right in the heart of this country, which gives plenty of evidence of its discomfort with expressions of love and intimacy, exist some of the most explicit and eloquent depictions of lovemaking and sexual liberation carved in stone. In the middle of a rural stretch, where infrastructure and other parameters of progress have never quite found their way, stands an airport. Amid the surrounding forests and the dusty village thrive several fancy hotels, cafés doling out pancakes, and any number of foreign tourists. All for one of the most intriguing mysteries of Indian history – what are these orgiastic scenes doing on the walls of Indian temples? The area that Khajuraho occupies has played a crucial role in the cultural history of the subcontinent since 200 BCE, when there was an efflorescence of sculptural and architectural arts during the Sunga period. During the Gupta period as well, there was a resurgence of the arts in this region. Under the Chandelas, who are considered to have been great patrons of sculpture, arts and the letters, there was a flurry of architectural activity. They dotted their empire with forts, palaces, tanks and temples. But from the very beginning, Khajuraho– built between 900 and 1130 CE – was their prized magnificent capital.
The spread of the ruins here indicate that this site could have originally spread over approximately 21 sq km. Local legends claim that there were a total of 85 temples in Khajuraho, but only 25 of those have survived in various stages of preservation. From the onset, Khajuraho was probably envisaged as a temple town, since there are no surviving secular buildings here. Interestingly, by the decline of the Chandela dynasty in the 13th century, Khajuraho was no longer an important city, eventually vanishing into forested oblivion. There is not a single mention of the site in the many Mughal administrative records that cover much of the subcontinent under their control. In 1838, TS Burt, a British engineer, heard about a mythical land of temples in the forest from locals and ventured to search for it. The Khajuraho group of temples was designated a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1986.
Things to See & Do
The temples in the Western Group complex are lavishly decorated, and dedicated either to Vishnu or Shiva. The Lakshmana Temple, built in 954 CE, is the seat of Vishnu. The enshrined statue is 4 ft high and has three faces (lion, man and boar). On its base are depictions of marching armies, domestic life, dancers and orgies. The female bracket figures in the temple are exquisite. The façade is decorated with sculptures; the middle panel portrays amorous couples.
The Kandariya-Mahadeva, a Shiva temple, nearly 107 ft high, was built in 1030 CE. Its special features include: the makara torana (a lintel in the form of the makara, a mythical aquatic a lion, horns of a ram and tail of a fish); the marble linga in the sanctum and the energetic couples. Standing on the same platform, the Devi Jagadamba Temple was originally dedicated to Vishnu. Built between 1000 and 1025 CE, its features include renditions of shardulas, mythical beasts with the body of a lion and the head of a parrot, elephant or boar.
The only Sun temple in Khajuraho, the Chandragupta Temple houses a 7-ft image of the Sun God dressed in an armoured coat, standing on a chariot. There’s an interesting statue of an 11-headed Vishnu on the south wall. Through the garden, towards the east, lies the Parvati Temple, a small shrine housing an image of Parvati standing on an iguana. To the right stands the Vishwanatha Temple, the grandest in Khajuraho, dedicated to Shiva. Its features include a Nandi shrine, apsaras writing letters, playing music and one plucking a thorn from her foot. Begin the tour of The Eastern Group with Ghantai Temple, on the edge of the old village. All that survives are the pillars bearing carved bell and chain motifs. Close by stand the Javari and Vamana temples. The Vamana Temple (built between 1050 and 1075 CE) enshrines a short, chubby figure, interpreted as Vishnu’s dwarf incarnation. Not far from these stands the Brahma Temple with a four-faced linga. The Jain Group of Temples is in a compound maintained by the Digambara sect. The largest of these temples was dedicated to Adinath, the first tirthankara; but in 1860, the icon was replaced with the image of Parshvanath.
The Southern Group: There are only two shrines here. The Duladeva Temple, dedicated to Shiva, sits next to a tiny river called Khuddar, and was built by Madan Varman in 1130. Chaturbhuj Temple houses an unusual 9-foot icon of Vishnu as an ascetic. The ASI Museum opposite the Western Group has over a hundred statues and panels housed in four large halls. Among its special features are a sculpture of Vishnu making the gesture for silence and a statue of a four-legged Shiva. At the Jain Museum are housed 100 Jain figures, whereas the State
Museum of Tribal and Folk Art boasts a collection of tribal artefacts. Spend a day (or more) taking in the wonders of Khajuraho before driving to the Panna National Park. Though the duration of the drive doesn’t allow for a night’s stay at Panna, you might want to extend the trip if you feel so inclined. Retrace the route to the NH75 and then follow it eastward across the Ken river to the Panna National Park
Tiger Territory
Established as a National Reserve in 1981 and made part of Project Tiger in 1994, Panna is one of India’s youngest tiger reserves, although the tiger population here has declined. The park’s proximity to diamond and sandstone mines has proved detrimental for its denizens. Panna’s topography is a splendid mosaic of plateaus, gorges, teak forests, mahua trees and savannah grasslands, with the Ken river flowing through the park. Driving up from the Madla Gate, you follow the Ken river south for a few miles and then veer east and continue on to the rocky Hinouta Plateau. From here, you can look down on the river and the park. The other entrance to the park is from Hinouta Gate, on the eastern side of the park, 20 km away from the Madla Gate. Panna diamond mines lie close to the Hinouta Gate.
Things to See & Do
Jeep safaris in the park run in the morning and afternoon. You can ask your hotel to arrange one. An elephant safari is a requirement for any trip to the jungle, feeling the true forest silence without an engine to interrupt. Lasting an hour or so, it is your best chance to spot a tiger up close. Some animals come out only at night, including rare jungle cats, porcupines and sloth bears, and are not part of the tourist experience. Though the reserve is closed after dark, Ken River Lodge arranges night safaris for its residents through the nearby forest. You are almost certain to spot animals that you might not see in the park during
the day.
Route: Panna-Orchha
Distance: 251 km
Time: 5.5 hours
To make it to Orchha before night fall, leave Khajuraho for Panna at dawn and after a quick drive through the area, follow the NH75 to Chhatarpur, then turn towards Gonchipura on NH86 and then turn right onto the SH10 towards Tikamgarh. At Tikamgarh follow directions to the NH12A to Orchha. The roads are not in the best of shape – bad in patches and decent in others. Make sure you check with the locals at Chhatarpur and Tikamgarh whether you are on the right track; the roads can be a little confusing. An easier route would be to follow the NH75 straight through Chhatarpur; just before the Dhasan river, this becomes the NH76. Follow the road till just after the bridge over the Betwa river on the outskirts of Jhansi; cross the bridge and look out for a left turn onto the NH12A to Orchha. But this will take you on the roads you’ve already been on and you will miss seeing more of the countryside.
Waterworld
The enchanting citadel of Orchha, rising regally over the flat Bundelkhand countryside, is all of 500 years old. Its picturesque setting on an artificial island on River Betwa makes Orchha a destination difficult to resist. Heritage apart, the Orchha village, a few shops as well as several hotels make for a pleasant riverside vacation. The Betwa, which flows from Bhopal traversing a largely non-industrial countryside, is blue and clean. Everything is pretty much at walkable distances. The main street is flanked by neat houses, many with white borders and a verandah to sit outside the house. Beyond the village-town, the road goes down to the river and a small bridge spans the waters. Pilgrims’ saris and turbans spread out on riverside rocks, adding colour to the scene. Across the bridge is a protected forest that you can explore. On your right, the forest yields a delightful patch of green on the gushing river, with sublime views of the Bundela cenotaphs. To the left a path meanders through the woods to the confluence of the Betwa with the Jamni. Orchha combines the architectural beauty of a medieval town with the outof- the-way charm of a village. It was once the capital of the Bundelas and Raja Rudra Pratap (r. 1507-1531) had chosen this striking site, which was easy to defend from its strategic position, after he abandoned the former capital of Gard Kundhar. The fort apart, the dynasty built palaces, temples and cenotaphs here. These atmospheric monuments – now in various states of disrepair – are an impressive collection and a pleasure to roam about in. You can still see remains of the paintings that once covered these palaces. Apart from the fort complex, Orchha also has temples, cenotaphs, a sanctuary and even facilities for rafting. The town is infused with an air of romantic nostalgia, at least for tourists.
Things to See & Do
The first palace to be built within Orchha’s fort complex was the Raja Mahal (Entry Indians ₹10; Foreigners ₹250; Photography ₹25; Videography ₹200). The ceiling at the Diwan-e-khaas here has Persian carpet-like motifs. Don’t miss the Rani-ka-Mahal of Raja Madhukar Shah’s queen, a devotee of Rama, who decorated her bedrooms with murals of scenes from the Ramayana. Dauji-ki-haveli, an example of a nobleman’s house, is like a miniature version of the royal palace. The most striking structure is the Jehangir Mahal. Emperor Jehangir stayed here on a visit to Orchha, and the palace was built by Bir Singh Deo to commemorate Jehangir’s coronation. The painted palace of Rai Praveen Mahal belonged to Rai Praveen, a beautiful courtesan, desperately in love with Raja Indramani (1672-76). First among the major temples in Orchha is the Laxmi Narayan Temple, profusely decorated with murals in the Orchha style of painting. The large Chatturbhuj Temple dominates Orchha. It was meant to house an idol of Rama brought to Orchha from Ayodhya by Raja Madhukar Shah’s queen. While the temple was being built, she installed the idol in her home, the Rani-ka-Mahal. When the Chatturbhuj Mandir was ready, however, the image ‘refused’ to be moved. Even today, the idol of Rama is worshipped in the Rani’s palace. Ram Raja Temple is the only shrine in India where Rama is worshipped not as a god, but as a king. At the southern end of Orchha, on the riverbank, are the royal chhatris, memorials to the kings. They include a well-executed carved marble portrait of Madhukar Shah and the crumbling Chhatri of Bir Singh Deo.
Route: Orchha-Gwalior-Delhi
Distance: 131 km from Orchha to Gwalior; 328 km from Gwalior to Delhi
Time: 2.5 hours (Orchha-Gwalior); 5.5 hours (Gwalior-Delhi)
Set off early the next morning for Delhi. Remember, you will hit Delhi during peak traffic hours. Retrace your route back to the NH76 and follow it to Jhansi town. Stock up on refreshments here and take the NH75 past Datia to Gwalior. Enjoy an early lunch in the town before
taking the NH3 across the Chambal river to Agra, and then the Yamuna Expressway back to Delhi. Spend some time in Agra and catch the sunset over the Taj as you bid goodbye to the wonders of Madhya Pradesh.
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