It is not just the architectural and scenic beauty of places that make them a tourist attraction.
is also the people who inhabit the place. And from those, that is, the ones who are at the heart
of making every tourist place a success, are the local guides. While you are awestruck with the
magnificent architecture of Bundelkhand, you will be indebted to Lakhanlal Rajak to have
enlightened you with the amazing insights and stories of the palaces, kings, queens and their
grandeur. Lakhanlal has been working as a guide for the last twelve years in Datia. He has
insider stories that no one else knows. As his grandfather used to work with the king of Datia,
information has been passed on from generation to generation. In the guide community, he is
no less than a legend. Madhya Pradesh Tourism has also acknowledged his prowess with
awards and accolades.
The words ‘dropout’ and ‘scholar’ might be an oxymoron but not for Muzaffar Ansari, who is a
Class 6 dropout, but has authored several books, including a history book titled Chanderi: Itihas
aur Virasat’. Muzaffar pursued his passion for history and heritage to become a tourist guide, an
explorer and a man who can speak and write in several languages, namely, English, French,
Hindi, Bengali, Gujarati, Punjabi, Urdu, Farsi, Brahmi and Kharoshti.
For the guides, language skills are not just an occupational advantage but a way to connect with
people from different cultures. While Awadesh Kaushik, who works at Khajuraho, connects with
Russian and English speakers with amazing facility, Raj Kishor Tiwari boasts off his Japanese
and Italian-speaking skills at the same premises.
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