Orchha Monday 22 April

Oh no you groan!  Not more temples and forts, you sound like Jim.  Afraid so, Orchha and Khajuraho are temple towns.  Lucky for you we missed Gwalior Fort yesterday because Deepak was worried about driving on that hideous highway in the dark so we viewed it in passing and kept driving.  Which is a good thing because reading up on the fort this afternoon, there was a steep climb so neither Jim nor Deepak would want that.  I am out numbered when it comes to walking and climbing with those two. 

Orchha is a small town of 6000.  Has a relaxed feel to it and appears very clean, not sure where they are hiding all their rubbish.  It is not on the side of the road like other towns and villages.  This morning looking out over the river from our back balcony it felt cool and light such a change to hot and humid Kovalam.  It has been a warm day but not at all hot like down south.  I think we will get a shock by the time we reach Varanasi in three days as the temperature there has been 39. 

For sight seeing today we agreed to a guide ‘Sanjay’ to show us around the temples and cenotaphs of Orchha.  They were wide spread and we didn’t’ want to miss anything and he was standing beside Jim at the ticket box, so why not.  

The Jahangir Mahal was the most impressive.  It is 500 years old and well known for its architecture, a mix of Muslim and Hindu designs.   Some paintings and mosaics are in still intact.  The mosaics are blue for Muslim and green for Hindu  – same as the Pakistan cricket team wearing cricket and India wearing blue, according to Sanjay, coincidence ???

Sanjay was funny and entertaining.  “Oh my God sir, look there a vulture”.  He had many funny little stories.  He said his father had a saying “ Yesterday is past and not worth thinking about, tomorrow is a mystery and today is for being happy”.  I like that saying.

The sightseeing lasted 2.5 hours – our sort of sight seeing.  We came back to the hotel to spend the afternoon here as the gardens are beautiful and we were keen to walk down the river.  The hotel is owned by the grandson of Orchha’s last king.  That in itself is historical value but the hotel houses paintings and sculptures owned by the king.

One section of hotels garden

Entrance to hotel - Ambassador (64 yr vehicle),  needs to be wound up to move, both Jim and I had our first road trips in India 25 years ago in Ambassadors

Walkway to rooms at hotel

Raj Mahal with Jalangir Mahal in background

Jalangir Mahal

Back entrance of Jahangir Mahal

Notice the mosiacs - inside Jalangir Mahal

Deepak at the river doing his laundry

View from Jahangir Mahal