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Every Indian backpacker has a favorite spot - "Have you been to Marrakesh?" "Shimla...the hill stations are so peaceful." "I could have spent the entire time in Goa." "Dharamsala felt so spiritual, the Dalai Lama is such a wise man." In hostels, the discussion of the best, untapped, untrammeled location rage as each traveler tries to top the other.
My entry into this great debate is Orchha, a small village fifteen minutes away from Jhansi, the nearest town with a train station. Jhansi is mid-way between Varanasi and Agra, but because it's on a "spur" line, instead of the direct route few tourists make there way to village. Yet with a little planning it's a very easy addition to any North Indian travel itinerary. Orchha is my choice because it blends crumbling palaces with with daily life better than any city I've visited - the only comparable would be Bellinzona, in southern Switerland. After Bellinzona's castles ceased to be royalty residences, the village continued to grow and flourish while maintaining the historical feel. It's a similar case to Orchha in which two palaces in a fort complex dominate the skyline and a town seems to function no differently than it did four hundred years ago. The palaces belonged to the Bundela clan who during the course of their rule remained an independent faction - fighting of the Mughal's and Shah Jahan (of Taj Mahal fame) and later navigating an independent path through strategic alliances with the neighboring Marathas. |
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The village area is quite small which limits dining and accommodation options. There's a central square, a very small pedestrian street (pictured below), and a few smaller shopping areas scattered about. All sites are within walking distance of the city center.
RAJ MAHALThe Raj Mahal is a combo palace / playground for adults. In theory, a guide would be useful to lead a tour through the massive palace. In practice, it was just as fun to run around the residence, dart down narrow corridors, climb steep stairs, and poke my body out of openings five stories above the ground.
I imagine the former royals disposed of many an annoyance via the old "he must have tripped" as there is no protective railings preventing a fall from the top of the palace to the ground the ground below. The buildings current residents, a couple of green birds, don't seem to be too concerned. (CLICK OR TAP IMAGES TO ENLARGE) |
Raj Mahal
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A Palace All to Myself
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No Railings or Safety Measures Anywhere
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Lots of Details
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JAHANGIR MAHALEqually impressive and only slightly safer is the nearby Jahangir Mahal. Despite a long period of independence, there was a period during which the Bundelas fell under Mughal rule. It was during Mughal rule, after defeating the Bundelas, that the Raj and Jahangir Mahals were built - hence the architecture looks similar to Fatehpur Sikri.
When the Mughal's built they did not mess around - from the outside the palaces look formidable; on the inside the intricate details seem delicate. Later the Bundelas rebelled, the Mughals retreated and the Bundelas moved into some new digs. Get Conquered. Have Palace built. Rebel. Redecorate Palace. Not bad for a half-centuries' work. |
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Near the river, about a ten minute walk from the far side of Jahangir Mahal, are a series of chhatris memorializing past rulers.
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ORCHHA ACCOMMODATION
The blending of local with historical and off the tourust track location means there’s relatively few hotel options - which is a positive because it led me to stumbling upon the Friends of Orchha homestay program. The home was managed by an older couple with three sons, one of whom was married and had a daughter, Rajbati. Poor Rajbati has expected to help around the house and do her homework with little time for fun.
Friends of Orchha use charitable donations to construct a home then sell it to a local family. A portion of the family's loan is repaid to Friends of Orchha by offering a room in their house to guests. It was a nice two bed room house with a flush toilet and plumbing (which accounted for half the costs of the $6,000 home). I spent most of the time in the house's paved “courtyard” common area watching the family go about their daily chores. As part of the arrangement and for additional income the family will cook a meal - I was treated to a freshly killed chicken.
The blending of local with historical and off the tourust track location means there’s relatively few hotel options - which is a positive because it led me to stumbling upon the Friends of Orchha homestay program. The home was managed by an older couple with three sons, one of whom was married and had a daughter, Rajbati. Poor Rajbati has expected to help around the house and do her homework with little time for fun.
Friends of Orchha use charitable donations to construct a home then sell it to a local family. A portion of the family's loan is repaid to Friends of Orchha by offering a room in their house to guests. It was a nice two bed room house with a flush toilet and plumbing (which accounted for half the costs of the $6,000 home). I spent most of the time in the house's paved “courtyard” common area watching the family go about their daily chores. As part of the arrangement and for additional income the family will cook a meal - I was treated to a freshly killed chicken.
Friends of Orchha Neighborhood
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Home Stay House Courtyard
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Homestay Kitchen and Cooking Area
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For additional Orchha photos see FLICKR ALBUM.
If you decide to stay with the Friends of Orchha program, instead of back tracking from the chhatris area to the village center there's a dirt path / roadway that circles back to the day's starting point. It's a bit sketchy, there's wild dogs, and a few other obstacles. You'll want to be sure to wear a good pair of running shoes...
SURVIVING A BUFFALO ATTACKAbout a half mile into the walk I came across four wild / domesticated buffalo. It was starting to drizzle and the small pack blocked the path back to the home stay. One of the buffaloes crossed to the other side and two others soon joined. The fourth remained alone and was staring me down. One of the buffaloes was a child and I thought it’d be really bad luck to walk between the child and the remaining buffalo if that was the buffalo's mother but it was raining and I wanted to get in doors. I decided it was a one in three chance, liked the odds, and started to cautiously walk ahead.
As I approached the buffalos head continued to turn and gaze... no movement, no sign of threat. Then, with less than ten feet separating us, the bull put down its head and charged. |
The Giant Beast Staring Me Down
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I started a sprint of my own but the road was a bit dusty and rocky - if the buffalo was looking for target practice it was going to be successful. I thought I'll run into the thicket that will slow the buffalo down...it slowed me down. Fortunately at this point the buffalo stopped. I had clearly worn it out. I turned around to confirm that the buffalo stopped, we locked stares, and wanted more exercise, the buffalo charged again. This time I ran along the side of the road which had better traction and was able to separate myself from the buffalo which again stopped after its initial burst. Not taking any more chances, I ran for an additional thirty seconds to be sure I was in the clear.