On my each visit to India I always make sure to spend 50 percent of the time backpacking with my sisters. My brother has not been very happy about it so this time in November I decided to take him along for a short trip to Banaras. The oldest city on earth and considered to be the door to Nirvana, this city has always been a fascination for it's ghats, bizarre alleys and mysterious lives of sadhus. All I had to do was to book my tickets and plan a quick itinerary but unfortunately I couldn't find any tickets neither on train nor on any flights. It was disappointing but you don't have to worry about finding the next best destination if you are in India. I wanted to visit somewhere not too far from Delhi, a 2-3 days trip. It was a tough task going through a list of so many eligible places and my final two selection didn't help much: Jhansi or Khajuraho. Both are fairly near to Delhi and both equally famous for their history and the architecture. It was better to decide based on the train tickets that suits my plan and I left my decision to irctc. Finally, it was Khajuraho but my plan didn't align with my brother's college schedule, lucky for my three sisters though.
Now, it was all about waiting for my flight to India. I have heard a lot about the Khajuraho temples not just for it's erotic sculptures but also for being one of the most beautifully carved and best kept temples.
The day had arrived finally and we boarded our late evening train from Delhi. It was after a long time that I and my 3 sisters were out on a trip together, we were excited though it didn't last long. We had a bitter fight with the railway staff over one of our seats covered in puke, it was a long and a frustrating argument which finally settled down only by midnight and we could sleep peacefully. The train was late by an hour and we reached Khajuraho at 7 in the morning, sleep deficit and tired yet fully on the toe for our next two days.
The station was very clean and since it was an off season the crowd was fairly thin, mostly consisted of foreigners. Our taxi guy was waiting for us and he took us to our hotel around 10 kms from the station. The journey to the hotel was beautiful, well maintained roads, very few vehicles and lush green scenery. From the very beginning one thing that was remarkably amazing about the trip was the good people we met. Apparently I had a crush on my taxi driver for the way he spoke, his voice and his politeness. Not only he told the history of the Khajuraho temples but also gave us good tips on what to see and where to go in those two days. I was already up and ready when he suggested to hire an auto and drive ourselves though soon was disappointed apparently he was kidding and no one would rent out their auto. Well, we had other alternatives.
The owner of our homestay was very welcoming and she introduced us to her family. We didn't waste any time getting ready and quickly grabbed Poha and Parathe for the breakfast. Khajuraho temples are spread across the city with two major sections : Eastern and Western temples. Western temples are more popular among the tourists nevertheless Eastern section is equally beautiful and must visit. Unlike the western temples which are enclosed within the walls, Eastern temples are spread all over the old.
After cycling for 5 kms we reached the compound of Jain temples which dominates the Eastern group of temples. Mostly light yellow in color, the beauty and architecture of the Jain temples very well captures the core of the Khajuraho temples at one place. Built in stone and precisely carved, these temples are well maintained. By the look of the main temple at the entrance I assume it was frequently visited for regular prayers rather than just for visits. I would suggest to hire a guide not only to know the history of these temples but also to see the rock carvings come alive in front of your eyes when you connect them with the stories and epics from the past.
We passed through a small village on our way to next temple. This village was beautifully decorated with colorful houses and clean lanes. I was thoroughly enjoying the warm yet light sunny day, especially since I have been living in Netherlands where a good sun is a luxury. It hurts when you are engulfed in the surrounding trying to capture the grandeur and beauty of a place and right at that moment a man, without any respect to the surrounding, peeks pan masala almost at the door of the temple. I politely tried to convince him that this is the last place anyone would spit to which he just mocked and laughed back and went on his way. I couldn't do much but to laugh back and feel pity.
We really wanted to eat by now and found a nice little south Indian food place for lunch. We ate as if the world is going to end and this is the last meal, very soon realizing that it's almost impossible to resist a nap after a stuffed lunch belly. We decided to head back to our home stay for a quick nap (apparently for 2 hours) before heading to Western section of the temples. Surprisingly, there are several lanes with vendors selling souvenirs, mostly paintings, key chains and crude inscriptions depicting kamasutra. Ironically, our society is the most reluctant and hesitant when it comes to topics related to sex and such topics in public are still taboo while we proudly never fail to mention Kamasutra, our temples are carved with it and sold on the street, in one sentence "Hypocrisy at its best".
Western temples are all enclosed in walls, very well maintained with beautiful garden and places to see for tourists.
On day two we decided to visit the Raneh falls. I had heard about the falls but was not sure how feasible it would be to cover in a 2 days trip. This fall is on Ken river which forms a 5 km long and 30 meters deep canyon made of crystalline granite in a varied colorful pattern of red, grey and pink. It's actually a series of waterfall but only the major large ones remain alive throughout the year while the rest are active only during monsoons. I would definitely recommend this place to anyone visiting Khajuraho. This place is just 20 kms from the main khajuraho and one can hire an auto or a cab for a day to reach there. We left early morning and the route to the falls was splendid, passing through forests and small villages, not to miss the cattle grazing freely on the road. One thought that kept popping in my mind was that I wish I was here on my bike, free, more closer to the nature than what I could just see from the back seat of the auto. I observed that our auto driver didn't bother to honk even once, intrigued when I asked the reason he mentioned that the rules are very strict and if you honk at a villager or hit their cattle by mistake you have to pay hefty fine.
The water fall is in a protected national park area and one must be accompanied by a guide for the whole time. The one reason is definitely to avoid any harm to the park but also to prevent any accidents in the canyon because of overly enthusiastic and mis-adventurous tourists. We reached at the entrance quite early and were certainly the first visitor of the day. It's a 5 km long trek to the fall from the main entrance. We went through the forest sighting deers, monkeys, apes and nilgaya along side so many variety of trees. One tree in particular captured most of my attention was gum tree since I had never seen them before in my life. The last stretch of the trek was a nature trail covered with autumn leaves since it was the beginning of the winter. finally, we were there, awestruck and stunned to see the view in front of my eyes. Deep gorges, blue water and rocks as far as I could see, without any hesitation I would call it the mini Grand Canyon of India. Though in rainy season the view is completely different and the gorge is flooded but the winter view has its own charm as you can see the gorge and the colorful rock formations in 5 different colors. Our guide showed us few pictures of how the falls look during the monsoon and to be honest I liked the present view more. This place is also famous for alligators and though our guide tried his best to convince that there is one on the rock we didn't believe until I saw it after few days in the video recording we made.
We went to the other side of the gorge to have a complete view of the falls which was indeed breath-taking and I would avoid to put it in words since you need to be there to feel it. The whole area is well maintained and fenced to avoid any accidents. There is a small snack shop and an exhibition on how the canyon is formed and the fauna and flora around it. The gorge is formed as a result of volcanic eruptions millions of years ago. We took a short break at the snack shop and my sisters were quick to grab a sip of tea, sipping my glass of water I wondered how and why people are so madly addicted to tea, perhaps someday I will understand. We were on our way back and decided to cover some of the South-eastern temples that we missed yesterday.
I saw a lady, a foreigner playing with a kid and I thought she must be a visitor but soon I was amazed when the auto-driver told that she is married to a local guy and lives here. There are good number of such women who came to visit Khajuraho, married a local man and stayed back. Among so many interesting experiences and stunning views we also tried our skills in pulling water from a very old well which indeed looks easier than done but yes we managed to pull few buckets for the sense of achievement. Our auto-driver took us to a government authorized souvenir shop where I bought few pieces for friends and relatives and a saree for my mom. We reached our home stay at 5 in the evening with just enough time to quickly pack our bags to catch our train back to Delhi at 6. Our auto-driver dropped us to the station and we couldn't thank him enough for making our day perfect and memorable. As the pale dusk sky turned darker I could see the blurry lights from the small villages we were leaving behind amidst the rhythmic sound of the train track. I took a deep breathe recalling all the beautiful moments, memories and nice people from the last two days and thinking of what would be my destination during my next visit to India.
Now, it was all about waiting for my flight to India. I have heard a lot about the Khajuraho temples not just for it's erotic sculptures but also for being one of the most beautifully carved and best kept temples.
The day had arrived finally and we boarded our late evening train from Delhi. It was after a long time that I and my 3 sisters were out on a trip together, we were excited though it didn't last long. We had a bitter fight with the railway staff over one of our seats covered in puke, it was a long and a frustrating argument which finally settled down only by midnight and we could sleep peacefully. The train was late by an hour and we reached Khajuraho at 7 in the morning, sleep deficit and tired yet fully on the toe for our next two days.
The station was very clean and since it was an off season the crowd was fairly thin, mostly consisted of foreigners. Our taxi guy was waiting for us and he took us to our hotel around 10 kms from the station. The journey to the hotel was beautiful, well maintained roads, very few vehicles and lush green scenery. From the very beginning one thing that was remarkably amazing about the trip was the good people we met. Apparently I had a crush on my taxi driver for the way he spoke, his voice and his politeness. Not only he told the history of the Khajuraho temples but also gave us good tips on what to see and where to go in those two days. I was already up and ready when he suggested to hire an auto and drive ourselves though soon was disappointed apparently he was kidding and no one would rent out their auto. Well, we had other alternatives.
The owner of our homestay was very welcoming and she introduced us to her family. We didn't waste any time getting ready and quickly grabbed Poha and Parathe for the breakfast. Khajuraho temples are spread across the city with two major sections : Eastern and Western temples. Western temples are more popular among the tourists nevertheless Eastern section is equally beautiful and must visit. Unlike the western temples which are enclosed within the walls, Eastern temples are spread all over the old.
On the first day we decided to explore the old village and visit Eastern temples. We rented cycles which were just good enough to carry us for a day.
After cycling for 5 kms we reached the compound of Jain temples which dominates the Eastern group of temples. Mostly light yellow in color, the beauty and architecture of the Jain temples very well captures the core of the Khajuraho temples at one place. Built in stone and precisely carved, these temples are well maintained. By the look of the main temple at the entrance I assume it was frequently visited for regular prayers rather than just for visits. I would suggest to hire a guide not only to know the history of these temples but also to see the rock carvings come alive in front of your eyes when you connect them with the stories and epics from the past.
We passed through a small village on our way to next temple. This village was beautifully decorated with colorful houses and clean lanes. I was thoroughly enjoying the warm yet light sunny day, especially since I have been living in Netherlands where a good sun is a luxury. It hurts when you are engulfed in the surrounding trying to capture the grandeur and beauty of a place and right at that moment a man, without any respect to the surrounding, peeks pan masala almost at the door of the temple. I politely tried to convince him that this is the last place anyone would spit to which he just mocked and laughed back and went on his way. I couldn't do much but to laugh back and feel pity.
We really wanted to eat by now and found a nice little south Indian food place for lunch. We ate as if the world is going to end and this is the last meal, very soon realizing that it's almost impossible to resist a nap after a stuffed lunch belly. We decided to head back to our home stay for a quick nap (apparently for 2 hours) before heading to Western section of the temples. Surprisingly, there are several lanes with vendors selling souvenirs, mostly paintings, key chains and crude inscriptions depicting kamasutra. Ironically, our society is the most reluctant and hesitant when it comes to topics related to sex and such topics in public are still taboo while we proudly never fail to mention Kamasutra, our temples are carved with it and sold on the street, in one sentence "Hypocrisy at its best".
Western temples are all enclosed in walls, very well maintained with beautiful garden and places to see for tourists.
On day two we decided to visit the Raneh falls. I had heard about the falls but was not sure how feasible it would be to cover in a 2 days trip. This fall is on Ken river which forms a 5 km long and 30 meters deep canyon made of crystalline granite in a varied colorful pattern of red, grey and pink. It's actually a series of waterfall but only the major large ones remain alive throughout the year while the rest are active only during monsoons. I would definitely recommend this place to anyone visiting Khajuraho. This place is just 20 kms from the main khajuraho and one can hire an auto or a cab for a day to reach there. We left early morning and the route to the falls was splendid, passing through forests and small villages, not to miss the cattle grazing freely on the road. One thought that kept popping in my mind was that I wish I was here on my bike, free, more closer to the nature than what I could just see from the back seat of the auto. I observed that our auto driver didn't bother to honk even once, intrigued when I asked the reason he mentioned that the rules are very strict and if you honk at a villager or hit their cattle by mistake you have to pay hefty fine.
The water fall is in a protected national park area and one must be accompanied by a guide for the whole time. The one reason is definitely to avoid any harm to the park but also to prevent any accidents in the canyon because of overly enthusiastic and mis-adventurous tourists. We reached at the entrance quite early and were certainly the first visitor of the day. It's a 5 km long trek to the fall from the main entrance. We went through the forest sighting deers, monkeys, apes and nilgaya along side so many variety of trees. One tree in particular captured most of my attention was gum tree since I had never seen them before in my life. The last stretch of the trek was a nature trail covered with autumn leaves since it was the beginning of the winter. finally, we were there, awestruck and stunned to see the view in front of my eyes. Deep gorges, blue water and rocks as far as I could see, without any hesitation I would call it the mini Grand Canyon of India. Though in rainy season the view is completely different and the gorge is flooded but the winter view has its own charm as you can see the gorge and the colorful rock formations in 5 different colors. Our guide showed us few pictures of how the falls look during the monsoon and to be honest I liked the present view more. This place is also famous for alligators and though our guide tried his best to convince that there is one on the rock we didn't believe until I saw it after few days in the video recording we made.
I saw a lady, a foreigner playing with a kid and I thought she must be a visitor but soon I was amazed when the auto-driver told that she is married to a local guy and lives here. There are good number of such women who came to visit Khajuraho, married a local man and stayed back. Among so many interesting experiences and stunning views we also tried our skills in pulling water from a very old well which indeed looks easier than done but yes we managed to pull few buckets for the sense of achievement. Our auto-driver took us to a government authorized souvenir shop where I bought few pieces for friends and relatives and a saree for my mom. We reached our home stay at 5 in the evening with just enough time to quickly pack our bags to catch our train back to Delhi at 6. Our auto-driver dropped us to the station and we couldn't thank him enough for making our day perfect and memorable. As the pale dusk sky turned darker I could see the blurry lights from the small villages we were leaving behind amidst the rhythmic sound of the train track. I took a deep breathe recalling all the beautiful moments, memories and nice people from the last two days and thinking of what would be my destination during my next visit to India.
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