When Orchha is not just Palaces!

I always tell you in every blog that I miss my trips. October,2018, I had a trip to Orchha which was the last trip of my college diaries. Surrounded by the beautiful Betwa River,the place was established by Rudra Pratap Singh who was the Bundela Rajput Chief back in 1501. Besides being a land of many palaces like Jahangir Mahal, Raja Mahal, Shish Mahal, Rai Praveen Mahal, and few temples with fort architecture it is much more!

Land of rituals

On the laps of Vindhya Ranges, Orchha is also believed to be a land of rituals.In the premises of Chaturbhuj Temple,one could spot many shops which sell globular pots and skull rosaries. The globular pots tied with thread are used to perform rituals after cremation. The ashes are poured in the sacred Betwa water via these pots. The Mundamala aka skull rosary has a great significance. Shiva, the Mahakaal(God for time and death) wears the skull rosary signifying death is inevitable and one has to evolve above the perishable body. It is also worn by Hindu goddess Kali symbolizing Liberation, Knowledge, and wisdom. Many hermits practice asceticism by these Skull rosaries while some also wear them to embrace the Shiva and Kali characteristics within. These garlands also have a great significance in Tibetan Buddhism.

Beautiful Gond Art

While proceeding towards Jahangir Mahal, I was enthralled by the colorful painting at a corner and then I met this amazing lady named Anusariya. She makes beautiful Gond paintings and I bought one of them, it cost me 150 bucks for one in a handmade sheet and I simply bought it because I could empathize with her efforts in making those. Gond paintings are the tribal paintings belonging to the Gond Community. These tribes have been living in remote locations of Madhya Pradesh for a long time. Some of them like Anusariya have relocated to cities for better opportunities while adapting the city culture at the same time.

Dipping my legs in Betwa

This holy tributary of river Yamuna is not just a rafting retreat but it has a beautiful scenic beauty. Me and my friends (Ritika and Mona) enjoyed relaxing at the bank while partially submerging our legs in the cheerful Betwa water.

Ideal for Sadhu Portraits

Around these beautiful palaces I found few Sadhus who were being captured by many people because they had a bizarre look that none can repel from capturing. I was amazed to see that one of those Sadhus was charging people for getting clicked. Though I managed to click him secretly without getting noticed.

Silhouette Shots

The sunset of the Chhatris near the Betwa river is captivating if one wants to take Silhouette shots. I am an amateur photographer so I tried to capture few. Also apart from silhouette shots, I met a little kid in a camouflage dress who looked like a little soldier.

Apes spotted!

Orchha wildlife sanctuary is near these palaces and it is surrounded by the Betwa river so one could easily spot a few birds and animals here. I was in a hurry and needed a zoom lens at that time so I couldn’t capture them properly but one could take out time to capture them.

Every place is a memory and all of us have different experiences about different places. Recall your Orchha memories if you have been there and write the most interesting ones in the comments below!