Central India- Tales These Stones Tell

Central India - the melting pot of Indian history.
 The stones at Jhansi, Orchha, Khajuraho and  Gwalior all have a story to tell. So many stories in fact, spanning centuries, tales of love, religion and of course war. There are monuments to each of these fundamental human passions at these places. It is nice to see that the monuments are very organised, clean and well maintained, a pleasure to visit. There is much written about these places hence this is not a tourist guide or travelogue, just a peep into history through my lens.

Jhansi Fort
My travels began at Jhansi Fort. It is redolent of history, of course the famous Lakshmibai, Rani of Jhansi fought for her rights here. Immortalised in the poem:
 "Bundeley Harbolon key munh hamney suni kahani thi,
Khoob ladi mardani woh to Jhansi wali Rani thi."
These walls were witness to to so much valour, defiance and grief, if only they could talk.

War and Religion
Warriors are religious and in almost every fort anywhere in the world one finds a place of worship.  Here a temple is seen through the crenellation of the fort wall. Forts were self contained units often encompassing the entire city at that time, and Jhansi is no exception. Such city forts had palaces, bazaars, residences of important people, royal stores and of course places of worship. One such temple is seen through the crenellations of the fort walls.

Stairs to the Gun Emplacements
The history of Jhansi has been colourful and almost the entirely centred around the fort.  The construction has been altered through the ages keeping pace with advances in armaments and tactics.  It is curious to see machine gun emplacements in the walls and since machine guns are a late 18th Century invention, these couldn't have been made during the First War of Independance of 1857 (or Mutiny, depending which side one is on) as the guide explained.  At some period, possibly between the two World wars, this must have been a prison hence the machine guns.  I have not seen machine gun emplacements at any of the other Indian forts I have visited.

Orchha
Palaces, temples and Royal Chattris (mausoleums) abound in this jewel on the banks of the Betwa river, about 15 km from Jhansi. Created by the Bundela kings, subsequent rulers added to the grandeur as indicated by the varied architectural styles. The history of these sites and the origins of the people who ruled at various times is evident in the style of the buildings. 

Royal Chhatris by the Betwa River
A striking feature of Orchha are the Royal Chhatris by the banks of the Betwa.  Made in very different shapes and sizes, they were built as memorials to royalty cremated here through the ages. It is worth crossing the river before sunrise and watch the early morning rays illuminate the Royal Chhatris across the Betwa. 

Bathing on the Ghats
This ghat remains holy and at sunrise many people come down to the ghats by the Chhatris to bathe. If only I could wash my sins off so easily!! There are convenient ghats made along the river bank here separately for men and women.  However gradually many of the ancient ghats have been taken over by the ubiquitous resorts built by the river. Considering the pressure of population coming to worship here, the place is remarkably clean.

Indian Vulture
The monuments at Orchha are home to a large flock of Indian Vulture, a majestic and huge bird which one seldom gets to see this close. There is an active protection program for these birds which breed here unhindered. Sign boards in Hindi and English outline the program. I wonder how the interaction of caustic droppings from endangered birds on centuries old fragile stone carvings is going to pan out? A present symbiosis of the old and the endangered may result in a future confrontation?

Nesting
The vultures were nesting when I was there, making large nests inside the old palaces and chhatris. The birds also seem to have perfected the art of sitting on an acutely slanted roof.  Here is a bird carrying twigs to its nest in the monuments.  The huge, over six foot, wing span is visible clearly.

Lakshman Temple at Khajuraho
Enough and more has been written about the famous temples at Khajuraho. The area of the main site is relatively small, and depending on how long one takes at various locations, it should take about two to two and a half hours to see the entire group.  My only two observations are, firstly the "erotic" sculptures are few and in a setting of social requirement of the time. There is nothing lewd nor are they as prolific as the media and pamphlets would have us believe.  And......

...I was speechless at the proportion, detail and scale of the temples. The ancient stone craftsmen were consummate, using mathematical proportion and size to achieve eye-catching grandeur. The detailed carving is always at visible distance, after that repetitive pattern; both of these harmonise into a pleasing whole.  The detail is incredible, as is the number of centuries that these have stood. Truly a heavenly spectacle.

Man Mandir or Man Singh Palace
This is the citadel of the main fort at Gwalior. The fort changed hands and purposes through the centuries, this is reflected in the eclectic architecture and sprawl of the walls. At various times it has resonated to the sounds of battle at the fort walls; a centre for performing arts, the Gwalior gharana  is one of the oldest Khyal Gharanas and flourished under the patronage of Akbar and his  favorite singers including the famous Miyan Tansen ;  a palace,  and the agonised groans of the political prisoners of a grim prison. The sound and light show is very well done and explains the history of the fort through the ages.  

Gurdwara Data Bandi Chorh Sahib
Guru Hargobind was a prisoner in this fort and legend has it that on his release he obtained the freedom of 52 other prisoners with him. This Gurudwara and many other monuments exist within the fort walls. Some of the temples like Teli ka Mandir and Sahas-Bahu have exquisite stone carvings and command an imposing view of the city around. Very large and extensive Jain rock carvings line the route to the fort.  Part of the fort is occupied by the Scindia School.

The Moon rises above Orchha
The moon and the sun have risen and set many times over this crossroads of Indian history, ancient Rajput kings, Marathas, Mughals and the British have all struggled for dominance briefly, leaving their marks on the pages of history.  These stones have seen in turn war and peace, hardship and prosperity, music and anguished groans.
If only they could tell us what they saw.