This summer, I spent three weeks in India and Nepal; and as a bonus, I convinced my good friend Danielle to join me. Here’s our experience.

Departing Agra, our favorite drivers from the last few days, rightly nicknamed “Smiley” dropped us off at the train station. The station was busy but not as hectic as I had imagined. Passing through the non-functioning metal detector, we waited on one of two platforms. Passengers lingered about, as well as a few monkeys. 

At the station in Jhansi, we loaded our packs into tuktuks for a 40 minute ride to Orchha. On the way, we stopped at Taragram.

For this train ride, we sat in a seated section. We ate a breakfast of spicy potato and chickpea fritters and mango juice. Porters brought around a water kettle for tea. A few stops later and we were out in the countryside. Danielle and I played a few games of cribbage, which I lost, and soon we arrived in Jhansi.

Visiting Taragram 

Taragram is a government started non-profit organization to empower women and protect nature. Their formal name means “technology and action for rural advancement” and this small factory store focuses on the recycling of waste paper and clothes into paper goods.

At Taragram women worked to cut the used fabrics by hand. These pieces are ground into a paste with salts, waters and dyes. Next the women press the paste onto a screen. After drying, pressing, cutting and shaping, the women sell the cardstock, photo frames, notebooks and party decor in their factory store. 

In India, and around the world, women are often dependent on men. The goal of this organization is to empower and build independence for women, especially those with little to no education. At Taragram, the program offers employment as well as lessons in literacy and finance.  As the organizer requoted from several famous leaders, “If you educate a man, you educate an individual; if you educate the women, you educate the whole community.” 

Arriving in Orchha

We started our stay in Orchha at the Hotel Ganpati Palace. The place was simple yet clean and had an incredible view of the Palace out back across the river. It was immediately noticeable that we were now in a small town. The energy was much slower and calmer than the big cities we have visited so far.

For lunch, we walked over to the Laxmi Betwa Tarang Restaurant. Danielle and I shared a delicious kaju curry, a white cashew gravy, along with some garlic naan, a mango shake and jamuns or sour blueberries, for dessert. 

During lunch, a huge rainstorm passed through Orchha. Windows and doors flew open and the waitstaff repeatedly squeegeed the floor. We could barely see the street through the downpour.

Walking around Orchha

As quick as it came, the rain stopped, but the whole town was left wet and without electricity. Orchha certainly had a slower pace than the big cities of Delhi, Jaipur and Agra. Here, the cows rested in the middle of the street; enjoying the slight breeze as vehicles drove by. 

Throughout our walk around town, the women and children stopped to smile, wave, and occasionally ask for a picture. The streets were lined with small vendors; snacks, sweets and even a barber shop in the street. 

Down near the Betwa River, we saw a child receiving the Mundan ceremony on the open boardwalk area (not pictured). This Hindu ceremony involved shaving off the baby hair to overcome the negativity from past lives and to protect from the evil eye. Often a priest, along with the family performs the ceremony on a specific date and time related to the child’s birth. At the end of the ceremony, a layer of turmeric and sandalwood are applied on the freshly shaved head. 

Next we passed the chhatris. These tall stone structures were the burial sites of the royal family in the 16th and 17th centuries. Like the pyramids of Egypt, they were used to honor the dead.

We continued walking through the small town streets; past vendors in their store fronts of their homes and carts in the street. One man sold golgappa on a stand in the plaza. He popped the puffy outside and scooped masala into the fried shell. He was surrounded by a crowd, so it must be good, even if not highly hygienic. 

The electricity in the town was still out, so taking some rest time in the room was almost unbearable without AC. Instead, we took another loop around town since it was cooler outside than inside. We opted to try the sweet pasty shop. With a dozen small options, we tried a couple that were soft and had almond flavors.

In Orchha there were more stray cows, walking right up to the food carts and napping on the road. Several people hauled buckets to and from the deep city well. And, while passing the town center, we saw the official election site. On top of the Chaturbhuj Temple, which honors Lord Rama, monkeys bounced around the layers of the 16th century architecture.

Orchha Palace

Mr. Samir, our afternoon tour guide, took us around the palace complex which includes the Raja Mahal, the Jahangir Mahal and the Rai Parveen Mahal. The building was initially constructed in 1501 and various monuments were added by subsequent maharajas. 

Crossing the stone bridge to the palace, we followed a colorfully dressed group of women. They drummed as their group, a wedding party, processed to the palace area with their offerings.

The doorway to enter the complex was not built straight across from the bridge; in fact, it was positioned at a sharp right angle. Mr. Samir explained that this sharp turn, in addition to metal spikes, protected the fortress from charging elephants during wartime conflicts. 

The massive complex included features from the various influences of Indian architecture. In just the entryway, we saw examples of the rounded indents of the Mughal period and the simple pointed structure of the Islamic style. 

Public Audience Hall

In the area of the raised platform filled with thick pillars, the kings greeted their commoners from their throne. We saw some of the remaining frescos made from seashell and marble powder painted on the wet surface. Plus some of the original blue ceramic tiles remained as well.

Raja Mahal

The palace, built for King Jahangir, took 22 years to build. And curiously enough, he only spent one night here. After his reign, later kings did enjoy the palace for longer periods of time, especially for their recreation and hunting expeditions. 

The interior courtyard contained designs of symmetry and balance and included elements of Islamic and Rajput architecture. The royal residence contained 236 rooms throughout its five stories. Inside the remnants of ghee oil lamps still hang in the passageways.

Danielle and I bravely sat for a little photoshoot on the roof. Between the steep height with a low railing and the abundance of flying birds, it’s a wonder we pulled off our lovely smiles. 

Phool Bagh ~ Outdoor Patio

The terrace outside the residence still had its original door. Next to it was a statue of an elephant holding a bell and flowers to welcome visitors. Here the leveled steps offered royalty different heights to mount their sedan chairs, elephants or horses. The view across the countryside extended forever with green forests with small temples and dwellings sprinkled in the distance. 

Evening Puja Ceremony

In the evening, we attended a puja ceremony at the Ram Raja Temple. In Orchha, there was no king, but rather Lord Rama is the God of the town, he is the giver, operator and destroyer. 

The Hindu ceremony began at 8:00 pm. Outside the temple, we removed our shoes and socks. With the town still in the blackout, the feeling was more spiritual and purposeful. 

Upon entering, visitors bowed and touched the ground. Everyone gathered and faced the shrine of the inner courtyard with their hands pressed together in namaste. Suddenly, everyone’s hands raised and erupted with three cheers when the curtain opened. Metallic bells rang and chakras brought energy and purpose to life. Worshippers chanted “Om” and the procession began.

Outside, barefoot and in the dark, CP explained more about the history of Rama in Orchha and the ceremony. For respect, we did not speak or take photos inside the temple. 

Night Time in Orchha

The evening in Orchha was even more calm than the daytime. A town of fewer than 10,000 residents doesn’t receive many tourists. G-adventures is one of the few groups that spends the night. Most travelers spend a few hours at the palace and then leave. 

We had dinner at a small cafe. We shared a butter paneer masala on rice and a plate of cheese momos with a spicy sauce. The mango juice was fresh and delicious. 

Very late in the evening, CP arranged a transfer from our motel without electricity to an upgraded hotel with a backup generator. Feeling both grateful and over privileged we packed up our backpacks and jetted off to the fancy hotel. 

Danielle and I unpacked our own tent, with a marble floor and canvas walls. Overnight we enjoyed the AC, fan, wifi and a great shower.

Khajuraho Temples

The group packed up and we were on the road by 7:00 the next morning. We had a yummy breakfast of samosas served on a folded leaf plate on the way. Our destination was Khajuraho, better known as the temples of the Kama Sutra. We learned about the history and the emphasis on physical pleasure and desire with spirituality and control through the chakras.

The day was super hot and the sun was blaring when we met our guide for the temple complex. He explained that there were once 85 temples spread over these 20 kilometers, but now only 22 remain. The temples were built between 950 and 1050 CE during the Chandela dynasty. 

The temples are built in the Nagara style of architecture. Each one built was on a high tall platform, symbolizing the Himalayas. The structures each had four parts; the entrance, dancing hall, viewing area and the inner sanctum.The temples were constructed entirely with sandstone blocks locked together like a puzzle, without using cement.

Around each temple were incredibly detailed, intricate carvings that have survived hundreds of years. The art depicted daily life in various categories; religious, physical life, the kama or sexual activities, and the cycle of birth and rebirth. Carvings showed how people were living in this period with elephants and camels, hunting and eating, and playing sports. Statues showed happiness and connection, attention and passion. 

While many visitors are attracted to the site for the erotic art, it is important to understand the context for the builders. At the time of the Khajuraho temples and earlier in the era of the Kama Sutra text of the 4th century, sex was a normal day-to-day activity. It wasn’t until the arrival of new religions that brought shame and judgment to the topic. Here the artwork showed energy and a fulfillment of life.

Around the grounds of Khajuraho, the temples faced east. They incorporated the elements of sky, earth, water, air and fire. Despite the 122 ℉ (or 50 ℃) heat, we enjoyed our time wandering around the temples and viewing the engraved artwork. Or as the guide stated as he left us to wander, “explore the temples, explore yourselves.”  

Before returning to Orchha, we enjoyed some lunch in the Raja Cafe, with a nice strong AC. An iced coffee hit the spot. We split some hummus and naan, palak chicken sauteed with onions and tomatoes in a creamy spinach gravy. 

Ragni’s Cooking Class

For our last activity in Orchha, we grabbed tuk tuks for the trip across town to the home of Indu Singh. The evening was more of a demonstration than a cooking class, but I loved seeing how the food was made and learning about what contributes to the delicious flavors.

Upon entering we removed our shoes and the hosts gave us marigold necklaces. We curved around the cook’s gas stove and assisted her in making the foods we’ve been eating throughout our trip. Her beautiful spice container was fully loaded with colorful spices and she scooped heaping spoonfuls into each dish. Behind her, two young women shuffled behind the scenes making for light work of this feast.

The class started with a step by step description of making the masala chai, which we sipped while preparing the next dishes. We made both an eggplant and vegetable curry and a mixed veggie pulao, or pilaf. She demonstrated making a boondi raita, a yogurt dish. Then, a mango chutney and dal fry, which are lentils and masala. 

Lastly, we made two bread items, the puri and chapati. The dough was prepared ahead of time and we rolled out small circles to fry. Then, the chapatis puffed up on the flames with just the right amount of char on the outside. 

We all ate together on a low table with lunchroom style trays. The trays included a bit of everything we made with the rest in the center for seconds. My favorites were the veggie curry and the dal. 

To the Overnight Train

After dinner, we loaded up our bags and drove the 40 minutes to the train station. We had about an hour to wait in the busy station, filled with people sitting around in small groups, on the tiles, or on layed out sarongs. 

Danielle and I parked our bags and started a game of cribbage on the tile floor. As if we didn’t already draw enough attention as foreigners, we now had a semi-circle of Indians, both men and women, staring at us, staring at our strange westernness and crazy board and card game. Soon Aaron and Louis joined the game as we caused more curiosity among the crowd. 

Trains came and went and a high rainstorm downpoured out on the tracks. Eventually we wrapped up the game and grabbed our bags to climb aboard. 

We found our railcar and soon most of our group was together, after some swapping cots with other travelers. The benches folded out into three layers of cots built into the wall. We secured out bags with thin chains and locks. 

Soon the train started moving and an attendant distributed bed sheets. I was way over prepared with my sleeping bag liner, in case the train was gross or didn’t provide bedding. A baby a few compartments over cried and I was glad to put in my earplugs. I didn’t personally try the bathroom, but I understood that it was a hole directly down to the tracks below. 

I slept through the night with just a jolt or two as the train stopped and restarted. In the morning, we had a few snacks and a can of coffee we had picked up the day before and hopped off the train at one stop for a super fast masala chai.

Overall the overnight train was way cleaner and more comfortable than I had anticipated. The motto of “high hopes, low expectations” fits well for traveling to new places.

Welcome to Varanasi!