Year 2008; a tiny ad on the last page of a travel magazine got me glued
3D/2N in a century-old hunting lodge next to a river with regional food
Despite a childhood spent hunched over atlases, this place intrigued me
Madhya Pradesh was as mystic to the rest of India, as India to humanity
The dormant vagabond in me had already set off on a voyage of its own
Leaving me to iron out the details and assure my family in a casual tone
For my prior experiences of travel being summer holiday trips to Bihar
I must say I appeared quite self-possessed, about venturing out this far
The early morning Bhopal Shatabdi train took us to the Jhansi station
To be received by the hotel staff and then driven right till the reception
Where do I begin?
My first sight of the river Betwa is etched in my mind, quiet and wide
rolling over the rocks, fringed with thick, wild greens on the other side
An unexpected calm fell over my senses, as I made my way to the bank
A historic silhouette rising at the horizon, calling me to explore its rank
The sleepy little town of Orchha was ruled by the brave Bundelas once
who left their mark with captivating compositions, working for months
The true sense of the word ‘grandeur’ was descending on me in ample
As fort, palace and temple designs, all adorned the Chaturbhuj temple
Walking down those steps on to the next place hastily felt like a crime
For the first time, I realized I wanted to travel solo, to spend more time
Orchha introduced my taste buds to the world of international cuisine
Korean, Italian, Israeli, everything on the table from the lands unseen
Piling up on Nutella pancakes, we ambled towards the ageless Chhatris
Dotted along the river, the regal cenotaphs were an ode to symmetries
Vanishing and emerging through the arched doors around the sanctum
I’d a tough time capturing all the angles; some creative, some random
Only when I was told of river adventure, I could bring myself to leave
Rafting by the magnificent monuments is to be experienced to believe
But the bridge on river Betwa offered what no other view could deliver
Unveiled in the water was the medieval soul of Orchha, shining forever
Oh! how I had wished that this place was never put on the touristic map
As I bid ciao with wistful steps, but with a pact to come back after a gap
