I can rough it with the best of them when everyone around me is doing the same, but being dirty and smelly in the presence of others who are not is something I find difficult to cope with. As a consequence, 5 weeks into India, the prospect of four nights of rough camps was not something I was particularly looking forward to. It is just too darned hot and humid and sleeping in pools of your own sweat is something I would challenge anyone to enjoy. The prospect was even less appealing given that we had visits to make along the way.
Nevertheless, the journey from Agra to Varanasi is a long one and we had little choice, and the two stops along the way were definitely worth the effort. These stops were at Orchha and Khajuraho.
Orchha is a palace and temple complex that dates from the Mughal period. A huge palace constructed for the Maharaja, his wife (who eventually moved out to a house in the town ostensibly for religious reasons) and his six concubines (no-doubt the real reason for his wife's departure). As with many of the palaces from this time, it is constructed in a quad with apartments for the man himself surrounded by rooms for his various women close by. Each of the lady's rooms has a (not-so)-secret passage leading to the Maharaja's rooms allowing him to visit the woman of his choice without incurring the wrath of the others. I am sure everyone will draw their own conclusions from that particular architectural practice, so I will refrain from further comment :) The palace itself is quite beautiful but despite only minor use since its construction it is still a little run-down. Reconstructions were in progress.
Surrounding the palace are various temples, most of which are constructed in a similar style, one that is now quite familiar to us, and which combined made a stunning counterpoint to a spectacular sunset.
This was by far the hottest day we have had so far, topping out, we believe, at a less than comfortable 48 degrees C.
Keen to make as much progress as possible to minimise the number of rough camps before Varanasi we hit the road early en-route for Khajuraho, and made if before lunch. Khajuraho is another large temple complex, this time dating from around 950-1000 AD (before the Mughal empire), and noted for the exquisite carvings that adorn all of the temples depicting all aspects of the lifestyle and gods of the time. Notable, and lets be honest the reason that these temples receive quite such detailed scrutiny, are the erotic carvings that are incorporated into the many of the scenes. The Hindus of this time were clearly not shy or unadventurous when it came to sex, and searching the many carvings for the occasional erotic one is sure to provide an education to all but the most imaginative. Depicted are practices some of which I could not begin to imagine even in my most depraved moments, including men with horses, women with dogs and orgies incorporating positions that would take, as far as I can see, some intensive yogic training to achieve. Despite their graphic nature these carvings are not easy to spot (although the attendants in each temple are more than happy to point every explicit detail out to you) and all-in-all I spent an educational 2 hours perusing.
Surrounding the temples are a number of very missable, very tacky shops which stock, among other things, models of some of the carvings and various incarnations of the Karma Sutra (of course).
Nevertheless, the journey from Agra to Varanasi is a long one and we had little choice, and the two stops along the way were definitely worth the effort. These stops were at Orchha and Khajuraho.
Orchha is a palace and temple complex that dates from the Mughal period. A huge palace constructed for the Maharaja, his wife (who eventually moved out to a house in the town ostensibly for religious reasons) and his six concubines (no-doubt the real reason for his wife's departure). As with many of the palaces from this time, it is constructed in a quad with apartments for the man himself surrounded by rooms for his various women close by. Each of the lady's rooms has a (not-so)-secret passage leading to the Maharaja's rooms allowing him to visit the woman of his choice without incurring the wrath of the others. I am sure everyone will draw their own conclusions from that particular architectural practice, so I will refrain from further comment :) The palace itself is quite beautiful but despite only minor use since its construction it is still a little run-down. Reconstructions were in progress.
Surrounding the palace are various temples, most of which are constructed in a similar style, one that is now quite familiar to us, and which combined made a stunning counterpoint to a spectacular sunset.
This was by far the hottest day we have had so far, topping out, we believe, at a less than comfortable 48 degrees C.
Keen to make as much progress as possible to minimise the number of rough camps before Varanasi we hit the road early en-route for Khajuraho, and made if before lunch. Khajuraho is another large temple complex, this time dating from around 950-1000 AD (before the Mughal empire), and noted for the exquisite carvings that adorn all of the temples depicting all aspects of the lifestyle and gods of the time. Notable, and lets be honest the reason that these temples receive quite such detailed scrutiny, are the erotic carvings that are incorporated into the many of the scenes. The Hindus of this time were clearly not shy or unadventurous when it came to sex, and searching the many carvings for the occasional erotic one is sure to provide an education to all but the most imaginative. Depicted are practices some of which I could not begin to imagine even in my most depraved moments, including men with horses, women with dogs and orgies incorporating positions that would take, as far as I can see, some intensive yogic training to achieve. Despite their graphic nature these carvings are not easy to spot (although the attendants in each temple are more than happy to point every explicit detail out to you) and all-in-all I spent an educational 2 hours perusing.
Surrounding the temples are a number of very missable, very tacky shops which stock, among other things, models of some of the carvings and various incarnations of the Karma Sutra (of course).
posted by Al at 12:32 am
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