Orchha - the palaces of the Maharajas of medieval India
Rajasthan is known as the most colorful state of India. Here picturesque desert meets ancient cities, unique landmarks and vivid bazaars. Plunge deep into this region and you will see why Jaipur is known as the Pink city, Jodhpur is called the Blue city, Jaisalmer - the Golden, and Udaipur is famous as athe Venice of the East. We will also take a one day caravan style trip to the desert and, finally, explore India’s capital - Delhi.
Arrival in Delhi, checking into a hotel. During two days in Indian capital we will visit the famous Lotus temple, second tallest minaret in India Qutub Minar, impressive Red Fort and the biggest mosque in India - Jama Masjid. We will also walk around India gate, visit Secretariat - district of grand government buildings and presidential palace. In the evening we might go to a movie theatre.
In the morning we take a train to Jaipur (3 hours on the way). After checking into a hotel we explore Pink city - the old town on foot. Here we will visit the Grand Royal palace, famous Hawa mahal - Wind palace, ancient observatory and will explore an ancient bazaar.
In the morning we ride rickshaws to grand forts outside Jaipur - immense 16th century fort Amer, Jaigarh and 18th century Nahargarh Fort famous for its views over Jaipur. We enjoy sunset in one of the forts or in the Sun temple on a mountain.
In the morning we take a trip to Pushkar (3-5 hours on the way). We check into a hotel with a nice lake view. Pushkar is known as one of the most important cities of Hinduism, boasting many temples. We will visit the most important ones and then enjoy a lovely sunrise. Next morning we visit Ajmer fort and then take a train to Udaipur (6 hours on the way) where we check into a hotel.
We will visit 17th century Jag Mandir island palace in the middle of Pichola lake, City palace, and 15th Kumbhalgarh Fort, one of the largest in India. We will also ride boats, visit local gardens and enjoy local dance shows. Next morning we take a bus to Jodhpur (7 hours) and check into a hotel in the heart of the Blue city.
We will explore old city center on foot, visit 15th century Mehrangarh Fort, one of the largest in India, local temples and a grand bazaar.
In the morning we take a trip to Jaisalmer (5 hours), a city inside the ancient fort. We check into a hotel and explore the city, visiting temples on Gadisar lake. Next day we ride jeeps to the desert, and then spend a day walking with camels caravan style with our local desert guide and a cook. We will eat food prepared on open fire, spend a night in tents under millions of stars and learn local culture. At the end of our desert adventure we come back to Jaisalmer, take a shower, and catch a night bus to Bikaner.
Arrival in Bikaner, checking into a hotel. Here we will visit a unique place - Rats temple Karni Mata 32 km outside of the city, with tens of thousands of rats, who are worshiped as deities. We then visit a camel farm and take a night train to Delhi.
Arrival in Delhi, flight back home. Those interested can stay in Delhi longer on their own.
Fresh review
The forest tale has been enough old resort and quite miserable in terms of skiing entertainment. But this year everything has changed. Built new chair lifts in the amount of three pieces and a couple more yokes and a bunch of tracks. Let them be quite simple, and those that are more difficult are rather short, but there are a lot of them and they are diverse, which gives the new resort the right to compete with and, as with the best and biggest ski resorts Kazakhstan.
To begin with, the Forest Fairy Tale is now at least three resorts: Oi-Karagay, Aport and the Forest Fairy Tale itself. While riding, it is not entirely clear how they are intertwined and where, but I think if this issue is carefully examined, then you can figure it out. But in principle it doesn't matter.
Random entries
I continue to post photos from the album German tourist in Almaty, which were made in December 2013. This time a selection from a trip to summer cottages and around the city. And again, this is not at all the beauty that we are all used to seeing in tourist advertisements, but the fact that foreign tourist seemed interesting or surprising.
In general, everything is as it is. Without embellishment.
Reims is the most Big City the Champagne region, is the 12th most populous (185 thousand people in 2009) in France and the first in the Champagne-Ardenne region, although it is not the capital of the province. Except Reims Cathedral, which is included in the list world heritage UNESCO, there are several more historical sights, but the most famous is still champagne. The funny thing is that on the way to Reims we never saw the vineyards, we probably slipped through at night. When dawn broke, pastoral rural landscapes floated past the window.
A tradition is already forming, from Stuttgart we travel to France. Last time in 2012 it was Paris, and now bus tour, organized by "Russia Travels", was called "The Atlantic coast of France - Champagne, Normandy, Brittany". Departure (also by tradition) at night from the Stuttgart airport, but more people gathered. The bus was late, like last time, but we still had to run after it. For some reason, they were not allowed to stop at the main building, they had to walk quickly through the entire airport to the bus stop.
We devoted another day of our stay in Stuttgart to excursions to the town of Esslingen am Neckar, or rather, now it is an independent area belonging to administrative district Stuttgart. Getting there is very simple - by metro, or as it is commonly called here - U-bahn, I don’t remember the route number, though. We arrived at this station square. To my surprise, there are trolleybuses in Esslingen. This is the first city in Germany where I saw such public transport, which is quite common in our country.
Bulgaria was the first destination we went with our two children. And this circumstance greatly affected the quality of rest. I'll say it's pretty hard. Children love - every day at sea from morning to evening. You can’t leave them alone there, they are constantly in the sand, besides, you constantly smear them with sunblock and the sand sticks to them even better. The room is also covered in sand, children must be constantly bathed in the sea, then in the shower, and still everything is in the sand. At lunch, they both fall asleep in a cafe and then do not eat what they order. At night they want to eat, and there is nothing special in the hotel. On some trips of a cultural and entertainment plan, they either sleep, or they are tired, or they are bored. In general, on the one hand, all this is fun and funny, on the other hand, you get tired.
Well, walks around the city always either ended at the playgrounds, or took place with long stops there. I’ll tell you about this - children’s entertainment in which we participated is not very interesting and there are probably similar ones everywhere now, including Alma-Ata, but suddenly someone will become interested. There will be quite a lot of photos and some are quite monotonous.
The second part of the album about Kuibshev will be dedicated to the proletariat.
Cities, like people, are judged by their deeds. Our city has a long and strong reputation of a hard worker, a jack of all trades. The city makes machine tools and bearings, tower cranes and clocks, ball mills and carburetors, drilling equipment and communication cables. You look at the things worked out in good conscience - the Tula Lefty lives in this city in no other way, but not one, but thousands. On many products supplied by our country to other countries of the world, marks of Kuibyshev enterprises flaunt above the proud words "Made in the USSR".
Almost all sectors of the domestic industry are represented in the city - mechanical engineering, machine tool building, metallurgy, energy, oil and gas processing, construction equipment and materials, equipment and communications, woodworking, food and light industries. Let us note, by the way, that there was not a single one in old Samara. During the years of Soviet power, the volume of industrial production increased by more than 350 times.
On our last visit to, the museum in the Old Castle did not work on the occasion of the holiday. This time, the rain, one might say, drove us to the Old Castle. But whatever happens, it's all for the best. On May 21, 2016, the exposition "Wahre Schätze" (True Treasures) was opened on the newly renovated floors under the heading "Antiquity-Celts-Art". I will not write about the castle itself, because. there is already an article for 2012 and a link to it is given above. Here we get to know museum exposition. Entrance to the museum from the courtyard. True, in December the courtyard was more comfortable, decorated with Bethlehem stars, light bulbs and green Christmas trees.
To my great surprise, in several states of India, I saw huge, luxurious palaces, including the interior, built by Europeans in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
Two of them were built in the so-called Indo-Saracenic style.
The first one, which stunned me with its scope, was Lakshmi Vilas Palace in Vadodara(more commonly known as the city of Baroda) in the state. Its length is probably about 200 meters. High tower rises above the palace like a bell tower.
And in front of the palace - a large green area with fountains! Rich interior, Greek style, swimming pool, mosaic floor, stained glass windows, high, beautifully decorated ceiling. And numerous paintings by artists!
Second, even more large palace I saw in the city of Mysore/Mysore to state . The interior is very rich, a lot of different collections. Too bad we couldn't take pictures. The area in front of the palace is decorated with various sculptures and small buildings. Every Sunday evening, 96,000 electric lamps are lit in the palace! The spectacle is indescribably bright.
On the green field in front of the palace, the famous Dussehra festival is held in India. With dancing, music, a parade with elephants.
Looking ahead, I will say that I saw palaces of similar beauty in Jodhpur / Jodhpur, and in Udaipur / Udaipur in pcs. . But that's another song. But no less beautiful!
I traveled to the city of Baroda from Gandhinagar by city bus, 2 hours. And I got to Mysore from on the way to Kerala.
Baroda is a very large and, by the way, expensive city (hotel 1200 rupees). Not far from it (47 km) are the remains of the ancient capital of the 8th century. Arch, fort, 6 km. fortress wall. The place is called Champaner, guarded.
Near Pavanagh (Pavanagh) - 800 meter hill with a temple of the X century.
The city of Mysore is positioned, as they say now, as international center ashtanga yoga.
The city is also known for its high-quality and very beautiful silk (any shirt can be sewn for you in one day). Lots of sandalwood.
For 60 days.
For citizens of the Russian Federation and Ukraine, the total cost with all fees = 8300 rub.
For citizens of Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, Armenia, Georgia, Moldova, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia = 7000 rub
If you want abandoned medieval palaces and temples, a bright, warm, unfussy atmosphere, go to the central part of India, the state of Madhya Pradesh. There, on the banks of the Betva River, there is a small town - very interesting, cozy, full of palaces and temples.
Orchha - the former capital of a medieval principality
From the 16th to the 18th century, Orchha was the capital of the principality of the Bundel Rajput dynasty.
These were the times when India was ruled by the Mughals. The Rajputs ensured that their principalities retained autonomy within the Mughal Empire. They were the protectors of Hindu values, built cities, palaces and temples.
Orchha silhouettes
We lived on the main street next to the main square.
Our street 
If you go along this street in one direction - through the white gate with towers - then you get to the temple of Rama, and if in the other - across the bridge - then you find yourself in a fairy tale about the maharajas.
Orchha - Jahangir Mahal and Raj Mahal Palaces
Behind the fortress wall is a complex of two palaces - Jahangir Mahal (an example of a medieval islamic architecture) and Raj Mahal (Hindu).
Jahangir Mahal Palace was built specifically for the visits of the Mughal Emperor Jahangir.
The palaces are neglected, abandoned, but very beautiful! How interesting it is to climb everywhere inside and examine everything.
Palaces are multi-tiered, bizarre, with turrets. In the center is a patio, around which are a suite of rooms, balconies, terraces.
You wander through the labyrinths and imagine yourself living here as a “maharani”.
And how many all sorts of unexpected transitions are there; long galleries; narrow steep secret stairs hidden in the thickness of the walls; small barred balconies to contemplate the surroundings from above, remaining unnoticed; all kinds of gazebos on the roof; small dark rooms of no clear purpose… It is very easy to get lost.
You can spend all day there and not get bored.
View from the roof of the palace on Orchha
Pergolas on the roof of the palace
These gazebos were very impressive - such heavy domes on thin, thin legs.
And here is my favorite photo from Orchha
View from the roof of the palace on the river Betva and the fortress walls
Be sure to go through the palace, go to the fortress walls and take a walk to the river. There are no people there at all, you can wander alone for a long time, bumping into old blackened temples...
Feeling of peace, abandonment and falling out of time…
A ticket to the palaces costs 250 rupees. The same ticket allows you to visit Lakshmi Narayan Temple, Chaturbhuj Temple and Chatri, so don't throw it away. But keep in mind that the ticket is only valid for one day.
Chatri - cenotaphs of the rulers of Orchha
The Chatris are located about a kilometer south of the town itself, on the banks of the Betwa. Chatris are the cenotaphs of the rulers of Orchha, rather gloomy buildings, on the roofs of which vultures live.
I did not want to go inside, and I stayed on the banks of the Betva.
Not far from me, a sadhu was washing his head in the river, two rafts were rafting along the river past him, and vultures were sitting on the turrets of the cenotaph and looking out for their prey ...
Orchha literally means " lost place", which fully corresponds to the name of the city. Perhaps, it was precisely due to its abandonment that the city preserved its main historical monuments in troubled times and today is considered one of the best preserved medieval cities India. Orchha is rightly called architectural gem India, each of its monuments bears the imprint of the glorious history of a bygone era. An impressive fortress, grandiose palaces scattered throughout the city majestic temples and the cenotaphs retain their monumental grandeur and recreate the atmosphere of medieval India, despite their rather dilapidated condition. With the beginning of the development of the tourism industry, a stream of tourists reached here. By visiting this small and quiet town you will never regret your time spent here.
Orchha: general information
The verdant strip of land on the banks of the Betwa River so captivated the Rajput prince Rudra Pratap Singh that in 1501 he founded new town, which was destined to become the capital of one of the largest and most powerful principalities in Central India. Orchha flourished during the reign of Bir Singh Deo (1605-1627), as evidenced by the surviving palaces and temples. Then the city began to decline after devastating wars with the armies of the Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan. Subsequent wars with the Marathas (Orchha and Datia were the only principalities not conquered by the Marathas) in the 18th century finally undermined the once prosperous capital of Bundelkhand and the rulers of the Bundel dynasty left it in 1783. Since that time, the city has been lost in the middle of the forest and hills, turned out to be useless to anyone, since it did not occupy a strategically important position, was not located on important trade routes and communications.
Despite Coca-Cola umbrellas outside restaurants and signs advertising Indian cuisine, Orchha seems to have changed little since the days of the Bundel dynasty. In this freed from worldly fuss small town with a population of about 10,000 inhabitants, there are no traffic jams and congestion, noisy streets, the hands of beggars and beggars do not reach out to visiting tourists, street vendors do not demonstrate their impudence and arrogance. All historical monuments of the city are located next to each other, within sight. visit to this ancient capital Bundelkhand, with palaces and temples from the 16th and 17th centuries located on the banks of the Betwa River, gives a good idea of what the epoch of the "Maharajas of India" had sunk into oblivion.
More than 400 years ago, the fortress and palaces of this glorious city V central India have seen many battles with the invading Mughal armies and internecine wars. Today, bloody battles have receded into history, but for the surviving historical monuments of Orchha, like many other ancient cities and towns throughout India, the destructive and inexorable action of time has become enemy number one. Today, the vast complex of palaces and temples is in an extremely dilapidated state, having become a habitat for monkeys, bats, scorpions, rats and even snakes. The situation is exacerbated by neglect and vandalism local residents that significantly devastated the once magnificent palaces.
Today, Orchha greets its visitors with peeling and abandoned historical monuments. However, buses bring tourists here every day. Some visit the city on their way to Jhansi, others stop here on their way to Khajuraho. Orchha is conveniently located on the way to the world-famous Khajuraho temples (about 200 km away), famous for their erotic sculpture. Most people who come here foreign tourists rarely stay longer than a few hours. But the beautiful, albeit dilapidated, historical monuments of the city are well worth spending much more time with.
Attractions in Orchha
Situated on a rocky island in the middle of the Betwa River, the city's fortress is one of India's most beautiful architectural heritage from the Mughal era, with numerous arches, domes and towers soaring into the sky - a real delight for lovers of this kind of architecture. The fortress-palace includes a whole complex of magnificent palaces: Jehangir Mahal, Raj Mahal and Rai Praveen Mahal.
Raj Mahal
This is how the Raj Mahal palace looks like from the bridge over the Betwa River (pictured above), connecting modern city With ancient fortress. The construction of the Raj Mahal was started by the founder of Orchha, Rudra Pratap Singh, and completed by his heir, Madhukar Shah. Built in the shape of a square divided into two courtyards, the palace is a typical example of Mughal architecture.
Jahangir Mahal
This most famous and richly decorated palace was built by order of Bir Singh Deo in 1606. Bir Singh Deo helped Jahangir ascend the throne after the death of the Mughal Emperor Akbar. As a sign of gratitude, Jahangir visited his friend, and in honor of the visit of the new Mughal emperor, a palace was built with famous balconies, terraces, graceful domes and stone elephants. Unique feature The palace is an equal number of floors below and above ground.
Rai Praveen Mahal
The Rai Praveen Mahal Palace was built by Raja Indramani in 1675 for his concubine Rai Praveen. A poetess and a musician, Rai Praveen made legends about her beauty and talent. It is said that Emperor Akbar himself wished her to come to him in Delhi. According to legend, she made such a strong impression on Akbar with her deep feelings for Indramani that he let her go back to Orchha. In the photo above: Chaturbhuj temple on the right, Jahangir Mahal on the left, small Rai Praveen Mahal is located almost in the center.
Lakshmi Narayan Temple
One of the three most famous temples of Orchha is dedicated to Lakshmi, the goddess of abundance, prosperity and wealth. The Lakshmi Narayan Temple was originally built around 1622, then rebuilt in 1793. The design of the building combines elements of fortification architecture, such a fortress-temple. The Lakshminarayan Temple is one of the few Hindu temples in India built in the shape of a triangle. Interiors religious building covered with very beautiful frescoes.
Chaturbhuj temple
Chaturbhuj temple in Orchha appearance more like a Christian basilica due to the unusual design of the building in the shape of a cross. Absence is conspicuous a large number carved decorations, so characteristic of Hindu temples. Chaturbhuj was built by Raja Madhukar at the insistence of his wife, Maharani Ganesh Kunwar, between 1558 and 1573. It was originally planned to install a statue of Rama in the temple, which was kept in the palace of Ram Raja during the construction period. According to legend, at the end of construction, the statue was chained to its place, and it was impossible to lift it to move it from the palace to the temple, so Chaturbhuj was dedicated to the god Vishnu.
Cenotaphs
The 14 cenotaphs built along the banks of the Betwa River in honor of the deceased rulers of the Bundela dynasty still retain their grandeur (cenotaph: a tombstone erected not on the burial site). You can climb up the cenotaphs and admire the panorama of Orchha and the surrounding area.
The beautiful city deserves to show some more photos here
