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Chand Baori, Stepwell of Abhaneri
Abhaneri is about 90 km from Jaipur. It houses one of the oldest and largest step wells in India – the Chand Baori or Chand Bawri. Plan your trip Origins of the Abhaneri step well The Chand Baori or Chand Bawri, as it is spelt sometimes, is one of the largest and oldest step wells in India. A ‘baori’ or ‘bawri’ in the local language is a well from which water can be drawn. Dating back to the 8th-9th century CE, the step well’s construction features and carving styles suggest this period, though no inscriptions confirm it. The name Chand is ascribed to a local ruler of the Nikumbh dynasty…
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Jantar Mantar, Jaipur
Jantar Mantar was constructed by Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh II in the 18th century. There are four other such astronomical observatories built by the same king – in Delhi, Ujjain, Mathura and Varanasi. Some of these are the largest instruments built in their category and are very advanced in terms of their precision. Astronomical and Astrological significance The guide was quite knowledgeable about the astronomical and astrological significance of the instruments. From our guide, we understood that the pursuit of precision for the calculation of time seemed to be driven by a two-pronged need. Firstly, to be free of dependency on the Islamic almanacs being referred to for agricultural milestones,…
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Datia Palace – An Ode to Friendship
Datia Palace was built by Raja Vir Singh Deo (Bir Singh in Bundela) from 1614 CE to 1623 CE. Plan your trip Getting there We took a cab from Orchha to Datia, about an hour’s drive away. Our driver assumed we were on a pilgrimage to Datia and took us straight away to a temple. Expecting a palace to be our destination, we shared a few confused looks when our driver announced we’d reached our stop. When we explained that we wanted to visit the Datia palace, he didn’t know which palace we were talking about. We showed him the route on Google Maps, but the last stretch couldn’t have…
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Mahadev Temple, Tambdi Surla
We planned to visit Goa while the pandemic situation was easing a bit. So, instead of taking public transport, we drove down to Goa from Bangalore. The drive was about 10 hours and it made sense to take a break near Dandeli. We chose an accommodation in the forest that is amidst nature but also close to this temple that we wanted to see. The Mahadev Temple is a 12th century temple dedicated to Siva. The temple is in a remote corner at the foothills of the Western Ghats. The path to the temple had many monkeys and so, beware if you’re carrying anything edible. There are a few stalls…
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A trip to the Warrior Queen’s abode – Jhansi
Jhansi is near the border of the present-day states of Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh.Just 30 minutes from Orchha, Jhansi was a fixture in our itinerary. All three of us were eager to see this slice of history for ourselves. We wanted to know more about the queen, Rani Laxmi Bai, one of the prominent women warriors in India’s struggle for independence. The Fort of Jhansi Plan your trip Origins of the fort Perched atop a commanding hill, Jhansi Fort offers a strategic vantage point that has witnessed centuries of history. Built in the 17th century CE by Bir Singh Deo, a king of Orchha State, the fort became a…
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Laxmi Mandir, Orchha
The Hidden Town of Orchha Orchha means ‘hidden’. This town in India’s Madhya Pradesh on the banks of the Betwa River was the stronghold of the Bundela Rajputs. True to its name, Orchha conceals many treasures of Indian history, art, and architecture. One such unique and breathtaking gem is the Laxmi Mandir, a temple dedicated to the Hindu goddess of wealth – Laxmi. The Origins of Laxmi Mandir Raja Bir Singh Deo, a Bundela chieftain built this temple in 1622 CE. The site of the temple is on a hill, near the Orchha palace-fort complex. The vantage point from the temple offers an expansive view of the palace fort of…
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Orchha and around – 2 Day Itinerary
The word Orchha means ‘hidden’. This was the stronghold of the Bundela Rajputs, who expanded their territory to what became Bundelkhand. There are a couple of origin stories regarding the clan’s name. In one version, the name originates from ‘Bund’ (pronounced ‘boondh’) or drop in Hindi. A ruler fell upon hard times and was exiled to the Vindhya range by his enemies. He became a devotee of the Goddess Kali and prepared to sacrifice himself to the deity. The deity appeared and promised the restoration of the dynasty’s lost glory. The deity bestowed the name Bundela on the dynasty to commemorate the drops of blood he spilt in devotion. In…
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Orchha Fort – of Gods and Men
The Hidden Town of Orchha Orchha, in present-day Madhya Pradesh, was the Bundela Rajputs’ bastion. The Orchha Fort is the name given to a complex of many monuments that were built by King Rudra Pratap Singh and successive Bundela rulers between the 16th and 17th centuries CE, as they expanded their territories into what became known later as ‘Bundelkhand’ or the Bundela nation. Internal strife caused the ‘princely states’ of Datiya and Panna to secede from Orchha. The dynasty fell prey to the Mughals and later the colonialists, who took advantage of the perennial conflicts and intrigue between the different Bundela ‘states’. The main fort sits on an island. The…
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A Masinagudi Weekend
Our trip to Masinagudi started on a Saturday morning at 6:30 AM. The route we took from Bangalore to Masinagudi was the Kanakapura – Malavalli – Nanjangud – Begur – Gundlupete – Bandipur – Mudumalai – Masinagudi. We stopped for breakfast at the Saviruchi Restaurant just after entering Malavalli town. As we entered Bandipur, it was already nearly mid-day. We came across herds of deer and troops of monkeys. We were checked at the crossing into Mudumalai by the forest guards to see if we were carrying any single use plastics with us. Vehicles with commercial plates are required to pay a ‘green tax’ during entry based on the size…
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Our 4 day Jaipur Itinerary
The excitement started to build two months before August 2022. We had been reading about the culturally rich ‘Pink city’ since our school days and finally we had our itinerary planned! August being the rainy season in most parts of India, Rajasthan seemed like one of the best options for the holidays around India’s Independence Day weekend. Below is a snapshot of our itinerary for 4 days in Jaipur. Jaipur Itinerary – Day 1 We started from Bangalore in the morning and reached our hotel in Jaipur by the afternoon. A laid back Day 1 was planned. Maharaniyon ki Chhatriyan We had planned to visit Maharaniyon ki Chhatriyan only because…
