Temples and more temples

Finally, after 1 year, 7 months and 11 days it was definitely time to leave Germany for another trip. No, not Africa this time, but India. This is actually also nothing really new as this is the 7th time travelling through India.
I have planned for the north, more exactly said from Delhi to Calcutta. In parts I have been travelling here before – on my very first India trip. At that time, 16 years ago, I had sworn that India will never ever see me again. A perjury, undoubtedly. 11 years I stood with my opinion, and then I was persuaded to try again – that time South India. And, here we go – I really liked it a lot. Some more trips followed, to central India, Kerala, then again a try with Rajasthan, which was fine also. Then to the Himalayans, to the source of the sacred river Ganga.

Ghandi Smriti, Delhi

Basically it was just logical to do now this trip from Delhi to Calcutta again – and see, whether this part is really that bad, especially Varanasi, which I hated 16 years back. This is something still to find out in a couple of days.
Anyway, I left Germany, 13th of December. A layover of 9 hours in Dubai might be bad for some people. I liked it. At least it is long enough to go into town. They have a metro system now from the airport all the way into town. And Dubai is definitely not a place to be bored. There are so many things to see…
Three more hours in the plane and I was in India. To be on the safe side I had pre-booked a hotel including transfer. And it was as I expected – for sure no one waited outside the airport with a sign with my name on it….
What to do? Well, I asked the next intelligent looking person for help. He turned out to be a staff from a big, expensive hotel. There to pick up people. Anyway, he called Ivory Palace, where they had to look for the reservation. Great! Anyway, reservation was there, transfer not.
Great, this was a good start… Well, so my new friend put me in a taxi and told the driver where to take me. He also told him not to charge me, but the hotel…

Bahai Temple, Delhi

Just, that this driver had no clue of the area Karol Bagh I wanted to go to… It took us a long time, but then, with asking around 30 people in the area, there it was – Ivory Palace hotel. Actually easy to find, as it is painted red, but my taxi driver did not speak any English, so I could not tell him…
Ivory Palace hotel is far from winning a beauty contest, but for Delhi it is okay. More or less clean, impolite staff, not really working toilets, but at least hot water! So, actually a good start for an India trip. Welcome back to good old India.  Although it is my fourth time in Delhi, I still do not like this big city. Too many people, everywhere dirt, the absolute chaos on the street, a quiet hotel room is the dream of all sleepless tourists in this town. In addition to all that, you have crazy rickshaw drivers, dishonest shop owners and travel agents, and quite a few people, who like to send people on purpose in the wrong direction….

Orchha

But, well, I was prepared from earlier visits.
Places of interest of Delhi are widespread around town. So, there were still quite some things left for my fourths visit. First, I headed to India gate, which was built in memory of the fallen Indian soldiers of the First World War. Nearby is the government quarter and the place at which Gandhi was shot down. Now, this place houses a good museum.

Orchha

Quite far outside, but absolutely worth seeing, is Bahai temple. He has the shape of a lotus flower. Thousands of school children were at the same place visiting the same temple. And, for sure, all of them wanted to know, where I come from, my name, interesting things like my father’s name and the like. Also, whether I liked India. For sure, this was not only asked by one student and the others listened to the answer, no, each of them asked his question and wanted to have an answer….
One day in Delhi is more than enough. So, I was really glad to escape from the madness by a 5 hours train journey. My next destination was Orchha – a small place with 8000 habitants – perfect! Moreover, a great fort, a lot of temples, tombs and nice local people! This was the right place to relax and to get used to India again. Even the hotel was just great – with a view towards the fort directly from my bed. What else someone would want?
After three days in Orchha I went by an extremely slow train to Khajuraho. In winter, north India receives a lot of fog and therefor trains must go more slowly. This also makes sense – nevertheless, at least, unlit objects stand once again on the rails, cows, for example. Or a put down cart…. Or someone is walking on the track…
This can take a bad end, if the train driver realizes things like that too late. Then better going slow…

Khajuraho

In Khajuraho, I have been already, but this was 16 years ago. At that time Khajuraho was a small village, there was a handful of rustic lodgings, 2 or 3 restaurants and a small bicycle repair shop, which also rented out bicycles. Well, today the whole thing is a little bit different – there are lodgings of all categories from 2 euros up to something like 300. A restaurant in the tree-house? Why not, we are in Khajuraho. And for sure, now, one can rent bikes everywhere.

Khajuraho

The great temples of Khajuraho remained the same. There are 22 of them, and most of them with a fantastic range of erotic sculptures. Each time you see something else… Quite artistic looking positions of couples or even more people, an elephant looking shy towards a couple or a woman in the wet sari….
For sure, you are not alone in such a world cultural heritage, but it is a big complex, so it never looked like a horde of people in there.
Most famous is the western temple group, but there are also temples outside of town. Basically, the whole area is dotted with temples. And still, the best way to see them is by bicycle. Past green fields and by small villages. Like that, India is just great!

Veeru, hotel manager in Khajuraho

Moreover, as also my hotel was good – clean, hot showers, a terrace, nice employees and friendly manager. What does one want more?
So, my next stop will be in another small place called Chitrakut. About this place I will tell you more in the next posting.

By the way, in case, you plan a trip to northern India in December, do not forget to bring a good warm sleeping bag, some warm underwear, gloves and at least two sweaters… This is not a joke, at night, it has something like 5 degrees. But there is no heating and people sit outside...