Tripping into Orchha, Bhimbetka and Amarkantak

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Madhya Pradesh wraps Indian history in its folds.

The biggest election exercise will take place in Madhya Pradesh; a state with its sparse population but with an expansive landscape.

Little wonder then that it’s perfect as a winter getaway. And one doesn’t need to head far from the state’s capital city of Bhopal to experience the off-the-beaten-track holiday.

The archaeological site of Bhimbetka, for instance, has splendid rock shelters that exhibit the earliest traces of human life in India. The Stone Age rock paintings are approximately 9,000 years old, similar to sites such as the Kakadu National Park in Australia, cave paintings of the “Bushmen” in Kalahari Desert besides the Upper Paleolithic Lascaux cave paintings in France. Its name comes from the mythological association of the place with Bhima.

There are three fortress towns that offer insights into the state’s royal past. Ajaigarh, in the Bundelkhand region, founded in 1765, by Guman Singh, a Bundela Rajput, is one such town. Nowgong has a fort situated on a steep hill. The fort has ruins of several temples adorned with elaborately carved sculptures. Asirgarh, near the town of Burhanpur, has a fort connecting the valleys of the Narmada and Tapti rivers.

Chanderi, in Ashoknagar district, has a Mughal fort which is situated on a hill, 71 mtrs above the main town area. To the southwest of the fort there is a curious gateway called katti-ghatti made through a hillside. Yes, it’s the same Chanderi, so famous for its hand-woven saris.

Orchha is another fortress town, also noteworthy for its other historic buildings. A must visit in Orchha is the Raja Ram Mandir, a massive square building whose exterior is absolutely simple and quite plain. There’s also Jahangir Mahal which is far more ornate and a beautiful specimen of Hindu architecture.

The final destination on your journey to Madhya Pradesh should ideally be Amarkantak, also considered the birthplace of rivers Narmada, Sone and Johila and the meeting point of the Vindhyas. The eco-system of Amarkantak is unique, what with valuable medicinal plants, now gravely endangered. And Indian mythology has it that Amarkantak is the place of worship for both gods and demons. It is believed that they came here for a cure.

Who knows, maybe it’s a vacation that will cure you from all the stress.