OLD COUPLES' KASHI YATRA VIA KHAJURAHO (2)

---

OLD COUPLES’ KASHI YATRA VIA KHAJURAHO (2).

23rd September, 2009 - Sunday.

Morning at 7 O’Clock we started from Hotel River View and our next destination was Khajuraho. This time we travelled on the bye-pass road avoiding Jabalpur City. In the morning hours and in the fresh breeze, we were travelling at a speed between 70 and 80 kmph as practically there was no traffic on the National High Way. On the Jabalpur bye pass road, we saw a traffic police cop on motor bike stopping a loaded lorry and discussing something with the Driver. We were discussing about the incident and from my rear-view mirror, I found the Cop chasing my car. Immediately I stopped the Car and the Cop came to my side and asked me to show my driving licence and other papers. I enquired him the purpose of his checking. In the meanwhile my friend Mr.V.K. got down from the car and introduced himself to the Cop and stated that we were from A.P. and on pilgrimage to M.P and other places. Commenting that we were ‘tej bhag rahe hai’ the Cop allowed us to proceed without causing any further trouble.

After taking breakfast in a roadside dhaba, we reached the town Katni. From Katni we have to proceed on the National High Way to Panna and from there to Khajuraho. In a junction in the town of Katni I noticed a road on the left side of the Junction with the Board ‘way to Khajuraho’. Thinking that it would be a short cut road to Khajuraho we turned on this road and proceeded further. This road, a single road, is very nice for a distance of 20 km. From there our troubles began. The road passing through villages/towns of Pawai, Amanganj, etc. is at its worst with pot holes, unsettled kankar, etc. Added to this, a ghat road of a distance of more than 30 km. With great difficulty and travelling very slowly, we reached Panna by 2 pm. Panna though famous for diamond mines is a very small town. Just before entering the town we found a Restaurant on the road side. We stopped there for lunch. There were not any other customers in the Restaurant and after half an hour, the Hotel served us lunch. Though the Restaurant is neat, it is with full of mosquitoes biting us from under the table. Somehow satisfying the hunger, we proceeded further and reached Khajuraho by 4 pm. On the way to Khajuraho, the forest is full of Amla Trees with Amla fruits at their early stage. At Bhedaghat Mr.Anil Tiwari recommended us the Hotel Harmony at Khajuraho for our stay and we directly proceeded to this Hotel and stayed there. From Bhedaghat our journey passed through towns Jabalpur, Katni, Pawai, Amanganj & Panna. So far we covered a distance of 1304 km from Hyderabad.

At the Hotel we found a Guide and he agreed to show us the places of interest in the evening and the next day at a charge of Rs.350/-. After refreshing, we were ready for a visit to the temples. In the meanwhile, the Guide came and took us to a temple near the Air Port, at a distance of 5 km. This was a very small temple. The Guide stated that all important well preserved temples are at one place and there were four or five temples scattered here and there within a radius of four kms. Near the temple there was a Hillock and the Guide stated that within the Hillock there was a beautiful temple and it came to light in the recent archaeological diggings. We went near the hillock and found the traces of a temple which is to be fully excavated. From there we proceeded to the main temple complex. The Guide stated at 7-30 pm Light and Sound Show will be exhibited within the temple complex explaining the history of Khajuraho. The Light and Sound Show is with the commentary of famous Cine Artist Amitabh Bachan and is very nice to witness. After witnessing the Light and Sound Show we returned to the Hotel, had dinner and retired to the Bed for the day.

24th September, 2007 - Monday.

By 9 am the Guide attended and took us to various temples and explained the details of carvings and history of the temples situated around the village. By the side of the main temple complex there was a big Shiva temple where regular pujas are performed. There was also a separate Jain temple complex and a Jain Temple Museum. A dharmashala is there near the Jain temple complex and it provides reasonably good accommodation at a very reasonable rate. It looked the statues in the Jain Temple Complex were originally belonged to the Temples built by the Chandela Kings. After showing us all temples around the village, the Guide left us at the main temple complex. Adjacent to the main temple complex there was a very big Shiva Temple where Abhishekams and pujas are being performed. After performing puja in the Shiva Temple we entered the main temple complex. Guides are not allowed inside the main temple complex and we have dispensed with the services of the Guide as he had shown us all the temples where Guides are permitted. Only tourists are allowed to roam around the main temple complex. Till 1-30 pm we spent visiting various temples in the main temple complex and then we came out and after taking lunch proceeded to our Lodge and took rest.

In the evening we on our own visited the museum situated near the main temple complex and spent till 7 pm visiting the shopping complexes. As all these temples were constructed in far away places to the main towns and in the middle of the forest, they were spared from the destruction by Muslim Invaders.

BRIEF HISTORY OF KHAJURAHO.

The Chandela Dynasty Kings claimed their descent from the Moon God. The legend describes the origin of the dynasty as one girl by name Hemavati, the beautiful young daughter of a Brahmin priest was seduced by the Moon God while bathing in the Rati one evening. The child born of this union between a human being and a God was a son, Chandravarman. Similar to the story of Pandavas and Bhima Kavi of Draksharamam. Harassed by society, the unwed mother sought refuge in the dense forest of Central India where she was both mother and teacher to her young son. The boy grew, became a warrior, and found the great Chandela Dynasty and established a Kingdom in the forest. When he was established as a Ruler, he had a dream-vision from his mother, who implored him to build temples that would reveal human passions, and in doing so bring about a realization of the emptiness of human desire. Chandravarman began the construction of the first of the temples, and successive rulers added their own temples to the fast growing complex.

RAGHAVARAO U.V.G.V. DUGGIRALA,
HYDERABAD, Dt.31st OCTOBER, 2009.

---