We began this morning with a train ride from Agra to Jhansi. We then re-boarded our bus for the trip to Khajuraho. In addition to the 1.5 billion people, the traffic congestion, and the ever present cows and bulls on the road it seems that everyone collects cow dung and fashions it into patties about 12″ round, and then stack them everywhere. They are ubiquitous. They evidently are a very cheap source of fuel. We stopped at the resort town of Orchha on the banks of the Betwa River for lunch. What a surprise we had! The Betwa is one of India’s cleanest rivers and there were numerous families going down the ghat (steps) to bathe and cleanse themselves and their clothes before heading to prayer. As well this is the site of 15 chhattri which are the shrines to the cremation sites of prior Hindu Raji. We were alone within the site and got to explore them without any crowds. On the way out we came across a “Sadhu” or Hindu Holy Man, who has renounced all earthly possessions. As if that weren’t enough we happened past an old Persian Well still being used by the owner of the land for his family’s water and to irrigate his fields. True, many towns in India don’t have running water and use communal wells, but this well was dug a long, long time ago and is a large brick open pit about 10′ in diameter that goes down about 100′. Quite a feat of engineering, and still driven by oxen today.
