We did not realize how good we had it in Orchha, a small town with no push to buy souvenirs, use a guide, rent a bicycle, get on a rickshaw or buy postcards. But in hindsight…
We counted how many times we were approached (some following us for many meters) between our guesthouse and the restaurant a single block away while we made certain to talk to each other and not look at anyone or anything but each other and to walk fast. The count? 31 times. Ugh.
So why do tourists put up with the hassle and onslaught? For the some of the best preserved temples in India. The temples are in a remote area and thus the Muslim invaders did discover them and fulfill the cutting the heads off of carved ‘idols’ part of their convert the locals to our religion program. A good number of temples were taken apart and redistributed throughout the world in the 1800’s and made it into many museums, and as such, San Francisco’s Asian Art museum has a number of the stone carvings from the temple. Of the temples that were left intact, they bring a sense of awe when you view them. The inside and outside surfaces are full of carvings, showing gods, goddesses, warriors, musicians, and the ever so famous Kamasutra sex scenes showing all sorts of possibilities. We noted that in 950 AD twins were out for men with a harem, triplets were in. Not all the carvings were of sex, but there were enough that the little old lady tourist groups were giggling and blushing as their guide was pointing out the details with a sun-powered light pen (a small mirror reflecting the sun to show them where to look). The handful of tourists were amusing as the scenes that they were eyeing.
The second day, we dealt with the harassment from young kids wanting to be guides while we bicycled out to the eastern and Jain temples. It took a toll, though. We were not mentally prepared for the onslaught while on bicycle. As we peddled by the school, every child we passed (in school uniforms, carrying lunch, books, wearing good shoes), asked us for a pen and a chocolate. (What on earth are the tourists doing here? Being miniature Mardi Gras parades?) As we made a turn through the old town (full of overt poverty), a well dressed kid offered to show us the caste system at work. We were horrified. Approaching the temples, all tourists in sight (a full six of us) were being trailed by kids that should have been in school that were instead trying to con us into going shopping or being a guide. It was rather difficult to admire the temple with someone standing next to you jabbering and tapping your arm. I was thinking that joining the buffalo in the mud and having a few Egrets perched on my back might have been more preferable.
We survived the town, though. And actually thought it was a worthwhile stop. The art and temples were stunning.
