Khajuraho, Orchha and Jhansi Trip. Day One - Jabalpur Khajuraho Road Trip.

Road Trip - Jabalpur - Khajuraho 

We as a family have a Travel Bug. We seem to have wheels under our feet. We seem to take off (only figuratively though since most trips are by surface transport and not by air) on a trip. 

Our recent trip to Jabalpur was no different. Firstly, we literarily took a flight from Mumbai to Jabalpur.  Then of all the ten days of our program, we spent just 5 days at Jabalpur and in those five days, we made two "day trips". And what did we do in those balance days? We took off on a road trip from Jabalpur to Khajuraho, Orchha, and Jhansi (the same one, Jhansi ki Rani wali). Now, most of you will agree that we are travel crazy people.

In this blog, I am covering our day one of the trip, the Jabalpur to Khajuraho road trip, and whatever we could on arrival at Khajuraho. Let us start the trip.

The Route.

Jabalpur Khajuraho Map

Analysis of route on Google Map indicated three routes.

Jabalpur - Tendukheda - Aman Ganj - Panna and Khajuraho by MP SH 37 and 49.

Jabalpur - Sihora -  Kunwarpur - Amanganj - Panna - Khajuraho by NH 30, MP SH 49 and NH 39.

Jabalpur - Katni - Maihar - Panna - Khajuraho by NH 30 and NH 39.

The route via Sihora (the second one) was the fastest and we choose that route.

The Journey.

Starting at around 0715 in the morning, we left behind Jabalpur city through NH 30 and soon switched to SH 49. The roads in Madhya Pradesh are so amazing that it was hardly noticeable that we are not on an NH but on an SH. We continued our journey on SH 49 and around 1200 we reached NH 39. Soon we crossed Panna bypass and were traversing through the area of Panna Tiger Reserve.

Forested Area of Panna Reserve

Two-lane NH as it passes through Panna Tiger Reserve

Panna Tiger Reserve.

This Tiger reserve had fallen off the Wildlife enthusiasts' radar some years ago as the tiger population had almost vanished due to poaching, etc. However, there is wonderful news on the Tiger Conservation front from Panna. The programme of resettling tigers is bearing fruits and as of date, there are now 64 tigers, tigresses, and cubs in Panna Tiger Reserve.

The road, despite being an  NH narrowed down a bit in the tiger reserve area for obvious reason (scope does exist to follow Pench model to widen the road, where an elevated 4 lane road has been constructed through Pench Tiger reserve with 4 underpasses for wildlife exist to transit across the highway without any disturbance or accidents. Once the road crossing along the Core zone was over, it widened to 4 lanes. 

Pandav Falls and Caves.

We had estimated that we should reach Khajuraho by 1300 and were merrily enjoying the drive and suddenly our driver asked us, "Would you like to visit Pandav Gupha (Cave) and Pandav Waterfall?". We were wary of losing time in Khajuraho but relented and said Yes. Good that we did so. 

Taking a small detour we entered the buffer zone of Panna Reserve and drove for a short time to reach the parking area. It was a downhill walk of about 10 minutes from this parking area to reach Pandav Gupha and Fall. Taking a guide authorised by the forest department is mandatory for two reasons. One without a guide one won't know much about the place and the second and most important reason is the safety of visitors. Since this place borders the core zone of Panna Tiger Reserve, there have been occasions that tiger(s) have landed up there. It is the job of the guide to bring visitors to safety if there the Tiger call from the jungle.

Five Pandavs and Draupadi have said to have spent some time here during their Agyatvass (Exile). Later on, this place was used by the Panna kings as their hunting lodge. It is a quiet and beautiful place. The fall was only a narrow stream falling in the pond below but it must have been a roaring fall during Monsoon. This fall is on Parvati river, a tributary of Ken river. 

Receptionist at Pandav Falls

What remains of Pandav Fall which is a mighty fall in Monsoon

A Drongo on the Watch

Pandav Gupha

Another Look

Pandav Gupha. Pandav Kund in the foreground

Housekeeping Staff at Pandav Gupha😃

Scratch Marks. Not by Tigers of Panna Reserve
but by Bears climbing the trees to steal Honey

There is a connection this place has with the independence struggle of India, Great Chandrashekhar Azad had conducted a meeting of local revolutionaries in Pandav Gupha during his armed struggle days against the British.

We spent about 30 minutes at Pandav Gupha and Falls. It was a place that got recommended to us out of the blue. We had no clue about this place and were happy that we agreed to our driver's suggestion else this place would have been missed. 

Khajuraho, Lunch Option.

After this visit, we set out again to Khajuraho, reaching there by 1430. The first thing we did at Khajuraho was "Pet Puja" aka Lunch. We went to Badri Seth Marwari Bhoj for Lunch. This is a pure veg restaurant, seems very popular and serves a great Rajasthani Thali though a la Carte is also available. This place is highly recommended for a visit. Since we ordered Thali meal, Lunch got done very fast.

Kutni Island Resort.

We proceeded to our place of Stay, Kutni Island Resort by MP Tourism which is about 17 km from Khajuraho post-lunch. This resort which opened in January 2021, is situated barely 75 to 100 meters from the land on an island created due to Lake of Kutni Dam. The Dam is close by. This place is small. Just 10 AC Rooms and a functional restaurant. Rooms are spacious and tastefully decorated.

There is a beautiful lawn, a nice garden, a backdrop of Kutni Lake and there is also a boating facility which is utilized by house guests and tourists (who pay an entry fee). Built in the old Rajasthani palace style. It is a very good place. The restaurant too is good.

Rooms and Lawns at Kutni Island Resort

Approach Bridge to Kutni Resort

On the way to Boating Station

A glimpse, of Khajuraho.

We returned to Khajuraho around 1630 to visit temples and attend the Light and Sound Show at Western Group of Temples. Khajuraho has temples that get roughly clubbed into Western Group of Temples, Eastern Group of Temples and Southern Group of Temple. The prominent and most visited temples are in the Western group where the Light and Sound Show also happens. The temples in other groups are also worth a visit.

Our focus today, for the balance of our time was to see temples of the Eastern group, The first temple (and as it turned out, the only temple of this group that we could see) we choose was the Vamana Temple, the temple of Lord Vishnu in his Midget avatar. It is a beautiful temple. 

Vamana Temple

Intricate Carving

Mandap

Eye Catching Visuals

Vamana, the Lighting of the photo is bad

Another View

One More

We went in and started enjoying its beauty and then the Guard came and told us that there is only 10 minutes left for us to see the temple as it closes at Sunset, the sunset in December in Khajuraho is around 1730. We did not know that. Anyway, we wound up our visit fast. 

By the time we left the Vamana Temple complex and reached the Western Group of temples, it was dark but the Sound and Light show was to start at 1830. we waited around that complex, bought our tickets, had our evening tea, etc, and then went and saw the Light and Sound Show.

The show is good but having seen many L&S shows, we did not find the show at Khajuraho great.

The actual trip of Khajuraho would happen tomorrow.