I had the pleasure of sharing a taxi to Khajuraho with C of UK and F of Germany, a lovely couple that I met in Orchha.
The journey was uneventful and included the usual sights of crowded buses, or for that matter any mode of transport packed to the brim and overflowing, and herds of cattle that have the right on roads. They act as natural speed breakers for speeding vehicles!
On a separate note, cow protection is a sentimental issue of the Hindu religion. Human to cattle bond is linked to compassion that brings with it other principles such as ahimsa and vegetarianism for Hindus. King Ashoka, who converted to Buddhism, was known to be the first person to put compassion into action by caring for animals in need and is said to have set up animal shelters.
Anyway, to get back to the road journey, someone aptly said: The drivers need good brakes, good horn, and good sense!
We stopped by at Alipura Palace for refreshments. It is a good stopover for anyone travelling on this route. Khajuraho is approximately 90 kms away from Alipura.
The Alipura Palace was the home to Raja Manvendra Singh and his family. The Palace walls are decorated with old trophies and souvenirs that gives a good insight of the royalty of the Bundelkhands. Alipura heritage dates back to 300 years with its ancestors being rulers of Panna for several decades.
