Relaxation in the village of Orccha

Heading to Orccha after the hustle and bustle of Agra, I did not really know what to expect of this small village which has some nice heritage sites. I just wanted to relax for a few days before continuing my trip though India.

I took the train from Agra to Jhansi, from where I had to take a tempo (rickshaw for lots of people) to Orccha which is about 15 km away. Usually there are buses, but during the monsoon the bridge is closed and the only way to get there is with these rickshaws. It's quite amazing how many people manage to fit into one of these small rickshaws! 

Jhansi looked like a dump and by all accounts it is the type of place just used as a thoroughfare to places such as Orccha or Khajurao (where the main kama sutra temple is). Upon arriving in Orccha - which is about 3 streets big, I found a place to stay and just relaxed. 

The next morning I set out to explore the area; there are some beautiful temples and a huge palace complex. You can tell that it was grand and wonderful when all was still in a nice state, but unfortunately the buildings are not maintained and the state of disrepair diminishes the grandeur of the place. You do, however, get beautiful views over the country side and the greenery! 

After dinner, I went to see the square around the main temple in Orccha - and was shouted at to get away from the door (which I had not noticed) because I had my shoes on and my bag with me. They probably called me an infidel or something of sorts - sometimes ignorance is bliss. I just really did not notice that it was the entrance already! 

Anyway, so I made friends with this really cute little girl who owned a souvenir stall - obviously she just wanted to sell me things.. but she was selling them to me at really cheap prices cause she liked me; I ended up not buying anything but a small bracelet, but she was still so cute, and every time I passed by she would be so happy. 

After two days of relaxation in Orccha I then left and made my way back to Jhansi from where I had a night train to Varanasi. At Jhansi station I had the most surreal experience in the waiting room and I just could not help but laugh at the scenes unfolding in front of me. 

I went to sit in the airconditioned ladies waiting room, where the woman in charge wanted to charge me 5 rupees for using the toilet, which I did not agree to. Then she just gave up, because her english was not good enough to argue with me. Then I was sitting there and some guy walks in to use the power outlets to charge his phone - obviously he's not allowed to be in there, so he asks me to watch his phone. He leaves and 10 seconds later is dragged back inside by the woman in charge and she's shouting at him to take his things and go etc. etc. 

10 minutes later a group of maybe 10 - 15 people, men women, children, bags, suitcases everything just piles into this waiting room and installs themselves all over the place. I was just a fixture in the middle, around which they just put their things and continued on with their lives. I found it rather fascinating. Suitcases were opened, clothes taken out, put everywhere - people went to take showers one by one, food was eaten, laptops taken out, music played. More people entered - they seemed to know each other and started talking about bargain shoes at the other end of the platform. Men walking in and out etc. Then the caretaker woman comes in, just as the like 15 year old son comes out of the shower - remember this is a womens' waiting room - and she just starts shouting at these people, who clearly are not taking her seriously at all. She's telling them they have to pay a fine, and they're just basically laughing in her face. At this point they are half a meter away from me and I just cannot stop laughing, I'm really shaking with laughter at the scene unfolding in front of me. The boy is kicked out of the waiting room basically in his underwear and the caretaker is just totally angry - trying to get them to pay for their showers, which they don't do, and then she wants the fine to be paid. One of them just gives her 20rps and basically tells her to just shut-up! Then the husband of one of the women, who had just gone to take a shower in the mens' room comes in.. and everybody just starts shouting "oh look! a man! fine fine fine!!!" and the caretaker just does not know what to do with herself! I was just dying of laughter and the others just continued on as if this woman just did not exist! Some just left their luggage and towels hanging around to go shopping, others stayed there surrounded by clothes, towels, shaving creams and soaps etc. and yea life just continued. 

In any case it made my waiting time rather amusing if I could have, without being too rude I would have filmed the whole thing - it was just proper comedy. Other than that my train ride was uneventful and I arrived in Varanasi safely the next morning, where I had arranged a pick-up from the hostel at which I was staying.