Hilltop Drama

Escape the hubbub of India’s capital to marvel at the magical palaces and forts around the towns of Gwalior and Orchha

- Amar Grover

Delhi. It’s another long weekend. You yearn to escape the urban jungle but have already done the Taj Mahal and ‘Pink City’ of Jaipur. Some kind of tranquil alternative beckons, but where?Orchha (meaning ‘hidden place’) stands beside the Betwa River in Madhya Pradesh state around 420km south of Delhi. Its little-known confection of now-empty palaces and muscular crenellated walls enclosing half-forgotten temples is among north India’s most romantic destinations.

While it’s a lengthy journey to undertake in one go, there are several worthy distractions en route. Which is why I’m standing on the edge of a squat watchtower peering down between battlements. Far below stretch the little lanes and flat roofs of the city of Gwalior from which children fly kites amid drying chillies and traditional charpoy beds.

GWALIOR’S FORT

Three-and-a-half hours by express train from Delhi, Gwalior is famed for its colossal historic fort, perched on a plateau looming over the city. With roots in the sixth century, the fort has changed hands dozens of times during its millennia-long history. Although a rebellious contingent of its sepoys joined the 1857 uprising, the British took control and returned the city to the loyal Scindia family in 1886. Until Independence in 1947, Gwalior was one of more than 500 princely states, with its Scindia ruler important enough to merit the Raj’s most prestigious 21-gun salute on formal occasions. Post Independence, the Scindias evolved into one of the country’s most prominent political families.