Hilltop drama

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

WORDS AMAR GROVER

Gwalior is a patchwork of venerable monuments from different eras 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…

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Business Traveller Asia-Pacific Edition (Digital) - 1 Issue, July - August 2018

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